Epos Systems Peripherals

An Epos System can be enhanced by a variety of hardware peripherals ranging from Biometric access devices to Mobile Tablets and terminals and Payment processing machines. The selection of the appropriate peripherals to be integrated is dependent on a business’s objectives and requirements from an Epos system.

Modern Epos systems are designed with the flexibility to incorporate peripherals as and when a business requires. An obvious advantage of the peripherals is they provide a quicker, more accurate and orderly operation.  This results in increased efficiency, reduced wastage and a generally more positive trend bottom line wise.

Epos Systems Peripherals and Accessories

A look at some of the more popular Epos system peripherals with a brief description is below:

Card payment processing machines: There were 2.2 billion purchases in the UK totalling a value of £140 billion (UK Cards Association Plastic Card 2013). This makes card processing machines an obvious business requirement to maximise sales and customer satisfaction. About two-thirds of credit card holders have used their card to make a purchase once or more a month. Businesses that do not have the option of accepting card payment are narrowing down their customers and business prospects. Epos systems are now integrable  with most modern card payment processing machines.

Barcode scanners: stock management and product information retrieval at checkout are two areas where barcode scanners are prevalent and assist businesses achieve higher efficiency. Barcode scanners can be static or mobile, single or omnidimensional and come in different shapes and sizes. Barcode scanners detect barcodes from printed labels, mobile phones and computer displays.

Cash Drawers: a range of cash drawers depending on security, size and shape are available in the market for Epos systems.  It provides security for cash and works with the Epos system during transactions and cash safeguarding. 

Biometric Devices: Epos systems increasingly control and administer access with Biometric devices. This allows businesses to control access, administer rights and review and report any breaches in privileges or security. Biometric devices are seen as being more accurate and secure in access controls and management.

Tablets and Mobile Terminals:  where businesses require staff to be on the move, tablets and mobile terminals are increasingly used. From serving customers on the move to communicating throughout the business including with the checkout terminals, printers and on the move stock management are some of the more popular benefits of Tablets and Mobile Terminals.

Printers:  epos systems interact with a variety of printers. Other than the obvious printing of the transactions and receipt, printers are also used for printing product information labels and other communication. Printers come in different sizes and functions.

Weighing Machines: Epos systems are often connected to electronic weighing scales. This is especially useful where retailers sell products like vegetables, meat and other items sold in measurable weight.

Epos Terminals: the front end of an Epos system, Epos Terminals determines not just the appearance of an Epos system but also come with many features that distinguish and set the tone for the Epos system. Touch screen capability, flat screen, size and energy saving functions are some of the common distinguishing features.

Emperium Epos - an infographic

An info graphic on the Emperium Epos software !!! (Part one)

Epos software from Epos Direct

Part two will review each module category.

Renting or Leasing an Epos System

Implementing an Epos system in a business for the first time can be “disruptive”.  The presence of new technology means a change in operations, processes, reporting and resources management. But what makes most businesses (especially the smaller to medium businesses) apprehensive is the upfront costs involved.  

Investing or spending money upfront without quick ROI can prove to be very costly in an increasingly competitive and challenging business environment.  At the same time a properly implemented Epos System saves time, money, and resources and enhances efficiency and performance resulting in increased bottom-line.

One way SMB (small to medium businesses) can find the middle ground of implementing an Epos System without too much upfront costs is through renting or leasing these systems. There is a tendency to take this route as costs are phased out and shared over the operating year; this means costs and revenues can be evaluated real time and a truer picture of the actual impact of the Epos Systems is visible.

Epos Direct provides renting and leasing from £20 per week for integrated PartnerTech Epos solutions. For many businesses this is a very flexible and practical way of owning their integrated Epos system. For £39 per week for 12 months a business can implement the innovative Digipos A300 integrated package. All packages powered by the Emperium Epos Software Suite. This sort of flexibility allows more operational freedom as funds are not tied up and payments are in line with operating incomes.

Epos System from Digipos, Partner and Epos Direct

Many businesses would prefer to pay full costs upfront as any rental or leasing agreement would be a “longer-term” commitment that they would prefer to do without especially where they have allocated funds for such purpose in advance.

As in any business decision the exact circumstances and requirements dictate the suitability of the mode of purchase. But the option of flexible weekly payments can seriously benefit a business looking to implement an integrated Epos system without fully paying upfront.

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Epos Systems Software – making the right choice

Many businesses view Epos Systems from the prism of Hardware and Peripherals. This is an anomaly in thought and decision making. Most of the hardware and peripheral manufacturers are reputed brands that have standardized on their offerings. Epos software on the other hand is specific in scale, functions, operations and target market. A decision on choosing the right software package must be taken after careful consideration of various business and environmental factors.

An article on Barepos.com looks at key factors to look into before choosing your software package. This is true for all Epos software and not limited to Bar or Pubs. We have our own set of advice on things to consider before implementing your Epos system software.

Epos software based on industry from Emperium Epos & Epos Direct

System Integration and Scalability: Software with inbuilt capability to keep pace with any scaling up of operations smoothly is a long term winner. As businesses grow they will need their Information Systems to reflect the change in operations and Epos software that is scalable saves time, money and resources on new systems, modifications or even disruptions. Another feature not totally unrelated is the Integration capability of Epos software. Although Epos software has outgrown its initial transaction processing days and now includes a multitude of functions, many businesses still opt for popular third party applications like SagePay accounts and a host of CRM and Marketing automation tools. A flexible or open API in your Epos software makes such integration simple without any impediment to your operations.

Upgrades and Support: Upgrades in software are the norm and reflect the evolving environment of the technology world. No software can expect to be immune from this or from additions in features, licensing and support issues. When choosing your Epos software ensure that you have a commitment and background resource of your solutions provider for upgrades and support. In a busy environment 24/7 technical support can provide not just mental relief but also prevent serious disruption to operations.

Operations and Reports: Epos systems have gone beyond transaction processing and now encompass modules on almost all operational areas. But not all businesses require such features or may find third party tools more beneficial for specific areas.  So the choice of Epos software must reflect the core operations businesses want covered. Business Intelligence tools and reports are another functionality businesses can make use of. Reports that focus on key performance areas can provide businesses with a competitive edge.

Solutions Provider: the choice of solutions provider is particularly important for Epos systems software as industry knowledge, technical competence and training and support are all factors that cannot be ignored.  The profile and background of your solutions provider reflects not just on the software product but also its performance and support during its lifetime.

Price:  Software costs are more complicated that getting what you paid for. A lifecycle of a software product needs to be factored in evaluating the price of the software. What represents a correct price is not overtly visible as several factors need to be assessed before calculating the exact cost. Some of the issues include:

1.       What is the licensing model and charges?

2.       How does the vendor price the support and upgrades?

3.       Is there lifetime validity for product?

4.       What would be the total costs involved over the lifecycle of the product?

5.       How does the solutions provider deal with modifications, customisations and changes?

Clearly businesses have to factor in a lot before they can choose their Epos software. Epos systems can be very rewarding and can provide businesses with a competitive edge but a less well thought out implementation can prove to be a drain in resources and operations.

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Restaurant Epos System

Restaurant Epos System

The hospitality industry has been in the forefront of implementing integrated Epos systems to augment their operations.  This is due to the hospitality operations being very receptive to software systems and a variety of hardware peripherals. Epos Direct is one of the global leaders in providing solutions for the hospitality industry. As authors of the Emperium software suite, Epos Direct is considered one of the leading authorities in restaurant management software used extensively for restaurant epos systems.

Emperium Epos Software

Restaurants worldwide consider Emperium Epos software as a solution of choice for their Restaurant Epos Systems. This is due to many factors including the rich functionality, flexibility and scalability in scope and operations. To make maximum use of any new system there must be the right combination of software modules and hardware peripherals; these must be seamlessly integrated to enhance processes and operations.

Restaurant Epos System

Restaurant Epos System Feature List

The Emperium Epos software has an extensive and relevant features list that provides restaurants with the most appropriate bespoke level solution. From table management to customer loyalty and special promotion modules the Emperium software looks at operations from a restaurants point of view. Some of the other differentiating features include user display options, menu management, stock management, audit trails, order management and connecting to head office suite to remotely monitor and manage multiple tills and branches.

Emperieum Restaurant Epos Systems also benefit from the most incisive and relevant business intelligence reports available in the market. Covering the 6 core areas of operations; Sales, Customers, Products, Human Resource, Financials and Suppliers restaurant owners and managers have access to reports that allow them to intelligently analyse current performance and take decisions based on past performance.

Things to consider when choosing an Epos System for Restaurants

Budget: an obvious consideration as restaurant epos systems can vary on the scope of operations and hardware peripherals. Setting up your budget early can help you in choosing your right Epos package and save you money in the short and long term.

Scale of operations: Epos software and systems vary according to scale of operations. Whether you are a single till restaurant or multi-till multiple branches restaurant chain, a software system that enables smooth and straightforward scaling up or change in operations can be extremely valuable over the short and long term.

Features: Epos systems have evolved from transaction processing tills to complex operations management systems. Epos software in the market are often generic and do not deal with specific requirements of customers. On the other hand customisable and bespoke Epos systems can come with a big price tag. The features and objectives the business expects to achieve are vital when choosing Epos software.

Technology:  the popularity of wireless multichannel and cloud platforms has changed the solutions delivery landscape. The presence of technology does not directly infer the necessity for businesses to implement them. Restaurants must choose from their requirements and capability to implement the relevant technology.

Flexibility: the option of integrating a range of software applications and hardware peripherals means restaurants cannot ignore future expansion or additions. Robust software applications have in-built capability that caters for future integration without any disruptions to the operations or systems.

Vendor Profile: with no dearth of vendors and solutions providers in the hospitality epos industry, restaurants need to ensure that their solutions provider is reliable, trusted, has a provable profile and provides comprehensive technical support and training.

In short businesses will do well to looking to the above factors when deciding the best Epos solution. Epos Direct a global leader in providing restaurants with integrated Epos packages is an example of an organization that delivers what restaurants require. 

Integration services for Epos Systems

Epos Systems Integration Services

Epos systems increasingly cover functions beyond simple transaction processing. This requires integration of applications both bespoke as well as popular third party.  Most industry leading Epos software including the Emperium Epos authored by EposDirect allows seamless integration. This means your overall operations or systems are not affected or disturbed when you decide to integrate these applications.

Integrating software applications makes Epos systems cover almost every significant aspect of operations of a business. From simple supplier link integration to caller id and postcode identifiers, businesses also integrate well known SAGEPAY accounts package. Flexible and open API inbuilt in Epos software makes the integration straightforward.

Epos Direct’s solutions are powered by the Emperium software suite making it one of the most obvious and successful integration service providers  in the industry. Another feature directly related to integration is the scalability where Emperium Epos has differentiated itself in the market. From single till stores to multiple branch businesses Epos Systems powered by Emperium has the inbuilt capability to deliver immediate performance. 

Popular Epos Systems Integration Services

SAGEPAY Accounts is among the most popular applications that businesses integrate with their Epos Systems. This assists in integration of data from disparate sources, non-duplication of tasks and processes, incorporating your operations and transaction data with the accounts and faster and more relevant reports due to a combined singe view of data. You can also decide what data and processes need to shared or transferred giving customers control over their operations.

Symbol Link Integration providers retailers who are supplied by Nisa, Bestone or Booker with automatic updates and product data sharing. This means your Epos system directly updates Price, Promotions, barcode information, label printing, inventory information and chip and pin integration. Customers of Emperium Epos have Symbol Link Integration as a key differentiator providing them a competitive edge in their operations.

Caller Id and Postcode Integration is a very niche option for businesses that want to save time in accessing customer information and status. With the Caller ID integration businesses can have the full records of their customer in front of them saving time and enabling better provision of service. Postcode integration assists in address discovery and current data. Emperium Epos customers regularly integrate these options with their Epos Systems to provide a more streamlined and efficient process.

Onsite Installation and Support Customers implementing Epos Systems from Epos Direct often look towards our expert engineers to provide onsite installation and support. With over a decade of expertise and experience in the industry, Epos Directs engineers’ onsite give customers the confidence and support to implement their new epos systems and continue with their operations straightaway.

The ability to integrate applications is what marks out the well developed Epos software systems from the average ones. Emperium Epos is the industry leader in providing Epos software solutions that are integrable with leading applications in a simple and straightforward manner. 

Epos Systems - the right vendor

Epos Direct – services

Epos Direct is a leading solutions provider for Electronic Point of Sales (Epos) systems for businesses worldwide. Powered by the industry leading Emperium Epos software suite, Epos Direct solutions cater to the Retail, Wholesale and Cash and Carry, Hospitality, Dry Cleaning and Beauty industry. With Headquarters in Canary Wharf and branches across locations worldwide including Hong Kong, UAE and India, Epos Direct provides a comprehensive range of solutions for businesses to make a difference for the better.  

With a dedicated 24/7 multi-lingual support team customers have access to round the clock technical assistance. Onsite installation, training and support is available from a team of expert engineers. With over a decade of providing best of breed solutions, Epos Direct is well positioned to deliver the most relevant customer centric packages as opposed to one size fits all generic systems.

Integrating the best of hardware with software is another differentiator for Epos Direct in a very competitive market. Industry leading hardware brands such as Toshiba, J2, Digipos, PartnerTech and ED are some of the more popular touch screen terminals that form part of an Epos Direct integrated system. 

 

Epos Systems - Packages including Digipos, PartnerTech and Epos Direct

Hardware Peripherals

A comprehensive Epos system can consist of an unlimited number of peripherals and hardware. The challenge for any business is to integrate the optimal number of peripherals that deliver maximum results. The industry expertise and experience of dealing with thousands of satisfied customers make Epos Direct an ideal solutions provider for businesses looking for the right product mix for their Epos packages. Some of the more popular peripherals for customers include barcode scanners, printers, biometric devices, and electronic scales and cash drawers as well as hand held and wireless enablers.

Applications integration

Increasingly Epos packages are the platform behind trading operations incorporating a range of applications and software. From SagePay Accounts to various CRM and wholesale product linking, Epos systems ability to seamlessly integrate applications and scale up is vital for scalability and operational efficiency.

Epos Direct is a market leader in integration services thanks to the inbuilt flexibility and scalability of its Emperium Epos software suite. From single store one till shop to expansive large trading operations with multiple branches and tills, the Emperium Epos suite is scalable and seamlessly adapts without disrupting operations. 

Conclusion

The robustness of its Emperium software, integration of industry leading hardware, dedicated customer support and access to expert installation, training and support as well as relevant integration options make Epos Direct an obvious choice for businesses looking to implement an Epos solution for their business.