How to improve your retail business with EPOS integration partnerships
Improve your retail business with EPOS integration partnerships.
Modern point of sale systems are capable of supporting a multitude of third party integrations, and that could be great for your business.
Your POS system is your complete retail management tool, and the more sophisticated POS systems can bring you even greater capabilities by working in harmony with other services.
Innovative new retail equipment and services are being launched all the time. Some aim to make your life easier, for example, providing business monitoring or the automation of tasks. Others will offer better facilities and services for your customers, such as payment options or vending systems.
With integrated services, you can tailor your business to your exact requirements. Adding the right services can positively impact your reputation, your business management, and your bottom line.
EPOS requirements
Electronic point of sale systems are usually sector specific. When you choose an EPOS system that’s designed for your industry, it should offer useful integration options that are suited to your type of outlet.
Before you purchase any new system, check that it benefits from ongoing support and development back up. That way, you won’t miss out on any useful integration options that may become available in the future.
Which integrations?
For retailers, the choice of integrated services is vast, because there are so many different types of retail business.
Where you have chosen a system that’s suitable for your type of business, your supplier may already have pre-arranged partnerships with third party suppliers that are useful to you.
For example Retail Solutions‘ EPOS systems are designed for retailers of FMCG (fast moving consumer goods). Specifically, with supermarkets, convenience stores, fuel forecourts, pharmacies and coffee shops in mind. Lets look at some of the partner integrations that might be useful to a retailer operating within these sectors.
Supermarkets
Weighing and labelling
Great for supermarkets and delis. When weighing and labelling services are connected directly to your EPOS system, prices can be set via your back office. The product type is selected on screen, the scales can then weigh the selection, instantly transferring the sale price to the EPOS system. You can generate a price label with instructions if required.
Electronic shelf edge labelling
Not only do ESELs offer a tidy, modern store look, but prices set at the back office can be instantly rolled out across the store. Prices remain consistent and accurate, and can be updated instantly, at the touch of a button.
Waste management
Various integrated services that manage all the areas that cause a store to waste stock and resources. This could include end of day reductions for fresh baked goods, monitoring stock expiry dates, as well as recycling, packaging, and human resources. Create a positive impact on the environment and your bottom line.
Convenience
Bill pay & top ups
A handy way for your customers to handle their additional tasks from your store. Integrated services allow you to take third party payments via your EPOS system. This drives extra business to your store as customers can conveniently pay their electricity bill, top up their phones and pre pay cards, or pay their bin charges, all in one place.
Automated vending
These services link vending machines to your EPOS system for easy price setting and stock management. Stock is dispensed at the touch of a button and the inventory automatically updated. In-store, these are useful for restricted products such as tobacco.
Forecourt
Fuel management
Integrated services that manage your forecourt via your EPOS system. This software will link fuel pumps to your point of sale system to manage sales, stock levels, distribution, and fuel payment methods.
Fuel pricing and margin control
Additional forecourt management features, such as temperature monitoring and failure detection, e.g. leaks. Detailed data-driven analytics to manage the costs and competitiveness of the fuel sales market.
Car Wash
Manage your car wash operations and transactions from your checkout area.
Surveillance
Integrated cameras and vehicle recognition software to assist with security issues, monitoring, and drive offs.
Pharmacy
Automated dispensing
Picking and dispensing technology for pharmacies, particularly useful with self service touch screens for new generation pharmacies.
Coffee Shop
Loyalty
Integrated loyalty services an be used in all types of retail businesses, but they’re a must have for modern coffee shops. There are several dedicated suppliers on the market that can work seamlessly with your retail management system. They use the transaction data to manage loyalty rewards and discounts, and your customer simply taps their card or fob to update their details. They can also keep track of rewards balances and log detailed transaction information, so you can see what works best and tailor your rewards system accordingly.
General
Payment services
Integrated payment services communicate data directly between your EPOS system and your payment machine. The payment machine receives the transaction values, accepts and records payments, and updates the data in your point of sale system. Faster, simpler, and reduces the errors created by manual input.
Cash management
Physically manages and secures cash, as well as automating the processing, counting, and reconciliation of cash for security and error elimination. A real time saver too.
Business Management
Helps businesses to optimise their performance, providing specific and detailed information to help them make better decisions and increase profit.
Accounting
Integrate dedicated accounting packages with your EPOS system, so you don’t lose all your accounting information or have to start over when you update or replace your system.
Stock taking
You might choose to outsource a third party supplier to handle your annual stock take. Partner services can use software integration to access and handle your stock file data.
Web shop
Popular with all kinds of businesses, an integrated web shop allows you to manage your business across multiple channels. Update your store stock or pricing from your back office and roll it our across your store and web shop in real time. Stock is singularly managed, so that products sold in store and instantly updated and cannot be sold online, or vice versa.
Online ordering
Manages in-store click and collect for those who don’t require a web shop. They can also provide dedicated ordering and delivery services, such as online menus and payment handling for delis and takeaways.
Benefits
You’ve probably noticed a pattern with extended integrated services. They are usually designed for speed and accuracy, with the aim of saving you time and money. They offer choice and specialist expertise to businesses, opening up a whole new world of services for you and your customer.
Got questions? Contact one of our experts to find out more about improving your retail business with EPOS integration partnerships!
Contact us!
Who are we?
Retail Solutions is a market-leading EPOS provider with over 25 years of business experience. Our leading sectors are convenience stores, supermarkets, forecourts, pharmacies and coffee shops.
We are dedicated to providing your store with the most up to date and reliable point of sale hardware, along with software management tools to help you manage your business effectively.
Our self-checkout partners are NCR, who are global leaders in self-checkout technology.
About the author:
Susan McGuire is originally from London, United Kingdom, and has now lived in Galway, Ireland, for 15 years. She has been with Retail Solutions for almost 7 of those, and during that time has enjoyed various roles within the areas of Maintenance, Finance, & Marketing. You can follow her on LinkedIn!
