Why a Point of Sale Computer System is Better Than a Cash Register For a Retail Business
The first cash register in the world was invented by a chap called James Ritty in 1879 to help stop employees from stealing his takings. Called the Ritty Model 1, this cash register was based on technology observed for counting the revolutions of the propeller on a steamship. The device was ultimately patented in 1883.
Cash registers have served retail businesses well. So well, in fact, that many retailers prefer this simpler technology to Point of sale systems which run on computers. Today, however, good Point of Sale software has many advantages over register technology. These advantages include:
Security. The computer system validation training institute in bangalore business owner has far more control over what can be done and by whom with a Point of Sale system than a register. This can reduce the opportunity for employee theft and reduce the chance of successful customer theft.
Speed and accuracy. With fewer keystrokes to press thanks to barcode scanning and smart touch screen technology, a Point of Sale system will process sales much faster. This is money in the bank in a busy retail business. Greater throughput means a lower labour cost per sale and this can significantly improve the bottom line. Fewer mistakes also means a lower cost to the business of mistakes.
Better business decisions. By having a record of all sales, the business is able to better report on product performance., This will improve the quality of the business decisions and this will, in turn, feed into better business performance. Good information = better business decisions, this has been proven time and again in retail businesses.
Time saving. Thanks to additional features with retail software, many other manual processes, outside of actual selling, can be automated. For example, ordering stock, checking off invoices for new stock, pricing new stock and undertaking a stock take. All of these functions are more easily and accurately undertaken with a Point of Sale system than a manual cash register operation. This business benefits from a lower labour cost, better quality data and better quality business decisions.
The most important benefit of a Point of Sale system over a cash register is the reason the cash register was invented – reduced theft. While the controls, ease of use and structure provided make for significantly better business outcomes, it is the theft reduction from a well managed computer system which deliver financial benefits way beyond the cost of the technology. By replacing a cash register with a good quality Point of Sale system, a retail business can expect to recover the costs in the first two years.