Taking a restaurant to the next level in 2023 all starts with a top-notch point of sale (POS) system.
Gone are the days of clunky cash registers and disorganized record-keeping. A modern, cloud-based POS does so much more than just track sales and VAT. It streamlines your entire operation by integrating table reservations, online ordering, food marketplaces, loyalty programs, and more, which immediately increases your profitability through efficiency.
Here are 9 business things (+ 1 geeky bonus) to consider when hunting for your next restaurant point-of-sale (POS):
1. Return on investment is your priority
A great POS provider is all about maximising how they can serve you best from Software to Service
2. Compatibility with your concept
3. Customer support when you need it.
4. Ease of learning & use
5. Integrations for ONE point of command & control
6. Customization to make it your own
7. Scalability to grow with you
8. Security to safeguard brand & guest data
9. Hardware that's reliable & affordable
Compatibility with your restaurant's needs: Because every concept is unique, the best POS for you is one that can support your vision or even give you the tools to do new things that weren't previously possible.
Customer support: Take into account the POS vendor's level of customer service. Look for a vendor with a proven track record of providing excellent customer service and responsive technical support. A dependable and effective Point of Sale (POS) system is essential for running a successful restaurant or cafe. Our cloud-based POS system includes a variety of features and benefits to help your business run smoothly. However, in the fast-paced hospitality industry, it is not only the system itself that is important; it is also the customer support that is available when needed. That is why we provide phone support during hospitality business hours so that any issues or questions can be addressed as soon as possible.
Ease of use: A POS system needs to be designed with the staff in mind and should be user-friendly and easy to learn. This reduces training time in high-turnover industries and minimises errors during transactions.
Integration with other systems: Combining systems like reservation and table management, online ordering and food marketplaces, loyalty programmes, inventory management, and accounting packages can significantly increase restaurant efficiency while decreasing waste and theft.
By integrating with the CeleryTABLES reservation system, CeleryPOS can automatically update tables as they are reserved or become available. This can help to eliminate errors and reduce the time and effort needed to manage reservations.
CeleryPOS can send financial and accounting data to software such as Xero and Sage to streamline the process of tracking and analysing a restaurant's financial data. This can be particularly useful for identifying trends and making informed business decisions.
CeleryENGAGE seamlessly integrates with your CeleryPOS and online ordering system to provide loyalty programmes, making it simple for customers to earn and redeem rewards. When a customer places an order using your website or mobile app, the transaction is automatically recorded in the POS, and any loyalty rewards are immediately applied. This allows customers to easily track their rewards and redeem them with future orders, whether they are dining in or ordering online.
Customization options: The ability to customise the POS system to suit the specific needs of the concept and the preferences of the cashiers is crucial. This includes the ability to add custom menus, star commonly bought items, perform a quick search by code, accept online orders from your own website or food marketplace, assign an incoming booking to a table, modify the layout of the interface, and create custom reports.
Strong security measures: The POS system handles sensitive financial information as well as the personal information of all your loyal customers, so it is important to choose a system with strong security measures in place to protect against data breaches and other security threats.
Infinite scalability: The POS system should be able to grow with the brand and support an increase in business. This includes the generation of powerful reports and analytics, as well as the ability to easily add additional terminals & users, outlets & operators, and even countries as needed.
Reliable hardware: Be sure to factor in the hardware requirements of the POS system you're considering. Modern systems, such as CeleryPOS, run on readily available iPads that are durable, professional, and easy to maintain, whereas older systems may be locked-in to an older style of all-in-one devices that are largely obsolete despite remaining costly.
Cost: The return on investment is ultimately the most important consideration for any brand. One of the major advantages of cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) systems is that they have smaller recurring fees rather than a shocking upfront cost. This can be particularly appealing for restaurants that are just starting out or that have limited capital. With a cloud-based POS system, the software and data are stored on remote servers and accessed over the internet, rather than being installed on a local computer or device. This means that the restaurant does not need to make a large upfront investment in hardware and software, as everything is hosted remotely.
Another advantage of this model is that the POS system is continuously improving as the software is updated and maintained by the provider. This can provide a number of benefits, such as new features and functionality, improved performance, and enhanced security. On the other hand, systems that require a one-time fee may not receive any further support or updates once they are purchased. This means that the system may not keep up with changing technology and may become outdated over time. Additionally, if any issues arise with the system, the restaurant may need to pay for additional support or repairs, which can be costly.
Overall, cloud-based POS systems can provide a more cost-effective and convenient solution for restaurants, as they offer continuous support and improvement for a small monthly fee rather than requiring a large upfront investment for a system that may become outdated and unsupported over time.
BONUS: Smart use of data
When a system is made by absolute data nerds like Celery's own #teamGeek, the smart use of data comes second to none.
A quality cloud-based Point of Sale (POS) system can make use of data in many ways to improve a restaurant's operations and business decisions, particularly when integrated with a table booking system, and online ordering, for example:
Table usage analysis: With our all-in-one POS and table booking system, restaurants can easily track and analyse data on table usage, including reservation times, customer turnover, and average length of stay. This helps to optimise table utilisation and maximise revenue. This can be useful for identifying trends for marketing campaigns or rearranging tables by days to maximise revenue.
Online ordering analysis: Integration combines in-store with data on online orders (including food marketplaces), including popular items, average order value, and busy times for online ordering. This helps restaurants optimise the online ordering experience and inform decisions about menu offerings, pricing, and promotions with one complete picture of everything.
Sales analysis: Our POS system tracks and stores sales data, providing insights on customer behavior and enabling restaurants to make informed decisions about menu offerings, pricing, and promotions.
Employee management: Our system restricts permission levels across outlets and tracks employee sales and performance, allowing restaurants to identify top performers and areas for improvement. It also streamlines employee scheduling and hours tracking.
Customer loyalty: With our cloud-based Point of Sale (POS) system, restaurants and cafes can take their customer loyalty to the next level by integrating with our digital loyalty card programme. This allows them to track customer spending and reward their most loyal customers, while also promoting direct ordering through their own branded website or app. Not only does this help to increase customer retention and overall satisfaction, but it can also be a key factor in the success of a business that relies on a loyal breakfast or lunch crowd. Our POS system provides a seamless experience for customers to earn and redeem rewards, making it easy for them to keep coming back for more.
It's no surprise, then, that choosing the right Point of Sale (POS) system for your restaurant or cafe is critical for increasing efficiency, profitability, and providing excellent customer service.
A cloud-based POS system like CeleryPOS can handle anything you throw at it, is easy to learn, and can be tailored to your specific requirements. Consider how it integrates with other systems, scalability, security, stability, hardware, and, of course, return on investment when making your decision.
Finally, select a system that can intelligently use data to provide insights and inform business decisions. You can improve your chances of success by carefully considering your options and selecting the best POS system for your business.