PoS technology is moving fast. Today’s systems can accelerate service and payment; efficiently manage cash, people, product, stock, table and pricing; and provide the data that can show you how to keep your customers happy.
“The latest EPoS advancements are causing a major shift in the way pubs operate,” says Intelligentpos CEO & co-founder Robin Knox. “Each business is different, and pubs need to look at what they need from their EPoS system.”
The most visible impact of a high-tech EPoS system is improved service levels, which boosts footfall and customer retention, according to ICRTouch head of marketing Peter Scovell.
He explains: “An ICRTouch system does everything at the press of a button. This speeds up service, freeing up servers to get to know customers better.”
However, the greatest opportunities lie behind the scenes, Scovell claims.
“With today’s EPoS systems, your business is at your fingertips. You can see how your pub is performing and change prices to rival the competition, even when you’re away from a venue. And your desk is no longer cluttered with paperwork.”
Case Study: the Jolly Botanist, Edinburgh
The Jolly Botanist is a gin bar in Haymarket, Edinburgh. The venue needed a new EPoS system following a major refurbishment by Star Pubs & Bars and local entrepreneurs Iain Pert and Gordon Gilhooley of PG Taverns Scotland.
Pert says he needed the system to create efficiencies, enable remote management and be simple to use. He chose the tablet and Cloud-based intelligentpos EPoS system.
“Using iPads has been great,” he says. “Our young staff took to them easily, and I can use my iPhone to get into the till system when I’m not there.”
The system has also improved speed of service, as staff spend more time out on the floor. “The iPads allow staff to place food and drinks orders when they’re away from the bar, which is much more efficient,” explains Pert.
Meet customers’ needs
EPoS systems also allow pubs to collect data at every step of the customer journey, says Clive Consterdine, sales and marketing director at Zonal, the provider of the Aztec EPoS system.
“Understanding how customers behave means you can meet their individual needs,” he explains.
“You must be able to identify your customers as they come through the door. That way you can build up individual customer profiles: when they arrive, what they order, what they like and dislike.”
And that’s when things get really interesting, Consterdine says: “You can now use technology to gather feedback on a customer’s unique experience of your venue. They bought a coffee: did they like it? They bought a cake: did they like that?”
Integrating this type of feedback with other management systems, like Kitchen iQ, provides a pub with a powerful improvement tool.
Consterdine explains: “A customer tells you your service was slow. With an integrated EPoS system, you know what was ordered, and when, and can work out whether it was a staffing
or kitchen issue, or a problem with the product.”
Key Facts
- 20% of people say they'll go elsewhere if they can't pay by card
- 70% of customers now prefer to pay by card
- 75% see contactless as easier than chip and pin
Payment trends
Mobile ordering is another capability pubs should consider, says Intelligent Point of Sale’s Knox.
“Customers can save time, automatically collect loyalty points, and pay – all without leaving the table. This increases satisfaction and spend,” he explains.
Pubs should keep on top of other payment trends too, such as contactless and wearable technologies, or risk losing business, warns Knox. He claims more than 70% of customers now prefer to pay by card, 75% see contactless as easier than chip and pin, and 20% say they’ll go elsewhere if they can’t pay by card.
“These trends demonstrate the need for a slick EPoS system, linked to an advanced payment system like iZettle,” he says. “This is especially important around Christmas, when customers will move on if they can’t get quick service.”
Top Products
■ Intelligentpos has a launched a faster, more efficient version of its EPoS system, intelligentpos 4.0. Linked to the company’s iZettle payment system, it processes credit card, contactless, and mobile transactions, features table management, and comes with more in-depth reporting to help pubs make informed decisions.
■ ICRTouch’s TouchPoint EPoS software ties in with a host of other products that boost efficiency. The web-based TouchOffice Web back-office software provides real-time sales information from any web-enabled device. Paper-free food and drinks ordering software PocketTouch sends information from table to kitchen in seconds, and takes payments at the table. And the TouchLoyalty add-on allows you to monitor customers’ spending habits and plan promotions better.
■ Zonal’s Aztec EPoS system incorporates cash, people, product, stock and price management modules. The company also offers add-ons to help you improve the speed, quality and accuracy of your service. For instance, Kitchen iQ is a comprehensive kitchen and service management solution, which delivers real-time information to kitchen and service staff; Tables helps you manage and optimise your seating and reservations.
■ Online booking tool liveRES integrates with Aztec EPoS to deliver 24/7 reservations and automated table management. Pubs pay a monthly fee
for the app, which is labelled with the
pub’s logo and brand design. Data is captured securely and ring-fenced for
your business.