Why Retail Shop Owners Should Switch to a Cloud-Based POS

When selecting a POS system, it’s important to decide between a modern cloud-based system or a traditional legacy system. Purchasing a POS system is a significant investment and demands a thorough evaluation of all the available options. The best place to start is by understanding what exactly a cloud-based POS system is and the differences between the two. Then, we’ll go over 10 key benefits that cloud-based systems have over legacy systems, and why you should consider switching.

What is a Cloud-Based POS system? 

A web-based point-of-sale system that operates on the cloud is called a cloud POS. Unlike traditional systems, it does not require costly servers that must be upgraded frequently, and all payment processing and updates are done online rather than on a local computer.

Cloud POS systems can operate on various platforms such as tablets and smartphones, rather than being confined to a desktop computer at the checkout counter.

A cloud POS system operates as software as a service (SaaS) that allows businesses to manage inventory, monitor invoices, and accept online payments. This system does not require installation on a computer and can be accessed from anywhere, enabling remote business management and transaction processing from any device.

Cloud-Based POS vs. Traditional POS

The term “legacy POS system” refers to a traditional POS system. This type of system stores its data on local servers and operates on closed networks.

In contrast, a cloud-based POS system stores data online and allows you to control the automation of your business activities.

While a traditional POS system is designed around the daily number of store transactions, a cloud-based POS system is built to accommodate customer transactions over their entire relationship with your business. Although these differences may appear minor, they can have a significant impact on the overall effectiveness of your POS system.

Here’s a high-level overview between legacy and cloud-based POS systems:

Now that you understand the key differences between the two POS systems, let’s go over the top 10 reasons why shop owners should switch to a cloud-based POS system.

10 Reasons to Choose a Cloud-Based POS

1. Efficient Data Analysis

Real-time corporate data can be gathered and evaluated by managers through a cloud POS system, providing crucial information for enhancing your company’s operations.

Sales metrics from multiple locations can be immediately analyzed on your web POS through your smartphone, providing all the sales information you need in one place, accessible from anywhere, regardless of payment acceptance methods.

With tools such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, obtaining and analyzing records is easy, ensuring accurate tracking and desired outcomes.

2. Comprehensive Responsibility Management

On-premises POS systems require hardware investments and accountability for software upgrades, security concerns, and other relevant issues, resulting in increased costs and financial commitments.

In contrast, cloud-based POS software holds vendors accountable for all these issues. Vendors assume full responsibility for the system, including security, administration and cost management, reducing overall costs and the efforts associated with managing a web-based POS system.

3. Improved Marketing for Better Results

Businesses must use promotions to attract and retain customers, but managing promotions can be challenging, leading to missed opportunities. Additionally, several promotions may run simultaneously, making it difficult for customer service reps to track them, resulting in lost sales and customers.

Small businesses can effectively track every offer’s promotions and revenues with POS systems, identifying which promotions generate the most revenue and catering to clients. A cloud-based POS system enables you to quickly evaluate promotions’ effectiveness by store, regardless of location.

4. Robust Customer Support

Phone and chat support should be available 24/7, 365 days a year, with brief, readily available responses to resolve any issues. Outdated POS systems or inadequate customer support can result in lost sales, making it critical to provide quick phone support for minor problems and chat-based assistance for major ones.

Cloud-based POS systems experience fewer issues, and end-to-end assistance is provided, with staff using your account over the cloud, improving management.

5. Seamless Data Synchronization

Cloud-based apps help companies with cloud data storage, allowing users to store data completely offline and temporarily cache data. Retail stores, clients, purchases and more can be seamlessly synchronized across all platforms with web-based POS software.

With this system, you won’t have to maintain numerous product records or rely on inventory guesswork. All of your purchases will be recorded and updated by the cloud-based POS software.

6. Over-the-Air Updates

Cloud-based POS systems provide businesses with a deeper understanding of what’s happening behind the scenes. This allows them to manage their staff and customers, view stock, create invoices, and generate custom reports securely online.

Using cloud-based services, businesses can save time by accessing account information from any device, anywhere, quickly updating their data and receiving email notifications, ordering supplies, and more.

7. Flawless Inventory Management

With the best POS systems, inventory management can be conducted from any location. Furthermore this ensures that you always have the required goods on hand. Creating an item library of products, services, taxes, and coupons simplifies the checkout process.

Clients can send themselves invoices for every payment via email or text, with a simple and seamless connection. An end-to-end customer relationship management portal works to gather consumer feedback, enabling businesses to better understand and serve their customers.

8. Core Accuracy

Web-based POS systems are effective and accurate, resulting from advanced technology and forward-thinking strategies. In all aspects of a business, accuracy is critical. Sales data, inventory forecasts, stock imbalances, and cash flow management: cloud-based POS systems ensure accuracy in all of these areas, promising no ambiguities.

9. Streamlined Employee Management

For business owners with multiple locations, efficient employee management is crucial. With the latest technology, you can now oversee all your stores through a single point-of-sale (POS) terminal. This feature also enables you to manage each location’s unique product offerings and keep track of inventory levels.

As your business expands, adding new employees and managing their roles becomes increasingly important. With POS, you can easily assign access levels based on management level, allowing your staff to handle their responsibilities while you monitor everything and contribute where necessary.

10. Safe and Secure Data Management

Adopting new software can be daunting, but web-based POS systems are easy to set up and provide safe, reliable data management. After making the switch, online functionality, compatibility issues and data loss are minimized, ensuring effective record-keeping of sales, inventory, and other important data.

Moreover, cloud POS software ensures that your clients’ transactions are processed quickly, while their data is secure and always up-to-date. This way, you can rest assured that your business is operating smoothly while safeguarding your customers’ information.

Conclusion:

Web-based POS systems are a better alternative to the software utilized by traditional POS systems. They are widely regarded as the best mobile POS solution currently available, and offer numerous advantages over other products on the market.

We recommend that all retail shop owners consider a cloud-based system. To access the best-in-class cloud-based POS system, check out Priority’s MX™ POS. For more information on our software, request a free demo today!