“By changing nothing, nothing changes.”
If you want your present circumstance to improve, there needs to be change. Without change you will be stuck in the same spot for years. Without change you can’t grow and move forward.
Sometimes though individuals and businesses are hesitant to adapt to technological advancements and resist making a change. They are too comfortable doing what they’re used to and they fear changing this will only bring them difficulties and disappointments.
When it comes to the handheld POS, there are still many businesses who have not adapted to this change. In restaurants, there are still many who stick to their pen and paper pads when taking orders. Though the handheld POS technology has proven to be useful to many companies in the food and restaurant industry, there are still those who are hesitant to switch to this system. Many establishments think that it’s just an unnecessary cost benefitting only large businesses. This could not be farther from the truth.
For restaurants, including small to medium businesses, there are many benefits in switching to handheld POS systems. And here are the important reasons why:
Prevent Server Errors
Waiters and servers sometimes make errors in taking orders of items on the menu that are out of stock or unavailable. With a handheld POS, the server can see all orders, side orders and modifier options. If a certain item is unavailable, the server will be prompted of this on the spot and he could inform the customer about this immediately.
Having a handheld POS would also prevent possible errors that may be incurred when transferring the orders from the pad to the POS. All orders taken at the customer’s table goes directly to the POS. This will take out instances of orders getting read incorrectly.
Waste No Time
The time spent rushing from the table to the POS terminals plus the time waiting in line for an available terminal will be eliminated with a handheld POS system. This will result to a decrease in the amount of time a ticket is open and a decrease in the time spent from order to delivery.
More Time for Customers
As no time is wasted, this means servers can spend more time on the floor which means there is now more time for the customers. This will result to more tables being served and customers now having more opportunities to order additional food and drinks.
Greener Alternative
Taking orders through a handheld POS would eliminate the need for paper pads. It even decreases the need to have numerous POS terminals in one store. This gives you a greener alternative of going paperless and a decreased energy consumption as handheld POS only uses a fraction of the electricity needed to run a POS terminal.
Decreased Costs
Paperless ordering plus decreased energy consumption also gives you decreased costs. Aside from this you will also have reduced staff requirement. Servers now have more time on the floor. This means fewer servers are now needed as more servers can now accommodate more tables. Plus you would also have a reduced time spent on training. Servers only need to learn how to use the handheld POS and familiarise the menu and won’t need to memorise all the orders.
Having used pen and paper pads in the restaurant for years, making the switch to handheld POS may seem a bit challenging and even intimidating. But you need to remember that technological advancements like a helpful Inventory Management Software or these useful handheld POS were created to help a business.
With a handheld POS, the bottom line is that restaurants can now provide a more efficient ordering system and create a greater restaurant experience for their patrons. And why wouldn’t you want to give your customers these benefits?
About the Author: Debra Wright enjoys a multi-hyphenated identity. She is an online marketing specialist, writer, cat lover, and aspiring cupcake critic. Wright’s articles about business and technology draws on her passion for learning and dedication to share her discoveries to others. Get updated on what she’s discovering now @debrawrites…
Cover photo credit: larskflem
