{"id":2013,"date":"2014-09-10T09:17:04","date_gmt":"2014-09-10T13:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nationaltransaction.com\/credit-card-merchant\/?p=2013"},"modified":"2014-09-10T09:17:04","modified_gmt":"2014-09-10T13:17:04","slug":"ipad-point-of-sale-pos-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationaltransaction.com\/credit-card-merchant\/ipad-point-of-sale-pos-system\/","title":{"rendered":"iPad Point-Of-Sale (POS) System"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"iPad\"<\/a>

“>Credit: Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

If your businesses considering an iPad point-of-sale (POS) system, you may be up for a challenge. Not only can the plethora of providers be overwhelming, but you must also remember that not all iPad POS systems are created equal. iPad POS systems do more than process payments and complete transactions. They also offer advanced capabilities that streamline operations. For instance, they can eliminate manual data entry by integrating accounting software, customer databases and inventory counts in real time, as each transaction occurs. With these systems, you get 24\/7 access to sales data without having to be in the store. The challenge, however, is knowing which provider and set of features offer the best iPad POS solution for your business. iPad POS systems vary in functionality far more than the traditional\u00a0POS solutions and are often targeted at specific verticals rather than the\u00a0entire market. For that reason, it’s especially important to compare\u00a0features between systems to ultimately select the right system for your\u00a0business.<\/p>\n

To help you choose a provider, here are things to look for in an iPad POS system. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Backend capabilities<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the biggest benefits of an iPad POS system is that it offers advanced features that can streamline your entire operations. These include backend processes, such as inventory tracking, data analysis and reporting, and social media integration. As a small business, two of the most important time saving and productivity-boosting features to look for are customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities and connectivity to other sales channels. You’ll want an iPad POS that has robust CRM and a customizable customer\u00a0loyalty program. It should tell you which products are most and least\u00a0frequently purchased by specific customers at various store locations. It\u00a0should also be able to identify the frequent VIP shoppers from the less\u00a0frequent ones at any one of your store locations, creating the ultimate\u00a0customer loyalty program for the small business owner. If you own an online store or use a mobile app to sell your products and services, your iPad POS software should also be able to integrate those online platforms with in-store sales. Not only will this provide an automated, centralized sales database, but it can also help increase total sales. You should be able to sell effortlessly through online, mobile and in-store channels. Why\u00a0should your customers be limited to the people who walk by your store? Your\u00a0iPad POS should be able to help you sell your products through more channels,\u00a0online and on mobile. E-commerce and mobile commerce (mCommerce) aren’t\u00a0just for big box retailers.<\/p>\n

Cloud-based<\/strong><\/p>\n

The functions of an iPad POS solution don’t necessarily have to stop in-store. If you want to have anytime, anywhere access to your POS system, you can use one of the many providers with advanced features that give business owners visibility over their stores, its records and backend processes using the cloud. The best tablet-based POS systems\u00a0operate on a cloud and allow you to operate it from any location you want. An iPad POS provider, with a cloud-based iPad POS system, businesses can keep tabs on stores in real time using any device, as well as automatically back up data. This gives business owners access to the system on their desktops, tablets or smartphones, even when not inside their stores. Using a cloud-based system also protects all the data that’s\u00a0stored in your point of sale so you don’t have to worry about losing your\u00a0data or, even worse, getting it stolen. Because the cloud plays such a significant role, businesses should also look into the kind of cloud service an iPad POS provider uses. In other words, is the\u00a0system a cloud solution capable of expanding, or is it an app on the iPad\u00a0that is not dependent on the Internet? Who is the cloud vendor? Is it a premium vendor? The type of cloud a provider uses can give you an idea about its reliability and the functions the provider will offer.<\/p>\n

Downtime and technical support<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a small business, you need an iPad POS provider that has your back when something goes wrong. There are two types of customer support to look for: Downtime support and technical support.<\/p>\n

iPad POS systems are often cheaper and simpler than traditional systems, but that\u00a0doesn’t mean you can ignore the product support needs. The POS is a key\u00a0element of your business and any downtime will likely result in significant revenue loss. You could, for instance, experience costly downtime when you lose Internet connectivity. iPad POS systems primarily rely on the Web to perform their core functions, but this doesn’t mean that when the Internet goes down, your business has to go down, too. Many providers offer offline support to keep your business going, such as Always on Mode. The Always on Mode setting enables your business to continue\u00a0running even in the event of an Internet outage. Otherwise, your business\u00a0will<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>lose money during a loss of connectivity. Downtime can also happen due to technical problems within the hardware or software. Most iPad POS providers boast of providing excellent tech support, but you never really know what type of customer service you’ll actually receive until a problem occurs.<\/p>\n

Test the friendliness of customer service reps by calling or emailing the provider with questions and concerns before signing any contracts. This way, you can see how\u00a0helpful their responses are before you purchase their solution. Your POS\u00a0is the most important device in your store. It’s essentially the gateway to\u00a0all your transactions, customer data and inventory. If anything happens to\u00a0it, you’ll need to be comfortable knowing that someone is there to answer\u00a0your questions and guide you through everything.<\/p>\n

Grows with your business<\/strong><\/p>\n

All growing businesses need tech solutions that can grow right along with them. Not all iPad POS systems are scalable, so look for a provider that makes it easy to add on more terminals and employees as your business expands. Pay attention to how the software handles growth in sales and in personnel. As a business grows, so does it sales volume and the required software capabilities. Some iPad POS solutions are designed for very small businesses, offering very limited features and transactions. If you have plans for growth, look for a provider that can handle the changes in transactions your business will be going through. Find out about features and customization. Does the system do what you\u00a0want it to do? Can it handle large volume? How much volume? What modules can you add, and how do you interface to third parties? You should also consider the impacts of physical expansion and adding on new equipment and employees. If there are plans\u00a0in the future for you to open another store location, you’ll need to make\u00a0sure that your point of sale has the capabilities of actually handling\u00a0another store location without adding more work for you. If you plan on\u00a0hiring more employees for your store, you’ll also want to know that the\u00a0solution you choose can easily be learned, so onboarding new staff won’t\u00a0take up too much of your time.<\/p>\n

Security<\/strong><\/p>\n

POS cyber attacks have risen dramatically over the past couple of years, making it more critical than ever to protect your business. Otherwise, it’s not just your business information at risk, but also your reputation and entire operations. iPad POS system security is a bit tricky, however. Unlike credit card swipers and mobile credit card readers that have long-established security standards namely, Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance \u2014 the criteria for the iPad hardware itself as a POS terminal aren’t quite so clear-cut. Since iPads cannot be certified as\u00a0PCI compliant, merchants must utilize a point-to-point encryption system\u00a0that leaves the iPad out of scope. This means treating the iPad as its own system, which includes making sure it doesn’t save credit-card information or sensitive data on the iPad itself. To stay protected, look for PCI-certified, encrypted card swipers.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If your businesses considering an iPad point-of-sale (POS) system, you may be up for a challenge. Not only can the<\/p>\n

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