Smart POS

The Benefits of Upgrading to a Smart Point of Sale Terminal

04 October 2023 6 minutes read

In the dynamic business world, technology has been evolving at an unprecedented rate. One area that has seen significant advancements is the point of sale (POS) system. Businesses have gradually moved from traditional POS terminals to smart POS terminals, a shift that has revolutionized how transactions are managed. In this article, we will explore several ways in which businesses can benefit from upgrading to a smart point-of-sale terminal.

What is a Smart POS Terminal?

A Smart POS terminal is a system that processes sales transactions and integrates with various business operations such as inventory management, customer relationship management, employee tracking, etc. These systems are designed to be user-friendly and offer features such as real-time sales analytics, customer information storage, and transaction recording.

The Benefits of Upgrading to a Smart POS Terminal

There are several benefits to upgrading your business operations with a Smart POS terminal:

Efficient Operations and Payment Processing

Upgrading to a smart POS terminal can enhance the operational efficiency of your business. These systems facilitate faster and more detailed payment processing, saving you time and potential headaches. Thanks to cloud-based POS software, you don’t have to rely on one piece of hardware to serve customers — transactions and sales activity reviews can be conducted from various devices like phones, laptops, or tablets.

Improved Inventory Management

Modern POS systems provide real-time inventory tracking. They allow you to import product information, check stock quantities, edit items, flag products for reordering, and set up low-stock alerts. Regularly reviewing your inventory data can help you adjust stock levels to maximize sales and improve inventory turnover.

Sharpened Sales Strategy

Smart POS systems offer real-time reporting that can significantly enhance your sales strategy. The analytics can show you which items are popular, when your business has high and low seasons, and how often customers take advantage of promotions. You can also track sales patterns, view overall sales by season or week, and compare current sales numbers to previous periods. This data is crucial for refining your product offers, sales strategy, and promotional packages.

Integration with Existing Systems

Upgrading your POS system doesn’t mean abandoning your current systems. Modern POS systems can integrate with various platforms like accounting, sales, marketing, and HR, allowing you to manage everything from one central location.

Reduced Administrative Work

Newer POS systems significantly reduce the amount of administrative work compared to older systems. They cut down on paperwork and tedious tasks, reducing the likelihood of errors and saving you and your employee’s time. You can send and track invoices easily, view your billing information in one place, and automate certain tasks, like submitting instant orders to suppliers when you’re running low on certain items.

Improved Customer Relationships

A modern POS system can improve customer relationships by making the transaction experience fast and easy. It can automatically add new customers to a directory, save their personal and financial information, and send them digital receipts. Moreover, customer profiles with key metrics can help you understand what your customers like and how you can provide better support. Depending on the POS system, you might also be able to add a loyalty rewards program for your customers, incentivizing them to keep buying from you.

Enhanced Security

Ensuring the safety of your customers’ financial information is a crucial responsibility for any business. Upgrading your POS system can help safeguard your company records, confidential financial details, and customer information by encrypting all your data. Modern POS systems also handle PCI compliance on your behalf, alleviating worries about audits, assessors, or changing safety requirements.

Easier Employee Tracking

Evaluating employee performance can be difficult without access to the right data. A smart POS system can make it easier to track employee work and evaluate performance effectively.

The Future of Smart POS Terminals

The future of Smart Point of Sale (POS) terminals promises a transformative impact on businesses and consumers alike. The demand for smart POS systems is surging, driven by their ability to integrate features such as analytics and loyalty data directly into the terminal.

By 2026, the number of smart POS terminals is projected to rise from 13.7 million units in 2021 to 35 million, marking a growth of 156%​. Notably, an estimated 57% of all payments via POS systems will be contactless by 2026, up from the current 25%, thanks to increasing contactless payment limits that afford consumers more freedom at the e-commerce checkout​.

Also, the adoption of soft POS systems, which utilize Near Field Communication (NFC) on mobile devices to accept contactless payments, is expected to grow. This offers a cost-effective solution for small business owners and is projected to increase from 3.2 million in 2021 to nearly 24 million by 2026. These advancements signal a promising future for smart POS terminals, providing a more seamless and efficient retail experience.

Smart POS Terminal: A Case Study with Virtual Pay

Virtual Pay is a smart POS terminal leading the charge in Smart POS solutions. Here’s all you need to know about us.

Virtual Pay Smart Terminals: A Smart Solution

Virtual Pay has revolutionized payment processing by introducing Smart Point of Sale (POS) terminals. These terminals are designed to boost sales by offering secure and convenient payment options. Fully compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), these POS devices are equipped to accept all credit and debit cards, ensuring a wide range of payment options for customers.

In addition to their diverse card acceptance, these devices are also wireless and portable, with a battery life of up to 8 hours. One unique feature of these smart terminals is their quick settlement speed. Businesses receive their money within 24 hours of transactions conducted during working days.

Benefits of Using Virtual Pay Smart Terminals

Virtual Pay Smart Terminals offer a host of benefits. They provide chip and pin capabilities and enable quick customer payments. They also offer convenience, save time by eliminating the need to deposit cash in the bank, and facilitate minimal contact for better hygiene. These terminals are designed to increase high-value sales and impulse purchases, and they offer instant transaction reports and daily, weekly, or monthly statements.

Competitive Pricing of Virtual Pay Smart Terminals

Virtual Pay offers competitive pricing for its services. The fee per transaction is 2.8% for branded cards and 3.3% for premium branded cards. These competitive rates make Virtual Pay Smart Terminals a cost-effective choice for businesses looking to streamline their payment processing and improve the overall customer experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, upgrading to a smart POS terminal can revolutionize the way your business operates. It can enhance operational efficiency, improve inventory management, refine your sales strategy, integrate with existing systems, reduce administrative work, improve customer relationships, enhance security, and make employee tracking easier.

Virtual Pay Smart Terminals are an excellent example of a smart POS terminal that offers all these benefits and more. Embracing such technology can provide a significant boost to your business and set it on the path to success.