POS IN RETAIL & HOSPITALITY
the store or even beyond traditional bricks- and-mortar locations. Both of these PoS technologies are characterised by greater flexibility, intelligence and personalisation, which makes them a preferable choice for many small and independent businesses." Jay adds that the future of PoS systems lies in increased mobility, integration and data utilisation. “Mobile PoS systems will likely continue to grow in popularity, driven by the demand for faster and more flexible payment solutions,” he says. “Integration with advanced data analytics will enable businesses to gain deeper insights into customer behaviour and improve personalisation. The focus will also be on enhancing the customer experience by using mobile receipt and label printing technology, along with innovative features such as contactless payments, self-service kiosks and real-time inventory updates. As technology continues to evolve, PoS systems and mobile printing technology will play an even more pivotal role in driving business profits and customer satisfaction.” AI impact Another key factor in the development of PoS systems in the future is artificial intelligence (AI), Alan adds. “Without a doubt, generative AI will have the biggest impact,” he says. “Internally we’ve been holding several studies and workshops to understand and envisage what the future PoS system will look like and how we can expedite implementation. “Currently, we invest a lot in designing the interface and experience to make the system easy to pick up with little to no training. With generative AI embedded, complex manual tasks will be simplified into easy-to-execute solutions, and it will be much easier for store staff to better serve the customer. “For example, today if a customer enters a luxury store, the store associate needs to identify that customer and use their instinct on what products they believe they would be interested in based on CRM data and what’s available in the product catalogue. With generative AI, the store associate can quickly suggest items via a series of prompts and at the same time check if it’s in stock or where it’s available before making a recommendation. “While offline and online experiences will always be different, PoS systems in the future will be able to better leverage online data more seamlessly in the offline world.”
Alan Holcroft Northern Europe country manager
Getting into the market With demand for PoS solutions continuing to grow, it is a market that resellers can look to get into to expand their portfolio. For those looking to get into the market, Alan advises resellers should pick a specific vertical within retail or hospitality. “And then build up the skillset required in that area before expanding into new markets,” he says. “There are so many differences between having a skillset in a solution for a jewellery retailer compared to a petrol forecourt, for example. The requirements and specifics needed can be worlds apart even though they both share the same premise theoretically. “I’d also recommend focusing on one geography at a time as the compliance rules and trading practices can vary hugely from country to country.” Future The future also looks promising for sales of PoS systems. “As retailers have made efforts to increase efficiency and enhance the customer experience, portable and/or mobile PoS solutions have started to gain traction to meet the evolving needs of the retail industry,” says the Square spokesperson. “Portable retail PoS solutions also reflect the trend towards giving customers the ability to purchase products and services in whatever manner is most convenient for them. This includes not only traditional in-store shopping, but also online ordering for in-store or curbside pickup. “Similarly, mobile PoS systems offer flexibility and mobility, allowing businesses to process transactions anywhere within
cegid.com
With generative AI embedded, complex manual tasks will be simplified into easy-to-execute solutions, and it will be much easier “
for store staff to better serve the customer.
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printinthechannel.co.uk
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