Cash Register vs. POS System – Why You Should Upgrade

The cash register has come a long way since its invention in the late 1800s as a rather clunky means of managing purchases and monetary transactions. In the years leading up to today, the cash register has evolved into a more powerful, digitized Point of Sale (POS) system. The most sophisticated POS systems offer a number of technologically advanced and valuable premium features, well beyond just the cash register.

Companies such as National Retail Solutions (NRS) offer a point of sale solution that combines the conventional cash register with highly sophisticated merchant tools, including a built in customer loyalty program, sales, inventory tracking and user tracking, remote access via an app and web portal, as well as other premium features. Retailers can benefit from advanced data reports, item modifiers, employee time clocks, government ID scanning, Ecommerce and more. NRS is the leading provider of POS systems for small to mid-sized, independently-owned convenience, grocery, bodegas, mini-marts, liquor and tobacco establishments, hardware stores and gas station c-stores nationwide. Owners of these businesses would be wise to consider an integrated POS system with a suite of features for checkout that saves money in the long run, rather than simply choosing the least expensive, outdated, ‘no-frills’ cash register.

While a basic cash register can ring up sales, an advanced POS system can digitally track inventory at the same time and produce advanced data reports. Reports can be perused 24/7, letting merchants know immediately when to reorder stock as well as obtain data on what’s selling and what’s not, greatly lessening the financial peril of over-stocking and under-stocking. Using modern cash register features, business owners can even determine what items should be the subject of sales promotions, detailed down to the day of the week.

Physically, proprietors should make sure the register, like the POS system offered by NRS, is made of durable material. Cash register drawers are opened and closed constantly. A hardy, metal cash drawer will last for years and won’t jam. The last thing a business owner needs is a register drawer that jams frequently, lengthening the time of a transaction as a line of frustrated customers builds up. Unreliable registers that cause dead stops in the checkout line, can damage your business’ reputation, and your business may be perceived as an inefficient operation. At worst, it can potentially lead to time-pressed customers dropping their items and leaving the store, never to return.

The NRS POS includes a state-of-the-art barcode scanner that quickly recognizes barcodes. The need to rescan items because of poor scanning capabilities, or entering every item manually – much like register drawers prone to jamming – gives your business the appearance of operating in the stone age. NRS offers Government ID Scanning, which is certified for age-verification compliance and keeps the line moving efficiently. Employees manually verifying IDs for age-restricted products such as tobacco and alcohol can be time-consuming and leaves this important legal requirement to chance. Using NRS’ special, Government ID-compliant scanner, the cashier can instantly verify a shopper’s age without slowing down to visually examine each ID.

Beyond customers, a modern POS system is effective in managing your employees. State-of-the-art cash registers, such as the POS offered by NRS, allow the cash register to double as an Employee Time Clock. As many employees at small to mid-sized, independently owned businesses work on an hourly basis, a digital time clock is the most accurate way to record hours. Plus, unlike old-fashioned punch clocks or paper time sheets, this premium feature eliminates forged signatures and embellished hours, making payroll clear and easy.

Many of the businesses served by NRS are located in diverse, multicultural neighborhoods where, for many residents, English is a second language. Bilingual employees are extremely valuable in communicating with customers in urban centers. The NRS POS cash register can simplify the checkout process for these employees, by having user-friendly buttons with customizable colors. Cashiers can easily visually identify products and buttons that they might otherwise have trouble recognizing.

In addition, inner-city centers tend to have a significant amount of residents who use EBT cards (the modern equivalent of food stamps) to purchase staples such as bread, milk, and fruits and vegetables. The NRS POS system is EBT compliant. NRS Pay offers its EBT Unlimited! program so that a retailer can pay one low monthly fee and can accept unlimited EBT-funded transactions with zero transaction fees.

A POS system can be a revenue generator, way beyond a standard cash register. It raises your store’s profile in identifying the needs of your patrons and better servicing your community.

To learn more about how NRS POS can power your business and your cash register, visit https://nrsplus.com/pos-cash-register/.

By fbatista