Small businesses are vital contributors to the economy, but the “moms and pops” who run these establishments face many challenges. Fortunately, investing in the latest technology can make the lives of small business owners much more manageable. For example, traditional cash register systems are a thing of the past. In 2023, point of sale (POS) technology is king and can give companies better control over all aspects of their business, not just transactions. Locally owned, individual stores need a POS system that is easy to use, provides advanced features, and fits their business needs. Whether you’re just opening a new mom-and-pop shop or making your current store more efficient, a POS solution can help your business thrive.
Mom and Pop Shops Have Unique POS Solution Needs
With the ability to handle retailers’ needs, the right POS solution can offer an affordable way to get the hardware, software, and IT support you need. POS technology can simplify many of the common issues mom-and-pop shops face, including:
Cash Management
The right POS system can help entrepreneurs improve cash management by providing a record of cash paid in and out and the ability to track special transactions such as lotto sales and payouts, which reduces entry errors and increases cashier accountability. In addition, the POS system will track cash drawer openings without a sale with reason codes to minimize employee theft. A POS system can also integrate coupons and discounts with settings that allow merchants to accept manufacturer coupons and apply discounts to single items or entire transactions. Additionally, these POS tools can customize tax calculations and collection, assigning the taxes applicable to store location and region to each product and having the option to switch off taxes for specific transactions.
IT
One of the advantages of cloud-based technology is that business operations can be managed in real-time from anywhere with an internet connection. Access to product information and up-to-the-minute business statistics and insights make it easy for business managers and owners to make informed and timely decisions. Plus, using the cloud means worry-free data protection and storage management as cloud software automatically records these items cutting out the need for local data storage and manually performing software updates or data backups, which saves IT labor costs and time.
Ease of Use
POS solutions for mom-and-pop shops should be intuitive and user-friendly, designed to help business owners make the most of their tools for efficiency and smart selling. For example, ClearTEQ POS system includes the Quick Flip feature. This tool allows cashiers to easily find and ring up items on a checkout screen with visual cues and images for fast navigation and prioritizes frequently sold products first to quicken checkout operations. Another way a POS system can make cashiers’ lives easier is by providing features that simplify searching for products without barcodes and make it easy to enter or select heavy and hard-to-scan items manually. Returns also become trouble-free since you can process them by item code or receipt lookup, with the option to return the product to inventory.
Features Independent Retailers Need to Succeed
POS technology offers a wide array of features small business owners need to succeed that can’t be provided by outdated checkout solutions.
Mobility
Mobile POS (mPOS) solutions enable staff to leave the counter and meet customers where they are, allowing employees to complete transactions from anywhere within the store. mPOS also empowers mom-and-pop shops to move outside the traditional brick-and-mortar store. These tablet and portable payment terminals can make it easy to incorporate curbside pickups or allow merchants to take their sales on the road for opportunities like sidewalk sales or local community festivals, essentially empowering businesses to complete transactions anywhere with an internet connection.
Customer Management & Promotions
Customers’ expectations of personalized service will likely be higher for a small mom-and-pop shop. With a POS system, you can create and access customer profiles and purchase histories, enabling you to provide specially tailored recommendations, offers, and other services. You can also create customized receipts with your store’s logo and allow customers to select how they want to receive them with options for a printed, emailed, or no receipt at all.
Reporting
Robust reporting is the key to making well-informed decisions. With POS reporting solutions, managers and owners can access real-time and automated reports. For optimal convenience and growth, it’s vital to select a POS system that has plenty of preconfigured options that make it easy to generate reports right off the bat, in addition to a plethora of customization capabilities. Once business owners have mastered reporting through preconfigured options, the POS system should allow them to drill down for detailed data based on product groupings, vendors and timeframes in order to gain valuable insights into vital parts of the business, such as product performance, transactions, and sales.
Inventory Management
Inventory management is a crucial part of business, but it can be extremely time-consuming. Alleviate the pains of inventory management and speed up your process with POS software. Maintaining optimum stock levels can be a breeze with features such as simplified ordering, built-in vendor management, and automated receiving procedures.
Merchant Services Designed for Small Business Owners
Small mom-and-pop shops need an all-in-one POS and payment solution that allows them to check out customers and process payments quickly and easily. Additionally, it should offer customers the convenience of paying with the method they prefer, such as credit and debit cards, manufacturer coupons, contactless payments, mobile wallets, and more. An integrated POS and payment processing system provided by a reliable merchant service provider makes accepting payments secure and reliable.
ClearTEQ has the POS and merchant services you need to succeed. When you partner with us, you’ll eliminate the hassle of bouncing around from provider to provider for payment solutions and get all your point of sale and payment support from one place.
Our pricing is designed with the independent business owner in mind. We offer affordable rates with transparent pricing, so you keep more of the money you worked hard to make. ClearTEQ Merchant Services rates are also straightforward, with no hidden fees. Our competitive rates include retail payment software and technical support. Once mom-and-pop shops are contracted with the big brands, those POS providers can raise their charges without fair warning, forcing small business owners to either pay the increase or break a contract agreement. Choosing ClearTEQ eliminates those hassles.
A Customer-Centered Business Approach That Puts You First
With ClearTEQ POS solutions, you get more than a POS system designed for retail. You get a team that stands behind it and your business for all your POS technology needs. Big brands offer great service before the sale, but then, after you sign a long-term contract, you’re left with limited and costly customer support options. So don’t become a faceless customer, cycling through endless automated menus when you call for support. Instead, work with a POS provider that values your business and personalized service.
We understand that your business can’t succeed or operate without your POS system. With an easy to setup and navigate system, installation is speedy and requires less training for staff.
ClearTEQ Is the Clear Choice for Small Business Owners
With abundant features that make life easier for business owners (such as streamlined inventory management, robust reporting, and the convenience of an all-in-one solution) and for their customers (choices in payment options and personalized service based on their histories), ClearTEQ POS technology is ideal for small business owners and locally owned mom-and-pop shops.
We want to help your business succeed — because we succeed when you do. Are you ready to find out how efficiently your business can run on our POS software? Ready to work with a provider who understands your needs and values your time?
