Finding the right EPOS for your pub
Following the steps in this article will help make sure your next EPOS meets the current and future needs of your business.
Taking a planned approach to selecting your next pub EPOS system can save you hours of time and ensure you end up with the right system.
We find many people jump into a free trial without first checking that their key feature needs are met. Free trials are great, but they require an investment of time, so before embarking on one its good to make sure the system you’re trialing meets your needs.
By following the below steps you can make sure you find the EPOS that’s right for your venue without wasting valuable time on systems that never will be.
1. Consider the key features you need
The first step is to consider the features or characteristics that your new pub EPOS system needs to have. It may help to think through the following:
Shortfalls of your current system
If you already use an EPOS system there must be one or more things it doesn’t do that are causing you to be looking to switch. You will need any new system to plug these gaps.
What you can’t afford to lose
In focusing on what your current system doesn’t do, it can be easy to overlook the things it does do well. Don’t lose sight of things you rely on from your current system that you will still need from your new system.
Bonus features
If you’ve found a system that covers off your key reasons for moving without losing the features you rely on from your current system, then you already have a strong contender. Now it's time to think of any cool features you’ve seen or heard about that would be a nice bonus. You might not need these to be available immediately but would like to know if they’re at least planned.
2. Email your list to your potential EPOS companies
This single step can save you hours of time trialing different systems, and yet in our experience almost no one does it! Write down your list of features and email it to any company offering an EPOS that you’re considering. Request them to respond to each feature with whether it is covered by their system or not.
A simple bullet-pointed list of your features works best. You could group them into those that you need vs. those that you might like in the future, but that isn’t essential.
3. Review your responses
The responses you receive will enable you to see which EPOS systems meet your specific needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean you will like the software or find them easy to use, but you will find that out in the remaining steps.
If you get responses to say that a particular feature is in the pipeline, try and get a firm date, particularly if it is one of your must-have features. You can then decide if the system is still a contender.
4. Book a demo
The quickest way to find out how to access the features that matter to you is to arrange a demo. If the company is local to you this could be face to face, but if not it can be done remotely, using video conferencing software that enables screen sharing.
5. Start a trial
Once you have a system that ticks all your boxes and an understanding of how to use it, it’s time to start a free trial. This is your chance to set the system up so it’s right for you and run through all the scenarios you need to cater for in your venue.
If more than one EPOS has made it through to this point, you can now make your final decision based on which you prefer using. You’ll also by now have a good idea how responsive the vendor is to your needs, and whether you can see them as your EPOS partner for the years ahead.
As you’ve spent the time prior to the trial making sure all your boxes are ticked you can spend the trial using the system for real-world scenarios. You could even use the EPOS live in your venue and make sure it runs smoothly prior to needing to commit to your first payment.
No one knows your business better than you so this article is only intended as a guide. If you’d like to talk through whether self-service could work in your venue and which type might work best, contact one of our team for a free consultation.
