Cloud-based and mobile POS systems (mPOS) let small business owners accept payments and manage inventory from mobile devices or tablets.
As customers demand convenience, small businesses (such as restaurants and retail stores) can reduce waiting times by equipping staff with mobile POS solutions. And, per Quince Market Insights, the global mobile POS market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.39% between 2023 and 2032. In Kenya, the adoption of mobile POS solutions is rising among retail outlets.
However, upfront costs and features differ among providers, making selection a challenge. The best mobile POS systems vary based on industry, budget, and more.
This guide will help you learn how a POS app works and build a checklist of your must-have tools for comparing small business software.
How mobile POS systems work
A mobile POS (mPOS) is a portable point of sale (POS) on a smartphone or tablet that functions as a payment register. It’s an ideal way for small businesses, such as kiosks, food trucks, home and repair services, butcheries, boutiques, pharmacies, bars, market stalls, etc. to take payments on the go.
Read more here: Mobile POS: What Is It, How It Works
While traditional point-of-sale systems sit on the counter, mobile POS systems don’t. How?
Mobile POS systems are portable. You install a point-of-sale application on your cell phone or tablet to take orders or process payments from anywhere using an internet connection, whether Wi-Fi or your phone’s data. Or leverage an iPad POS system to alternate between stationary and mobile use.
The transition from traditional to mobile POS marks a significant shift in the way businesses handle transactions and interact with customers.
Read more here: Mobile POS vs.Traditional POS Systems: Which is Better For Your Business?
11 Tips for Choosing the Best Mobile POS System
A perfect mobile Point of Sale (POS) system should have several essential features to ensure efficiency, reliability, and ease of use
1. Business Compatibility
Features are what really sets a mobile POS system apart from traditional POS solutions.
But, not all mobile point-of-sale software is created equally.
Finding the right fit for your business means investigating each potential solution’s features and selecting the one with the most to offer your particular business.
For example, if your business is strictly retail, your mobile POS app should have an inventory matrix feature that allows you to accurately manage backstock and know how much product you have available. But if your business is a small bakery, your POS system should be able to maintain and keep track of ingredients.
Do you have a lot of customers that use EBT cards? That’s another feature to consider.
There may be features that mobile POS solutions offer that you didn’t even know existed, but they’ll positively impact your business.
Thus, it is important to really do your homework and make a list of each system’s features.
2. User-Friendly Interface
The interface should be intuitive and easy to navigate for both the staff using it and the customers engaging with it.
3. Platform Compatibility
Can the mobilePOS work across multiple mobile platforms? It should work seamlessly across various mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) and operating systems (iOS, Android).
One of the most significant advantages to mobile point of sale systems is just that – mobility. This is critical if you have a busy sales floor and lots of anxious customers to greet.
A mobile POS system allows faster customer service because the software can be housed on a tablet computer or another mobile device, which will enable you to perform the majority of cash register functions from anywhere.
And if you use multiple devices, you need to make sure that your chosen POS solution can support this.
4. Payment Options
Check for support for multiple payment methods such as credit/debit cards, mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay), and contactless payments to accommodate diverse customer preferences.
- Is the system EMV compliant to accept credit cards?
The latest EMV chip credit cards have changed the way tellers/cashiers interact with customers and their credit cards. The traditional method of swiping the card is being replaced with chip readers that ask that cards be inserted into the bottom of the pin pad. Check if the POS is compliant with that.
- Can it accept NFC payments through Mpesa, PesaPal, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, etc.?
Many people use mobile devices to make payments in addition to EMV credit cards. That’s why you want a Mobile POS in the first place.
NFC (near field communication) is a technology that allows two devices (a customer’s smartphone and your mobile POS devices) to communicate with one another by merely being nearby.
This allows customers to purchase mobile by touching their phone to your POS terminal. The payment is processed through an app on the user’s phone (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Wallet).
Because of the different types of devices, you want to ensure you have a mobile Android POS and Apple-capable system.
These types of payments help speed up transactions and keep queue times at a minimum. In addition, more and more customers, especially younger generations that utilize more mobile devices, are looking for these types of payments in the brands they do business with.
5. Inventory Management
Efficient management of inventory, including real-time updates on stock levels, automatic reordering alerts, and the ability to track product sales and trends. A top mobile POS system will allow you to see inventory across registers, and various store locations, to help you better manage stock and ensure that all stores have each item you carry.
- Can the mobilePOS support multiple registers?
For example, multiple devices could also include different registers in your store or spread out across various store locations. If you need, say, 15 registers to be connected to your POS system, then you need to make sure that your chosen mobilePOS solution supports this many touch points.
Similarly, if you want a mobile POS system for hotels, restaurants or similar outlets, you want to make sure that the software can handle multiple open “accounts” or tabs at once. This is the cornerstone of BzKitPOS’s support for your business.
BizKit allows you to start a transaction or order with a customer, but will enable them to pay at the end of their meal or visit.
Also, getting a mobilePOS with connectivity between stores is critical if you have multiple store locations. With BizKit, you can find each store individually and in a complete view incorporating all store data. This allows you to see the performance of each single store or look across all or a section of different branches.
You’ll get an overall view and a fuller picture of your sales data.
6. Sales Reporting and Analytics
Does the mobilePOS have detailed reporting features to track sales performance, analyze trends, and make informed business decisions? This may include sales summaries, customizable reports, and insights into peak selling times. Why?
Data is a big part of today’s world, particularly regarding how businesses track and engage with customers.
The key question is: Can it manage and track customers?
Each time a customer visits your business, whether their first time or two-hundred-and-thirteenth time, there’s an opportunity to learn about them, such as:
- What items do they buy? Or what foods do they order?
- Which items/foods are most ordered?
- How often do they visit your store per day/week/month?
- How much, on average, do customers spend in a single visit?
Answering these questions can yield valuable insights into an individual customer’s shopping/buying persona and relationship with your brand.
You can target these customers with relevant, personalized marketing messages better, discounts and other tactics to enhance sales and customer relationships.
BizKit allows you to pull up previous transactions with a customer, replicate their past orders, quickly find their delivery information, input notes about the customer and more.
7. Security
Robust security measures to protect sensitive customer data and ensure compliance with industry standards such as PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).
8. Integration and Customization
Seamless integration with other business tools such as accounting software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and e-commerce platforms to streamline operations.
Flexibility to customize features and settings based on the business’s specific needs, such as adding custom fields, discounts, and loyalty programs.
This means that operating offline doesn’t cause issues with inventory or sales reports or require you to input the data from offline transactions manually.
9. Is the mobile POS affordable?
Affordability comes in two ways:
- Hardware costs
- Software costs
Hardware costs?
This is a dreaded question entrepreneurs ask when it comes to point-of-sale systems. Why?
Older, clunky POS computers and cash registers used to cost thousands in hardware, which prevented many businesses from acquiring or maintaining them.
Luckily, even the best mobile POS systems are amazingly affordable compared to their traditional ancestors. BizKit has highly reduced costs that make acquiring it simple.
That’s because, unlike other POS systems, BizKit can use Operating Systems like Android and iOS or devices like an iPad, Android tablet, Poynt POS or another mobile device as the primary hardware.
This makes it easy to acquire and use.
Software costs
We’ve discussed how hardware costs far less than traditional systems. What about the software that runs and handles these different mobile POS processes?
Most mobile POS solutions are comparatively affordable. Some even offer basic plans for little or no money.
BizKit offers very basic payment plans with a monthly license that is affordable for acquisition and use.
In this respect, business owners have much more freedom with BizKit and aren’t forced to be locked into a long-term investment.
10. Customer Support
Access to responsive customer support services to address any technical issues or queries promptly.
By incorporating these essential features, a mobile POS system can enhance retail operations’ overall efficiency and effectiveness while providing a seamless experience for both businesses and customers.
Use BizKit as a Mobile POS and Business Management Solution
Although they’ve started with small businesses, mobile POS systems are the future.
The longer you wait, the more you’ll lag behind competitors already adopting a mobile-ready POS system.
By following this criterion, you will have no problem finding the perfect mobile POS solution for your business and using that system to its fullest.
Need to get your business moving with a powerful mobile POS system? Try BizKit, a Mobile POS and retail business management solution for modern businesses.
