Just as a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, the way to his loyalty is through the customer experience you extend while he visits your restaurant. Winning over a guest visiting your restaurant is not just based on the food you serve but also the customer service you pamper him with which includes hassle free order placing, order tracking, hassle free billing, taking care of table reservation, special attention to a repeat guest’s fine needs and making him feel special on his special days. This may sound like a mammoth task but with a POS system in place, this stands quite achievable.

Understanding the Need for POS system in a Restaurant

Just like in a retail store, in a restaurant too a POS system is used to multitask – from ordering, tracking the order placed, tacking the dish/delicacy in demand, generating reports, inventory management, reservations, team management, taking care of cash flow and overall improving efficiency of the employees.

The Basic POS Components

• Screen / Monitor
• Keyboard
• Cash Drawer
• Barcode Scanner
• Printer

Counting the Endless Benefits

A Single Point Order Taking System

Post the order is taken from the guest, the waiter can enter the order in the POS system from where the kitchen receives the order. This makes the task all the more effective when there are designated kitchen areas for soups, starters, main course, desserts and drinks. From a single point, the waiter can send in the order to the different departments of the restaurant’s kitchen thus saving on effort and time to individually brief each one of them.

No More Handwritten Orders

With technology at hand, there is no need to take in hand written orders which often run the risk of the kitchen either missing or misinterpreting the waiter’s note. This in turn helps in complete customer satisfaction. Special notes from the guests too can be taken on the POS systems which directly reach the kitchen to take note of.

Hassle Free Payment

A POS system allows for a hassle free billing and payment without any scope for discrepancy. The POS system comes with a card reader making payments from credit/debit cards easy and helping you invest in a separate card reader.

Increasing Customer Loyalty

With a POS it is not just all about fast-track billing or serving orders without any error. One of the most important benefits of having POS software is that it helps build customer loyalty. With details of your guests being captured with their transaction, the next time they visit, you can delight them by greeting with their name and prompting them on reordering what they ordered the last time or suggesting a new delicacy based on what was ordered during their last visit. On their special days, you can wish them personally and send them offers and discounts.

Managing Inventory

A POS system has a major advantage of being used not just for customer satisfaction but also help restaurant managers to understand the order dynamics thus keeping an eye on inventory, stock and cash flow. Generating and maintaining records are one of the most important features of a POS system in a restaurant as this helps rework on the menu as and when need arises.

Things to be Considered

If you are planning to opt for a POS system for your restaurant, decided on how best you want it to help you. The POS system can be customized as per your need and budget. Speak with your POS operator on the cost of installation, the training required for the staff, the maintenance it needs and whether the POS system can be upgraded as the business grows in your restaurant. You would be required to know how to update menu and also how smoothly new employees can be inducted to use it.