As a retailer, one of the most important pieces of hardware you have in your store is your point of sale system. Without it, the entire checkout process would be a total nightmare.
But today's point of sale systems can do a whole lot more than process payments during the checkout process. Modern retail POS systems now come with a variety of essential features to help with inventory counts, contactless payments, custom loyalty programs, and more.
In this article, we'll help you unlock the secrets your POS system has to offer, and how integrating it with other retail technology tools can help you make the most of what you already have.
What is a retail point of sale system?
A retail point of sale, or POS for short, is where customers in a retail store go to pay for their selections.
POS generally refers to the physical hardware of the system itself and the additional devices that go along with it as part of the checkout experience. This includes the cash register machine and cash drawer, receipt printers, card readers, barcode scanners, and more.
However, a POS system refers to the software that keeps things running. Depending on the features available, retail POS software can serve as a payment processor, inventory management tool, and customer management software all in one. Some will even allow you to host customer loyalty programs right from your cash register.
What's the difference between a POS and a CRM?
While the retail software available with your point of sale system has a lot of features, many retailers will choose to also use a retail CRM, or customer relations management software, to supplement their POS system.
The biggest difference between a retail CRM and a POS system is in the kind of data each one stores.
A retail CRM solution is a customer relationship management system that's built specifically for retail businesses to keep track of their customer segments and leads. So while a POS system generally houses data on products and inventory, a CRM houses valuable customer data.
In some cases, a retail CRM can be integrated with your POS system, allowing you to track your customer base in addition to processing payments from the cash register. This is often the best use of the two software products—when they work in harmony together to help streamline the customer experience and optimize internal processes.
Three ways to get the most out of your retail POS system
Whether you're just getting started selecting a point of sale system for your retail business, or you're looking to get more out of the one you have, these tips will set you and your sales team up for success.
1. Get to know all of the features
First and foremost, if you haven't chosen a POS system yet, do your research to make sure the one you're considering has the essential features you need. And if you've already got a POS system in place, keep digging to make sure you're using all of the features that it has to offer.
Check out your provider's website to do a deep dive into the features available, and sign up for any newsletters or social media accounts so you can be the first to know when there's something new announced.
Don't forget that software is constantly updating and the companies running it usually roll out new software updates frequently. If your system isn't up-to-date with the latest version, you could be missing out on additional features that are only offered after the update is made.
2. Offer continual POS trainings for your sales team
Even if your POS system has a user-friendly interface, you'll still want to offer specific training on how it works to improve employee performance. After all, just because your sales associates have used a cash register before doesn't mean they'll know all the details of how yours works.
However, once your employees are onboarded, don't let your training stop there. As you learn about additional features, start to offer new payment options, or make any changes to your inventory tracking, your team will need continuing training on how these changes affect their day-to-day use of the POS system.
It's also a great idea to give your more seasoned members of the team opportunities to train the less experienced team members so they can build their confidence of the system and share their learnings of the business software with others.
3. Research and implement integrations
We've saved the best tip for last: integrations. The absolute best way to make the most of your point of sale system is to take advantage of all the integrations you can.
Like we mentioned above, integrating your POS with a retail CRM is an excellent way to create customer profiles and track customer purchase history right from your cash register.
Other integrations that are available with POS systems include:
- Accounting tools
- Built-in loyalty programs
- Client management software
- Customer review software
- Social media integrations
- Scheduling software
There's a wide variety of integrations out there, and implementing even one is a great choice for retailers looking to streamline their checkout experience, improve customer service, and enhance employee productivity.
Clientbook integrates with a variety of top POS systems
If you're a business owner looking for a tool to help you better manage your clients at your retail store, Clientbook integrates with a wide range of retail POS systems.
Clientbook is a clienteling software built for retailers looking to organize their client contacts, improve outreach, and increase client retention.
With Clientbook, you can create client profiles, set up automated reminders to follow up with a client, build and send custom wish lists to clients, and even track your sales team's progress.
Clientbook integrates with POS systems in jewelry, fashion, furniture, and more, including:
- Arms
- BIG
- The Edge
- Jewel360
- Lightspeed
- Logicmate
- Punchmark
- Rain
- Shopify POS
Schedule a demo to see how Clientbook integrates with your point of sale system today
Conclusion
Your point of sale solution plays a big role in helping customers during checkout, but it can be so much more than that. By doing your research on your POS system, offering continual training for your sales team, and most importantly, integrating it with the retail technology tools available to retailers, your POS system can play an even bigger role.
If you're ready to see how integrating your point of sale system with Clientbook can help you reach your sales goals, organize your client contacts, and streamline both online and in-person transactions, we're here to help. Book a demo today for a first-hand look.
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