Pros and Cons of Cloud-Based Point of Sale (POS)
Every growing business has aimed to have an efficient POS for its growing sales, updated stock along with rapport customer service. A small to medium retailer requires a POS to run its business model is an ideal system and yet affordable. For a non-tech-savvy business understanding and implementing POS can be a little difficult, especially integrating it along the conventional process of the business. Still, a POS is the need of the hour and a crucial competitive edge.
In order to accommodate small and medium retailers, in the past few years, Cloud-Based Systems have been introduced. These Cloud-based POS work as SaaS accessed via the internet by simply using a web browser. Although, Cloud-Based POS system is cost-effective and convenient yet it is quite crucial to decide if your business actually needs one and if yes, which is the most suitable among the available Systems.
After carefully ready and understanding your business model and it's particular needs you have to make this decision. Here are the few Proc and Cons which might help you in choosing the right POS for your business.
PROS
Easy Access –
The cloud-based POS does not require any particular hardware system which saves your business from a huge expense. The Cloud-based system can easily be accessed from any device with has internet connectivity and a browser, it can be your PC, laptop, Mobile, or Tablet.
Flexibility –
It is quite handy and makes the whole process of sale makes smoother for both a customer and salesperson. Without spending a fortune in tech, a medium to small size business can get various benefits including mobility. A mobile phone or tablet allows you to close a sale on the same shop floor.
Subscription Charges –
The cloud-based POS, unlike the traditional Software, allows you to avail the services on a monthly or daily basis. This way the businesses don’t have to pay for any extra charges as it covers data backup and upgrades.
No In-house IT Expertise required –
A big and prominent benefit of SaaS is that it enables your small to medium size retail not to be Tech-savvy, any technical issue is managed by the providers at the back end. It also exempts the business to hire any technical staff for an immediate solution as all the workings have to be handled swiftly by the solution providers.
Backup –
It frees you from the worry of losing data in a system crash. All the information is backed up in the cloud automatically. Even if your hardware gets lost, destroyed, or stooled the company’s information and data are saved in the cloud.
CON’S
Internet Availability
A continuous internet connection is a must to run a smooth process of selling and running all other business functions. Any disruption in the connectivity can potentially bring a break in your service. You can look for both online and offline POS to solve this issue or keep two different operators so you can immediately switch to the other one in a situation of any haphazard.
No or Little Customization
POS systems usually don’t allow for customization to the Software and if they do it costs your business a bunch of dollars which can be expensive for small to medium-size retailers.
Limited Support
Although a 24/7 support service is offered by the POS system providers yet if then the business is growing at a fast pace it may require customized and specific advice according to the system that means more expense on the system experts.
Subscription Price
Although it is a plus for businesses but not a suitable fit for every size and kind of business model. It depends on how many devices and services your business requires; a SaaS can be determined as the right solution for your retail issues. Sometimes, in the long term, cloud-based POS can become more expensive than traditional software, based on the number of devices and time it is required for.