Traditionally, retail point of sale (POS) systems were primarily used to control cash and record sales. Retail has become more competitive than ever - consumers are using the Internet more than ever to research products, compare prices and shop online.

Today's point of sale systems use data in ways never possible before - and savvy business owners are learning what to do with that data to increase revenues, capture market share, become more competitive, while still controlling their costs and capturing vital sales information.  

Traditionally, restaurant point of sale (POS) systems were primarily used to control cash and record sales.   

Today's point of sale systems use data in ways never possible before - and savvy restaurant owners are learning what to do with that data to increase revenues, capture market share, become more competitive, while still controlling their costs and capturing vital sales information.  Find out if you are able to answer some of the questions below:

Some of the things we hear often from our customers - "we don't use half of the features of our point of sale system, I wish I knew more about current technologies, we are still having problems with this functionality, or we could sure use more training in this area, we want to implement this loyalty this year, but not sure the best way to approach this."

These are just some of the reasons why we offer a free annual review of our customer’s point of sale systems and related business processes at a meeting with the owners and key managers.

Many customers tell us they don't have time - (or maybe they are afraid there is a hidden cost). So, therefore we are here to tell you how easy it is, and that yes, it is truly free - no strings attached!

We truly want you to take advantage of these meetings for many reasons:

1. It's free!  It's easy!  If you are in Anchorage, we can come to your place of business; if you aren't, we can easily set up a GoToMeeting conference call.
2. It's important for owners and managers to keep abreast of the point of sale and payment technologies - these are the systems that run your business!
3. Employees change - sometimes the employee that helped set up the system is no longer with your company - now is a good time to review your system and any system needs or changes you may have.
4. We will ask questions, such as, "What are your top 3-4-5 projects your management team has decided to pursue in the coming year?"  How can we help? How can we be prepared?
5. We want to do a better job for you and encourage customer feedback –  how we can improve our services and communications and how we can help you in the coming year.
6. Finally, we will come up with a specific plan and action items for the areas that came up during the meeting.

Plus, we like visiting with our customers and learning what is working and/or not working for them - as partners, together we can come up with solutions to benefit you in key areas.

What to expect at the meeting for your system review:

You are starting a business.  That is so exciting!  But, boy there are so many details!  Licenses, permits, finding a building, remodeling or maybe even new construction.

Then there is all the equipment you need to buy, people to hire, inventory and/or food products to purchase.  Signage, phone systems, marketing, furniture – the list goes on and on.

There are delays and hiccups along the way – and geez is that cash going quickly or what – and you aren't even open yet!

So sometimes, choosing a point of sale system is way at the bottom of a business owner's to-do list. 

Obviously we are biased, but let us give you just a few reasons why you might want to move the decision to purchase a point of sale system just a little higher up on that list: 

As a restaurant owner or manager, where do you turn to find out unbiased information on purchasing a point of sale system?  Choosing a point of sale system in Alaska can present even tougher challenges - it takes time and money to go to industry events.  And there are so many point of sale vendors today – how do you chose?  Who do you trust?

Many restaurant professionals turn to the National Restaurant Association (NRA) for education and trusted advice.

According to the NRA - “Point of sale (POS) systems are one of the most critical business tools for restaurant operators like you. They are powerful operating systems —

but the functionality, associated fees and contracts can be complex. To help educate you and others in the restaurant industry, the National Restaurant Association offers our "8 Essential Elements" series for understanding POS systems and ownership. Use this information to educate yourself about POS practices and how you can protect your business — and your bottom line — from common POS pitfalls.”

To help restaurant owners and managers, the NRA has compliled a list of what they term “The 8 Essentials of POS System Ownership”.

Skurla's Point of Sale Solutions thinks this tool was so well thought out and helpful, that we wanted to share it with you.

MICROS Announces the Release of MICROS webOrdering eS - Call Skurla's POS Solutions @ 907-243-2683 for more information.