Point of sale terminals: more than just payments

POS terminals are not just devices that can process payment cards. They can work as an alternative to systems that use computers.

A point of sale terminal is very similar to a normal computer. It has a processor, memory, network access (gprs or ethernet), screen, keyboard, printer and a reader.

Advantages of Point of Sale terminals

Security

A point of sale terminal is built to process payments. This means that one of the core functions of the device is protecting very sensitive customer data. Manufactures of POS terminals have to follow rigorous standards (called Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard or PCI-DSS) in order to bring their devices to the market. These and other kind of measurements reduce possible fraud dramatically.

Simplicity

Using a simpler device means that less can go wrong. With a computer infrastructure it is always a struggle to figure out what the problem is, let alone whose fault it is.

By relying on the basic hardware of point of sale terminals, with vendor support, problem solving goes a lot smoother. No more spending hours on tech support and losing valuable time.

Another advantage of the simplicity is that it the devices are virus-proof. Checks are in place the prevent viruses from getting into your system and compromising your data.

Mobility

The compact format and wireless capabilities of POS terminals allow the devices to be used outside normal environment such as on the road.

Cost

A simple POS terminal costs around $150, significantly cheaper than a basic computer.

Because POS terminals are cheaper, their investment take less time to become profitable. In comparison, a traditional computer based system takes 5 to 7 years (according to Kurt Ericson, VP/general manager at J2 Retail Systems) to pay back its initial investment. Waiting a minimum of five years to upgrade your equipment is a long time. New technologies will be available that allow faster transaction processing with better security.

So its basically choosing between having your capital tied up or enjoying more flexible.

Software

Point of sale terminals seem like a good option, but what about the actual software?

When using the right tools, the complexity of the development of programs for computers and point of sale systems is the equal.

The main difference is that POS systems are much more flexible. Once developed, adding new features or implementing new hardware functions is fairly easy in a POS environment.

Another advantage of point of sale systems is that they allow the devices to be remotely updated.

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