Top 10 Tips For A Restaurant POS System

Your restaurant’s point of sale system can be a powerful tool, allowing you to take care of customers quickly and efficiently while tracking your income, expenses, and inventory so you can make decisions that will ultimately benefit your business. You may have chosen the right POS system because of its user-friendly interface or because it has modern features, but that doesn’t mean you understand how to use it properly. We’ve compiled the top 10 tips for how to use your restaurant POS system, so keep reading if you want to get more out of this valuable technology!

1. Set Goals

Before signing a contract with any POS system, first set some goals. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish in your restaurant and jot down how a POS system can help. Focus on convenience and customer service, as well as flexibility, inventory management and point-of-sale capabilities. Once you have an idea of what will work best for your business, you’ll be able to choose a solution that meets all your goals. You should always do an evaluation after signing up with a new POS system; you’ll probably discover additional ways it can save you time and money, or maybe even find ways to make it work better for your needs.

2. Develop a Process

Developing a process will help ensure that everything in your restaurant is where it needs to be, when it needs to be there. Make sure you have solid processes in place for handling inventory (ordering and storing), product quality control, staff training and scheduling, customer service standards, among others. It doesn’t matter how advanced your POS system is; if you don’t follow proper processes or provide good training to your employees then it doesn’t matter. Developing an efficient and effective process will free up time so you can focus on what really matters – making customers happy.

3. Start Small

The biggest advantage of starting small is that you won’t have to spend so much money up front. In addition, having a smaller location will allow you to perfect your service, product and concept before making a giant leap into franchising or opening multiple locations. Your goal when starting out should be to prove you can operate a business at one successful location. It’s tough enough doing that without taking on too much risk—and without sacrificing success by rushing into things too quickly. It’s also important not to lose focus of why people come to restaurants in the first place: for great food, friendly service and a good experience. Resist temptation by remaining laser-focused on those priorities as you grow your restaurant operation.

4. Know Your Business

It’s tempting to get a POS system for restaurant just because everyone else has one. But before you take that step, it’s important to understand your business and how technology can help you run it more efficiently. Determine what goals technology can help you achieve and make sure those goals are part of your overall strategy for success. Since POS systems are useful for large and small businesses alike, there is no reason why any restaurant should avoid having one.

5. Learn to Adapt

If you want your POS to be successful, you need to make sure that it can adapt as your business changes. Some of these changes may occur over time and be intentional, while others may be unexpected or accidental. You will likely see an increase in sales at first, but then things may flatten out as your customer base gets familiar with how things work. It’s important that your POS systems can adapt to changing trends and market demands so you don’t have to lose customers for lack of flexibility.

6. Do Not Skimp on Training

Many restaurant owners don’t think they need a POS system, but those with experience will tell you otherwise. If you are running a restaurant without a POS system, that means your most important employees have to take their eyes off of customers and focus on just taking orders. This isn’t ideal because it slows down service and many times lead to mistakes being made by people who are being overloaded with too much information or not enough training. It can also be a safety hazard for your wait staff and kitchen staff if they aren’t getting adequate training or feeling like they have enough time to give each customer their full attention.

7. Invest in Technology

Now, we’re not going to lie—technology can be very confusing. How do you choose a POS system? What features should it have? Do you need a tablet or will a smart phone work just as well? There are thousands of questions running through your head, but that’s why technology is awesome. If you don’t have experience with technology (or if you don’t have time to research), it may be best to bring in a consultant who can help you make informed decisions about your restaurant POS system. Investing in quality software and hardware right off the bat will mean fewer problems down the road and increase efficiencies, which will ultimately save money. After all, less waste means more profits!

8. Create an Open Floor Plan

Creating an open floor plan, where customers can see into your kitchen from their seats and vice versa, encourages customers to stick around after they’ve paid for their meals. This is a great way to encourage additional spending. Furthermore, creating an open floor plan gives you more opportunities to interact with your customers. Remember: it’s important to make your guests feel welcome—even if they’re only there to pick up lunch for a busy day at work. It will help make sure that people come back for seconds (and thirds).

9. Promote a Positive Atmosphere

It’s important to promote a positive atmosphere within your restaurant. There are countless ways to do so, but one of our favorites is using an iPad POS system. It gives customers at your restaurant what they want: Fast service and good food! Also, restaurateurs that have an iPad POS experience better tips. What’s not to love? Another great thing about owning an iPad POS system is that you don’t have to install it yourself or be completely tech savvy for it to work for you! The experts at TrueBays can set up your new POS system, train your staff and even offer help when questions arise. You only need a couple hours per week from someone with basic computer skills who knows how to use an iPad. Want some free training?

10. Communicate with your Team

When it comes to your restaurant, you are not going to be able to do everything yourself, so it is important that you communicate effectively with your team. This is especially true if you have employees, but it also applies to family members who are helping out. To stay organized and in control of your business, make sure everyone knows what they’re doing by keeping them informed about all aspects of running a successful restaurant POS system. Not only will that help you succeed as an entrepreneur, but it will also save time and reduce stress for everyone involved.