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Separate hardware moving to all in one solutions
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A few years ago the card reader pay as you go solutions emerged and provided a great card payment solution for smaller businesses and those looking for a low cost epos solution. Granted, the features were not as good, but if you’re a smaller café, restaurant, pub, bar or beauty outlet then you don’t need the bells and whistles and a simple product catalogue and portal based software work well.
But now this is starting to evolve further:-
- Instead of separate tablet, card reader & mini printer, you can now get all of this all in one device, so cuts down on up front costs and complexity.
- Contactless payment solutions have become essential as Covid-19 forced many businesses to start taking orders and payments online.
- And connectivity is better – You now have GPRS and Wi-Fi in the same device and you don’t need a separate connected device to piggy back your connection. This improves reliability and allows easy payments at events or on the go.
- Extra features are creeping in, like tab function, tips, modifiers (Milk type, cooking style) and discounts / promotions.
There are a few different option on this, but Poynt is one that’s feature packed and cost effective.
2. Portable Epos
Epos systems have typically been big units that sit on a bar / desk and provide a great static solution. Izettle did a good job of making these portable for events and mobile businesses, but rates are high and features were not as rich as with a full epos system. For example, stock management on the go still remained a problem.
But again, new devices are emerging that bridge that gap with some of the following benefits:-
- Quicker, cheaper & more efficient table service – You used to have to use a tablet for staff to take orders or write it down and then enter details to the epos system. Then get a card machine to take payments. New epos card machines now allow staff to take orders at table, sent to kitchen printers and take payment all on one device. No extra tablets needed. Food and drinks ordered quicker to increase sales and consumption!
- Manage stock on the go to increase sales and stock replacement – Mobile touch screen devices can now link to a cloud based epos system to allow queue busting or sales on the go. Stock levels can be managed between stores and events. And these can even link into your website stock management system to provide a complete stock view.
- Lower cost solution – In some instances businesses don’t actually need a desk top epos system, so you could save a lot of money by simply having a card machine with built in epos. It can still take cash and card and link to peripherals like cash drawers and kitchen printers.
Again, there are a few options of in the market, but we prefer the Pax A920. A portable, touch screen card machine with built in epos and can link to a cloud based epos system. More info here or give us a call to have a chat about the right solution for your business. Call us on 0203 985 9080 or request a call back.