The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Cashier operating payment process, pushing buttons on pos terminal while customer holding smartphone. Cropped shot, closeup of hands. Shopping or purchase concept
When it comes to traditional brick-and-mortar retail practices, modern merchants need to think beyond the checkout process. Many customers used to think nothing of going to the cash register, paying for their purchases, and leaving the store. The problem with this model, though, is that it used to be a one-way road. The advent of e-commerce changed the retail industry because online shopping carts allow customers to keep browsing or even leave retail websites before returning for a quick checkout. Brick-and-mortar stores are now expected to compete against e-commerce, which means that owners and managers must focus on delivering speedy transactions. To this effect, here are some recommendations.
Utilizing Self-Checkout Systems
This strategy was initially implemented by American supermarket chains and home improvement stores more than a decade ago, and it produced mixed results because the technology and customer flows were still being figured out. These days, self-checkout systems are vastly improved thanks to smart innovation and the advent of digital payment mobile apps. These systems can not only speed up retail experiences but also make them more attractive to younger shoppers.
Too many retail managers these days take their internet connections for granted. At a time when point-of-sale (POS) systems are increasingly operating in the cloud, it is imperative to have a broadband connection that is both reliable and speedy. A static POS such as a connected cash register should have the benefit of connecting through the fastest option available; in many situations, this means fiber optic cable.
Using the Right POS
Not all POS solutions are built for speed these days. When choosing a payment processing partner, store owners and managers should pay close attention to vendors that make it a point to offer advanced and speedy POS terminals as value-added propositions. At the very least, a modern POS terminal should include the ability to save customer and transaction data so that store clerks are not forced to repeatedly ask customers for information.
Providing Employees With Comprehensive POS Training
Full-featured POS systems tend to be underused because employees or even managers are not aware of all the things that can be done to speed up retail processes. This problem is often related to a lack of formal training. Whenever the provider of payment processing solutions offers POS system training for free or at a discounted rate, it is better to take full advantage of it.
In the end, retail managers should always be on the lookout for strategies they can implement in order to speed up their processes. Failure to do so could mean falling behind the competitive curve.
