5 Things to Consider When Looking at Point of Sale Systems

Part of the food truck experience is keeping customers happy by providing a quick and efficient service. In order to keep the line moving, payments need to be processed through a reliable point of sale system. The problem is that when reviewing point of sale systems, there are so many options. The key is to understand the most import options to use when making your decision on which to purchase.

A complete POS system needs to process all types of payments, from cash to credit, along with new mobile payment options as well. More than a payment processor, POS solutions provide plenty of other features that are important to keep your business running smoothly.

Here are the top 5 things to consider when choosing a food truck point of sale system.

What To Consider When Looking at Point of Sale Systems

Data Tracking

Understanding your data helps you make better decision and become more profitable. Thus, a POS that tracks your sales, costs, employee hours, and inventory become essential. This might also include tracking multiple trucks. Hopefully you have a system that can do this from home or any device, without having to actually visit the site.

PCI Compliance

Your hardware has to comply with PCI standards so that your customer data is secure when they used your system. Also you might want to consider the security of the actual devices. If they get stolen, can you wipe your machine remotely?

Hardware

Does your system connect to the hardware you need for your business? Maybe a scanner, or a printer? Think about the ecosystem rather then just one piece. All digital is nice, but it’s good to be able to give customers an actual receipt to sign rather than sign the obligated awkward tip screen.

Transaction Costs

Picking your own payment processor could save you hundreds of dollars a week. Consider if you are making an easy decision with a flat rate or if you want to make a strategic decision that helps your bottom line.

Offline Mode

With many POS systems now being cloud-based, it gives food truck vendors lots of features with respect to cloud-based visibility. However, being completely cloud dependent can be a struggle. Lets say you have bad Wi-Fi for 5 minutes – that’s 5 minutes you cannot run credit cards. It’s ideal to have a system that will allow local transactions syncing with the cloud, rather then complete dependence. Any feature that helps business proceed as fast as possible is key.

The Bottom Line

There are things you want to spend money on and there are things you need to spend money on. A food truck point of sale systems fall into both categories. Unless you plan on using paper and pen, you’re going to need to invest money in a point of sale system. This doesn’t mean that you need to purchase a system with every bell and every whistle money can buy. Use this list to help you make the right choice for your food truck.

Which POS system do you use on your food truck? Are their any other options you considered when selecting yours? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section or on social media. Facebook | Twitter