POS for your Butchery or Deli
Choosing your ideal POS system for your Butchery or Deli
POS systems are indispensable in today’s retail environment, offering a host of benefits that can provide an edge over the competition. Butcheries, Bakeries and retailers can choose between the many POS systems available on the market today.
In these dynamic times when access to information is a truly powerful tool in the hands of savvy business managers, a Point of Sale (POS) system has become indispensable. The incredible range of suppliers and the impressive array of POS options available illustrate just how popular this solution has become through its ability to provide management with real time, up to the minute information about a range of variables.
Far removed from a glorified cash register and calculator, even a basic POS system will incorporate the functionalities of a cash register, while also recording sales and keeping track of the in-store stock.
But a basic system will also allow you to change prices of any stock at the touch of a button, help you to identify the products that are most popular and those that are slow moving, pinpoint the busiest business times so you can plan your staffing and stocking requirements, and calculate variables such as gross profit per product.
However, the real power of a POS system lies in its ability to integrate with other critical back office systems, such as inventory control, accounts payable and accounts receivable. Be aware, however, that some POS systems fully integrate with back office systems, while other merely interface with back office systems.
The distinction is important, because a POS system that can integrate with other systems implies that data is shared seamlessly and automatically with other systems, while interfacing implies that the data must be transferred to the other back office systems, opening the possibility of human error.
Of course, various POS modules can be purchased separately, but based on your identified needs, it is recommended that you choose a POS system that integrates with at least the inventory control and accounting system.
In terms of inventory control, an integrated POS system will adjust stock levels as items are sold and move through the POS terminals. The system is then set to automatically order new stock as soon as a certain level of stock is reached, by sending out purchase orders.
When these orders are received, the system will automatically calculate the accounts payable. In addition, you can set the POS system to automatically change product prices when purchase prices change.
While all these functions take place automatically, saving time and costs associated with manual inventory control and stock management, detailed reports can be accessed at any time, keeping management up to date with real time information about each variable.
Some POS systems also integrate with accounting systems, such as Pastel. Another option is to have a POS system that integrates with a customer database. This means that you can keep track of each customer’s purchase history and take your Client Relationship Management and your marketing to a whole new level. Just imagine being able to SMS a client to let them know that their favourite products are on sale, or that you have just received a batch of the imported rye bread they prefer.
The best starting point to choosing your ideal POS system is to analyse your unique needs. There are so many POS options available from so many different companies that unless you have a very clear idea of what it is that you want and need from a POS system, you might well end up with a system that is too complicated, or one that is too lightweight for your requirements.
As just one example, some POS systems are designed for fewer, high priced sales, while others are designed to handle large volumes of fast-moving goods and thousands of daily transactions.
This might also be the ideal opportunity to involve your customers and find out from them how you can improve your business and your service to them. Simple questions can reveal a lot about your customers’ requirements – for example, they might want to shop online, phone in orders to be collected, participate in competitions or promotions or be interested in joining a frequent shopper programme or a loyalty scheme.
You will also need to establish your budget to ensure your chosen POS system does not overwhelm your cash flow. This will also help you to decide whether to buy a complete system or to stagger the acquisition by buying modules and building up to a full system. Remember, too, that not all POS systems are just a once-off purchase of software.
There may be a requirement to buy the integrated retail software, accounting software, point of sale terminals, peripheral devices, back-office servers, training, and an Internet connection.
Be aware that pricing structures vary considerably across the various suppliers. There is often a once-off payment for the initial software and installation, and upgrades may be free or charged at an annual fee. You may also have to pay a monthly fee for technical support, or licence fees for using the system.
Having said that, remember that you get what you pay for. Simply choosing a POS system based on the price could be an expensive mistake in the long run.
There are many POS suppliers in the market, including Arch Retail Systems, Matrix Software and GAAP to name but a few.
Arch Retail Systems – Spinnaker Software (incorporating Arch) is a retail management solutions and service provider. We started as a small family business in 1997, growing into a market leader in retail and wholesale management solutions with a team of more than 280 people, servicing more than 1,800 stores.
Our accumulated retail industry and technology experience allows us to innovate and deliver high-performance, reliable solutions to our clients. Working in partnership, we help our clients to optimise operational efficiency and provide the best possible experience for their customers. The goal is to make our Arch users more competitive and to increase operations’ profitability.
The rich functionality of Arch is unlocked when applying the suite of integrated retail management solutions.
The solutions include Arch Retail (in-store stock and margin control), Arch Mobile (on-the-floor access to operational management information), Arch Enterprise (manage multiple stores centrally), Arch Accounting (operational data flow to accounting system), Arch Loyalty (awards loyalty and obtain info), Arch eStore (integrated online shopping platform), Arch eReplenish (fully automated procure-to-payment) and Arch Value Adds (convenience and efficiency at POS).
Arch is operational in a variety of store types: supermarkets, wholesalers, butcheries, bakeries, liquor outlets, fresh produce, DIY operations and cosmetics stores. In the butchery vertical, in addition to numerous Independents, the following Groups are also operational on Arch: OK Foods, Excellent Meat, President Hyper, RCL Foods, Uitkyk Foods, Seamann’s, Foodlovers Market and Oxford Fresh Market, to name a few.
For more information on butchery functionality offered by Arch click here …….
• Key differentiators
o Skilled multi-disciplinary team to identify your needs and implement an appropriate solution
o A comprehensive and evolving suite of software solutions to address all required functionalities
o Scalable solutions for small, medium and enterprise retail operations
o Software solutions are developed in-house and continuously upgraded
o Development strategy guided by interaction with the market and feedback from clients
o Durable and reliable custom-developed hardware equipment options for harsh African retail conditions
o Online support from head office and regionally from national branches
o Footprint in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Angola, Zambia, DRC, Malawi, and Tanzania
Matrix Software – Matrix Software, specialist leading ERP software providers for the meat and food industry, offers various solutions to assist factory floor function in production plants.
Our diverse range of software offerings features a unique module listing of more than 700 modules (program nodes).
The company prides itself in providing affordable software systems which includes state of the art technologies and world-class functionality.
POINT OF SALE SYSTEM
We offer a complete point of sale system that is fully integrated with our meat processing module. Our point of sale system is especially popular among butchers and retailers who process and sell meat in addition other products.
Our system offers barcoding, stock control and aging, and is fully integrated with various paypoint systems.
