Picking out a Point of Sale system for a new or existing bar is no light decision. How do you know what to look for? What features do you need? What will be your software and hardware requirements? Managers sometimes put off this kind of decision for years because they don’t know what impact it will have on their business, which can lead to missing out on the new opportunities it can bring.
How does someone determine what makes a great POS fit for their bar? The good news is that the process of finding just the right system is not that mysterious at all. Top-notch POS software providers gladly provide demonstrations and have a record of real-life success stories. Here are some key features to look at in selecting a point of sale for bar businesses.
Look for Ease of Use in Point of Sale for Bars
You, your bar staff, and kitchen have enough changing demands as it is. Who wants a POS that will generate more work for them? A good POS investment should make you more efficient at your job. Be sure that you can run sales reports, modify menus, record sales, and accept payments. Also take into account the following factors:
- Onboarding. You might feel locked into your current POS system, but upgrading to a new system isn’t as scary as you might think. Experienced POS software providers will consult with you through every step of the onboarding process until you “go live.” They will implement the changeover and testing when your bar is closed to minimize impact to your business.
- Training. Adequate user training can present itself as another obstacle after you are up and running on a new system. Not everyone is tech-savvy and, for your less “techie” staff, you might run into some challenges without software that is easy to learn. So, why not look for software that’s designed with every user in mind?
- System maintenance. Who has time for their POS system to go down at peak hours? As an owner or manager, you work hard off the clock doing whatever you can to properly set expectations for employees and smoothen the customer experience. What you have less control over is hardware and software maintenance. Serverless POS systems remove the uncertainty of hardware failures from the equation entirely. Ideally, your POS allows you to continue taking orders and closing tabs if your internet service goes down.
A solid and reliable POS should be able to handle each of these aspects of your business without any trouble, and should put your mind at ease knowing that all your businesses vital operations will be ready to start up again the next day without any delay.
Point of Sale for Bar Agile Ordering
Everyone has been that customer, waiting in line to get a drink because there is only one drink well. A cashless POS on a tablet allows servers to take your patrons’ orders at their tables if they don’t want to wait at the bar.
Bar space becomes crowded when guests and servers cluster around the drink well to get their orders in on busy nights. Lessen the friction by making more enjoyable interactions between customers and bar staff when you give them the space they want.
When servers can move freely between guests, they will also notice more empty glasses that shouldn’t be. Give them the tools to take more drink orders and increase tab sizes, too.
Dynamic Menu Creation and Maintenance
Menus are valuable assets to any bar’s business because they make up a large part of your brand. How do you currently manage seasonal drink menus? Do you offer weekly and happy hour specials? Customizable drink menus are a powerful way to keep track of your full menu and signature drinks while also making easy changes whenever needed. When one of your bartenders smashes it out of the park with a new drink concoction, they can save that new recipe on-the-fly on your new POS, or if you are running low on a certain ingredient in your inventory, you can put drinks requiring it on hold until your stock gets replenished.
Improve Customer Relationship Management
Your bar might serve thousands of drinks a month. Even with the best intentions, it can be a challenge to remember what your regular customers like. What if you could pull up what your regulars like with just two or three taps on the screen and begin prepping an order when they walk through the door? Keep your regulars happy and show your appreciation with the best POS software solutions. A good POS system will also help you track your most popular orders so that you’re always prepared with the ingredients you need to fill them.
Security and Remote Management
Every bar experiences profit losses. It’s the nature of the business to regularly lose up to 25% of alcohol inventory. Voids, cash drawers, and tips negatively impact a business and your workplace environment. They constitute weak points inherent to your bar front end operations.
Bar owners spend millions to install surveillance cameras to protect their business from both inside and outside threats. You want to trust your employees, especially when you aren’t there. Search for a POS that allows you to review timestamps and dates on deleted orders. Some even have features that allow you to observe your business infrastructure remotely.
Selecting a Point of Sale Provider
The bar business is tough to get into and competition among bars is increasing. Keep these questions in mind when you consider what key features to look for in a new POS system. Talech provides POS software solutions for bar businesses Sign up today for a free demo and start working with a POS specialist who can help you craft a customized system that is as satisfying as one of your bar’s specialty cocktails.
We at talech want to assist customers that have been financially impacted by COVID-19, in light of restricted movements in cities and towns across the country. We have launched a number of initiatives to help customers during this time. Click here to find out more or reach out to our Support Team at support@talech.com
