With all the fierce competition in the hospitality industry, running a restaurant or takeaway now requires more than just excellent food and customer service. Owners must be willing to make the jump to digitalisation.
We recommend opting for an electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) system, a technology that has grown in immense popularity over recent years as more features and functionalities have been added to make it an end-to-end restaurant management system.
This article will explore five EPOS system features that explain why your restaurant or takeaway needs an EPOS system and how to choose the right provider for your business needs.
5 Reasons Why Your Restaurant or Takeaway Needs an EPOS System
EPOS systems now offer a wide range of valuable features that can help restaurants and takeaways increase operational efficiency, boost sales, and improve the customer experience. Here are some of the features:
Smart Inventory Management
Most EPOS systems are able to automatically track and manage your inventory levels, improving cash flow and the customer experience for your restaurants or takeaway.
By tracking sales data, hospitality businesses can quickly identify which food and drink items are selling well and which are less popular with their customers. Owners can use this data to create special offers so they don’t have deadstock.
In addition, EPOS systems can track inventory levels and alert restaurant or takeaway owners when certain items need to be restocked. Having menu items in stock at all times increases customer satisfaction.
Online ordering and payments
One of the best and most helpful features of an EPOS system for restaurant and takeaway owners is its ability to accept online food and drink orders and customer payments.
Customers can place orders through the restaurant’s website or mobile app, eliminating the need to wait in line or wait on staff. This speeds up the ordering process and improves customer satisfaction.
Integrating an EPOS system with your website or mobile app also allows your customers to pay from their smartphones. Payment flexibility is important to customers, so choose an EPOS system that will accept all payment types and offer split bill options.
Real-time data analytics
Many EPOS systems have embedded analytics tools that provide real-time sales and customer behaviour data. This data lets restaurant or takeaway owners identify their best-selling meals and track trends, which enables them to make data-driven adjustments to their menu or pricing.
EPOS systems also allow owners to create special promotions and discounts on food and drink to attract new customers or increase repeat business.
In addition, by tracking customer preferences, businesses can use behaviours and trends to create targeted marketing campaigns. This can help your restaurant or takeaway increase sales.
Customer profiles
Some EPOS systems allow you to create customer profiles that store a customer’s order history, preferences, and contact information. This customer information can help your restaurant or takeaway:
- Personalise the ordering process;
- Build a closer relationship with each customer;
- Enable personalised food and drink recommendations;
- Offer customised discounts and offers;
- Create loyalty programs.
A personalised experience enhances customer satisfaction, builds loyalty, and improves retention.
Integrations
Due to the arrival of digitalisation, it is essential to choose an EPOS system that can integrate with other business applications and software that you already use, such as:
- Food ordering platforms;
- Payment processing software;
- Delivery providers;
- Accounting software;
- Loyalty programs;
- Table booking and reservation platforms;
- Restaurant management systems.
How to Choose an EPOS System for Your Restaurant or Takeaway
When choosing an electronic POS for your restaurant or takeaway, here are some of the key factors to consider:
- Business size. Consider the size and type of your establishment, as this can affect the number of terminals and features you need. For example, a small café may only require a single terminal with basic features. In contrast, a large restaurant with multiple locations may require a more advanced system with centralised reporting and inventory management features.
- System integrations. Consider whether the EPOS system can integrate with your existing systems and software. This will help streamline your business operations and manage everything from one place.
- Customer support and training. Look for an EPOS provider that offers accessible customer support and training. This can help you get the most out of your system and ensure any issues are resolved quickly.
- Hardware compatibility. When choosing an EPOS provider, it’s essential to check whether the system is compatible with your existing hardware (smartphone or tablet) or if they’ll provide you with new hardware.
Conclusion
This article has explored five features of a robust EPOS system that make it worth the investment for your restaurant or takeaway in 2024.
The features explored here can improve your cash flow, efficiency, and decision-making, all whilst enhancing the customer experience in a customer-first hospitality environment.
Inventory management features can improve cash flow and customer satisfaction; seamless integrations can improve your efficiency; real-time data will improve your decision-making; and customer profiles and online ordering options will enhance the customer experience.
Finally, there are many important things to consider when choosing an EPOS provider, but it is essential to select a scalable system that can grow with your restaurant or takeaway to accommodate new locations, menus, and staff.
