What do you find is the biggest trend with point of sale equipment in the Hospitality market today?

Testing iPads at the tables. Recently, Buffalo Wild Wings trialed about 15 iPads for 60 tables at their North Oak Store in Minnesota. After the demo, the store found customer reviews to be mixed. More than half liked the ease of checking out and having the iPad as an entertainment source for their children. Yet, the other half missed the interaction with a waiter or waitress. After analysis, BWW spent around $7500 for 15 iPads. This is not outrageous, but it is also important to keep in mind that 15 iPads for 60 tables is probably not enough if you want to completely implement them at the point of sale. Generally, most hospitality chains would spend about $7500 for 4 Cash Registers, which would be enough for an entire store. I believe testing iPads will continue to trend. Hospitality chains will try this out, and while iPad checkout stations may work for some, it is definitely not the best solution for everyone.

How do you think mobile checkout will be used in the hospitality market moving forward?

As we have seen, mobile devices will either be brought to the table for customers or already be set out before the guests are seated. The iPads would be used for a number of functions: Order, check-out, entertainment, advertisements, suggestive selling (specials, drinks, desserts), and promotions or loyalty programs.

What services should hospitality clients take advantage of at Retail Tech?

Retail Tech is known for our refurbishment. While many POS companies repair, Retail Tech not only repairs, we rebuild peripherals and terminals. Other services that we provide include onsite services, whole systems, parts, integration and staging, and depot repair. I promise that by saying our refurbishment services are the best, I am not exaggerating. We have IBM to concur.

What has changed in the last five years that surprised you?

While the industry is never static, within the last five years, the amount of time hospitality owners have kept their equipment has increased significantly. Rather than renewing leases and upgrading the three-year old equipment with brand new systems, hospitality operators are now renewing these leases and increasing their TCO with equipment.

What kind of hospitality software do you recommend with an IBM point of sale hardware?

There are a few different options of software to use with IBM point of sale hardware. I have worked with clients who have used Positouch, Xpient, Restaurant Manager, and Lucas to name a few. Ultimately, software is the bread and butter for your point of sale. You need to pick your software before you consider hardware.

What advice would you give a new franchise owner when selecting the best POS?

Define what you want to get out of the register. Reporting, tracking, food, cost, employees, menu items, ease of check-out, ease of use, ability of remote log-in, etc. It is important to have a system with trackability and accountability.

Aside from providing good products, what do you think Retail Tech does better than our competition?

Retail Tech’s employee retention is most important to the company’s long term success. Retail Tech truly values our employees and this is proven in their loyalty throughout the years. Long-standing employees as well as life-long customers set a standard for a solid company.

The quality of our services is second to none. No one has a refurbishment process that is quite like ours.  While many point of sale companies repair equipment, most do not take apart completely, thoroughly wash and clean, and repaint if needed.

Getting Personal with Dave!

How long have you been in the industry?

I have been in the industry since 1988 about 24 years! You know you have been in the business a long time when you have been married to POS longer than your wife.

What is the best part about your job?

The best part of my job is building relationships with my customers and interacting with them daily.

What is your favorite restaurant (answer wisely)?

I like restaurants. I like eating. Do I have to choose just one?

Fast Food: Dairy Queen, Erbert and Gerbert

Casual Dining: Applebee’s

What is your favorite piece of technology, and why?

Aside from IBM POS equipment, probably my iPhone. I love the Apps. Some of my favorite are Over 40 which is a magnifier with a flashlight. This application is vital for the days I forget my bifocals. The other App I love is called Pocket Whip. It makes the sound of a whip when you toss it back and forth. Some days I need it to whip myself and co-workers into shape.

If you would like to receive a PDF of the article please email your contact info to Samantha Noble: snoble@retailtechinc.com.

Wait a minute, I thought it was 2010? Nope, I lied…2011 was the year of the tablet! Oh man, now I am just confused. Because I am a retail-news junkie, I have seen this headline one too many times. Rather than allowing myself to be lured in by these captivating statements, I decided to take matters into my own hands. When was the true “year of the tablet?”

The Apple iPad was released in 2010, but most people do not realize this was not the first tablet. The first tablet could only be released one time, and that was in 1996. InkWriter, later purchased by Microsoft, was the first tablet PC (pen-enhanced) introduced to the market. Unlike the iPad, it didn’t catch on with consumers or retailers. At the time, buyers liked their keyboards, and couldn’t imagine a world without their compact and easy-to-use laptops. Ok, now fast-forward 16 years… laptops are old news. Touch technology is at the forefront. Tablets are a revolution!

2012 is NOT the year
Sorry to disappoint, but I repeat, 2012 is NOT the year of the tablet. More appropriately, I think we can call 2012, “the year the touchscreen tablet, as a sales tool, penetrates into the retail, hospitality, and grocery segments… maybe.” By now, I think we all know retailers who have demos or implemented tablets at their point of sale, as a tool for signage, upselling, etc. While only a few retailers, like Apple Stores, have fully replaced their point of sale with strictly tablets and/or smartphones, other retailers have implemented mobile technology for use in their stores.

Tablets for restaurants
Slowly seeping into the restaurant landscape, tablets are beginning to make a splash. In fact, Buffalo Wild Wings proves that the restaurant industry is beginning to dabble in tablets at the tables. For BWW, these iPad tablets will give consumers the power to order a drink, call your waitress, check into Facebook, play games, and function as a point of sale, all at their own convenience. While this technology sounds pretty awesome, I’m not sold (pun intended).

1. Is this technology facilitating a world where cyber-communication is more important than interpersonal communication?
Limited human interaction, less conversation at our tables…. I don’t know about you, but if my friend, whom I had not seen for a while, wanted to sit at our table and check their status updates on Facebook, I would probably just get up and leave. What is the point in having dinner together, if you aren’t really “there?” I will be one of the first to admit, I am glued to my phone, but I am not obsessed to the point that I need Facebook with me at my dinner table. Maybe I am one of the few? If so, my faith in humanity will be lost forever.

2. Doesn’t this take away from the waitress/waiter job? They weren’t hired to be a food runner.
This question was answered in a recent LinkedIn discussion with a touchscreen company wanting to showcase their solution to restaurant operators. He noted that while servers have mixed feelings after first seeing the tables complete with tablets, they found that the tablets are more enjoyable for the guests. On average, gratuity was seen to be increased by 8% (in my opinion, this increase is not very significant for the cost of this technology). By incentivizing the guests to fill out a survey at their table, they learned that customers appreciate having the detailed nutritional information on the tablets. Also, the ability to order at their own pace was viewed by the patrons as a plus to this new technology.

To me, this answer still does not satisfy my original question about the waiters and waitresses. It seems obvious that the capabilities of the tablets are equipped to take over the job of the server. This may turn people away from a job or career in the food industry.

3. How does a hospitality chain like BWW justify the costs of putting a tablet on each table?
In an attempt to do math…let’s propose a hypothetical situation. For this example, let’s say each tablet costs around $600 (which would include both the hardware and software). If an average size restaurant holds around 30 tables, the restaurant is looking at $18,000 for this little project. While Buffalo Wild Wings may be rolling in the green, this is not the case for all restaurants. Even so, how do you defend this expense? I would assume that most hospitality operators would have a hard time justifying this cost in their heads. Ultimately, it comes down to the question – what is the ROI by providing this technology to our consumers? Because tablets at the tables are in their infancy, it is still hard to predict.

There you have it. We determined that 2012 is NOT the year of the tablet, rather, the year the tablet will give retailers and hospitality chains a run for their money (literally). What is your opinion on this phenomenon? Do you agree with my questions, or have answers to provide? Please, don’t hold back! We are all looking for answers.

-IBM ANPOS keyboard with MSR, pointing device, long PS/2 cable and lock, iron gray

-IBM full size cash drawer with till, long cable and lock. iron gray

-4610-TG4 IBM SureMark thermal printer with MICR/Slip; includes long RS232 cable

-4820-2GB IBM 12″ IR Touch, USB No IO

Guaranteed for IBM Maintenance or 90-day Depot Warranty

Special Price:$1195/Unit (While Supplies Last)
*Additional options and configurations are available.

About the 4800-743

Trust is the Key

Trust is imperative in any relationship whether that be romantic, business, friendship, or familial. Many would argue that trust is the most important element in these connections. In terms of business relationships – there are many factors that affect the level of trust a consumer or business has in your company.  How can we win over the loyalty of the customers who are faced to determine where to spend their time, resources, and money?

IBM highlights three things retailers must do to win over this “empowered consumer” in the Executive Summary. Retailers must: Listen and Learn, Anticipate and Adapt, and Execute and Excel. As a consumer myself, I agree with IBM’s assessment. As IBM mentions, whether you are a retailer tailoring your messages to consumers, or selling to other businesses, knowing your audience is the most critical aspect of effective marketing.

Non-Profit Approach – relying on loyalty

The idea of knowing your audience to build a loyal customer was again presented to me at a non-profit panel discussion I attended last week. The Director of Donor Markets for the Greater Twin Cities United Way, spoke about non-profit business and United Way’s marketing approach to receiving this trust. In marketing to potential donors and volunteers, finding stories and messages relevant to that individual is vital. Replace donor with LOYAL customer, and you have yourself a similar situation. The difference with the non-profit business model is that, without these contributions, their business cannot function. Going forward, try thinking like a non-profit. “If I want to continue marketing to my customers (because otherwise, I will have no money to do so), I NEED advocates. Who of my customers are willing to share a testimonial or story that will get the occasional shoppers to trust and remain loyal to us?”

A Non-profit approach to a 4Profit Industry

While clothing stores, technology companies, and restaurants have nice big budgets for branding and building customer loyalty, what if we all had to rely solely on our advocates? Would your business be able to survive on your supporters and shared successes alone? Are you spending enough time getting to know your target audience(s) and what they want, or are you throwing marketing dollars into programs because they have worked for other retailers? How do you apply a non-profit attitude to a for-profit budget? How do you tug at your customer’s heartstrings? So many questions to ask! Remember, share the stories that will make YOUR AUDIENCE want to spend money with you – Trust will follow!

Other Related Posts:

3 Ways To Get More Customers

Seth Godin: Loyalty

Loyalty360 Blog

About The Point of Sale News:

Pointofsale.com/ the Point of Sale News(tm) is an online magazine for the POS industry. It is our objective to provide an informative and useful website pertaining to the point of sale and retail industry. We seek to provide a variety of news, advice and opinion that will be valuable, educational and occasionally, entertaining. If you need to find a solution for your business, or details on how to implement a type of POS equipment or software, we intend to have it here. In addition to point of sale software, we publish articles about POS peripherals, payment processing, mobile point of sale, digital signage, kiosks, loyalty programs and solid advice for small to medium businesses.

Bob Spinner and Mark Baskfield from Retail Tech have been honored, once again, to participate in the 2012 IBM Retail Store Solutions Advisory Council. The event will take place at the start of the IBM Retail Store Solutions Sales Summit (RS4) in San Diego April 30 – May 3 2012.

What is the Advisory Council?

Membership on the council is limited to a distinguished group of Retail Solution Providers, Distributors, and Independent Software Vendors who contributed significantly to IBM Retail Store Solutions in 2011. Members work under a non-disclosure agreement directly with IBM Executive, Sales, Marketing, and Product Management teams to help improve IBM Retail Store Solutions programs and product offerings.

Are you an IBM Business Partner? Hope to see you at RS4!

Guaranteed for IBM Maintenance or 90-day Depot Warranty

Special Price: $825/Unit

About the 4800-743

*BASE UNIT ONLY!*