Updated: Aug 8, 2019
If you’re the owner of a small business, the ring of the till is probably the best sound you will ever hear. However, in these digital times, it’s no longer enough to just stick a till on your counter and await payment (in cash). We are part of a changing society, a society moving towards being fully cashless, with contactless cards and digital wallets. It’s important to know, if your business is still relying on customers coming in with pockets full of cash, you’re at risk of losing thousands in annual sales.
Luckily, today’s retailers have multiple tools at their disposal. There’s software and hardware for nearly every part of a retail business, from point of sale and inventory management to CRM and reporting. Plus, thanks to technology, our tools are becoming more advanced and more connected.
However, there is one very important tool, a tool at the heart of any successful business. The EPOS system (or POS system if you’re based in the US). More than just a till that you use at checkout, EPOS systems are a combination of everything mentioned above and more. EPOS systems are becoming smarter, more connected and are affecting areas of retail business than ever before.
So what is an EPOS system you may ask?
EPOS systems like Opus Retail Manager, are incredibly versatile. It’s really anything you want it to be. The basic technology of the system lets you finalise sales and accept all sorts of cash, card and digital payment. Epos Systems also make portable payment systems a breeze. Especially Opus Retail Manager and our ability to squeeze all our tech into pock-sized hardware, running in smartphones or loaded onto a laptop.
For large retailers like supermarkets, our EPOS system can be made to work with barcode scanners, touchscreen inputs, loyalty schemes or inventory management – all tech you’re sure to have noticed in your nearest self-checkout. It also provides great benefits for the back of office such as, automated reporting, advanced margin controls, training, security and even automated stock control for example. View more features of Opus Retail Manager here.
Opus Retail Manager isn’t just for the big names and high street giants either, our powerful tech is just as applicable to the smallest business. We are about convenience, efficiency and cost reductions, no matter how big or small your business is.
So how are EPOS Different to Standard Cash Tills?
According to research, UK customers carry no more than £22 in cash at any given time, thus large purchases over this figure will not happen unless an EPOS/card reader is available. Not only is the cash-only approach crippling to your sales figures, but it also gives the impression your business is being old fashioned (a touchscreen EPOS or a mobile POS vs standard cash till makes for quite the contrast).
An EPOS system is the future of your business.
Here are key reasons you should get your business equipped with an EPOS system like Opus Retail Manager.
1. Access your store data anytime, anywhere
Break free from the counter, stockroom or office. With Opus Retail Manager, your reporting is stored in the cloud. Easily access your sales, products and reports, and always have the latest data at your fingertips. However, we don’t rely on cloud technology and it’s important to remember Opus Retail Manager is not fully “cloud based”. We do this to mitigate the risk of disruption when the internet goes down. We don’t want you losing out on any sale. Also each individual till runs independently so if a till goes down it does not affect the whole network. Opus Retail Manager also runs Sybase database, which is widely regarded as the most stable operating platform in the world. If the internet goes down, Opus will still trade offline.
2. They’re fast
As you know cash is slow. Waiting for customers to fish the correct amount out from their purse, dealing with change, trying to make sure you give the correct amount back. EPOS systems make it all digital. If you pay by card or digital wallet – just press your phone or contactless card to the reader, or type in your PIN – and that’s it. The electronic POS system charges you the exact amount, no cash, no fuss and no human error that may end up with customers being short-changed. It’s faster, fairer and for your small business, it’s a game-changer when it comes to getting those sales through.
3. Grow and scale your business with ease
Completely take the pain out of growing your retail business. Opus Retail Manager is fast and inexpensive to scale, so you can get set up and selling in no time – and add new staff, registers, sales channels and locations at any time. We are continually adding and further developing features, so your business stays at the front of retail without installation hassles or extra fees.
4. Customer retention
The age of internet shopping has seen the consumer becoming increasingly disloyal. EPOS systems facilitate this in a number of ways in which to promote buying behaviours, keep customers coming back and reward loyalty – much in the same way large retailers do. For example, introducting loyalty programmes. Offering your customers branded loyalty cards or the opportunity to earn points and promotions will help you incentivise repeat business. This is also introduces a prime opportunity to collect customer data for marketing purposes, meaning you can tailor offers and promotions to specific individuals. You also have the opportunity to improve customer experiences with better inventory management that empowers staff to answer customer queries in a matter of seconds, not to mention the queue cutting capabilities. This helps ensure customers never abandon a purchase. Opus Retail Manager allows you to connect your on and offline store. By linking your e-commerce store with your physical operations you can ensure you never run out of stock, avoid any complaints or reputational damage.
5. We save you time and money
We take pride in our ease of use. Our system is incredibly easy to learn (no need to have senior staff spend a whole day training new starters), easy to use (sales done in seconds) and does far more than what we can promote (there’s a whole lot of value for money in this one system).
6. Best-in-class integrations
Because EPOS is all digital, it’s quick, easy and completely seamless to integrate it with other software. Our sysmte is full of helpful extra apps to let you make the most of your EPOS system. It’s not all about sales either, our app extras ensure the smooth running of your business at every turn. Xero gives you the option to perform online accounting and integrates with Opus Retail Manager so your numbers are all there and ready to get calculated in-app. Giving you enhanced analysis of your business, stock, inventory and profit margin, with key facts and figures about the state of your inventory and profit ready at any time.
An EPOS is a small change that will make a huge difference in how easily and effectively you can achieve success in your business. Why not try Opus Retail Manager today?
Opus Retail Manager
Opus Retail Solutions specialise in providing Retail, Wholesale, & Integrated e-Commerce Solutions through its Software suite Opus Retail Manager. Opus has been developing software for over 30 years and was one of the first Windows based EPoS systems in 1997. Opus Retail Manager is hardware independent and we offer hardware depending on client requirements, policy or budget.
The key to Opus’s success lies with its ongoing investment in Research and Development and Training to keep our Software products and services and staff world class. Services range from specifying client requirements to providing custom modifications, system implementation, training with a special emphasis on after-sales support so our customers can get the most from their system. The Company invests c £100k pa in R&D to ensure it’s software remains world-class.
The entire Opus operation is managed from Opus’s Headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland, along with regional development and support offices in the UK and Russia. Opus has partners all over the world and currently ships the software in five languages. Please contact us if you would like to discuss a partnership.
Although our Retail Manager Software and services procedures have evolved over the years from DOS through Windows enabling us to stay ahead of the curve, our core objective is still to provide innovative, best in breed, easy to use and robust EPoS solutions, no matter what the industry, the size or the individual need.
