Are you seeing the new sleek designs of other POS systems and wondering if they are right for your business? Have you heard owners and managers talking about their new POS systems and are wondering if it is worth it to drop thousands of dollars and make a change? There are a lot of POS systems that look very attractive but does that mean that you need to drop your investment and purchase a whole new system? We tapped into the minds of our clients and came up with three considerations you can make to see if it is worth it to keep your Micros 3700 system or if you should make a change.

 1. Always utilize software upgrades

It is crucial to continually upgrade your system with the most up-to-date software programs available to ensure they are always at maximum performance. Neglecting system upgrades could mean you are dealing with annoying glitches or inefficiencies that have already been solved for you. For the Micros 3700, software upgrades 5.41 and above include key operational fixes, solving problems like unexpected shutdowns, and improving overall speed and performance. Make sure that your system software is upgraded to version 5.41 and above to extend the life of your system and to give you more time to thoroughly consider and prepare for a new system, should you choose to do so.

 2. Keep Your Processor Freedom

Micros allows freedom of processor choice. Giving customers freedom of choice keeps processor companies honest and transparent because they know you have a lot to consider. With some trendy POS systems you are stuck with their processing, their fees, and their service. If you are unsatisfied or find out that they are raising your rates, you are locked in and unable to have the leverage to negotiate those rates.

3. New Integration Options

When dining out you have probably come across a QR code to view a menu, order, or pay your bill. While many of these features are for specific POS systems, there are integrations that will allow your Micros 3700 to seamlessly pair with these new tools.

What to look for:

Pay at the table / pay anywhere (even away from the network or station)
Pay at the table is one of the hot topic technologies that emerged in the last few years and there have been continued improvements that allow merchants to take payments at locations that are not near, or on the same network as the POS. With a device that is cellular enabled you can now extend the reach of the card present payment. Beyond the typical uses as a FSR or QSR, the versatile pay anywhere capabilities are proving to be a great upgrade for pizza delivery, concert type venues, and catering events.

Digital receipts
Receipt paper is expensive, wasteful, and to boot, most of your customers throw them out within the first 5 minutes of leaving your establishment. With a digital receipt function you not only avoid waste, but create a pathway to digitally connect with your customers. Some integrated digital receipts also function as a digital marketing tool by giving your customer the opportunity to see valuable branding, promotions, and customizable offers.

Mobile payments
Mobile payments allow your guest to forgo the terminal, wireless or not, and retrieve their check through their mobile device. The customer can then pay by digital wallet or by entering their card information. This is ideal when contactless interactions are greatly appreciated or required.

Customer order and pay
Giving your customers the ability to place orders and make payments at or away from your venue is a huge revenue gamechanger. A customer order and payment functionality can also optimize your internal organization by helping your waitstaff handle more tasks, ultimately increasing their efficiency.

Customer ordering
What happens when a guest wants to order something and the server is unavailable? Restaurants most often lose out on that potential sale. Giving customers the ability to add to their order can produce a significant increase in average check sizes and can help recover purchases that would have been lost to purchase abandon.

Online ordering with curbside delivery
Recently, third-party online ordering platforms have become an integral part of many business’ operations. However, restaurants are now seeing a significant drop in profit margins because of these orders. To make matters worse, the customers that have found you through these platforms are not necessarily your customers but customers of the platform. Having an integrated online ordering system can help you take back your profit revenue and can change the role of third-party delivery systems from peripheral revenue streams to primary lead generators.

Bonus: Emerging Technologies

Integrated loyalty options

Integrated loyalty functions are an emerging technology many businesses are seeking to adopt to help boost their customer retention. Integrated loyalty functions vary but their basic offering is that any order or payment posted through the customer’s phone links that phone number to the business’ loyalty program. An integrated loyalty function such as this is a direct and sustained connection with your customer and keeps them wanting to come back again and again.

This list may have helped you realize you have what you need to thrive over the next few years with your current system or it may have helped you decide to start actively looking for a new one. Whatever choice you make, ask questions about the capabilities your POS can offer to help digitally connect with your customers. Restaurants that are striving to make connections beyond those established in person are the ones that are building their brand and encouraging repeat business. Now is not the time to lose your opportunity for connection. Take advantage of the technologies available to help secure future business with your valued customers.

PayLink® provides businesses with a powerful mobile commerce platform that helps restaurants and retailers take orders online, create and manage promotional codes, and digitally connect with in-store customers.

Our highly qualified team can help you get started in minutes.