Transizione da ECR a robusto POS mobile

As businesses continue to adopt the new digital enterprise environment, automation and improving business efficiency remain the key drivers of this digital migration. For the last few years, we have been witnessing improvements in mobile devices, wireless connectivity, data sharing, and analytics.

All these digital transformations have redefined mobile point of sale (POS) solutions by making them more effective and easily accessible by all types of businesses. As a result, many retailers and other business operators are now migrating from the traditional electronic cash register (ECR) to the modern rugged tablet mobile point of sale (POS).

Rugged mobile POS solutions have a robust data management system that makes retail transactions more efficient. Compared to the traditional ECR, the new rugged mobile POS helps retailers to keep in touch with the digital payment integration systems. If you have not upgraded yet, this is the best time to transition from the electronic cash register to a rugged mobile point of sale (POS) system.

Why is it important to switch from ECR to rugged mobile POS?

As we have highlighted above, rugged mobile POS systems are robust in data management and payment integration compare to the traditional ECR. Therefore, rugged mobile POS is able to offer customers a better service experience as they can keep clients’ past purchasing records to understand their buying patterns and product preference. With ECR, retailers can only able to record the sale transaction but it’s not possible to capture more customer details to aid the business in analytics.

When working in a retail and restaurant environment, you want a device that can withstand the harsh working environment and still perform as expected. Rugged mobile POS is more durable and can deliver better results in such an environment compared to the traditional ECR machines. Rugged mobile POS can withstand drops, spillage, dust, and extreme temperatures.

By transitioning to rugged mobile POS, retailers are able to save the cost of frequent repairs. Retailers that use normal consumer-grade tablets often incur repair and replacement expenses since such models can’t withstand such working environments. When using rugged mobile POS, retailers can only change the batteries when the need arises rather than buying a brand new component thus, lowering the long-term operating cost.

Factors to consider when buying a mobile rugged POS?

When buying a rugged mobile POS system, there are various key considerations that you need to consider in order to get value for your money. Some of the common considerations to put in mind include;

• The ingress protection (IP) rating- The IP ratings in rugged mobile POS devices are indicated 2 digits. The first digit ranges from 0-7 and it represents the level of protection that the device can guarantee against dust. The other digit that ranges from 0-8 indicates the level of protection against liquid spillages such as water and oil. When selecting a rugged mobile POS device for a retail and restaurant environment, it’s recommended to pick a model that has an IP rating of 54 and above.
• Customer support, Repair & Warranty- Although rugged mobile POS devices are sturdy and built to last, they are subject to wear and tear or malfunction when not used properly. Therefore, it’s recommended that you buy rugged mobile POS models that manufacturers offer customer support, repair and maintenance, and a reasonable warranty period. Most rugged tablet manufacturers have standby technicians who are fully trained on how to troubleshoot any malfunctioning problem that may arise.
• Drop resistance- Rugged mobile POS devices are designed with a particular drop rating that indicates the range of distance from the ground level where a rugged mobile POS device can be dropped and land on the surface without any damage. The best rugged mobile POS devices that can operate in retail and restaurant environments are the ones with a drop rating of not less than 4 feet. Such devices should be able to withstand multiple drops on such range even when dropped on concrete floors.
• Ability to withstand harsh environment- Your choice for a rugged mobile POS device must have the capacity to withstand extreme indoor and outdoor environments. There are times that you will need to work in both indoor and outdoor environments and without a versatile POS device, it will become very difficult to offer outstanding services to clients. Rugged mobile POS devices are a great choice when working in such environments instead of using consumer-grade tablets.

Conclusion

The transition from ECR to rugged mobile POS devices is redefining daily operations and efficiency in retail and restaurant businesses. Although the initial cost of a rugged mobile POS is higher compared to an ECR machine, the long-term benefits make all the sacrifice worth it. They help reduce wait time when placing orders in restaurants or when checking out items in retail thus, improving customer’s experience and boosting workers’ morale.

The efficiency achieved in business operations helps increase profitability. Also, some rugged mobile POS models can be configured to operate in a stationary area especially in a business that has less operating space. These types of rugged POS devices are ergonomically designed to save space and they are fitted with magnetic stripe readers, barcode scanners, and EMV.

Since rugged mobile POS devices are durable and require less repair and maintenance, businesses can save a lot of cost in the long term and enjoy increased efficiency when they switch from ECR to rugged mobile POS devices. Consumer preference and taste keeps on changing and it’s only retailers who will adopt the new technological development that will remain competitive in this digital enterprise era.