As UK retailers get ready to descend on this month’s Retail Technology Show (RTS), we explore some of the issues facing them and what they need to keep their POS optimised to overcome economic, operational and customer challenges.
British merchants have had a rough ride over the past five years
They’ve seen channels and behaviours change, had supply chains and markets disrupted by Brexit and been hit by a triple whammy of Covid, recession and rising inflation.
With one eye on consumer spending and the other on cost control and efficiency, it’s a constant juggling act to deliver great products and services while balancing their books.
Despite the challenges, UK merchants are resilient
Although facing tough operational conditions, retailers are still focused on innovation and how to service their customers better. Bringing more convenience, adding value where possible and continuing to help them with their own cost of living crisis through loyalty rewards and incentives.
For bricks and mortar merchants maintaining investment in their POS estates is a crucial part of being able to respond to constantly changing market needs.
POS devices are a crucial part of the UK’s retail infrastructure From multilane and petro to hospitality and fashion, wherever there’s a physical store there’s a payment device. And a desire to keep them optimised for sales.
That doesn’t just mean having reliable devices that maintain uptime, so checkouts keep ringing no matter what. It’s also about innovating at the checkout, being able to take sales where demand is greatest, and delivering value-added and hybrid services - from click and collect to unattended. In addition, it’s about keeping checkout services fresh and relevant with apps and software that do everything from charitable donations to bill splitting.
So, what are retailers really looking for at their physical checkouts?
Here are ten key attributes that UK merchants are looking for when they come to Castles Technology:
Low cost of ownership with value-added features that deliver tangible ROI
Minimal maintenance and downtime with over-the-air updates and remote diagnostics
Optimal convenience for both users and staff with multiple connectivities, extended battery life and a great UX
Choice and flexibility with contactless devices that accept a wide variety of payments and suit their applications whether that’s at a table, countertop or multi-lane
Mobility with Android platforms that offer low cost of installation and portability to make it easier to take payments anywhere in-store and out
Self-service that opens up faster and easier payments in heavy footfall, remote or unattended installations
Reporting and management that delivers deeper real-time insight and 360-degree visibility across POS estates
Support and partnership from POS providers they can trust to deliver great customer service and extended ecosystems
Security and compliance not just to meet requirements and mandates but that safeguard them against both software and physical threats as they arise
Back-office integration from smarter, connected devices with the memory, processing power and functionality to deliver employee management, loyalty and gift card management, inventory management, sales tracking, and insights on product preferences and sales trends.
You can find all these great features and more with Castles Technology.