Tag: POSLavu

5 iPad Checkout Tips Retailers Need to Hear

In a 2012 RIS News report, research found that 28% of retailers are in the process of testing tablets in their stores, and an additional 31% said that they would testing tablets this year.

Michael Koploy, ERP Analyst at http://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/ spoke with three retailers that have recently deployed point of sale (POS) solutions on the Apple iPad. They had five suggestions for retailers about to make the same investment:

1. Make a one-for-one exchange of cash registers for iPads. Because of the ease of deployment and access to extra iPads, retailers should only purchase as few tablets as they need. If retailers end up needing more tablets for the point of sale or would like additional tablets, they can easily purchase them online or at most local electronics stores.

2. Invest in Internet and wireless router upgrades. Because these tablets rely on an accurate WiFi connection, retailers should invest in an upgraded bandwidth package from a reliable Internet Service Provider (ISP). In addition, retailers should upgrade their wireless router so that the connection can meet Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards and is WPA/WPA2 encrypted.

3. Ask for assistance from resellers and mobile device management experts. These solutions are often very easy to deploy, but it is worthwhile to conduct product resellers to assist with setup and deployment when the time comes. Additionally, if retailers have multiple locations and need to connect/lock-down devices and their data, mobile device management (MDM) firms can be a big help.

4. Use the iPad to improve the customer experience. With a mobile POS solution, retailers can better service customers within the store aisles or eliminate checkout lines entirely. This provides ample upselling and cross-selling opportunity, as the negation of the physical point of purchase reduces the chance that the customer is emotionally “done” shopping.

5. Involve the customer at checkout. The retailers also suggested that others involve the customer at checkout to have customers share the experience with the iPad. One retailer noted that she commonly has customers sign and complete the transaction themselves. After the purchase is complete, customers were asked if they would like to take a picture using the iPad’s camera and share the picture on the customer’s social media channels.

For more tips from retailers, check out: 5 iPad POS Tips For Retailers, From Retailers.

 

Michael Koploy
ERP Analyst

Software Advice

 

 

 

 

 

 

Restaurant App of the Week: POSLavu

Ramon Ray & the Smallbiztechnology.com Team

If you are a restaurant looking for a restaurant looking for an upgrade, then you’re luck with this week’s App of the Week. POSLavu is a point of sale app, based completely on the Apple product line, that makes it so much easier (and cooler) to take orders, process payments, and interact with customers.

“Why be stuck on a model of limited functionality,” said Travis Kellerman, a member of the management team. “When the iPad has a sleek, efficient design with an intuitive interface.”

POSLavu decided to go with the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch due to their popularity and success. Apple products also enable the system to be wireless, allowing for mobile ordering and an expansion of the traditional role of a point-of-sale system. Instead of just taking orders and ringing them up, the app can also keep track of seats, split checks, track employee time, and manage table layout for the restaurant.

“POSLavu can keep track of sales, costs, and inventory, as well as organize the menu in a way that’s attractive to customers,” Kellerman said. “Why invest in something that’s outdated, when with POSLavu, you can have something that’s modern, sleek, and efficient.”

A typical POS system can cost upwards of $20,000. The POSLavu package suited for smaller restaurants, the gold package, would cost an initial $1,500 for the licensing, with a $50 monthly subscription fee for the cloud-based services. Keep in mind that POSLavu is a software company, and will not provide you with any iPads or iPhones to run the app.

POSLavu is currently being used by over 300 restaurants, most of them domestic. The software is also being used in countries like Denmark, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. The company is working on improving the system by incorporating more languages as well as currency exchanges. POSLavu will also be featured in a few upcoming episode of Kitchen Nightmares, a restaurant revival television show.

“We want to make the best restaurant POS software we can,” Kellerman said. “We explored other niches, such as hospitality and retail, but decided that it would be best to develop a solid solution for the restaurant industry first.”

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/app-of-the-week-poslavu-2011-8#ixzz1XsrtqLuM