You’ve got 101 things to do each day, so your point of sale software may not always be front-of-mind. These handy ‘cheats’ compiled by CBE’s Seamus McHugh, will help you stay right on top of things, and make sure you’re getting the best return on your technology investment.

Cheat 1 – Make sure you’re in charge of your technology.

Your EPoS software is designed to work for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And assuming you take the time to set it up correctly at the outset, that’s exactly what it will do. So make sure that YOU’RE the boss, and that your software is fully configured to automatically deliver everything that it can possibly do for you on an on-going basis.

Cheat 2 – Make more use of your time to tackle non-automated tasks.

Whether it’s creating an order or managing your margins in the back office, your software was designed to gobble up those time-sapping tasks that are capable of being automated. Better still, it does so without human error and without duplication. And once your technology is sorting these automatable tasks, you are then free to address those more important, non-automated tasks – everything from greeting a customer to planning your next quarterly budget.

Cheat 3 – Remember that integration is king.

By having as much of your technology as possible operating on a single platform, you can seamlessly mesh a multitude of functions, from managing deliveries to stock control, and from mobile payment to follow-up marketing. Did you know, for example, that using an integrated handheld device for stocktaking can save an average of four hours a week – every single week of the year?

Cheat 4 – Take the hassle out of sudden sales spikes.

If your business is subject to sudden sales spikes, automated technology is a sure-fire way to address the issue. Self-checkout, for example, can make sure that you don’t have to ramp up your staff levels at a busy lunchtime or on holiday weekends, etc.

Cheat 5 – Give yourself the power to change prices instantly.

Tasks like shelf edge labelling are not just time-consuming, they also mean that staff who could be doing far more productive work are stuck doing a task that will have to be redone within days. But changing to electronic labeling it will mean that every price in your store can be updated in an instant, delivering cost savings and greater efficiencies in a single package.

Cheat 6 – Don’t forget to value your time – and the time of your staff.

It’s tempting to say that “the staff were there anyway”, but allocating menial and automatable tasks fails to put a value on their time. Surely they could be doing something far more important for your business – perhaps helping a customer carry their shopping to their car – and creating a ‘customer for life’ in the process! By putting a value on your own time and that of your staff, you can focus on important KPI’s like margins and profitability.

Cheat 7 – Don’t confuse data with insight.

Your software is capable of providing a myriad of data and management reports, but you need to spend time on this to spot where the insight lies. Knowing that chutney isn’t selling is one thing – knowing that it sold twice as fast when you put it beside the cheese is another. Always look to spot the real information that lies behind the data.

Cheat 8 – Speed of service is king these days.

If your customers want to spend time in your store chatting to friends or neighbors, then that’s absolutely no problem. More and more of them, however, are under huge time pressure, so making sure that they can get in, get sorted and get out as quickly as possible is really key to making sure that they return again and again. Make sure your technology is geared to facilitating speed of service, whether it’s automated checkout in a supermarket or outdoor payment terminals in a forecourt.

Cheat 9 – Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

Without doubt, the people who sell you your software are the experts in what it can and can’t-do. Spend time talking to your vendor, and ask them questions such as “what would you do if you were in my shoes?”. There’s also a wealth of information to be had via online forums, where like-minded retailers share their learnings with each other.

Contact Seamus and the team by simply getting in touch here (Get in Touch).