Is Mobile POS the next big thing? If a recent report from 451 Research is to be believed then the global installed base of mPOS devices is expected to quadruple to just over 54 million units until 2019 from the current 13 million devices. The primary reason mobile POS systems are gaining popularity is its flexibility and ease of use.
Mobile Point-Of-Sale systems are transforming the way hoteliers conduct business. Bulky and installation-heavy hardware is replaced by sleek tablets or PDA sized devices at tables and at the front desk.This saves a lot of time for the hotel staff and also helps them better interact with guests and customers. Hoteliers need not invest large cash reserves in installing POS components, hence mobile POS works out to be a cost effective solution.
Mobile POS has been transformed from a fancy gadget owned by few hotels to a standard technology used by large hotel chains. Most new age POS systems can be directly connected to the headphone jack of a smartphone and card payments can be accepted instantly. Mobile POS systems are known to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty which in turn increases business revenue. This helps businesses gain a competitive advantage.
Hotels that have adopted mobile point of sale systems are reaping the benefits of increased efficiency and reduced waiting times. At the restaurant, waiters can transmit orders directly to the kitchen, thus reducing the service time by a large margin..During peak periods, this translates into better service for more customers and all “waiting lines are busted”.Most POS systems are being deployed in the cloud. This is advantageous for hoteliers as POS system providers follow a pay as you go model and their system is automatically set to receive the latest software updates. Mobile POS systems thus help hoteliers add more value to their service and product offering, resulting in increased revenues.
POS management systems offer a range of features, but ease of use and integration with inventory management systems emerged as the most important features. POS systems have to be designed as easy to use, equipped with intuitive layouts. Several POS systems are designed to provide a smartphone like experience to its users with the option to easily access the most frequently used functions. Smart inventory control is a foolproof way to improve profit margins. A POS system that is integrated with inventory management system helps control every ingredient and item that is used.