| Point of sale or POS systems are a necessary and | | | | do nearly everything from ordering and purchasing |
| invaluable part of most businesses. While they | | | | stock to generating reports on sales. As they continue |
| traditionally referred to an automated cash register, | | | | to evolve, many more tasks can be done with POS |
| modern technology has seen that change to include a | | | | systems, including the integration of e-commerce for |
| number of other elements that all make a business | | | | online selling, electronic payment processing, integrated |
| more efficient and easier to run. | | | | accounting, marketing, video surveillance, and much |
| Common POS systems include a computer, receipt | | | | more. |
| printer, lockable cash drawer, a scanner to read the | | | | Sales are the most important part of any business and |
| bar code, a magnetic swipe reader and a modem and | | | | so they come from customers, so POS systems |
| pole display. Then there is the POS software. POS | | | | should streamline the customer experience to make it |
| systems these days have come a long way from the | | | | as hassle free and pleasant as possible. For instance, |
| early ones and do much more work. In fact they now | | | | POS systems for the restaurant business can |
| do so much more that the POS element has now | | | | enhance customer loyalty and retention by being used |
| become just one more module in amongst many | | | | for promotions via email or sms. A member database |
| others, but it is none the less an important part of each | | | | that supports targeted marketing such as coupons and |
| business. | | | | points schemes has high value in increasing sales and |
| As well as actually allowing the customer to purchase | | | | keeping customers. |
| goods, POS systems allow the business operator to | | | | |