5 Reasons You Need a Mobile POS System for Your Restaurant

How do mobile POS systems work?

Getting a mobile POS system up and running is simple. You choose your mobile POS software provider, download the app and connect your card reader to the mobile device. Once that’s complete, you can start accepting payments. Mobile POS systems rely on Wi-Fi or a data connection to process payments. Some offer an offline mode that lets you continue to accept payment if your internet connection drops while others provide some functionality but don’t allow you to accept and process payments offline.

What are the best features of a mobile POS?

There are many reasons restaurants and merchants have been adopting mobile POS systems at a fast clip. According to Statista, the transaction value of mobile POS payments is projected to have a compound annual growth rate of 17.45% through 2027. By 2027, Statista projects the number of mobile POS users will reach 94.7 million.

Various features make mobile POS popular. Here’s a look at the big ones:

• Mobility: A mobile POS gives you the freedom to ring up purchases on the fly. You aren’t tethered to a specific location. Your sales associates don’t have to be stuck behind a register. Queues get shorter, checkout has less friction and trade shows and events are no longer a logistical nightmare when you have a mobile POS.
• Fast checkout: The last thing any business owner wants is a frustrated customer and long lines can create that. If your business uses a mobile POS, you can cut down on the time it takes customers to check out. The quicker you get customers through the purchasing process, the better off your business will be.
• Inventory management: Mobile POS software does much more than ring up sales. It can track and manage inventory, send alerts when stock is low and automate reordering. With retailers that use a mobile POS, sales staff can check if any given product is in stock and, if it’s not, order it to be shipped to the customer, all within seconds.
• Advanced reporting: Depending on your budget and level of service, a mobile POS can run advanced and custom reports on your sales. These insights can help you plan stock, take advantage of a trend or cut back when sales are slow.
• Cost: Mobile POS systems tend to be cheaper than traditional POS systems. Your tablet acts as the terminal, requiring only a card reader for its other hardware. You still have the option to add peripherals like a cash register and printer to your mobile POS at an extra cost.

What are the benefits of using mobile POS for your restaurant?

There are some clear advantages to using a mobile POS system for your restaurant. Here are five of the main benefits.

1. Lower setup costs and easy implementation

One of the benefits of mobile POS is that it’s cheaper and easier to get started with the system. Instead of installing brand-new hardware, you can often download an app or work directly with your POS provider to set up software on mobile devices you already have. In businesses like restaurants, which already have tight margins, a switch to a mobile POS solution can be a good way to reduce overhead. It could also give you greater flexibility down the line.

“Mobile POS systems are compatible with all devices, so restaurant owners don’t need to worry about investing in additional proprietary hardware or equipment to integrate a POS system into their existing operations,” said Mary Fabro, chief marketing officer of Hostme. “That means owners don’t need to lock themselves into any additional vendor contracts.”

2. Ease of use

Mobile POS solutions usually are intuitive and easy to use. In addition to making it easier for your staff to learn how to use it, this means you can process transactions quicker, turn tables faster and increase the efficiency of your system.

Many mobile POS systems also feature paperless options, so customers can opt for email or text receipts. Eliminating steps in the checkout process means your team can focus on taking orders and your customers can get their food quickly.

Some mobile POS systems are known as at-table solutions, which means guests can pay using a business’s device directly at their table.

“Restaurants gain greater waitstaff efficiency [with these systems], affording them the time to provide more in-person service instead of ushering checks,” said Erik Ploof, vice president of business development and marketing for TableSafe.

3. Transparent operations

It’s important to have clear information from and about your POS system. These mobile systems can provide useful reports and more transparent records of operations. By prioritizing reports, you can get better insights into each terminal, how your staff is leveraging this technology and how to retain customers.

“Mobile POS systems give restaurant owners or managers the ability to closely monitor their establishment’s operations, even when he or she is not onsite at the restaurant,” Fabro said.

4. Integrations

Because mobile POS solutions utilize the latest technology, it’s easy to keep them up to date and integrate them with other platforms your business uses, such as accounting software and order management software. By using mobile POS technology, you can create another data trail to integrate with your operations.

“These mobile POS systems are also much easier for other critical mobile restaurant systems ― including staffing management, online ordering and delivery and cost management ― to integrate with than traditional systems, which provides the user with greater overall value,” Crawford said.

5. Customer service

Perhaps the biggest benefit of using a mobile POS system is customer service. Customer profiles can be linked in the software, letting you set up reward programs for repeat visitors. You can also store valuable customer information so you can treat them like family when they visit your establishment. If you keep your software up to date, it also helps keep customer payment information secure.

“Restaurant operators can gain greater efficiencies and increased customer satisfaction, both of which contribute to a stronger bottom line,” Ploof told Business News Daily. “It’s really about giving consumers peace of mind.”

Ready for flexibility, multiple payment formats and better operations?

Mobile POS systems allow for flexibility for restaurant owners in more ways than one. Users can take systems with them as they move around their facilities and they can accept payment in multiple formats like contactless credit cards and digital wallets. Restaurant owners can streamline their processes further with unattended POS systems. Mobile POS systems can improve business agility and operations through quicker transactions, inventory management and even generation of advanced reports on sales. Think about it: choosing a POS system with the right features for your business can help you take your restaurant operations up a notch and then some.