There are a myriad of options available to business owners who are considering a point of sale purchase. But with so many options on the market, it’s almost impossible to know where to start. Though you can buy your POS software separately from your hardware, doing so can be problematic.
What happens when you purchase your POS hardware and software separately?
If you purchase your POS hardware and software separately, you may have to deal with two vendors at one time. As you know, sometimes dealing with only one vendor can be stressful. Additionally, your hardware and software may be incompatible. Imagine that you’ve made your investment, your hardware and software arrives and you find that they don’t work together. You’ve spent money on one or the other needlessly.
Even if you have bought your hardware and software from the same vendor, things can still get sticky. A lengthy re-training session for all members of your staff may be in order, causing your business a loss of profit within the window of time that it takes to complete the training. In addition to that, research shows that employees still need a small window of time to adjust to the new hardware and software even after their training is concluded.
Technology isn’t foolproof, either. In the event that your business has a power outage or other technical emergency, you’re going to want an IT team available to help get you back up and running. This is an additional cost you’ll have to shell out in order to keep your POS system running efficiently.
If you purchase your POS software and hardware separately, you’re also going to have a difficult time keeping your customer information safe. This is not an expense you will want to skimp on. If you do end up with a security breach due to a POS system that is not up to par, then your business will face serious repercussions.
Lastly, if you simply put your POS software on a PC that could be used for everyday activities, you’re going to spend a lot of time policing what your employees are doing on it. You’ll find that your staff will be tempted to be on Facebook or Twitter, checking emails, or playing games that they normally wouldn’t have access to on an embedded POS.
Why deal with all of these unnecessary issues when you could eliminate them completely with an embedded POS system?
What is an Embedded POS System?
Embedded POS systems are POS systems that are designed to carry out a specific task. That specific task is running your point of sale. Embedded POS software is developed specifically for the POS hardware that is running it. That means that the hardware you purchase will already have the embedded POS system on it, and it will be ready to handle your business needs the moment you purchase it.
Embedded POS systems provide a variety of benefits that can enhance your business environment, including:
- Business security
- Ease-of-use interfaces
- Lower total cost of ownership
- Higher profit
- And more