In the world of POS solutions and credit card processing for small businesses, no detail can go unnoticed. The minute, intricate details of a small business can be the difference between a successful month or one of failure. In our previous post, we at Trinity Merchant Group talked about why ergonomically staying ahead of the competition is so vital to the success of a small business.
We looked at the psychological ramifications of having a sleek, modern mobile point-of-sale solution in favor of a clunky cash register you might find at any corner store in the 90s. We also examined the impact having an endless aisle could have for your business, in the sense that if you aren’t able to provide a customer with the product they are looking for (perhaps it’s out of stock), then you can place an order for that particular product or find it for them at another store’s location.
Whether you are running a veterinary clinic or another kind of small business, not being up to date with what consumers expect can take its toll. We at TMG want our clients and our prospective clients to be well-equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to not just keep their head above the proverbial water, but to be a pioneer within the world of small business payment processing and merchant services.
Today’s post is largely going to be centered around similar topics. We ran out of time to sufficiently explain the many benefits of having a mobile point-of-sale solution in your veterinary practice or otherwise. We will also explore employee management, ergonomics, and how they relate to optimizing your POS process. Keep reading if you are interested in learning more about MPOS systems and what they can do for you!
Convenience
We mentioned this to some degree in our previous post, but it is a point which proves to be difficult to overemphasize. Over the past few decades, we’ve seen online retailers take a bigger and bigger slice out of the market pie each year. First it was Egghead and Ebay, now it is Amazon, Apple, Wal-Mart, and the like. This revolutionary change in the way vendors sell doesn’t happen in a vacuum; consumers have changed the way they shop, to the point where we are even ordering our groceries online so they are delivered to our front door.
With that in mind, customers aren’t as forgiving when it comes to brick-and-mortar hassles. People don’t want to wait in long lines, not that they ever have, but only this time they have alternatives. They demand solutions quickly and most are looking for checkout solutions that aren’t of the traditional “wait in line” type. When you have a mobile POS solution, this process is streamlined. You can accept payments from anywhere in the store, and even out on the sidewalk or street if you wanted to. This represents a dramatic improvement which customers have come to expect. So even if you don’t have a line going out the door every morning or afternoon, having an optimized MPOS system gives you the option of streamlining your processes in addition to giving your store the legitimacy of being as current as your customer-base wants you to be.
Quickly Get Information
A survey conducted by SessionM, a mobile loyalty firm, reported that a whopping 90 percent of people who responded say that they researched products on their smartphones, with 54 percent of that portion looking into price comparison, 48 percent looking at product information, and 54 percent look into online reviews. Being able to have employees who have mobile point-of-sale devices affords you with the ability to access that information on the fly, just like your customers can. That means your customers and employees will be on the same wavelength. This is a good thing.
To sum up, having an optimized POS system allows you to be on the front lines, engaging your customers where they are, at the point of decision. Trinity Merchant Group has the tools to set you up for success in this way. We are backed by a book of business of over 150,000 merchants across the nation because of our exceptional blend of affordability, quality, speed, security, and the ability to customize payment processing solutions that are catered to your specific business.
Employment Management As It Relates To An Optimized POS Solution
Said Justin Guinn, Market Research Associate for Software Advice, “More than anything, you want your new POS system to elevate your operation and the customer experience you provide. It will very likely have the opposite effect if the system doesn’t satisfy all your needs or your employees aren’t on board.” Justin’s sentiments reflect what we’ve been saying above and in previous posts; if you aren’t up to snuff, your bottom line will suffer, because customers expect a modern experience when they shop from you. Here are some ways that a robust POS system can supplement the overall performance and experience of your sales associates.
Training
You can make the training of employees a significantly easier process, as many POS systems offer demo videos and tutorials which aid in helping them quickly get the hang of a checkout process, your return or refund issuance, and more. Being able to get your staff quickly up to speed without having to hold their hands for their training can save you time that you could be spending tending to other matters.
Employee Scheduling
Gone are (or should be) the days of posting a hard-copy schedule every two weeks. With a modernized POS system, you can check who is scheduled to work at any given time, so there’s no need to track down your own copy of the schedule you might have misplaced. That’s one less hassle you need to worry about. Additionally, being able to digitally schedule shifts behooves your employees as well as yourself. You can make changes on the fly, and your employees won’t have to text or call you so you can remind them when they are working, too.
Time Clocks
In the same vein, time clock management is easier than ever with a current POS solution. Employees will be provided with a personal identification number, and will clock in and out without being able to fudge numbers by five minutes or so. An added benefit is that both employers and employees can keep tabs on how much they’ve worked in a given week, which makes your life easier when it comes to overtime allocation.
Have More Control
No one would disagree with the idea that it is necessary to hire employees who have integrity and can be trusted to accountably manage funds without supervision. But in reality, it’s impossible to have assurances about employees and their level of honesty with day to day transactions. Having a modernized POS system boosts accountability in the sense that every transaction will be associated with the employee who performed the checkout.
When you have a non-personal means of keeping a watchful eye on your staff, it’s likely that there will be less temptation to skim off the top every now and then. In turn, this improves the level of trust you can have with your employees, as they won’t feel like you are spying on them. You simply won’t have to with an advanced credit card terminal like the solution you can find at Trinity Merchant Group.
Privatizing Data
With an optimized POS solution, you are able to have access control for certain users. Being able to control permissions so that a front-of-store cashier has a different level of access than a store manager is key to running things in an efficient manner.
Rewards And Help
If you are operating a business that could be open to some commission-based rewards, getting a POS solution that allows you to distinguish between top performers and the rest might help turn that idea into a reality. Conversely, you’ll be able to determine which of your staff members might be in need of a little bit of help when it comes to their performance. If you aren’t able to be on the sales floor at all times, this might help revolutionize the way your employees are motivated and able to perform!
What We Do At Trinity Merchant Group
So, perhaps you are reading this on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. Regardless, you might be sitting there sufficiently convinced that your business is in dire need of a makeover when it comes to how you handle payment processing. Luckily, we want you to know that Trinity Merchant Group was founded with the belief that we are able to genuinely help your unique business’ needs by getting to know you and your company. We have set up our business to be malleable in nature; we have the flexibility to let you determine which merchant services will help your business climb to the next level. Of course, we are happy to provide advice about which POS solution or payment gateway might be right for you, but our point is that you are given the diversity of tools you need to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving retail environment.
What Do You Do?
Brilliant, fantastic question. It’s simple, really. All it takes is just 15 minutes to sign up for your custom rate quote. The first step is that we will take the time to figure out how you interact with your customers during the purchase process and after the fact. Step two is us setting up a custom plan based on the information that you have provided us. Step three is to analyze your current statement for possible savings you might be missing out on. While certain practices are usually proven to be successful across multiple retail verticals, there’s no one-size-fits-all payment processing solution. Letting us take a look at your historical data will help us diagnose any weak points in your processes, which in turn will end up saving you money.
Step four is to formalize our recommendations and pricing, and step five is completing the paperwork so we can get to the fun part – setting up your new merchant account with Trinity Merchant Group so we can implement what is required!
Get in touch with Trinity Merchant Group to get your free quote today!