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Thursday, October 17, 2024

Retail marketing strategies for the holidays with Heartland Retail

October 17, 2024 Next Level POS

The holiday season always seems to start a little sooner than expected, but have no fear, there’s still plenty of opportunity to drive retail traffic. Whether your focus is in-store, online, or both, we’ve got the retail marketing strategy you need to drive sales, engagement and momentum into the new year.
Considering that The National Retail Federation (NRF) revised its annual forecast for this year, projecting that retail sales will now grow between 4% and 6%, you need to be intentional in planning your retail marketing strategy. Consider adopting a few of the following tactics as part of your plan:

Private shopping party

Give your top customers that unique experience through small, private events — allowing them to shop without crowds and get personalized attention from your sales associates. It will make them feel elite, offer you and your team a valuable opportunity to express gratitude for their patronage and a chance to get more customer insight into their current shopping habits and preferences.
To pull off this retail marketing strategy, leverage your point of sale’s CRM to create a list of your top customers by spend and frequency. Craft and send personalized invitations to your top customers that reflect the exclusive experience you’re inviting them to.

12 days of gifts with purchase

Everyone likes to get something for giving something! Gifts with purchase (GWPs) are a win-win. Not only does the customer leave feeling like they received a unique gift and experience, but this kind of promotion encourages upselling and differentiates your business. Always require a minimum spend, so your margin doesn’t take a significant hit.
If you’ve done gift-with-purchase promotions in the past, revisit that sales data to confirm that they were, in fact, incentivizing traffic and sales. If not, you may want to refine your process this time around.

Shopping gift guides

Gift guides are vital to making gift shopping quicker and more accessible, so create several based on your brand’s offerings: gifts for her, for him, for the traveler, teacher, techie, under $50, etc. You know your customer, so get creative! Share these as blog posts, Pinterest boards, tweets, Facebook posts and shoppable collections on your website.
If your budget allows, recruit local influencers to curate their own gift guides and share the links with their followers.
And since more and more people are doing at least part of their holiday shopping online, be sure to have a retail digital marketing strategy.

eCommerce "Easter egg" hunt

Try a virtual egg hunt! Each day, choose an item to discount online but don’t advertise what it is. Customers will have to comb through your website to find that day’s deal, and in the meantime, will likely add a few other things to their cart.

Unwrap your deal

Design a “mystery deal” email campaign that prompts customers to “unwrap” their unique discount code. Create landing pages for 10%, 20%, and 30%-off codes, then clone the email, so different versions of the email link to each page. Split your mailing list into thirds, then watch the orders roll in.

Bounceback coupons

Here’s a great way to upsell and guarantee yourself some repeat shoppers in the new year: Advertise that for every, say, $100 someone spends in December, they receive a $20 coupon to use in January. Customers almost always spend more than the coupon and the extra sales will help you stay in the black during returns season.

Shopping cart abandonment emails

Customize your website’s shopping cart abandonment emails for the holidays. Embed real-time countdowns to dates like Black Friday, Giving Tuesday and the many holidays that inspire gift-giving at the end of the year. Don’t forget to provide shipping deadline reminders to instill a sense of urgency.

Targeted personalized emails

Contact customers who shopped with you during Q4 last year — pull a report from your POS — and offer to help with any of their current gift shopping needs. The personal outreach will catch their attention, and you can offer a small discount as an extra incentive.
As the holidays approach, have some retail marketing strategies ready to move merchandise and optimize your sales season.

Flash sale

Nothing lights a fire under shoppers like a limited-time flash sale. Don’t feel you have to offer an aggressive store-wide discount; you can apply it to select categories, like outerwear or stocking stuffers. Then, set up a promotion rule in your POS so that all products in the “outerwear” category automatically ring up at 20% off.
Don’t limit this to in-store — offer the same promotion online!

Go mobile

Both consumers’ mailboxes and inboxes tend to overflow this time of year, leaving many advertisements unopened and ignored. If you have money left in your marketing budget, invest in text advertising, aka SMS advertising — it’s much harder to ignore a ping on your phone than an email.

eGift cards

Last-minute shoppers are challenged to think of gift ideas. Your final few email or text messages of the season — especially after shipping deadlines have passed — should heavily push gift cards. Give shoppers the option of either emailing their gift digitally or printing so they can still “wrap” it.
Come January, prepare a series of targeted emails reminding customers to put those gift cards to use!
Gift Card Management:

Restaurant gift card solutions

Digital gift card management for retails

Gift card integration with POS

Customizable restaurant gift cards

Retail loyalty and gift card program

Sell your gift cards online

Manage retail store cards
The case for curbside

Finally, stress the ease and convenience of buy-online, pickup in-store or curbside pickup. If your e-commerce site isn’t set up for BOPIS offer the option to place a curbside order over the phone.
Great marketing starts with insightful data. Heartland's Retail POS solution gives retailers the data and flexibility they need to run creative and sophisticated retail marketing strategies. Our retail solutions can be customized to fit the needs of your retail business.
Heartland is the point of sale, payments and payroll solution of choice for entrepreneurs that need human-centered technology to sell more, keep customers coming back and spend less time in the back office. Nearly 1,000,000 businesses trust us to guide them through market changes and technology challenges, so they can stay competitive and focus on building remarkable businesses instead of managing the daily grind. Learn more at heartland.us

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Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Manual Order Re-Entry Into Your POS Is A Profit-Killer

October 15, 2024 Next Level POS

SUMMARY

What if we told you manually re-entering orders from all your delivery apps into your POS is more than just tedious — it can damage your restaurant business in the long run? Every time you manually transfer an order into your POS, you’re wasting valuable resources and risking customer dissatisfaction. Thankfully, there’s a better way. […]

What if we told you manually re-entering orders from all your delivery apps into your POS is more than just tedious — it can damage your restaurant business in the long run?

Every time you manually transfer an order into your POS, you’re wasting valuable resources and risking customer dissatisfaction. Thankfully, there’s a better way.

In this article, we’ll show you:

How manual order re-entry affects both your profit margin and staff efficiency
Why that wall of tablets in your restaurant is costing you more than you think
How AI-powered order automation can reduce errors and streamline your business

Let’s cut to the chase.

That Wall of Tablets Is a Recipe for Disaster

How big is your wall of tablets? You know, the ones that keep beeping and flashing with incoming orders from different apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. That wall of tablets isn’t merely annoying — it’s also costing your business revenue.

Here’s why:

Missed Orders: When you juggle multiple devices, it’s easy to miss an order. And with multiple orders coming in from different third-party apps, it’s easy to make a mistake prioritizing which order to prepare first — which leads to unhappy customers, poor reviews, and fewer repeat orders.
Confused Staff: The wall of tablets can also sow confusion amongst your staff. They have to constantly check each and every device, enter the orders manually into your POS, and then communicate the order to your drivers. All of which increases the risk of errors — not to mention stressing out your employees.
Reduced Profits: You might lose out on revenue from canceled or refunded orders. You’re also missing out on chances to upsell your customers (stressed-out staff seldom remember to upsell) and provide them with a great dining experience.

There has to be a better way to process orders. And there is — but before we get into that, let’s talk about the pitfalls of processing phone orders.

Learn More: New Survey: Customers Are Turning Away from Restaurants Facing Labor Challenges

We Need to Talk About Your Phone Orders

Taking down phone orders and entering them into your POS might seem like a simple task. But it’s actually a huge time sink.

How many times have you seen staff frustrated by a bad phone connection? How many times have they had to repeat the order back to the customer, or ask them to spell their name or address? How many times have they made a mistake in entering the order or forgotten to add a special request?

These errors could be costing your business $30 per order or $9,000 per month! That’s factoring in the costs of interrupting the kitchen flow, wasted ingredients, and so on.

Combine all of the above with the Friday night rush? That’s a recipe for stress and dissatisfaction. And according to our own study, 33% of customers say they’ve had a diminished customer experience due to overstressed staff.

“Restaurant owners and operators have to understand where customers are feeling disengaged and how they can work to ensure their overall experience with the restaurant is a positive one, or else it will impact their brand loyalty.” —Olivier Thierry, CRO of HungerRush

There is a better way: phone order automation. Phone order automation means your staff no longer have to enter orders manually into the POS. That not only reduces the risk of human error but lets you deploy them where a human touch can make a positive difference — like greeting customers and serving food with a smile.

Learn More: Rush Report: How To Meet Restaurant Customer Expectations [2022 Stats]

Time Is Money. Manual Order Entry Is Costing You Both.

When you have a staff member responsible for entering the orders manually into your POS, there is always a chance that they will punch the wrong button, misread the order, or forget to add something.

Order inaccuracy leads to customer dissatisfaction. If your customers receive the wrong order or if their order is missing something, they will be unhappy. 39% of them will go on to write a negative review online after experiencing order inaccuracy. They may also complain to their friends and family, which can damage your restaurant’s reputation.

“When restaurants embrace technology to empower their staff, many common areas of complaints from customers can be resolved or eliminated completely.” —Olivier Thierry, CRO of HungerRush

Manual order entry is also tough on your staff. If they make a mistake, employees may feel guilty and stressed. They will also have to deal with angry customers or managers, lowering their morale and productivity.

All of these issues can be avoided with automatic order transfer. With 95% order accuracy, no order bottleneck, and consistent upselling — AI order automation is here to help restaurant owners overcome these challenges.

Learn More: What We Learned Handling 5 Million AI Phone Bot Orders at Restaurants

Eliminating Human Error Is The Perfect AI Use Case

Manual order re-entry is a serious challenge that’s costing your business dearly. If you don’t get a handle on your order entry, loyal customers aren’t going to come back or leave you many 5-star reviews.

Don’t let manual re-entry slow you down or ruin your reputation.

HungerRush is a restaurant management system that helps you streamline your operations, increase your efficiency, and boost your sales. With HungerRush, you can:

Automate your phone orders with voice recognition and AI
Integrate your online orders with your POS system
Manage your delivery orders with real-time tracking and routing

Try HungerRush today and see how it can transform your restaurant for the better.

“HungerRush customer support is outstanding. I’ve worked closely with their department multiple times on projects, and they have always been extremely thorough and responsive. I am extremely happy with HungerRush’s customer service and with HungerRush as a whole.” —Ann Keller from Hot Tomato Cafe

By Matthew Dieden

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2024 Online Food Ordering And Delivery Trends That Can Help Increase Restaurant Profits

October 15, 2024 Next Level POS

With rising operational, labor, and food costs, it’s more important now than ever for restaurant operators to find strategic ways to grow their business. That’s why we recently released results today for a national consumer survey on food delivery ordering habits. The study identifies two clear areas for growth opportunity; Online ordering and in-house food delivery.

Maximize profits by increasing restaurant delivery

Why It’s Important to Maximize Online Orders and In-House Food Delivery

Third-party food delivery apps provide additional revenue for restaurants, but they come with high fees that cut into profit margins. The good news is that although 66% of consumers report that they use food ordering apps monthly, more than half (56%) say they are likely or somewhat likely to order directly from a restaurant instead of a third-party food app, depending on the user experience.

What factors into a consumer’s choice between ordering delivery directly from a restaurant vs. a food delivery app?

51% say coupons and promotions
23% say increased delivery tracking abilities
16% say enhanced user experience on the website or app

How many consumers don’t use food-delivery apps?

34% of the market is not using third-party food apps at all. This means that restaurants that don’t offer online ordering and in-house order delivery are missing out on up to a third of potential customers.

Do fees deter consumers from using third-party food ordering apps?

67% of consumers are at least sometimes deterred from using third-party apps because of the fees associated with using them (of which 35% are definitely deterred).

These results reveal a large opportunity for restaurants to win more in-house delivery business when they provide a good user experience on their own online ordering and delivery platforms. Based on these results, choosing restaurant technology that can handle online orders, coupon and loyalty management, and delivery tracking is key in order to accomplish this.

Online Orders:
Online ordering system for restaurants
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Are Third-Party Food Delivery Apps Here to Stay?

While this study suggests it’s a good strategy to maximize online and in-house delivery orders, it’s also clear that third-party food apps are here to stay. 29% of respondents reported that their third-party app usage has increased since last year.

How many times a month do consumers order from food apps, excluding grocery delivery?
54% order 1-4 times a month and 12% order 5 or more times a month.
What are the most popular food-ordering apps?
50% of diners opt to use DoorDash, making it the most popular third-party food delivery app, followed by Uber Eats with 39%.
What age group orders from food delivery apps the most?
62% of Baby Boomers reported that they do not use third-party delivery apps. 71% of Gen-Z reported that they use apps up to 4 times a month (36% 1-2 times and 35% are using apps 3-4 times a month).

These findings suggest it’s important restaurants choose technology that can handle both in-house and food app delivery options with ease to ensure no orders are left on the table.

“It’s never been more critical for restaurants of all sizes to find the right tech solutions to grow their business. The current quick service and fast casual dining landscape faces many challenges,” says Bill Mitchell, Executive Chairman for HungerRush. “Based on our expertise and this study’s findings, we believe there is a lot of continued growth potential in food delivery. That’s why we advise restaurants to choose tech that gives customers multiple ordering options for both in-house, online ordering and third-party food ordering apps. Focusing on the customer experience is the number one way I’ve seen restaurants win in the past and how they’ll keep winning in the future.”
Bill Mitchell, Executive Chairman of HungerRush
Former President of Global Operations of Papa John’s International

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Saturday, October 12, 2024

Different Types of POS Systems

October 12, 2024 Next Level POS

Point Of Sale Technology

Are you in the retail, restaurant, or hotel industries?? If so, you absolutely need a point-of-sale system! It’s the MVP of your tech toolkit and keeps your daily operations smooth, from payments to inventory management.

Choosing between the different types of POS systems can be daunting, but fear not! This guide has you covered and will help you:

Understand what point of sale systems are all about.
Explore the different types of POS systems available.
Learn how to compare and choose the best one for your business.
Check out why Epos Now's all-in-one solution is your best bet!

Let’s get started!

What is a POS system?

A point of sale system, or POS system, is the central hub for all transactions in small businesses like retail shops, restaurants, and hotels. It's a combination of POS software and POS hardware that goes beyond basic cash register functions. Here’s a snapshot of what a POS system does:

Transaction processing: It’s not just about tallying up sales. No, it handles the entire payment process from start to finish when customers make purchases.
Inventory management: Keeps track of what you have in stock, what’s selling, and when you need to restock.
Payment processing: Takes care of credit card transactions, cash payments, and sometimes even digital wallets.
Business insights: Collects data on sales trends, customer preferences, and more to help you make informed decisions.
Operational efficiency: Streamlines tasks like generating receipts, managing employee shifts, and handling returns or exchanges.

All-in-all, POS systems are essentially the backbone of smooth operations for businesses of all sizes.

Types of POS systems

Now that you've a better idea of what POS systems are, let's examine the different types of POS systems available.

Legacy POS systems

A legacy POS system, also called on-premises, countertop POS systems or traditional POS systems, operates differently from newer systems. The main distinction is that it stores data locally, meaning all transactions and information are saved on specific devices within your closed network. Here are some key points about legacy POS systems:

Data storage: All data is saved on the device or network, limiting access to only those connected devices.
Hardware: Typically uses proprietary hardware from the POS provider, requiring on-site installation and maintenance.
Training: Requires extensive training for users due to its complexity, leading to longer onboarding times.
Functionality: Can scan barcodes, process payments, calculate totals with taxes and discounts, and generate business reports.
Internet independence: Works without an internet connection, ensuring operational continuity.
Security: Offers robust data security since information stays within the closed system.

Multichannel POS systems

For businesses operating across multiple channels, such as physical stores, online platforms, and mobile apps, a multichannel POS system is essential. Here are the features:

Omnichannel order processing: Seamlessly process orders from different channels, including in-store purchases, online orders, and mobile app transactions. This ensures a consistent and smooth customer experience regardless of the purchase channel.
Centralized customer profiles: Maintain centralized customer profiles that capture data from all channels. This includes purchase history, preferences, loyalty program details, and communication preferences, enabling personalized interactions and targeted marketing campaigns.
Cross-channel returns and exchanges: Facilitate hassle-free returns and exchanges across all channels, allowing customers to return online purchases in-store and vice versa, enhancing convenience and customer satisfaction.

Tablet POS systems

A tablet-based POS system, also known as a touchscreen or iPad POS system, is part of the modern wave of POS technology. Unlike legacy systems, these POS setups run on familiar tablet hardware, making training and onboarding a breeze. Key points about tablet POS systems include:

Hardware: Utilizes tablets like iPads and Androids for a user-friendly experience.
Training: Easier to train staff due to familiar technology.
Convenience: Compact size makes it convenient for various business settings.
Cloud-based: Often operates on cloud networks. There are a number of benefits of cloud POS including allowing remote management and updates.
Self Setup: Usually comes with self-setup options, reducing the need for on-site installation.
Maintenance: Self-maintenance features contribute to easy upkeep.
Functionality: Offers a range of functions from scanning barcodes to processing payments.
Inventory management: Includes features like low-stock alerts and inventory counting.
Data collection: Collects customer data and provides insights for marketing and sales strategies.
Integration: Easily integrates with other tech tools and platforms, including social media for marketing purposes.

In summary, tablet-based POS systems combine user-friendly hardware with advanced features, making them a popular choice for modern businesses seeking convenience and efficiency in their point-of-sale operations.

Mobile POS systems

A mobile POS system is a portable and modern solution where the point-of-sale software operates on mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones. Here's what you need to know about mobile POS systems:

Portability: Mobile systems utilize sleek and portable hardware for on-the-go transactions.
Customer service: Enables sales associates to assist customers anywhere in the store, checking inventory and making personalized recommendations.
Line busting: A mobile POS system helps reduce queues and speed up checkout processes, ideal for busy periods and pop-up events.
Card readers: Often includes built-in card readers for convenient payment processing.
Functionality: Offers features like calculating totals, processing payments, and managing inventory.
User-friendly: A mobile POS system provides familiar and easy-to-use hardware, making training and onboarding efficient.
Barcode scanner: Some models come with built-in scanners, simplifying inventory management tasks.
Inventory management: Includes inventory tracking and various fulfillment options such as shipping or in-store pickup.
Integration: Easily integrates with other tools in your tech setup for streamlined operations.
Analytics: Provides reporting and analytics capabilities to inform business decisions.

Mobile POS systems offer flexibility, convenience, and enhanced customer service, making them valuable assets for businesses looking to streamline their checkout processes and improve overall efficiency.

Cloud-based POS systems

A cloud-based POS system, like the Epos Now Complete Solution, stores data in the cloud, allowing access and changes from anywhere. Key points about cloud-based POS systems include:

Cloud storage: Data is stored remotely, enabling access and modifications from any location.
Flexibility: Allows for remote management and updates to business operations.
Security considerations: Vulnerable to cyber threats compared to legacy systems, necessitating robust security measures.
Internet dependence: Relies on an internet connection for data processing, which can lead to downtime during network outages. Some cloud-based POS systems like Epos Now do have an offline mode available, which can be quite handy given its otherwise internet-dependent nature. While it relies on an internet connection for data processing, having an offline mode helps mitigate potential downtime during network outages or disruptions.
Hardware: Utilizes sleek and portable devices for day-to-day operations.
Functionality: Performs tasks such as calculating totals, processing payments, and managing inventory.
Integration: Easily integrates with existing tech tools, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
Reporting and analytics: A cloud-based POS system provides detailed insights into sales, inventory, and customer behavior for informed decision-making.

In summary, while cloud-based POS systems offer convenience and accessibility, businesses must consider security measures and internet reliability to maximize their benefits.

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