Enhance the Customer Experience with POS Technology
When you think about the overall customer experience as it pertains to your business, naturally the first component that comes to mind is your staff. I would agree that the most critical component that impacts the customer experience is the ability of your staff to interact with your customers in a way that meets your standards of quality. These interactions should reflect your brand, your mission and to some degree, your personality as the leader of your organization.
One component that is often overlooked in terms of the customer experience is the technology deployed within your organization and how it ultimately affects the customer experience. Quite often, small business owners will deploy technology that is only focused on improving efficiencies inside the organization by providing stronger controls and analysis tools. Often overlooked is how technology can enhance the overall customer experience which can significantly impact the bottom line and increase the owner’s technology ROI over time.
As the owner/operator of a retail store or QSR (Quick-Service Restaurant), you most likely select your employees with the overall customer experience in mind. After all, perception is reality. Your staff members are communicating with your customers every day. They are the face of your organization. So, each and every interaction they have with your customers can have a significant impact on your overall success as a merchant.
As the owner/operator of a retail store or QSR, you most likely provide a POS (point-of-sale) system for your operations as well. When you made your POS selection, did you consider how that investment in technology would impact the customer experience before, during and after your customers visit your facility? The technology you deploy as a merchant can be just as powerful (if not more) than the team members you deploy inside your facilities. Here are a few things you may want to consider:
- Does your POS provide fast and easy checkout? As simple as it sounds, the checkout experience is critical to the overall customer perception.
- Does your POS track customer preferences and history? Nothing makes a customer feel more welcome than receiving the same level of service across multiple staff members.
- Does your POS provide a tool for you to communicate with your customers based on their spending history? If I buy widgets from you but don’t use your widget training service, it might be that I simply don’t know that you offer this service. You are missing a sales opportunity.
- Does your POS provide the option to email receipts to your customers? How about “thank you” notes? How about birthday promotions? Recognizing your customers and streamlining their visit are critical in today’s market.
- Does your POS provide the ability for customers to shop your store on the web? Sometimes, it is simply inconvenient for consumers to visit your facility. Are you missing the sales opportunity when this is the case?
- Does your POS equipment match the décor of your store and your branded marketing materials? Most times, the POS is an ugly black box on the counter. Consumers process information all day through what they see and here. Does the POS appear to be part of the store or an eye sore that is necessary to operate the store?
Ultimately, your customers will pay for your POS system. So, why not have their best interest in mind when selecting which POS to implement? For other items to consider when selecting POS systems, click the button below: