An Efficient and Employee Friendly POS System

POS systems are an integral part of a fast paced and well functioning restaurant and, in today’s world, you can’t operate without one. Depending on how often you change your menu or introduce new POS buttons and specials, will change how often you actually use your system. But, let’s face it, as managers we rarely use our POS systems and when we do we know where everything is because we’ve been here the longest and we -very often- designed it. But, how does your POS work day to day, are there things you can do for your staff to improve and simplify their experience? Doing so will make them more efficient and could also remove some stress from their job; improving your customer experience.

Logical Organization

This might seem obvious but many miss this simple point. Every item should have an easily recognizable home. Furthermore, items should be organized so that someone new to your business can find them; for example, you might want to arrange cocktails by letter rather than by liquor. This’ll even help your current staff if they have a mind blank when stood at the computer.

Old Buttons

Clutter. If you add buttons for a special event or certain time of year but don’t take them off they’ll begin to clutter up your screens and get it the way. It might not seem much, but the cleaner the screen the easier it is for your staff to scan it and find what they need.

Extras and Edits

One of the most time consuming things done at a POS system is typing in simple edits to drinks and food. Save your staff time by having buttons for these. For example: “No simple syrup”, “tall”, “double short” etcetera.

Fast Bar Button

You may already have one of these and if you don’t you should. A fast bar button containing common beers, well drinks, and shots will save your staff a lot of time and stress when entering big orders.

Testing Buttons

Ensure that you test your buttons before you deploy them in the wild. It’s often a good idea to put them into the system up to a week in advance so your staff can familiarize themselves with their location and so that you have time to test them and correct any errors.

Ask The Employees

Your employees use your system every day, they know where the kinks and headaches are in its functionality and will have suggestions as to what the system is missing and how to improve it. Make sure you check suggestion off with other members of staff to ensure that there’s a consensus that a suggested change or addition is necessary.

Having a streamlined POS systems will reduce stress in your work place and ensure everyone moves at their optimum pace. It’ll also make communication between your servers and your bartender, and your front of house and back of house, much easier. Ensuring that your system runs smoothly will allow you and your staff to concentrate on the customers and any problems that arise in a restaurant environment.