Technology: Why up-to-date EPoS systems can benefit your pub

PoS technology is moving fast. Today’s systems can accelerate service and payment; efficiently manage cash, people, product, stock, table and pricing; and provide the data that can show you how to keep your customers happy.

“The latest EPoS advancements are causing a major shift in the way pubs operate,” says Intelligentpos CEO & co-founder Robin Knox. “Each business is different, and pubs need to look at what they need from their EPoS system.”

The most visible impact of a high-tech EPoS system is improved service levels, which boosts footfall and customer retention, according to ICRTouch head of marketing Peter Scovell.

He explains: “An ICRTouch system does everything at the press of a button. This speeds up service, freeing up servers to get to know customers better.”

However, the greatest opportunities lie behind the scenes, Scovell claims.

“With today’s EPoS systems, your business is at your fingertips. You can see how your pub is performing and change prices to rival the competition, even when you’re away from a venue. And your desk is no longer cluttered with paperwork.”

Meet customers’ needs

EPoS systems also allow pubs to collect data at every step of the customer journey, says Clive Consterdine, sales and marketing director at Zonal, the provider of the Aztec EPoS system.

“Understanding how customers behave means you can meet their individual needs,” he explains.

“You must be able to identify your customers as they come through the door. That way you can build up individual customer profiles: when they arrive, what they order, what they like and dislike.”

And that’s when things get really interesting, Consterdine says: “You can now use technology to gather feedback on a customer’s unique experience of your venue. They bought a coffee: did they like it? They bought a cake: did they like that?”

Integrating this type of feedback with other management systems, like Kitchen iQ, provides a pub with a powerful improvement tool.

Consterdine explains: “A customer tells you your service was slow. With an integrated EPoS system, you know what was ordered, and when, and can work out whether it was a staffing
or kitchen issue, or a problem with the product.”

Payment trends

Mobile ordering is another capability pubs should consider, says Intelligent Point of Sale’s Knox.

“Customers can save time, automatically collect loyalty points, and pay – all without leaving the table. This increases satisfaction and spend,” he explains.

Pubs should keep on top of other payment trends too, such as contactless and wearable technologies, or risk losing business, warns Knox. He claims more than 70% of customers now prefer to pay by card, 75% see contactless as easier than chip and pin, and 20% say they’ll go elsewhere if they can’t pay by card.

“These trends demonstrate the need for a slick EPoS system, linked to an advanced payment system like iZettle,” he says. “This is especially important around Christmas, when customers will move on if they can’t get quick service.”