EPoS and Chip & PIN: Consider the EPoSitives...

The advantages offered by a sophisticated EPoS system are numerous - even for smaller businesses. Phil Mellows outlines some of the benefits for pubs.

Any good licensee will ask not only what EPoS will cost but where the payback is going to come from. Suppliers have plenty of answers - and more functions are being created all the time. Here are a few advantages of EPoS that you should consider.

• Security​

Unfortunately a cash business like a pub is always prey to pilfering by barstaff, not necessarily taking money from the till but giving free drinks to friends.

EPoS allows you to track every transaction. When tills are short you can narrow down where the money has gone missing and who is most likely to be responsible.

You can take this a step further by linking EPoS with the CCTV system so you can see exactly what your staff are doing or, in the latest development, have the till screen transmitted real-time to a handheld monitor so you can watch the till and see what's happening at the bar at the same time.

Stock control​

You don't have to wait for a full stocktake to find out which products are moving fastest or which are recording a shortfall. EPoS records your sales minute by minute.

Sales reports​

EPoS systems can be programmed to produce the reports you want, whether you want to follow the progress of a single product or evaluate the success of a promotion.

"We can programme line checks on a pub's top 20 sellers or single out one product and check it every day if you think you're losing money on something," says Tim Smith of Wedderburn.

Speed​

Licensees who have installed EPoS have frequently found that it speeds up service at the bar as well as saving time on paperwork.

Food orders​

As food sales grow in the pub industry an EPoS system connected to a printer in the kitchen can improve service and enable you to track orders.

Table service​

If you have EPoS it makes table service easier. Waiting staff can carry handheld terminals to take orders and transmit them straight through to the bar or kitchen.

It also means you've got people on the floor of the pub all the time, increasing your chances of making more sales.

"Having an electronic waiter pad means you're in front of customers all the time and that increases sales dramatically," said Tim Smith.

"Handhelds can also help staff sell at table with descriptors and tasting notes for wines and so on."

Restaurant booking​

Table bookings can be entered into the EPoS system and you can follow progress in the dining room - who's still waiting for food, who's paid and about to leave and so on.

A new function from I-Control also enables you to design a seating plan, nominating no-smoking tables, providing wheelchair access and identifying window tables etc.

Accommodation​

If you have letting rooms, you can also add on hotel reservations software.

Pricing​

Barstaff can often make mistakes when charging customers but touchscreen EPoS tills always get the right price and always add up the total correctly.

"Pubs which have pre-set prices in the tills have seen takings up 20 per cent," said Sharp's Paul Randall.

"There are occasions when staff haven't been told prices have gone up."

Training​

EPoS is also a training tool. Walkers, a chain of cocktail bars in East Sussex, uses its system to add new cocktails to the list, displaying ingredients and method.

Promotions​

Confusion is often caused, for staff and stocktakers alike, when pubs run a short-term promotion.

Programming a promotion into an EPoS system makes sure that no mistakes are made and you can accurately evaluate the success of the promotion.

Loyalty schemes​

One way in which EPoS can help positively develop your business is through a loyalty scheme.

Details of regular customers can be recorded and they can be rewarded for how much they spend with you.

"You can text e-vouchers for a theme night to members' mobile phones," says Ciaran Meagher of I-Control."The system makes sure the voucher can't be used more than once."

Chip & PIN​

Most new EPoS systems incorporate Chip & PIN.

Case study: TJ Duffys, West London​

When Tommy Duffy left pub management to take his own freehouse, installing the EPoS system he had grown used to was an easy decision.

Thanks to Tommy's previous experience TJ Duffys in Northfields, West London, has had Zonal EPoS for nearly 10 years. He has spent between £3,000 and £4,000 on it but, as he says, "without a doubt it has paid for itself".

"It's a great way of controlling your business, keeping tabs on your finances - and it cuts down on the paperwork," explains Tommy. "I can tell who's working and what's selling at any time with just a glance at the till.

Gains have come in security - "I have sales records at my fingertips" - and in better service for his customers. "Running tabs for lunch is a growing thing here and EPoS makes it easy to do that."

Fast and accurate communication with the kitchen via a printer is another plus point. "I can trace the time of the order on the note as it goes into the kitchen so I know exactly whether people have had a long wait," he says.

EPoS is also a help when it comes to a more traditional part of Tommy's business - cask ales. TJ Duffys is well known for its selection of beers and newcomers to the range are promoted at a low price for one day to encourage regulars to give them a try.

The system sets the special price and puts it back up when the promotion has ended, avoiding any error and clarifying the situation for the stocktaker. Stocktakes are done every six weeks and all Tommy has to do is press a button to get all the information the stocktaker needs.

Time for an upgrade​

When Steve and Lesley Bailey took over the Robin Hood Inn in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, in 2002 they inherited an ageing and unreliable EPoS system. Steve realised that if he was going to improve customer service and operational processes at the pub he needed an upgrade.

After a demonstration of PointOne EPoS from HIT Solutions he was impressed by its ease of use, affordability and extensive features, so he bought it.

Staff at the Robin Hood can now record food and drink orders, manage tables and set up tabs all at the touch of a button. Food orders are fed to the kitchen electronically and printed there, giving the chef accurate and detailed information together with the customer's name and time of order.

Steve reckons the system has revolutionised his business and reduced stress levels among staff. Previously, they spent a lot of time chasing in and out of the kitchen to verify handwritten orders. "PointOne has definitely created a sense of calm in the pub and we now feel in complete control of the business, from its day-to-day operation to future planning," he says.

One feature that helps the pub to plan ahead is its stock control tools. Steve can view on screen what items have been sold, gauge what's popular at a particular time or day and plan accordingly. For Christmas and New Year, for example, he will analyse last year's business and rather than estimate what might be needed for peak periods he can order and budget far more accurately, even down to staffing levels.

Wireless connectivity means tills can be linked to Steve's home office PC so he can work away from the bar and still keep an eye on business by monitoring stock levels and takings. If he notices a particularly hectic period