.png)
As the world recovers from the pandemic and consumers return to the high street, retailers are eager to capitalise on the increased footfall by providing an exceptional in-store experience. Even though COVID-19 has been in effect for more than two years, one barrier that the retail sector is still attempting to overcome is the resulting labour shortage. To stay afloat during the lockdown, retailers had to let go of their in-store associates. The pandemic produced further disruption in America's labour force, which many have dubbed "The Great Resignation." More than 47 million people had left their jobs by 2021, with many of them looking for better work-life balance and flexibility, higher pay, and strong company culture. However, now that things have returned to normal - and have been for some time - retailers are still finding it difficult to re-hire the same number of employees as before.
With retailers struggling with a labour shortage, alternative solutions must be found to mitigate any negative impact on in-store sales. Retailers can rely on innovation to fill the gaps left by a lack of staff by deploying the right retail technologies. A mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) system, which consists of software and portable hardware that processes retail transactions, is one option that has helped alleviate the pressure caused by labour shortages. It computes sales totals, handles payments, monitors inventory, collects company data, and much more. An mPOS system converts any tablet or smartphone into a checkout point. This functionality enables employees to ring up consumers wherever in the store, in pop-up shops, and even on the go.
Simplify Check-out and Boost Efficiency
According to queue management research, 75% of customers would not wait in a queue for more than 5 minutes, implying that slow service means lower sales. With card and mobile payments, mPOS is intended to increase business efficiency, resulting in increased profitability and shorter checkout and return lines. Customers disliked long lines before the pandemic, and with social distancing measures in place for the foreseeable future, this has only gotten worse. In the future, physical retail visits will become more purpose-driven. Furthermore, while customers continue to expect a fantastic experience, they are less willing to wait.
Retailers can use a mobile-first and responsive POS to keep their checkout mobile or use the same solution to station their device on a counter or offer a self-checkout option. A combination of all three is the ideal line-busting strategy, as it keeps fast-moving shoppers happy while also increasing average order value. Mobility is essential for assisted selling success. Everyone is happy when assisted selling is made simple with mPOS. It's the ideal way for retailers to differentiate themselves from the competition, build customer loyalty to generate long-term sales, and ensure customers feel their time in-store was well spent. Allowing employees to complete multiple sales anywhere in the store rather than just at the sales counter will increase sales, reduce waiting time, and eliminate the need to queue.
Streamline Workflow to Optimise Service
Many mPOS solutions provide real-time analytics and customer data. When retailers combine their mPOS with an online ordering system, they will be able to monitor when their consumers are most active, which products are selling, and how they prefer to pay. Businesses will have a better understanding of their operations at any point in time by connecting all in-store and e-commerce channels. mPOS also enables employees to provide clients with a far more personalised experience, aiding in enhancing engagement and loyalty.
An mPOS solution's device can also be used for stocktaking, inventory receiving, and transferring stock to and from a central warehouse. Partial cycle counts and automated warehouse transfers prompted by specific reason codes improve accuracy while minimising errors. Stocktaking is generally performed twice a year, giving plenty of time for stock discrepancies to develop. The ability to employ POS devices for stocktaking and cycle counts simplifies stock verification and allows businesses to eliminate errors and maintain precise stock levels.
Contactless payments were on the rise before the pandemic, but customers now consider them a necessity. According to Mastercard Consumer Polling, more than half of Americans now use some type of contactless payment. Customers will feel safer and experience greater convenience with contactless payment, which may also be utilised for curbside pickup. Additionally, digital receipts make POS truly mobile. Again, they are perceived to be safer, cleaner, and more convenient. Furthermore, ecologically aware customers prefer digital receipts over paper receipts. Offering digital receipts is an extremely successful technique for gathering email addresses from customers, which may then be included in a marketing database if the merchant obtains consent from the customer.
Ease of Use
Using a mPOS is simple and uncomplicated. Retailers will not be required to sign a one-year contract, pay monthly fees, or invest in pricey hardware. They can choose an mPOS system that supports integration if they already have a fixed point POS terminal. Employees would not need to spend hours training or experimenting with various payment methods because of the user-friendly interface. This facilitates not just the implementation of an mPOS system, but also the onboarding of new employees when the time comes. Many mPOS are also extremely adaptable. They may integrate POS software to third-party platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, as well as to necessary business add-ons like receipt printers. Customers will have a better enjoyable experience as a result of this.
When it comes to providing an outstanding customer experience, store associates are paramount. An industry-leading, cloud-native mobile point of sale not only gives associates more time to spend with customers but also makes them happy by removing the hassles they experience when dealing with technology that doesn't operate or isn't doing its job effectively. Associates provide better service with a mobile point of sale, and consumers can check out on the spot. This promotes client happiness, which leads to increased sales. Retailers will be able to provide the desired consumer experience by providing excellent personnel with outstanding tools.
Comments