Tablets and the Future of Point of Sale

The introduction of the tablet has completely revolutionized the way we do everything, from checking email to staying entertained while waiting in line. Merchants are also conducting business differently thanks to the introduction of tablet devices. No longer is it necessary to be weighed down by bulky point-of-sale systems, especially those merchants who operate outside of a normal brick and mortar setting. Today, merchants can make use of tablets to ring up sales and process credit card payments from anywhere. As a result, merchants are increasingly replacing traditional cash registers with them.

The iPad and other similar tablets offer retailers the ability to do everything that a traditional POS system could do and more. Featuring an attached card reader and wireless access, tablet-based systems are now driving the future of commerce in the retail sector. Not only are they easy to carry, but they are also completely customizable. The affordability of such systems is also a popular feature with small businesses, especially startups. Thanks to their portability, it is possible to handle transactions from anywhere, thus freeing retailers to operate where it is most convenient.

Need For Speed
Tablet-based POS systems are ideal for a variety of different businesses, including small retail settings. They also work well for much larger settings. Case in point is Alabama State University, which became the first stadium to implement an iPad POS system on a large scale. For anyone who has ever had to stand in line waiting to pay in a stadium, the need for speed is understandable. This is precisely what tablet POS systems offer. In fact, once Alabama State University implemented the iPad POS system in its Gourmet Services division, it rang up nearly 6,000 transactions within just a few hours. Clearly, this type of platform is able to offer the speed required to move customers through the line quickly.

Easy to Use
Of course, that type of speedy delivery only works well if the system is easy to use. This is yet another area where many merchants have found that tablet POS systems have a lot to offer. In only about 30 minutes, staff can be trained to run the system. Those time savings also translate to more efficient inventory processing. Rather than spending hours per week counting stock, a tablet POS system makes it possible for managers to check inventory from a computer or smartphone at any time and from any location.

Streamline Operations and Increase Scalability
Business owners are increasingly choosing tablet POS systems over traditional systems for a variety of reasons, including the opportunity to streamline their business operations. Some systems even offer an offline mode that allows retailers to operate with complete accessibility and security. In the event that power is lost or the Wi-Fi goes out, retailers can continue operating with business as usual.

The scalability offered by tablet POS systems is also proving to be a tremendous boon for many retailers, especially startups that may not need all of the features of a full POS system right away. With an tablets, the sky is virtually the limit. 

As technology continues to evolve, it is quite likely that POS systems will continue to evolve as well, thus providing retailers with the opportunity to provide more customers with better service in less time.