If you’re a bar or nightclub operator and you’re still using an old-fashioned cash register behind the bar, you are very far behind the times, and you’re doing your business no favours. By installing a quality bar POS system, you will bring numerous key benefits to your establishment, some of which we’ll cover in more detail below.
1. You’ll Keep Up with and Even Beat the Competition
If you decide not to invest in a POS system now, then beware because your competition is certainly not thinking in the same way. More and more advanced systems, some that even make use of AI functions, are being installed in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and countless other retail businesses around the world. Why? They give bars a serious business and customer service edge.
Depending on what kind of system you buy, a new POS system could mean a significant capital investment. Read on a bit further though and see just how you can recoup those costs with better service, better inventory management and better marketing, among other things.
2. You Can Speed Up Service
Most importantly for any bar or nightclub, a POS allows you to speed up service. This is a critical thing for customers who frequent bars, who find the most frustrating thing to be when you arrive at a bar and the server takes too much time to get to you, and then the drinks take even longer. Even worse is when the service time between drinks gets too dragged on, and the feeling of “buzz” and fun just starts to fade away.
A POS allows servers to use touchscreen devices to put instant orders through to the bar. Alternatively, you can even place QR codes on each table and have customers order through their own smartphones, which are then brought to the table by servers when ready. It’s all smooth, seamless and fast.
3. You Can Better Monitor Inventory
If your numbers just aren’t adding up at the end of the year, it could well be because you’re losing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of inventory to your staff. No, they’re probably not drinking it all themselves, but they might be making overly generous pours for beautiful guys or girls they want to flirt with, or just giving out free shots to friends and regulars. They might think they’re just being good hosts to their loyal customers, but the bottom line impacts can be extremely painful.
POS systems and connected bar-specific applications can help monitor liquor and beer inventory to see exactly how much money should have been taken according to how much quantity of product was shifted. If they don’t line up, then you know you have a problem on your hands.
4. It Reduces Mistakes
How many times have you witnessed bartenders and servers arguing over the quality of writing on written tickets? If your servers are still writing drinks orders on pads, you’re basically still working in the dark ages. A POS can send beautifully printed tickets from a remote device to a central machine, all of which feature standard naming, fonts and other information that will help prevent disputes between staff, and also disputes with customers.
5. You Can Collect Data and Share Special Offers and Promotions
Finally, data collected from your POS system — especially those where the customer participates in the ordering process, because then you can collect email addresses and whatnot — can be used very effectively to grow the business, share special offers, promote events and more. Data is king in the modern business age, by which we mean it’s among the most precious resources you can have.
