Every retail outlet aims at giving customers the best shopping experience with a smooth, easy flow of transactions and no bottlenecks at any point. The traditional cash register and card terminal system are being increasingly replaced by retail POS (Point Of Sale) systems. These modern POS offer a host of benefits that enhance the customer experience and reduce the workload on the cashiers and the management. 

The real-time POS reports help you to gain better insight into your business and study the strategic and managerial aspects while automating the data flow and reporting. It saves time and money that is spent on routine tasks, freeing employees to focus on excellent customer service and relations. This makes a win-win situation for everyone involved. 

The  benefits of having an integrated POS system are:

Flexibility

The payment options on retail POS systems are wide. For example, Shopify POS systems accept not only cards but also digital wallets, contactless NFC payments, and mobile wallets. It gives the customer the benefit of choosing the payment option that suits them best and the ability to pay on any device. Shopify POS even allows you to split a single payment into two different modes. You can also create your own custom payment types.

Shopify POS allows you to choose multiple payment options

Real-Time Reporting

A POS system stores information about both cash flow as well as inventory. Having all this data in one integrated system, such as the Shopify POS, makes generating meaningful, real-time reports on all the aspects of the store very easy. When you are able to monitor precisely how each department and each item is performing, you have the tools and data to fine-tune your sales and inventory strategies. With customer records readily searchable and available, it also lets you analyze customer behavior and patterns. This information enables you to keep better track of the business and make informed decisions.

Inventory Management

The time spent in managing stock and inventory is reduced as your POS system can readily give you a report on the inventory sold and leftover stock. Moreover, some systems like Shopify POS lets you track inventory through your retail POS and even through a mobile phone app.

Customer Management

POS systems store easily accessible information about customer behavior that you can access and study. This data makes it very easy to create and automate customer loyalty programs and special offers. It also builds customer relationships and is a good marketing tool that does not require any extra manpower or time. Shopify POS enables you to create special offers and manage them across virtual and physical stores.

Employee Management

Retail POS systems also have employee information readily available and generate real-time sales and performance reports. This information makes the implementation of employee reward programs transparent and easy. It keeps employees happy, and in turn, happy employees keep the customers satisfied. This data also helps employees see how they stand when compared to their peers and gives them information on where they have to improve. 

Efficiency And Speed

When checkout is done at a Shopify POS system, any queries or issues with customers can be answered immediately. This is possible as the cashier has information about the entire inventory of products available. It means less waiting time for the customer who has a query, and less of a hassle for store employees who would otherwise be involved to address the query. It makes the entire system more efficient. Also, an efficient POS system enables employees to give customers quicker service as they have the right tools to do the job quickly. 

Margins And Taxes

Shopify’s retail POS system automatically calculates taxes

Using a retail POS system makes the calculation of margins and applicable taxes for each product much easier. Shopify POS even lets you export all this data in reports that you can send to the people concerned, for example, accountants and auditors.

Less Data Flow Problems And Mistakes

Any change to the details related to a product is instantly reflected across the entire retail POS system. So, there are no errors or time delays in communicating any information. The Shopify POS reflects the changes across all the devices connected, and you can also make changes from multiple devices.

Online Presence

Some POS systems, such as Shopify, have an online store integrated into their retail POS package. You can easily expand your brick and mortar store to an online store with the help of these apps. Furthermore, you have access to the best SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), coding, and marketing tools. The online storefront also gives you the means to link to social media and expand your online presence.