New POSBANK miniO II POS System

We are excited to announce the arrival of the newest POSBANK miniO II POS system. The innovative design and brand new 10.1” monitor of this point of sale system means it can perform extensively in the restaurant, retail and hospitality service sectors.

POSBANK paid great attention to detail when considering the user interface, thus bringing merchants a fast and easy way to manage their business. With data input capabilities via the mini keyboard, PLU or touch-screen, 3 different customer display units, Dallas key (optional) and a built-in 2” thermal printer, the miniO II gives merchants what they expect from the POS system. POSBANK have also incorporated the Intel® Atom™ fanless processor ensuring quieter and stress-free usage.

Features:
New 10.1" LCD touch screen
2" integrated jam-free printer (Auto-cutter)
Selectable touch screen, PLU or keyboard input
HDD data storage compatibility
Newly designed flat desktop style
Choice of color available on request

Here at Modus POS, we believe that this new unit can be a great solution for retail and restaurant businesses in New York and Tri-State area.
Stay tuned for our special bundles featuring miniO II

Case Study: Party Glitters

Overview:

Party Glitters, a party supply retailer with 4 locations in New York City and Long Island had a goal to improve their business by eliminating point of sale inefficiencies, improving inventory tracking and increasing employee control.

Solution:

Party Glitters have selected Modus POS to help them achieve a higher productivity. Utilizing POS-X All-In-One Metal TP4 Point of Sale Stations with Digital Signage, POS-X Evo Green Thermal Receipt Printers, High Performance Honeywell Quantum Omni-Directional Scanners and Honeywell Dolphin Handheld Inventory Tracking Device.

Strategic Benefits:

• Comprehensive reports allow for faster decision making
• Improved inventory tracking allows for greater visibility and faster turnaround times
• Remote access to reporting helps with bookkeeping and management from central location
• Synchronization of inventory between locations and price adjustment
• Standardized employee maintenance system for all locations

Operational Results:

• Increased speed of customer processing by 59%
• Decreased system lags and freezes by utilizing faster computers and more advanced database
• Rise in sales due to utilization of digital signage 
• Improved security through utilization of employee specific access cards
• Decrease in inventory mismanagement, loss and theft due to granular inventory tracking

Why They Chose Modus POS:

• Knowledgeable installation and support staff
• Cutting-edge business point of sale solutions
• In-depth understanding of customer needs and requirements
• Expert technical support that addressed both strategic and technical needs.

About Party Glitters:

• 4 locations in New York City and Long Island
• Thousands of loyal customers in Tri-State Area
• Extensive custom made products and services
• Manages 40,000+ inventory articles

5 Bold Predictions for 2014

At Modus POS, we take future very seriously and offer you our 5 bold predictions for 2014.

1. Bitcoin will … crash, surge, become the world currency, go to the Moon and then to Uranus. Who knows? It’s not like we have a crystal ball. (We actually have a pair.)

2. Google will get a space program. Words like Skynet and Death Star will come to mind. But hey, they promised to “do no evil” and we will believe them, again.

3. iPads will take over point of sale market. Only to be overtaken by Android and, then by Windows again. Linux anyone, anyone?

4. EMV adoption in the US. That is all. No breaches, no issues. And more importantly, no magnetic swipers based on glorious 1950s tape recorder technology.

5. Hipsters will invent a new food item. Our guess it will be a cronut with sriracha wrapped in bacon with avocado.

At the end of 2014 we will revisit these bold predictions and see if they came true.

Why we accept Bitcoins?

First a little back story. Introduction of a new form of payment has always been a slow and painful process. Transitions from seashells to gems, from gems to metals, from metals to paper and then paper to plastic have not been easy. People tend to feel a strange connection to the way they hold money and are resistant to change. Change to a new form of money, from gold coins to paper fiat, has even been described by Goethe in Faust as a work of the Devil. Well, thankfully the times have changed and such descriptions are no longer appropriate. Instead, nowadays words like risky, unsubstantiated and even shady are used to describe a new form of payment, Bitcoin(BTC).

Bitcoin is a pier to pier crypto currency that is not backed or manufactured by a government or a corporation. Its value is not guaranteed, but determined by the market. Every BTC transaction is documented in a special log available to public. Each Bitcoin is stored in a specific program called wallets. You cannot touch or destroy BTC, but you can lose it by forgetting a password to the wallet. I guess a complete lack of any physical characteristics is one of the reasons people are skeptical about BTC. But that very same thing can be said about any major purchase these days, only a fraction of them is done with cash, most are just numbers on the computer. Bitcoin also lacks backing of any government or financial institution. It rests on two pillars: belief and trust. At Modus POS we believe that Bitcoin is a way of the future, a new form of exchange for the 21st century. We also trust it will continue to grow in both value and acceptance. With this said, starting today Monday, November 11, 2013 we will begin accepting Bitcoins as a standard form of payment along with US Dollars. We also will work on promoting wider acceptance of BTC by convincing our clients and suppliers to accept Bitcoin.

5 Must Have Point of Sale Peripherals

Often when looking for a POS System you focus on software or the computer itself, ignoring the necessary peripherals. However, these devices are often essential to having a complete Point of Sale system for your business. Without them you basically have a fancy looking cash register rather than a true computerized system. Therefore it is important not to overlook such devices. Here is a list of 5 most important ones and why you should have them:  

1.    Caller ID – a must have for a business that does deliveries. This small and relatively inexpensive (about $200) device will help you speed up the order taking process by identifying the customer delivery address. Most point of sale systems software like pcAmerica or Aldelo support caller id feature. It will also help you identify the areas you deliver to most and plan your marketing strategy.

2.    LCD Customer Display - your old school linear display (VFD)  that only displays price information are becoming terribly antiquated. A full LCD customer display (about $250) not only gives your POS a modern look, but also works as a full time billboard for your products. 

3.    Inventory Mobile Device – retailers with significant amount of inventory such as supermarket, liquor stores and party or beauty supply store will greatly benefit from having this type of device. We have found that Honeywell Dolphin paired with pcAmerica Pocket Inventory (about $2000) greatly reduces inventory maintenance time. The device syncs directly with a POS System allowing for faster input of the whole inventory into the Point of Sale. You can check moduspos.com for detailed product description.      

4.    Customer Facing Interactive Pin Pad – we found devices like Verifone MX series (about $600) to be very beneficial to our retail customers. These pin pads could be programmed to display promotional materials to the customers and speed up credit and debit card processing. They also give customers an added security as their credit or debit card never leaves their hands. Though previously restricted to large retailers like supermarkets and pharmacy chains, such devices become more and more popular with smaller retailers like stationery and liquor stores. 

5.    Omni-Directional scanner – this is not as obvious as you might think. We have found that the majority of retailers utilize single line scanner meaning that you have to hold a bar code a certain way to be able to scan it. This greatly reduces efficiency of your business, and creates unnecessary bottle necks at the cash register. Omni directional scanners allow you to scan a barcode regardless of its position. Though a bit pricier than a regular single line scanners (about $150 price difference), these devices greatly reduce scanning time making customer flow smoother at the cash registers

Hope this little list can make your point of sale decision making a little easier. Check soon for more articles.

  

7 Steps in Choosing your Point of Sale System

Today’s fast paced business environment rules mandate owners to have a point of sale system (POS System). The market is saturated with various solutions and, quite simply, can overwhelm a business owner. How to choose a system that’s right for you? Here are 7 simple rules to go by:

1. Decide whether you need a point of sale in the first place. That largely depends on complexity and transaction volume of your business.  If you are a restaurant, POS System is a must. For the retail stores, the decisions largely depend on the size of the inventory and number of employees. The bottom line, point of sale is meant to save you money by saving your precious time.
2. Ask around and do your research. This is self explanatory. It’s advisable to survey businesses in your industry to see what they are using. Internet also offers plenty of resources on the subject. You can check moduspos.com for detailed product description. In my future posts I will compare point of sale systems more extensively.
3. Decide how much you want to spend on it. Point of Sale systems are not cheap. Though hardware is relatively inexpensive, be prepared to pay a hefty price for software licensing and customization. The rule of thumb here is to choose a particular brand or manufacturer and go price shopping for it. Also, keep in mind that you can finance or lease-to-own your POS System. Note: Beware of any point of sale rental agreements or “free pos” offers. If it sounds too good to be true, ignore it. Most of these companies retain the right to the POS System and tie it in to a high fee merchant account. If you choose to cancel, they can take your system and charge a hefty cancellation fee.
4. Find the right hardware. Depending on the nature of your business you might choose between industry-grade system with ID66 rating (dust and water proof) or a regular screen and desktop computer. It is always best to go with a manufacturer that has a proven track record in POS technology. Some well-known vendors include Posiflex, Elo, POS-X, and Senor.
5. Find the right software. This will be most important and most expensive part of your point of sale. Always go with software that is specifically designed for your business. For restaurants, it is usually include Aloha, Micros, Digital Dining and Aldelo. For retail, you can use pcAmerica and Comcash. I will cover each in my future articles. Note: Be careful with cloud based software. Yours and your customer information has value. Before giving it your provider, decide whether you trust them. You will never know who has access to your business information if it is stored on some company server.
6.       Decide on technical support. Technical support is a must. You don’t want to be left by yourself with a dead point of sale system. Support is relatively inexpensive and will save you a lot of headaches. It is recommended to purchase support directly from the vendor instead of the manufacturer. They know your system and your setup better, and will help you faster.
7.     Compare prices and meet with vendors. If you are located in large metro area, chances are there are plenty of point of sale companies. Beware of salesmen that offer POS as part of their merchant services bundle. They are largely poorly trained and might not provide you with a right solution. Always deal with professionals that will program and install your system. It is always recommended to meet with several vendors before making a decision. Remember, focus on local companies, they know the area and can provide better references than the big guys. Take a day out of your busy schedule to meet with them and see what they have to offer.

Hope this little guide can make your point of sale shopping experience a little easier. Check soon for more articles.