Restaurant POS or Point of Sale software is one of the essential tools for restaurant management and operations, and when used smartly, can significantly reduce the burden of running a restaurant. The field of food-tech has seen some phenomenal development lately, and your restaurant management technology should keep up with it. As the tech-world progresses, so should your restaurant. Tech-Savvy restaurants have been known to attract more customers. Considering the technological strides restaurants have been taking, it essential that you keep up with the trends, and your restaurant POS should be robust enough to provide the new-age features.
When Should You Upgrade Your Restaurant POS
Often, restaurateurs don’t think of changing the restaurant POS as they are unaware of the many benefits that they are losing out on. While some restaurant POS features are useful to have, certain elements are an absolute must.
Use this restaurant POS checklist to decide if your current POS fulfills your restaurant’s requirements.
Here are some warning signs that tell that your Restaurant POS has turned obsolete and that you need to upgrade your Restaurant POS.
1. Recurring Thefts
Many of our fellow restaurateurs out there would confess that they suspect that thefts are happening at their restaurants, but they can’t figure out how. If you are not able to justify the low profits, then thefts and pilferage are occurring at your restaurant. A theft free restaurant may seem like a distant dream for restaurateurs, but the right restaurant POS can check the thefts and pilferage. Tight control on the inventory, specific roles and permissions to perform tasks, and real-time reports, help to control thefts in restaurants. Therefore a POS for controlling restaurant theft should be your priority!
2. Technologically Incompatible
You need to upgrade restaurant POS software if it is technology challenged. Several new features have come up in the restaurant tech industry that is a smoothening user experience like never before. Technology such as online ordering, online payment integration, tablet billing, table reservation, etc. that have become imperative for restaurants. The modern-day POS comes equipped with all these features and provides an integrated solution to all the restaurant tech needs. Even if your POS does not have all these features, it should at least be open to third-party integrations of the following-
- CRM & Loyalty Programs
- Online Ordering
- Payment Integration
- Cloud Telephony
- Feedback Management
- Table Reservation
- Cloud Telephony
3. Poor Customer Support
Technology, no matter how advanced or sophisticated, is not immune to glitches, and your restaurant POS software is no different. Also, there would also be times when the software would need to be updated. For all of this and more, you need to have a POS solution that has a strong Customer Support team. If you are not able to reach the Support when you need them, or your issues are not resolved satisfactorily, then it is a time you should upgrade your Restaurant POS.
4. Requires Extensive Training
The restaurant industry sees some of the highest attrition rates, especially at the junior level. Therefore, it is not feasible to have a complicated restaurant POS that requires extensive software training. Your staff who have to handle the POS may not be very skilled or good with technology, therefore, choose a POS with a clean and simple User Interface that is easy to operate.
5. Has Features You Don’t Need
Each type of restaurant is different and has different restaurant needs. A quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain requires a robust central kitchen management feature while a casual dining restaurant may require features like Online Ordering and Table Reservation. If your restaurant POS is too cluttered, with features that are of no use to you, then it is time you change it.
6. No Online Data Integration
If you are still using a traditional/legacy POS with bulky hardware terminals, then you need to switch your restaurant POS immediately! The world has moved on to the cloud, and so should your restaurant. The entire data is updated on the cloud, allowing you easy access to the reports from anywhere, anytime. Cloud technology is also beneficial in the case of multiple restaurant outlets with advanced features like Central Kitchen Management and Menu Management.
Read a detailed article about all you need to know about cloud Point of Sale software here.
7. No Real-time Mobile Reporting
Real-time mobile reporting enables you to keep track of all your sales data and transactions. This has become very popular among restaurateurs, as it allows you to stay updated about your restaurant business from anywhere, through any web-enabled device. This article will tell you about the importance of real-time mobile reporting in restaurants.
There is no denying that an efficient restaurant POS software is a critical factor in a restaurant’s success. You should change the restaurant POS if the current one that you are using has turned too obsolete and is not able to cater to the growing demands of your restaurant business.
