ShopKeep POS offers a system that
is iPad- and cloud-based, for lower
initial and ongoing costs.
POS possibilities
Point of sale systems vie for business with Square.
Which technology is the best fit for your shop?
BY KATHLEEN FURORE
C
loud computing. Robust functionality. Interconnectivity.
Data ownership. And a product called Square.
The vocabulary alone is enough to intimidate all but the
most tech-savvy coffee shop owner.
The task of shopping for a system that can handle your
point-of-sale (POS) needs can be downright daunting, retailers
and the vendors that serve them agree.
"POS can be one of the more confusing topics because there are
no standards. There is not even a general consensus on what cloudbased systems are at this point," says Mike Spence, vice president of
SelbySoft, a company that offers POS products including the SP-1
Zero Training POS system designed for the coffee industry.
What are the most common concerns retailers have when it
comes to POS, and how are manufacturers alleviating them?
QUELLING CONCERNS
The many POS choices flooding the market, and the rapid
way those options are evolving, creates myriad issues for coffee
shop owners and managers.
"Cost and service, and ease of use and features, are always
22
concerns for retailers," Spence says. "They want to make
sure that orders can be done quickly but accurately, and that
employees can be trained quickly. Features are important
because you never know when you may need your system to
do something that you didn't think of."
How a system handles free gift and loyalty programs is an
issue, too. "Retailers want to make sure that it is independent
of the credit card side of things and that there are no swipe
or monthly charges," Spence explains. "Typically if your gift
system is tied in with your credit card provider, you are really
kind of stuck if you want to change providers."
Sean Rowland, account manager at Coffee Shop Manager, a
company whose products focus on POS technology for coffee
shops exclusively, says reliability, ease of use, service and
support are all key.
"Owners want to know that the system they choose is going
to work for their specific shop is going to help them with their
management challenges, and is going to be a reliable long term
investment," Rowland says.
And Jason Richelson, founder and CEO of ShopKeep
