Why should you invest in an all-in-one POS

The point-of-sale is undoubtedly the most important component in any retail business. It is the touchpoint where customers make their purchases and complete transactions. It is very important for retailers to ensure they invest in the most ideal solution for their business. Retailers have used legacy systems for years, however, most of them have struggled in identifying the right combination of hardware and software.

Retailers who have invested in all-in-one POS systems have been able to overcome this hurdle smoothly and even made the entire checkout process frictionless.

All-in-one POS solutions are designed in such a way that they include most of the POS components, so that users do not have to invest in and use multiple devices at the POS counter - the POS hardware and POS software are combined into a single unit. These all-in-one POS solutions have gradually started replacing traditional cash registers and card readers.

In this article, we would like to share a few advantages that a retail business can draw by investing in an all-in-one POS solution.

1. Ease of usage

The POS station comprises of multiple components - checkout screen, cash drawer, card reader, barcode scanner, receipt printer, and the like. The software that is used also needs to be compatible the hardware. However, all-in-one POS solutions include most of these components in one single system. Retailers need to use a single interface with lesser components to operate and speedier transactions. There is no need to keep switching between operating a barcode scanner or a checkout screen or a cash drawer. Additionally, since the system is available with a built-in software, there is no chance of experiencing hardware compatibility issues.

In case one of the components of a traditional POS counter fails to function, it is hard to identify the origin of the fault. However, it is easier to ensure lesser system failures in an all-in-one POS system.

2. Increased staff efficiency

All-in-one POS stations eliminate the need for retail staff to operate multiple devices. Consequently,  With lesser number of components to operate, the retail staff are able to reduce the clutter, focus on engaging with the customer, and build customer relations efficiently. Since all the peripherals are easily connected with each other, the transactions are faster, allowing the staff with some breathing time and also reducing the wait time for customers at the POS station.

3. Lowered costs

When retailers invest in multiple hardware and software solutions to set up their POS counters, there is a high upfront cost involved. Additionally, there are high costs involved in maintaining all these systems. With an all-in-one POS counter, the initial investment is lower than the cost involved in compiling discrete units. Additionally, the maintenance cost is lesser as the retailer has to deal with only a single vendor. Furthermore, the real-estate occupied by all-in-one POS terminals is lesser than that occupied by legacy POS systems. So, the retails are able to cut down real estate costs, or use up the space available in displaying more products.