Introduction
Did you know that EPOS systems can dramatically modernise your business and increase your sales?
Or that EPOS systems can retain your customers, by using creative loyalty schemes and special promotions?
In this guide, you’ll find out what you need to know about EPOS systems, including what they are, how they can benefit you and the advantages.
Ready?
Let’s get this show on the road!
FAQ
What is EPOS?
An EPOS system allows you to take payments for your sales which includes chip and pin, contactless, Apple pay and Google pay.
Using an EPOS system means that you can track sales not only from your central hub but also from devices with compatible software.
You can use data about your customers to see insights regarding what your customer’s buying habits are and which one of your salespeople are performing the best.
How do EPOS systems work?
Let’s take a restaurant or bar for example.
Once your system is installed, you can add all of your meals or drinks options that you have on your menu to your system.
You can then add all of the prices to each item.
It means that all your staff has to do is touch a button on the touchscreen to choose an individual item or meal, or a drink – simple as that!
There is the option to print off receipts, adjust prices and run special offers on your meals or drinks, which can only be changed by authorised staff such as your general manager.
What does EPOS record?
Not only does an EPOS system allow you to improve your sales techniques, but you can also gain a lot of useful information and data by utilising things like loyalty cards.
This helps you see which one of your products is the most popular, what isn’t necessarily working very well or who your average demographic is.
Knowing that information can help you to advertise your company better and help you to maximise your profits.
What do customers say about EPOS systems?
Square offers a modern EPOS system, and on Trustpilot, they enjoy an excellent five-star rating.
What are the advantages to EPOS systems?
There are many advantages to using an EPOS system, here are a few that you should consider.
Get Insights
One of the most important aspects when it comes to learning about the insights in your business is being able to look deeper into the data that you wouldn’t have been able to analyse years ago.
Using an EPOS system allows you to view essential facts like which one of your products are the most popular, who your general customers are regarding demographics and when you are the busiest.
This means knowing when you might need extra staff, or which products you should be pushing your salespeople to focus on for profits.
Time
Another benefit to using an EPOS system is the fact that it can reduce the time that it takes to transact sales, which can increase your customer’s overall satisfaction.
As most EPOS systems are simple, modern and easy to use, it means that you won’t necessarily need to train your staff to use them.
Money
EPOS systems allow you to manage things like your finances, inventory better and view analytics into the logistic running of your company.
As many systems lay out your revenue and your costs, you can easily see how you could be making savings in the future too.
You can also integrate your system with marketing software, so you can send out email blasts to your customers about promotions or news, which can save you a lot of money versus traditional marketing campaigns.
Engagement
By having a system that is user-friendly, you can help your employees to better serve your customers by keeping everything simple and easy to use.
Also, by being able to see which one of your salespeople are performing the best, you can incentivise your top sellers and create healthy competition.
You can also reduce the time taken to check inventory and other timely administration tasks, so your employees can focus better on selling.
Retention
One of the most important factors regarding maintaining a successful business is to keep your customers coming back.
With an EPOS system, you can benefit from creating loyalty schemes, improve your customer experience and linking your eCommerce to your physical stores.
This will keep your customers engaged and hopefully retain them for repeat orders and sales.
How can I compare all of my options?
Firstly, you could opt to approach each company on an individual basis, to find out what each business can offer you regarding prices and features.
This could take quite a long time, as you’ll need to try and find out information from as many companies as possible to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Or, you could check out the comparison tool at the top of the page to compare all of your options right now.
Top 6 Epos Companies
1. Epos Now
Type: EPOS Provider
Pricing: £1199
Trustpilot Score: 5/5
Epos Now was created in 2011 after the founder, Jacyn Heavens, became frustrated with expensive and poor quality POS systems, so instead, he founded a solution; Epos Now.
With their system, customers can enjoy customer support from a five-star rated company on Trustpilot, with these benefits:
✔ UK’s largest EPOS provider
✔ Integrated payments
✔ World’s easiest POS system
✔ Allows customers to pay via phone or watch
✔ Set up in mere minutes
✔ Customisable dashboard
✔ See analytics and customise products
✔ Control your stock
✔ Improve staff performance
2. Square
Type: EPOS Provider
Pricing: £39+
Trustpilot Score: 5/5
Square is one of the most cost-effective systems on the market, as pricing starts from £39 for the Square Reader which accepts chip and pin, contactless cards and mobile payments.
You can take payments on the go, use your phone to make payments and benefit from free inventory management.
✔ Accept Apple and Google Play
✔ Manage your inventory from anywhere
✔ Get daily stock alerts
✔ Manage your employees
✔ Track employee sales data
✔ Create custom invoices
✔ Schedule any recurring
✔ Manage your locations from one device
3. Lightspeed HQ
Type: EPOS Provider
Pricing: £69 a month
Trustpilot Score: 5/5
Lightspeed HQ is an ambitious company that was created by $292 million in investments, with over 650 employees worldwide and eight offices globally.
They can offer their customers systems that allow you to manage your inventory and do things such as purchase orders and catalogues.
✔ Create reports
✔ Analyse data
✔ Sell on Facebook
✔ Quick set up
✔ See your customer types
✔ View customer sales history
✔ 24/7 support
✔ Account history
4. Payzone
Type: EPOS Provider
Pricing: £59.99 a month
Trustpilot Score: 4/5
Payzone is a company that offers card machines, online payments, phone payments, merchant accounts and EPOS systems to their customers.
With a high score on Trustpilot, many customers state that the customer service team are helpful and offer exceptional support.
✔ All-in-one POS
✔ Integrates with your current devices
✔ Unlimited support
✔ See reports about your staff
✔ Add customer data
✔ Monitor hours and pay
✔ Create a customised dashboard
✔ Cloud-based
✔ Suitable for most retail shops
5. Casio Epos
Type: EPOS Provider
Pricing: £54.99 per month
Casio has over 40 years of experience in the industry, having specialised in electronic cash registers, android platform registers and now EPOS systems too.
Their software and devices are designed specifically for the hospitality industry, and you can benefit from these features:
✔ Easy to use
✔ Cloud software
✔ Doesn’t use a lot of power
✔ Good design for any interior
✔ Register sales
✔ Special offers for products
6. Vend
Type: EPOS Provider
Pricing: £49 a month
Trustpilot Score: 4/5
Vend is an EPOS system that allows you to sell any product, regardless of if you have one product to sell or thousands.
This system has a built-in loyalty programme which rewards any repeat purchases and offering your customers the benefit of being able to pay any way they want.
✔ Secure payments
✔ Upload products in minutes
✔ Increase productivity
✔ Operates on any device
✔ Manage all your stores
✔ Works offline
✔ Connect add-ons
✔ 24/7 customer care
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many advantages to using an EPOS system, including keeping track of your sales, your employees and logging your inventory too.
Could you benefit from using an EPOS system?
Did you know you could compare all of your available options right now?
Check out the comparison tool at the top of the page, or take a look at the ExpertSure guides now.
