Take advantage of everything a POS system can do

Point-of-sale systems in restaurants and hotels have gone beyond the taking and processing of food orders. A feature-rich system can help with customer attraction and retention, manage inventory control, reduce security breaches and give a leg up on competitors.

Here are a few examples of POS systems that help you stay on top of the trends.

Capture customer data
It’s no secret that knowing your guests’ past behavior lets you personalize future visits. Data mining software tracks customer behavior and finds patterns and relationships that can be used to develop models for predicting the potential value of each customer. Hospitality Solutions International, a division of Micros Systems, offers a suite of tools through myHSI aimed at gathering and reporting data from multiple locations into one set of reports focused on the needs of corporate, regional and store- level managers.

The Sales and Catering module in Northwind’s Maestro PMS is a database oriented to assist sales and marketing efforts. A complete client database of all past, current and future bookings and stay information can be accessed online in a one-step process. In addition to the powerful reporting available in Maestro, operators can use standard Microsoft tools and software to develop custom forms, reports and spreadsheets.

Mobile tablets
While not appropriate for every restaurant operator, handheld tablets for servers and ordering devices at the table are gaining wider use.

A handheld POS system can create efficiencies, especially in an outside or poolside restaurant, where the walk to a fixed station takes time. Remotely sending an order to the kitchen keeps wait staff out serving customers and placing orders quickly.

A handheld payment device lets guests swipe their own credit cards, or watch the server process the payment (including debit cards) at the table, easing customers’ concerns over card security.

PAR EverServ TSR from ParTech includes options for mobile ordering and mobile payment. With PAR’s POS2 module, wait staff can take orders on handheld devices and transmit orders directly from the table to the kitchen, boosting productivity and easing bottlenecks at stand-alone terminals. TSR simplifies and speeds payment processes with the handheld Pay2Go module. Wait staff can settle payments wirelessly at the table using a handheld unit that includes an integrated card reader, pin pad and receipt printer.

TSR’s open architecture and seamless XLM integration easily integrates with other technologies and features like Facebook and mobile ordering that increase loyalty and spur more customer visits.

Self-serve kiosks
For less formal settings and for lobbies with limited F&B, a self-serve kiosk can be a great option. These touch- screen stations let guests order on their own time and pay immediately. The interfaces can be customized in different languages, and can be used to upsell and promote specials.

Place Point from Multi- Systems Inc. lets guests order items from the retail POS software using secured information encoded on a track of their room key—specially encoded for this purpose—or a credit card to purchase food or beverages in the lobby.

Place Point integrates with MSI’s WinPM property- management software. For hotels, this integration can allow the front desk to offer a broader range of services to guests through a unified POS system. A tired traveler might appreciate the offer of an order for coffee, wine or food right at the point of check-in. If a property has WinPM and credit track already installed, Place Point can be added to work with the existing point of sale system.

Inventory control
One of the benefits of an enterprise-level POS and centralized configuration management is better system reporting. Software that tracks inventory not only saves money but also identifies areas of waste. The InfoGenesis POS by Agilysys offers operation- specific, audit-based and guest- centric reporting to address all areas of the operation. The system lets operators customize reports and ensures consistent numbers across the entire operation.