Restaurant POS in the Philippines: A Detailed Guide Before Purchasing One
Posted by Michael Cao on December 13th, 2019
Opening up a restaurant is something that can never be taken lightly. The whole process of just being able to put it out there is definitely no joke – from conceptualizing its interiors and exterior design, the whole menu and how much each would cost, the location and anticipated customers, the amount of money involved, the number of workers that would be needed, up to the licenses and permits needed – and any useful assistance must be sought to make things a bit simpler for its owners.
In line with the assistance that can make restaurant proprietors’ lives easier, our technology has already gone as far as being able to compute, take orders, and even replace waiters in serving food. These tasks can all be taken care of by an excellent Point of Sale (POS) System and a number of important things that you need to know about restaurant POS in the Philippines will be elaborated in the next few paragraphs.
What is a POS (Point of Sale) System and How Does it Work?
Basically, a Point of Sale system is made up of software and hardware working together to create a network that can take, compute, and print a sale (which serves as a receipt), hence, the name. It can be made up of different and numerous hardware devices, though, the most basic ones are payment terminals, touch screens or monitors, receipt printers, cash drawers, and debit and credit card readers that are all being controlled by one powerful software. The performance of this system greatly depends on its hardware specifications and software reliability that’s why finding the best company to provide these for you is so important.
What Do I Need to Know About POS Systems for My Restaurant?
According to SoftwareAdvice, The most crucial thing to possess before looking for a Point of Sale system is the understanding of how your restaurant would work. Having this knowledge allows you to easily figure out the kinds of devices (hardware) that you, your workers, and your customers would need as well as the specific commands and features a software must have to fit your demands perfectly. With these being stated, listed below are some of the devices that make up a POS system. Check each and figure out which among these would be needed in your establishment:
- Main Server – The back office server or main server is basically the central computer where all of your company’s information such as bar codes, prices, and sales reports are entered and saved. At the same time, this server also acts as the main source of information for all of your other computers if you’re using multiple units. Regardless of the number of computers being used in your business, the back office server is where all of the relevant software shall be downloaded.
- Monitor and Keyboard – As we all know, the monitor is the screen where sales staff, as well as the customers, can view sales information while a transaction transpires. This is where you see the items being purchased, price, tax, savings or points (when applicable), subtotals, totals, and any other relevant information related to your transaction. The monitor is connected to the back office server and other devices such as a mouse, cash drawer, receipt printer, and a keyboard. Keyboards, on the other hand, can either be a physical or a soft one. Recently, touchscreen monitors and tablets (with soft keyboards that appear on the screen) are being utilized due to its convenience and easier navigation and these types of monitors are actually being offered by one of the best POS hardware providers in the country, Inaveit Systems Technologies Inc.
- Bar Code Scanner – this is a component of a POS system, however, most restaurants do not have a need for such as their products are usually just entered through the monitor via the keyboard. Barcode scanners are most useful in supermarkets, convenience stores, shops, etc.
- Cash Drawer – This is used to hold the business’ collected money. Most of the time, cash drawers are also connected to and being controlled by the main server where it is programmed to open by pressing certain keys or by performing specific tasks and commands. It can also be monitored and encrypted with passwords and the likes to ensure the business money’s safety.
- Receipt Printer – A POS System is usually joined by at least one small receipt printer. Here in the Philippines, business establishments are required to provide receipts as part of the law so make sure that you have this device when you get a POS system. Like the other devices of the Point of Sale system, receipt printers are also programmed from the main office server in order to generate customized receipts for your business.
- Card Reader or Magnetic Stripe Reader (MSR) – card readers are very important especially nowadays when people are making use of cashless transactions. Obviously, its purpose is to obtain credit and/or debit card information of your customers to process payments. Card readers can be attached to the workstation terminal or they can be a separate portable device that your staff can bring to the customer’s tables if a PIN is being required to process a payment. Some PIN pads and card readers also have the capability to capture a customer’s signature – customers can digitally sign credit transaction receipts directly from its screen.
Conclusion
The different parts of a POS System discussed above are just some of its main components. Other POS systems have additional accessories and gadgets depending on the client’s needs such as headsets, kiosks, and the likes.
Now that you have understood each of the main component’s tasks and purpose, it should be easier for you to decide which of those are the most important and useful for your business and customers. To know more about your options, you can give Inaveit Systems Technologies Incorporated (one of the best system integrators and distributors in the country) a call today and find out what they can offer.
Source:https://www.inaveit.com/restaurant-pos-philippines/
