Coffee shops have a unique set of needs that require an efficient and cost-effective Point of Sale systems to get customers in the door and out to start their day. A small cafe can easily be flooded with orders, and if the software isn’t reliable- it’s hard to offer the customer service you want each and every customer to experience. But that’s just one of the many tasks your POS should be able to handle.
A POS is the lifeline of most everyday operations, from managing inventory and labor to gathering customer data. It must provide an adequate amount of task automation to save your employees’ time, but it must also offer customer loyalty programs and other marketing tools to expand your business. However, a coffee shop is not a restaurant, so a wise business owner should know there’s no need to spend too much money on systems that you can’t afford and probably won’t even use.
Are you looking for the perfect fit? We’ve rounded up the 3 Top POS System for Coffee Shops so you can shop smarter, not harder.
- TouchBistro
TouchBistro is a very affordable POS system that is fully focused on restaurants and other types of food establishments such as pubs, cafes and even food trucks. On top of that, the company offers a lot of video tutorials that will guide you through a lot of individualized solutions for different types of food and beverage businesses. From marketing suggestions to management ideas, TouchBistro takes a holistic approach and truly wants the shops they help to succeed. It’s very simple and accessible, and does not overwhelm you with all the unnecessary bloatware that is often found in other systems.
Since it works on iPad and iPad mini, TouchBistro will help you save a lot of money if you run a small coffee shop rather than a large restaurant. One of the strongest points of this POS software, however, is its fantastic customer experience. Since it is an iPad system, servers can take orders to customers waiting in line, improving service speed and quality. But it goes beyond just that. With its Customer Facing Display, TouchBistro allows customers to watch their orders in real time, know their cost and be offered with upsells and promotions at the same time.
- Coffee Shop Manager
Coffee Shop Manager is a POS system that is mostly focused on high-level marketing tools to increase your sales. Other that providing all the most basic functions that you may need, Coffee Shop Manager lets you sell retail items through a barcode scanner. Its interface is modern, sleek and easy to use, and will let you set up everything the way you want, from the menus to the drinks you can fully customize.
Coffee Shop Manager, however, really shines for its ability to grow a multi-store coffee shop business by providing your customers with a lot of nice stuff to increase their loyalty. Its no-fee prepaid customer account feature allows you to set gift cards, loyalty programs and other automated marketing tools to provide them with affordable purchase options. Together with a powerful set of reporting tools, this POS system can go a long way in helping you finely-tune your sale strategies, offers and targets.
- Change
Change is a flexible iPad cash register app that is extremely easy to use. While other solutions can require a little more tweaking before they’re ready, Change just requires you to add a few items to start right away. This also means that training your employees will require nothing more than just a few minutes instead of days.
Change is the definitive solution if you are looking for a cheap POS, though, since it offers a lot of options to save significant amounts of money. The first thing is that this POS software doesn’t need an internet connection to work and can take orders offline. The second feature is its integration with Dwolla, an online payment platform that charges a flat fee of $0.25 only for transactions over $10. Since you run a coffee shop, a lot of transactions will be free, and the savings can eventually be dramatic. Finally, it also allows you to set tax rates through departments that represent different group of items. This can save you a lot of time if you manage your own accounts.
The optimal POS system should be easy to use yet affordable enough to help you increase your revenues. Without a good software, even your everyday tasks can quickly become overwhelming. So take your time and choose the right one like any other sound investment.
Are you looking to upgrade your POS system? Tell us what features matter most to you in the comments.
