It’s proven that a dynamic point-of-sale platform has become essential for running a successful business. Whether it is a retail store or restaurant, it automates POS terminals and billing counters with integrated flexible payment options, streamlined inventory management, and integrated customer loyalty programs.
A recent study states that more than 67% of businesses have adopted a Point-of-sale system (POS). Moreover, these businesses achieved substantial growth in their customers’ shopping experiences and improved their overall performance.
10 Factors should be considered while choosing POS for your retail business
However, with thousands of POS solutions available in the market, choosing the best one can’t be an easy task. When choosing the best Point of Sale (POS) system for your business, several factors should be considered.
Determine the specific features and functionality your business requires in a Point-Of-Sale system to streamline your business, such as online and offline order management, payment flexibility, inventory management, loyalty management, customer management, employee management, and reporting capabilities.
It depends on the type of business in which you operate. If you have a multi-location store you will need features to manage the store remotely.
If you are doing more online orders you may require a delivery app or integrations with aggregators to manage online orders. Talk with the POS sales team and explain the existing pain points and ask if their POS can provide a solution.
2. Features and Functionalities:
Consider the features and functionalities of the POS you are looking for. If you need the POS system to integrate with other software, such as accounting systems and aggregator applications. Make sure the POS you choose supports the integrations you need.
It is also important to consider future scaling and expansion plans, as the chosen POS system should be able to accommodate changes in the business like adding new stores, managing multiple stores, transferring stocks between stores, etc.
By taking the time to deeply understand the business requirements, a retail business owner can make an informed decision and choose the best POS system that will help them grow fast.
3. Easy-to-use interfaces:
An easy-to-use POS software enables you to quickly ring up sales to get customers in and out of your store faster. Take a demo tour and walk through the key features and functionalities in order to get an idea of what that POS has to offer for your retail business and to see what it looks like.
Then use the trial version and experience the application to make sure it is easy to use and navigate. A POS solution designed with end users in mind can not only reduce the queue at the check-out section but also save time and money for your business.
A Point of Sale (POS) system that only has limited payment options may limit the potential customers and reduce net sales. To attract and retain different customers, it is essential for a retail business to have a POS system that has leading payment integrations, such as credit/debit cards, UPI, and other digital payment methods.
This will allow customers to make purchases with the payment method they prefer, enhancing the shopping experience and building customer loyalty. This will not only help increase sales but also improve customer experience.
5. Aggregator integrations:
Some POS software offers direct integration with order aggregators like Zomato, Swiggy, Uber eats, Deliveroo, Doordash, etc. It helps businesses streamline their ordering and delivery process by allowing customers to place orders directly through the delivery app, reducing the time and effort required to process orders.
Secondly, it increases the reach of the business by providing an additional channel to place orders. Additionally, delivery app integration helps improve order tracking and speedy delivery management, providing real-time insight and reducing the risk of errors.
If you are already using accounting software such as Zoho Books, QuickBooks, or Oracle Cloud in your business it can be integrated directly with some cloud-based Point of Sale (POS) systems that can bring significant benefits to businesses.
Such integration streamlines data entry by eliminating manual data entry, minimizing errors, and saving you valuable time. With this integration, the data from the POS system is automatically transferred to the accounting software and vice versa. It ensures data accuracy and reduces the chance of manual entry errors.
Additionally, this provides a unified view of inventory, sales, and expenditure, enabling you to make perfect decisions based on real-time data. Overall, the integration of accounting software and POS software can greatly enhance your operational efficiency and productivity.
7. Consider scalability:
A scalable Point-of-sale system must be equipped with the features to handle growing transaction volumes. It should be capable of adding new locations as the business expands. Therefore, scalability is a key factor to consider while looking for a Point of Sale (POS) system for your retail business.
The system should be capable of accommodating future expansion and changes in your business and provide the ability to customize the application based on the market needs.
Additionally, the system should be able to integrate with your other systems, like accounting book applications, inventory management, delivery applications, or e-commerce platforms.
A POS system with an integrated loyalty feature offers a comprehensive solution that can help businesses increase customer loyalty, drive repeat purchases, and gather valuable customer data, ultimately leading to increased sales and growth.
Loyalty programs like loyalty cards, virtual loyalty options, and loyalty points can help to increase customer satisfaction and retention by providing rewards and incentives to customers for their repeat business.
The integration of a loyalty program with the Point-of-sale system helps streamline the redemption process, making it easier for customers to redeem their loyalty points. and it helps the business to easily track and manage the loyalty program.
Moreover, the loyalty program data collected through the POS system can provide valuable insights into customer buying behavior, enabling businesses to make calculated decisions and design their offerings to meet the need of their customers.
9. Ensure 24×7 customer support:
Imagine your POS system faced downtime during busy business hours, it can result in a significant loss of customers and sales. This is where the importance of 24×7 customer support comes into play. With support available 24×7, businesses can quickly resolve any issues that may arise with their POS system, ensuring that it continues to run smoothly and efficiently.
Choosing a POS system that offers 24×7 customer support offers numerous benefits, including increased uptime, improved efficiency, resolving issues quickly, provides peace of mind, and increased productivity, which can help support the growth and success of your retail business in the long run.
It can greatly benefit a business by enabling the seamless operation of the system and minimizing downtime. This can greatly enhance the customer experience and improve your productivity and save time.
10. consider the cost vs benefit.
When choosing Point of Sale systems for your business, the price can often be a key determining factor. However, you should remember that the cheapest POS system may not always be the best for your business. You should consider multiple factors beyond just the cost.
Features such as inventory management, multiple reports, and loyalty capabilities are critical to running a successful retail business. Keep in mind that investing in a dynamic, high-quality POS system can provide long-term benefits for your business, saving you time energy, and money.
Additionally, rather than choosing a cheap one, It’s important to choose a Point-of-sale system that meets your specific needs, even if it costs a bit more.
Understand different POS systems.
Traditional POS systems–
These have mainly been used for two purposes, first, to manage inventory, two customer management. Traditional POS systems commonly found in retail sectors are not capable of managing new features like data collection, loyalty management, payment integration, etc.
Cloud-based POS systems-
A cloud-based POS system is hosted on a cloud server. Hence you can access your business from any device with an internet connection. It is very cost-effective as it is available for yearly and monthly subscriptions.
Nowadays businesses are rapidly shifting from traditional POS systems to cloud-based POS systems and it is estimated that more than 65% of purchases are facilitated through cloud-based POS platforms.
This clearly proves that more and more companies are finding value in cloud technology to streamline their business. Furthermore, it works perfectly on android tablets android POS terminals, IPads, and Windows tablets.
Marketing and promotions are the lifeblood of any business regardless of its size, type, or specialty. A well-planned and executed marketing can help grow your customer base, increase brand awareness, and ultimately thrive your restaurant business.
Email marketing is one of the easiest and most cost-effective marketing strategies. Even though it’s easy to do email promotions it’s important to avoid overwhelming your audience with too many irrelevant messages, your customers may consider it spam.
By sending targeted emails to your customers, you can gain deep insight into their personal preferences and personalize your messages even further to make them more effective. Email marketing is a budget-friendly way of acquiring and retaining customers, and can be easily managed by anyone, without the need for paid designers or content creators.
The success of email marketing depends on providing valuable content to your customers. Sending irrelevant emails frequently will give a negative effect, it can lead to an inbox flooding with unwanted emails.
Sending strategic messages at an optimal interval to your restaurant audience helps you to learn more about them and adjust your services accordingly.
Is email an effective tool in restaurant marketing?
It is estimated that about 60% of small to mid-sized restaurants utilize email as their primary channel for gaining new customers, and they use it for customer retention. This emphasizes the importance of email marketing, especially for small restaurants looking to compete with larger restaurant chains.
Whether you are a new or a well-established restaurant, email marketing can provide a substantial boost to your business.
Email Marketing Automation Tools for Restaurants
Choosing the right Email marketing tools can greatly benefit a restaurant’s marketing activities. It allows sending regular promotional emails to a large group of recipients. But it is important to choose an ideal software that is suitable to the size of your email list, offers template design options, and integrates with your restaurant software or website platforms like Point-Of-sale software or Field sale application.
The email marketing tools should also contain analytics features to analyze the success of your marketing campaigns.
Some of the most widely used email marketing tools are listed here below.
MailChimp
Emma
AWeber
Campaign Monito
GetResponse
Constant Contract
Restaurant Email Marketing Plan
Restaurant email marketing is a strategy that involves various strategies, let’s discuss it step-by-step.
Customer data collection:
Collecting the email address is the first step to starting an email marketing campaign. There are various ways to get customers’ email addresses. like POS software, online ordering apps, encouraging customers to fill in email IDs and names in a customer-facing display, registering for a loyalty card or gift card, etc.
Many points of sales software help the restaurant to collect email addresses and mobile numbers through different features. You can collect the email id through your website as well. Before you add the mail ID to the email list, make sure you seek the permission of your guest and explain how they are going to be informed about the special offers and discounts through emails.
Utilise POS software to collect email Id of restaurant customers
Many restaurant POS software like LithosPOS helps you collect guest email addresses, also it tracks the dining habits of your guest which enable you to personalize the emails to the retargeted audience with data-driven strategies.
How to send a promotional email to restaurant customers?
After you collect email addresses from your guests you have to create an effective email marketing campaign. However, it’s important to remember that not all your customers have the same taste, so personalized emails always work best.
Your email should be thoughtful and relevant, it should not be too pushy or needy. Try to make it as helpful and informative as possible, and your customers will appreciate it.
Steps to send promotional emails to restaurant customers
-Write a creative subject line.
-Use bold headers in your emails
-Incorporate a call to action in every email.
-Use catchy designs and images.
-Don’t make it overloaded with too much information
-Highlight the important information.
-Keep email content short and simple
-Do not send more than 2 emails in a week.
-Don’t forget to add an unsubscribe button.
Things to consider while sending emails to restaurant customers.
Relevance:
Make sure the content is relevant to the customers’ tastes and preferences. This can be achieved by analyzing their order history, a cloud-based point of sale system like LithosPOS can be a helpful tool to analyze the order history of customers. An irrelevant offer may annoy them,
For example, if you promote the offer on non-veg food to a vegan customer he may get annoyed, but offering a special discount on a vegan dish would likely be more appealing to them.
Importance of personalization:
Mention your customer’s name to make the email feel more personal. Non-personalized mail looks more spammy so it may get ignored.
Timing:
Choose the right time to send the email, considering factors like time zone work schedule, and season.
Sending time is a crucial factor that affects the open rate and conversion rate of the email you send.
Frequency:
Avoid overloading the inbox of your customers, weekly once or twice to a customer is ideal. Do not exceed more than 2 emails to a customer in a week.
Contents to consider for restaurant email marketing
To create a robust email marketing campaign start by sending a catchy welcome email that features your restaurant and its uniqueness. Offer coupons on guest birthdays, or the anniversary of their first visit to your restaurant to increase customer retention.
Consider creating a loyalty program to incentivize repeat visits. Use promotional emails to announce weekend specials, encourage holiday reservations, or offer sales during slow days. Send “We miss you” emails to remind customers you are waiting for them to return.
You can try the following content for your restaurant email marketing.
Welcome email.
Celebratory coupons
Weekend specials
Event announcement
Advance reservation
Feedback email
Loyalty rewards updates
Promotional emails
Newsletter
“WE MISS YOU” emails
By sending timely relevant and thoughtful messages you can stay top of mind with your guests, and you can keep them engaged and loyal, driving repeat business and growth for your restaurant.
A dynamic customer experience strategy plays a crucial role in driving growth in the restaurant business. A positive customer experience is critical to the restaurant business. It improves customer loyalty and enhances brand reputation and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
The ultimate outcome of a strong customer experience is improved customer satisfaction, enhanced customer loyalty, reduced disputes, lowered serving costs, and improved lifetime value.
Here are several ways in which customer experience improves restaurant business growth.
Unfortunately, many restaurants did not comprehend the huge impact that customer experience can have on the success of their business. The most significant measure of customer experience customer feedback surveys is often ignored.
However, in order to provide a great customer experience, it is crucial to combine cutting-edge technology with customer-centric business practices such as the latest problem-solving solutions, streamlining of the point of sale process, automated workflow, and empathy towards customers.
Difference between customer experience and customer service.
Customer experience and customer service may seem similar, but they are quite different concepts with distinct implications for businesses. Customer service refers to interactions between employees and customers, addressing customer needs, while customer experience refers significantly to all aspects of a customer’s interaction with a business, from purchase to support. It is a tactical approach aimed at supporting the journey of a customer with the business.
Advantages of investing in customer experience strategy:
Improved brand reputation:
Strong customer experience tactics help build your business reputation that can attract new customers and advantage over competitors for the business.
Increased Repeat Business:
People who have had a memorable customer experience at a restaurant or store are more likely to return, and they become your loyal customers. and this can lead to long-term growth for the business.
Enhanced Customer Satisfaction:
Offering a dynamic experience to customers can result in higher levels of customer satisfaction, which eventually can lead to repeat business and improved growth.
Positive Word-of-Mouth Referral:
Satisfied customers recommend the restaurant to their friends and acquaintance which can lead to an expanded customer base and increased business.
Increased Loyalty to Customers:
Satisfied customers are more likely to become loyal and regular customers which in turn improves your customer base and business growth.
Hence it is of utmost importance for restaurants to prioritize customer experience in all aspects of their operations, from menu design to service quality, from atmosphere and ambiance to staff training. Investing in customer experience is as important as investing in staff and ads.
Developing a customer experience strategy.
A thoughtful customer experience strategy begins with a clear vision and mission. A visionary leader should lead the team by creating a statement that serves as a principle for the team, aligning their efforts toward your business goals.
When developing a customer experience strategy, you must involve every team member to have a solid plan which works. You as a team should be able to create a flawless experience that could put a smile on their faces.
Be the best at what you do, Being the best means delivering outstanding quality service, and keeping value and trust, so that we make every customer smile.
“you should recruit your staff with utmost care and thought Because they are the front face of your business. The attitude of your staff is foundational for customer experience. End of the day how you treat your staff at work affects the effort they put.
The Future of Customer Experience:
The restaurants must be equipped with innovative technologies to best serve the customers, technologies like cloud-based point-of-sale software with advanced modules to best serve customers. Nowadays several leading Point Of Sale software providers helps restaurants to streamline all their operations.
How does LithosPOS help restaurants deliver a high-quality customer experience?
Cloud-based point of sale software LithosPOS enables restaurants to deliver a great customer experience in many ways.
Grow repeat business with the easy loyalty program.
LithosPOS Loyalty is powerful, flexible, and easy to use. New customers can automatically be added to the program. It improves customer satisfaction and brings repeat business.
LithosPOS help restaurants analyze the number of visits and the customer purchases amount, to identify your most loyal customer. They earn loyalty points on every qualifying purchase and can redeem it in the future.
Cashiers can view a customer’s balance at payment screens and apply that balance during checkout.
Integrated payment option to reduce checkout time.
Faster Service: With a POS system, customers can be served faster and more efficiently. Orders can be placed and processed digitally with the help of ordering apps, reducing the waiting time for a server to take their order or to bring their check. This in turn leads to a more enjoyable dining experience.
Order Accuracy: POS systems help to take fast and accurate order, the order taken by the waiter will appear in the kitchen display system and it can be printed, so the chances for error is negligible. This leads to a more error-free dining experience, customers will receive their order exactly as they requested it.
Integrated Payment Process: LithosPOS has direct integration with 50 plus payment providers it reduces the checkout time and improves customer experience.
Accept all the ways your customers want to pay, Cash, debit card, credit card, or a combination of them. LithosPOS integrates with leading payment providers for a seamless checkout experience LithosPOS gives you everything you need to satisfy your customers and makes it easier to sell to customers, and it helps you to re-target them by giving reward points.
POS software like LithosPOS has revolutionized the way restaurants run and has had a big impact on improving the customer experience. POS offers various tools to give a great customer experience. Some of them are stated below.
Customer Data Collection: POS systems collect data about customers, like mobile numbers, email addresses, purchase history, and dining preferences, etc. This data can be used to offer personalized promotions and recommendations, delivering a personalized and enjoyable dining experience for customers.
Improved Customer Service: With a POS system, waiters have access to real-time information about today’s menu items and updated prices, making it easier for them to address customer queries and provide recommendations. This leads to a better customer experience.
Quick tips to improve the customer experience strategy of your restaurant.
Offer fast and quality service
Keep everything neat and clean
Do not compromise on quality
Offer multiple and flexible payment options
Create an enjoyable ambiance.
Take feedback from customers and act on it.
Offer takeaway options
Recruit adequate staff
Provide proper training to your staff
Buy an advanced pos system
Keep a suggestion board
Maintain a complaint box
Run a customer loyalty program
Conduct customer engagement events.
Collect customer data.
In conclusion, a POS system can significantly improve the customer experience in a restaurant. As it offers Faster service, high order accuracy, an integrated payment process, customer data collection, and top customer service.
social media for restaurant businesses | LithosPOS
Social media is a crucial tool to run any kind of business in today’s world, it helps you grow your business faster, expand your customer base and turn your webpage visitor into regular restaurant customers. It is one of the cost-effective ways to promote your restaurant.
Maintaining an active and attractive social media page to post your special dishes, photos, and promotions is always a good idea if you want to scale up your business. It’s a crucial and cost-effective tool to promote your restaurant to a larger audience.
You may ask, how to start social media page for the restaurant? how to promote your restaurant on YouTube, and how to promote your restaurant on social media? how to promote your restaurant on Facebook, and how to promote your restaurant on Instagram, etc. This blog will answer all those questions.
Disclaimer: This blog is written for informational purposes only. Keep reading and keep learning.
Social media marketing of your restaurant.
Learn how to engage with your potential new customers to showcase and promote your restaurant and generate more number of new customers using social media.
Why social media is important for your restaurant’s growth?
Social Media has changed the way companies connect with their customers. This is specifically true for restaurants, which is why having an active social media presence is no longer an option: It’s a necessity.
The social media marketing of your restaurant involves, creating and maintaining a solid online presence using different social media platforms. By consistently posting updates, promotions, and engaging content, restaurants can increase visibility and reach a larger audience.
Major social media platforms like Instagram Facebook Snapchat, YouTube, and Twitter provide businesses with the ability to target specific audiences and continuously engage them with constant updates.
apart from adding brand visibility and growing your customer base, social media can also be used to enhance the relationship with current customers, It’s vital to collect customer data and retarget them with promotions and ads.
Social media enable you to have real-time communication and customer tips. By monitoring customer reviews, text messages, and feedback comments, you can identify and address queries and concerns quickly, improving customer compliance and value.
in short, social media marketing is a simple, cost-effective, and powerful tool for restaurants to increase their loyal; customer base and scale up their restaurant business.
Having a strong social media presence will help a restaurant in many ways.
Enable you to communicate with customers.
Build a network of loyal customers.
Allow you to share mouth-watering recipes.
Build brand reputation and brand awareness.
Allow you to engage your customers with promotions and ads.
Allow you to respond to queries.
Help you address negative feedback and positive reputation.
This is a cost-effective way of promotion.
Many digital platforms allow you to create contents that resonate with the targeted audience.
Highlight the best chefs, their trademark recipes, and specials.
Inform of the changes in opening and closing times.
Helps you build a customer database.
How do I take advantage of my Instagram page?
Today, having a strong presence on Instagram is a big advantage for any business. Instagram pages have the power to influence consumers’ purchasing behavior to a great extent. So having an Instagram page is equally important as having a website.
Nowadays people seldom use web browsers; they are more connected with other people on Instagram. Make your Instagram page look professional with a creative Instagram bio, and frequent stories and posts.
To enhance engagement with your customers, consider uploading visually alluring elements such as food pictures, making videos, and event promotions to your Instagram page. A creative designer can take your online presence to the next level.
Showcase the locally sourced vegetables, oils, and spices you use in your dishes, highlight your well-known special dishes, and provide helpful health and food-related tips to build trust with your followers and customers.
While setting up your account on Instagram, make sure to select the business account. This allows you to access vital tools like analytics and the ability to run ads and provide contact information.
It’s important to maintain a cool color theme to make your page look appealing. You can find inspiration by checking other leading Instagram pages.
In addition to the look and color theme, it’s also important to post regularly. replay to comments answer queries and share new and creative content that highlights your restaurant and its offerings.
Collaborating with Instagram influencers can also help increase your reach and bring new followers. With consistent effort, you can effectively promote your restaurant and create a loyal community of customers.
How to promote a restaurant with a Facebook page?
Creating a Facebook page for your business can also be a good idea, especially if you’re targeting relatively older customers. Maintaining an Instagram page requires much skill and effort, but maintaining a Facebook page is easy compared to Instagram. On Facebook also you should select the business account, not your personal account.
Here you can add important details like your address, location, contact numbers, and website link to make it easy for users to find information about your restaurant.
In addition, include an online ordering link or online ordering app link. Try to upload content weekly and join important FB groups to stay updated on the industry trend.
How often should restaurants post on social media pages?
It is recommended for a restaurant to post on its social media page at least three times a week. This frequency allows to maintain engagement with followers and eliminates the risk of losing their attention.
To help you get inspired, here are 10 restaurant social media post ideas that you can use as a reference guide. These ideas are designed to help you post creative and engaging content for your followers. and it will help you plan a successful social media strategy and drive traffic to your restaurant business.
How to promote restaurants on YouTube?
Create a YouTube channel for your restaurant and upload engaging and creative video content, such as cooking tutorial videos, food reviews, making videos of your kitchen, and promotions. This help builds the trust and credibility of your restaurant.
Use ideal keywords and proper tags to help your videos reach relevant search results. This will attract more customers.
Collaborate with food bloggers having a good number of followers, influencers, and other YouTube content creators to reach a larger number of viewers.
Run a YouTube campaign investing in paid ads to reach potential customers who are searching for restaurants in your area.
Engage with your audience by responding to comments, addressing negative feedback, and encouraging them to subscribe to your restaurant channel.
Promote your YouTube channel on your restaurant’s website, social media pages, and other printed or digital marketing materials.
Create quality videos showcasing your kitchen’s chefs and your special dishes.
Share any celebrity customer testimonials and reviews in video format to build credibility and attract more customers.
Try paid advertising on YouTube to reach a wider audience and drive traffic to your channel.
How to promote restaurants using POS software.
An advanced POS system can help you in the marketing efforts of your restaurant, it is necessary to collect and utilize customer data such as mail IDs, mobile numbers, order history, and purchasing habits. This information can be used to run targeted marketing campaigns and promotions aimed at enhancing customer lifetime value.
Implementing a loyalty program that incentivizes repeat business and encourages customers to return to your restaurant is another way of utilizing your POS system’s promotional features. You can send targeted promotions, such as special offers, festival specials, and discounts on menu items that the customer frequently orders based on their order history.
Encouraging happy customers to post positive reviews on your online ordering app or website and share their experiences with their network can help build trust and credibility for your business.
Utilizing your POS system’s analytics tools to measure the success of your marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions on marketing strategies.
Hosting events such as food festivals, themed diner events, and parties can also attract more customers, collect data, and drive traffic to your restaurant. Encouraging customers to share reviews and testimonials on your restaurant’s website and social media platforms is an effective way to build trust and credibility and promote your restaurant.
• Use your POS system to gather customer data such as mail ID, mobile number, order history, and purchasing habits, which can then be used to create targeted promotions and marketing campaigns that help you increase customer value.
• Implement a loyalty card program that incentivizes repeat business and encourages customers to return to your restaurant.
• Host events such as food festivals, themed diner events, and parties to attract more customers, collect data and drive traffic to your restaurant.
• Utilize the customer data such as mail ID or mobile numbers collected by your POS system to send targeted promotions, such as special offers, festival specials, discounts on menu items they frequently order, etc.
• Use your POS system’s features to streamline operations, reduce wait times, and improve the overall customer experience this will eventually lead to customer compliance, and they will bring more customers.
• Encourage your happy customers to post positive reviews on your online ordering app or website and share their experiences with their network.
• With the help of your POS system’s analytics tools measure the success of your marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions on marketing strategies.
• Encourage customers to share reviews and testimonials on your restaurant’s website and social media platforms to build trust and credibility.
Use customer data for online marketing
The POS data is valuable information that can be used for promotional activities. Remarketing is an effective strategy for customer retention and sales. The data can be used to promote your restaurant business through social media.
Let’s see how you can use customer data for online marketing purposes.
Whatsapp
There are 2.2+ billion users on WhatsApp. This is one of the best social media to promote your restaurant, especially for restaurant businesses. Making it easily accessible for customers to place orders, ask questions, and provide feedback.
It really helps to build a strong relationship with your customers. Providing quick and personalized support can enhance your service quality.
This cost-effective marketing tool can be used for personalized marketing strategies such as promotions, and discounts. You can also share menu updates, daily specials, and new items added.
Facebook ads
Facebook ads are an effective tool that can be used to achieve various goals such as driving traffic to websites, boosting sales, increasing brand awareness, and introducing a new product.
You can create your specific audience and run paid ads by targeting them. If you have a customer list that contains the customer’s email, and phone number, you can upload the file(CSV or TXT format) to Facebook ads.
This allows you to remarket to your customers through personalized marketing campaigns. This is one of the most effective and successful marketing strategies.
The customer data you get from POS is valuable. By analyzing the data you can identify your loyal customers and run loyalty campaigns. For example: If you have a set of customers who make a purchase of a specific product on a particular date. You can run ads targeting the customer at the time of his next purchase.
Facebook lookalike audience
Facebook ads will give you a similar audience that you have saved on Facebook ads. It can be used to reach new people who are likely to be interested in your business. So you can create a lookalike audience for your customer list and attract new customers to your restaurant.
Google ads customer list and similar audience
As we discussed earlier the customer details can be used to run targeted ads. It can run customer list-added campaigns not only on Facebook Ads but also on Google Ads. You can also create a similar audience to your existing audience and run campaigns.
Overall, POS data and analytics help you to identify your customers, their behavior, market fluctuations, and more. However, it gives you a clear picture of your customers and helps you plan a successful marketing strategy.
Social media marketing provides valuable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and feedback that can be used to enhance the overall customer experience. In conclusion, investing in social media marketing is a necessity for any restaurant looking to thrive in its business and stay ahead of the competition.
Restaurant equipment everything you need to know | Lithospos
Investing in equipment is one of the main startup costs of a restaurant business. By identifying your restaurant business model, budget, consideration of space, and other related aspects, you can identify the essential restaurant equipment that you need to invest in.
In this blog, we are going to cover everything you need to know about restaurant equipment
We are going to discuss:
Things to consider before buying restaurant equipment
New restaurant equipment trends
Types of equipment and its details
Where to place
How to maintain your equipment
Where to buy restaurant equipment
Financing (types of loans, price of equipment)
Things to consider before buying
So what exactly mean to restaurant equipment?
Restaurant equipment can be tools, appliances, and other devices used in a restaurant to store, prepare, cook, and serve food.
However, this is 2023, and the food industry has undergone so many innovative changes. Technology plays an important role in the industry.
Now we have types of equipment that are innovative to simplify and speed up your work. It helps you to reduce the manpower that needs to do work and cut costs.
To invest in the right equipment you need to consider the following points.
Budget
Budget is one of the important aspects when planning to purchase equipment for your restaurant. Because you have to spend your budget to invest in equipment.
If you are limited by budget and don’t have much space in your restaurant, then you can find equipment that can meet your multiple needs.
For example, a combi oven can be used for doing multiple tasks. That can function as a steamer, convection oven, and microwave, making it a great all-in-one solution for cooking and reheating a variety of dishes.
So you don’t want to separately buy different types of equipment for your different works.
If you purchase equipment on an installment basis you have to calculate the interest rate and maintenance cost. If you can meet the price, then it is fair to purchase.
However, it matters to consider your budget before investing in equipment.
The size of your restaurant
The size of the restaurant that you are going to purchase should be considered. Most restaurant equipment is physically big, so consider the space that you have in your restaurant.
If you don’t have enough space in your restaurant, find alternatives for that equipment. Or invest in tools that can be used for multiple tasks.
Make sure you have enough space in your kitchen and dining area. Therefore, the employees can work without any rush, and also provide a better customer experience.
Type of your cuisine
Different types of cooking require different tools. Consider the menu items you will be serving and select appropriate equipment for the cuisine you serve.
The type of restaurant you operate may be determined by several factors.
Menu: The menu is the main factor that makes your restaurant unique. If you are focused on precisely one type of cuisine, such as Italian or Mexican.
However, you need to purchase kitchen equipment that can be cooked your menu items.
Atmosphere: The atmosphere of your restaurant can also help you determine its type. For example, a restaurant with a casual atmosphere and simple, affordable menu will likely be classified as a diner or cafe. A more formal restaurant with a more upscale menu and decor is likely to be classified as a fine dining establishment.
If you are focusing and intending to bring a specific type of atmosphere, then you can invest in your interiors, such as furniture, and food serving utensils.
Service style: The service style of your restaurant can also help you determine its type. For example, a restaurant with table service and a more formal atmosphere are likely to be classified as a full-service restaurant. A restaurant with counter service and a more casual atmosphere are likely to be classified as a fast casual or quick service restaurant.
So a food truck may not need the equipment that is used in a full-service restaurant.
Target audience: Consider the target audience of your restaurant. Are you mainly serving families, business professionals, or college students? This can help you determine the type of restaurant you are running
However, identifying your restaurant type will help you to invest in the right equipment.
Quality
Most of your equipment is purchased for the long term. So you have to check the quality of the equipment and make sure it can last for the long term. We would like to share some tips to check the quality of equipment.
Purchase from the authorized brand: Make sure you are purchasing equipment from an authorized brand that provides quality material and construction.
If it is service-based like software make sure that they provide quality service. Also, make sure they are trustful and they can secure your business data.
Certifications: Look for equipment that has been certified. This ensures that the equipment meets certain standards for safety and cleanliness
Inspect equipment: Check the structure of the equipment and make sure it is well made (make sure it will last). Pay attention to things like welds, screws, and other possible weak points.
Test before purchasing: Before purchasing make sure it can meet your needs. Also, if you are purchasing from an offline store check the working conditions and make sure everything is well.
Reviews: Gather reviews from online resources. Listen to the opinion of others about specified equipment. It will give you a better understanding of each piece of equipment. It can also detect potential damage to equipment.
Material checking: Make sure the equipment is made with high-quality materials, such as stainless steel or heavy-duty plastic. Good materials can last too long and are easy to maintain like cleaning.
Investing in quality equipment may cost more money, but it can last for years.
Brand reputation
Purchasing restaurant equipment from reputed brands can help ensure that you are getting a high-quality product that is backed by good warranties and customer support, and that will hold its value over time.
There are several reasons you need to purchase from reputed brands
Quality: The reputed brands will focus on build quality and it will be last
Warranty: the reputed brand will offer a long-term warranty on their products. It gives protection from manufacturing defects.
Service: Reputed brands usually have better service networks in place, which can be helpful in case you need repairs or maintenance for your equipment.
Resale value: The reputed branded equipment holds its value better. So it will be more profitable for you when selling it.
Maintenance
Maintenance is an important consideration when choosing restaurant equipment because it influences the performance, efficiency, and lifespan of the equipment.
Equipment that requires regular maintenance can disrupt a restaurant’s operations and can be costly if regular maintenance or replacement is required. Therefore, it is important to choose equipment that is low-maintenance and easy to maintain, to minimize downtime and reduce maintenance costs.
Some factors to consider when evaluating equipment maintenance needs include frequency of use, the complexity of equipment, and the availability of replacement parts.
However, it is better to choose products that are easy to maintain and have readily available parts if repairs are needed. Maintenance costs should also be considered and make sure you can afford them.
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency is a really important one when choosing restaurant equipment. There are several reasons why you need to consider energy saving.
Cost savings: Energy-efficient equipment can help to reduce energy costs by using less electricity or gas. This can result in significant savings for a restaurant over time.
Environmental impact: Energy-efficient equipment can also help to reduce a restaurant’s carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable operation.
Government incentives: In some areas, there may be government incentives available for businesses that use energy-efficient equipment. These incentives can help offset the upfront cost of purchasing the equipment.
Customer perception: Choosing energy-efficient equipment can also help a restaurant appeal to customers who are environmentally conscious and may be more likely to dine at a restaurant that is making an effort to reduce its impact on the environment.
Overall, considering energy efficiency when choosing restaurant equipment can help to reduce costs, reduce the environmental impact, and enhance the restaurant’s reputation with customers.
User-friendliness
It is important to consider the user-friendliness of the equipment because it can impact the efficiency and productivity of your staff. Equipment that is difficult to use or requires a lot of training can lead to delays and frustration for employees, which can impact the overall operation of the restaurant.
On the other hand, equipment that is easy to use and intuitive can help to streamline processes and improve the efficiency of your staff.
When you buy service-based equipment like a KIOSK, you need to ensure that it is manageable and user-friendly for your employees and customers.
Additionally, user-friendly equipment may be preferred by employees, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and increased turnover.
However, choosing user-friendly equipment can help improve your staff’s efficiency and productivity and enhance the restaurant’s overall operation.
Shipping and delivery
Shipping and delivery mean transporting equipment from your supplier to your restaurant. This could involve using the supplier’s delivery service or contracting a third-party shipping firm, like a freight carrier. When selecting restaurant equipment, it’s crucial to take into account the supplier’s shipping and delivery alternatives, as well as the associated costs and schedule
However, it is essential to ensure that your delivery equipment is safely packaged, and insured and that all legal procedures are met.
Technology
Technology is very important when buying equipment for business. It plays an important role in the restaurant business. It simplifies many tasks. Buying equipment requires you to make sure that you are investing in advanced equipment.
Since then the equipment is a long-term investment, the equipment should be useful for a long time as the business changes.
New restaurant equipment trends
It is very important that you buy the current trending equipment. It will help you to simplify your tasks and reduce operational costs. Here are some equipment trends to watch for in the restaurant Industry.
Multi-functional equipment
Restaurants are looking for equipment that can perform multiple tasks, such as combination ovens and combi-steamers that can bake, roast, and steam food.
Automating tasks
By automating various restaurant tasks you can simplify your business operations. Investing in equipment like POS systems enables a new level of guest experience and business efficiency.
POS with inventory management can automate your inventory and keep your inventory efficient. The system can track your inventory, and notify you even if the food ingredients go out of stock.
You can reduce your labor cost and enhance customer experience by using the Kiosk system. So the customer can order food and pay through the kiosk without any assistance from employees. You don’t have to buy dedicated kiosk hardware for that, you can use your tablet as a kiosk system.
However, investing in equipment that can automate your business tasks will be more beneficial.
Changes in equipment designs
There are a lot of changes are getting in restaurant equipment design. It becoming more and more user-friendly, space-saving designs, Sustainable designs that are environmentally friendly, and building with advanced features such as touch screens and voice control.
Types of equipment
Here is the list of equipment that you need to invest in for your restaurant business.
Cooking equipment:
Cooking equipment means various equipment used in the preparation of food in a commercial kitchen. It includes Ovens, stoves, grills, fryers, and other appliances used for cooking, roasting, grilling, and frying food. Some important cooking equipment is given below
1. Ovens
This equipment is used to roast, bake and boil foods. ovens can be electric, or gas. it can be used to cook different types of dishes, including bread, pastries, meats, vegetables, and more.
One of the main advantages of ovens is that they can cook large quantities and different types of dishes at once. To make cooking simpler and more effective, some ovens also contain features like self-cleaning cycles, digital controls, and precise temperature adjustments.
Types of ovens
Convection ovens:
These are ovens that use fans to circulate hot air, allowing food to cook more evenly and quickly. Increased air circulation helps to cook food faster. The convection ovens are mostly used by bakeries and they are mainly used to boil, bake and roast a wide variety of dishes.
Combi ovens:
They are used in restaurants due to their versatility and ability to cook a variety of dishes. You can use it to cook hot air, steam, or a combination of both.
Wood-fired ovens:
Also known as wood ovens. These are ovens that use wood as fuel sources and are often used to cook pizzas and other dishes with a wood-fired flavor.
Gas ovens:
These are ovens that use gas as their fuel source and can be used to bake, roast, and broil a wide variety of dishes.
Electric ovens:
These are ovens that use electricity as their fuel source.
Conveyor ovens:
This type of oven is available in gas and electric. A conveyor is used to transport the material through the oven. As the cooking dish passes through the conveyor, it receives heat from the top and bottom.
Where you should place your oven
Placing your oven depends on various factors such as your restaurant layout design, the space of your kitchen, your working area, and more. Here are a few things to consider when placing ovens in your restaurant.
Accessibility: Make sure the oven can be easily accessible by chefs and your other staff. This will allow them to prepare food quickly and more efficiently.
Ventilation: Make sure you have good ventilation in your restaurant. Especially the area where you are going to place your oven. Good ventilation will help you to prevent heat and smoke.
Space: The space of the kitchen should is considered in your restaurant before placing the oven. Make sure you provide enough space for employees to work comfortably.
Flow: Visualize the flow of your kitchen and figure out where the oven fits in your layout.
However, it is more convenient to place the oven in your center to the rest of the kitchen.
2. Stoves
A stove is a type of cooking appliance. It is used to cook food on a flat cooking surface, usually made of metal or ceramic, often with pots and pans. It consists of a heating element, such as gas burners or electric heating elements.
Types of stoves
Gas stoves:
These stoves use natural gas, syngas, butane, propane, liquefied petroleum gas, or other flammable gas as fuel sources and have burners on the top cooking surface.
Electric stoves:
Electric stoves are generally more energy-efficient than gas stoves. When compared with Gas stoves Electric stoves will take time to heat up. These types of stoves are using electricity to heat the cooking surface equipped with heating elements that can be on and off.
Induction stoves:
These stoves contain electromagnetic that can generate heat and which can transfer to the pot on the cooking surface.
Wood-fired stoves:
Wood-fired stoves use wood as fuel. So many restaurants use it to bring a traditional touch to their menu.
Flat-top griddles:
Flat-top griddles are commonly used in commercial kitchens. it is a cooking surface that is flat and smooth, usually made of metal, and designed for cooking a variety of foods, such as pancakes, burgers, eggs, and vegetables.
The best place to place your stoves
A stove is one of the most frequently used appliances in a restaurant kitchen. So it should be more convenient to use and place in the best accessible area. If the stove is placed in the center of the kitchen it will be more accessible to your chefs.
Visualize the layout of your kitchen, and how the workflow will be more functional, then you will have an idea of where to place your stoves and ovens.
3. Fryers
The fryer is equipment that can be used to deep frying of food. It consists of a heating element, a basket to hold the food, and a container to hold the hot oil.
Fryers are commonly used by restaurants to cook a variety of food such as french fries, fish, chicken, and donuts.
Types of fryers
There are several types of fryers used by restaurants
Electric fryers: It is more energy efficient when compared to gas fryers. These fryers use electric heating elements to heat the oil.
Gas fryers: Gas fryers use fuel as natural gas or propane to heat the oil. It can heat faster when compared to electric fryers.
Countertop fryers: It is a small fryer that can be placed on the countertop and is typically used for small-batch frying.
Floor fryers: Floor fryers are used to fry high volumes of food. It is commonly used by fast-food restaurants to prepare foods such as chicken, french fries, fish, and doughnuts. Floor fryers run on gas or electricity and come in a variety of sizes.
Floor fryers can contain large amounts of oil to fry food that may have multiple fry baskets to accommodate different types of food. It allows you to cook a lot of food at the same time.
Pressure fryers: Pressure fryers are a type of equipment used in restaurants to fry foods quickly and efficiently. They work by combining hot oil and high pressure to cook food, resulting in a crisp exterior and moist interior. It is energy efficient, quick to cooking, and safe to use.
Where you can place fryers
Fryers need more free space in your kitchen fryers like floor fryers are larger equipment. Before planning your kitchen layout you have to consider the equipment that you are going to place in your restaurant.
Consider this when you are going to place your fryers in your kitchen
Make sure you are going to place your fryers far from water sources such as sinks.
Also, don’t place fryers near your appliances like refrigerators, or stoves. it will damage your appliances.
Make sure you are providing good ventilation. Without proper ventilation, carbon monoxide levels inside a kitchen can rise to dangerous levels.
However, make sure you take safety precautions like fire safety and have enough space around the fryers.
4. Microwaves
Microwaves are one of the most commonly used cooking equipment. They are used to do a variety of tasks such as heating pre-cooked food, defrosting frozen food, and cooking and reheating leftovers.
By using microwaves you can cook and reheat food. it can also use to do multiple tasks such as cooking pasta, defrosting frozen food, and even making desserts.
However, It is energy efficient, and inexpensive when compared to other cooking equipment.
It can be placed near the preparation area, it will be easier to reheat ingredients or already cooked items during the preparation time.
To quickly and frequently use the microwave for your chefs then it is more convenient to place it near the stove and other cooking equipment. So chefs can simply heat small dishes or liquid ingredients when preparing food.
Some larger restaurants may have a dedicated area for reheating or warming dishes, this area is often known as a “hot box” which is equipped with multiple microwaves and may also have warming shelves and trays.
5. Steamers
It is a common type of equipment used in restaurants to bake, boil and cook food. It consumes fuel such as a gas burner or electric heating element.
Steamers are considered a healthy cooking method as they do not require oil and retain the nutrients and flavors of the food.
The commercial food steamer is used to cook menu items such as rice, vegetables, and shellfish.
6. Rotisseries
It is also known as spite-roasting. It is used to roast meat by slowly turning it on a spit over a heat source. To produce high heat it fuels gas and electricity. and spite can be rotated manually or with an electric motor.
Types of rotisserie
Horizontal Rotisserie: This particular style of rotisserie includes a spit that is horizontal and runs parallel to the ground. It can cook a whole chicken, and roast various types of meat.
VerticalRotisserie: This type of rotisserie has spite that runs vertically.
It is important to keep the rotisserie away from flammable materials. and also make sure to place a well-ventilated area
Ranges
Rangers are one of the most used equipments in a restaurant. It can be used to fry, grill, broil, saute, boil, braise, simmer, warm, and even bake.
Refrigeration equipment:
The refrigeration equipment is used in restaurants to keep food and ingredients fresh and at safer temperatures. It can extend the shelf life of a food product.
Foods and ingredients are perishable. To run a profitable restaurant business you could have to keep your food and ingredients safe and fresh. Refrigeration can preserve food items for a certain period.
There are types of refrigeration equipment.
1. Refrigerators
Refrigerators are commonly used equipment in restaurants. It is a large container that usually contains cool inside with the help of electricity. You can adjust the temperature inside the refrigerator.
2. Freezers
The freezer should be 0°F (-18°C) temperature to store food safely. They are typically larger than household freezers and are designed to withstand the heavy use and frequent opening and closing that occurs in a restaurant setting.
3. Ice makers
As its name, it is used to make a large quantity of ice. It is typically larger than household ice makers.
It is important to maintain the ice makers regularly and make sure the producing ice is safe and clean, However, you have to do regular cleaning, checking and adjusting the water and air filters, and ensuring the unit is properly connected to a water source.
Where you can place your Refrigeration equipment
It is important to consider your available space and layout design when placing refrigeration equipment in your kitchen. Most of the refrigeration equipment is physically larger. Corners are best to place it, especially if you have limited space.
Dishwashing equipment:
Some restaurants are using separate rooms for placing refrigeration equipment. This will help them keep the equipment at the right temperature. It also allows you to keep free space in your kitchen.
Dishwashing equipment is used to clean and sanitize other kitchen equipment.
Types of dishwashers
1. Dishwashers
A dishwasher is a machine that automatically cleans cutlery, cookware, and dishware. It can be an under-counter or conveyor model.
2. Pre-rinse units
The pre-rinse is dishwashing equipment that consists of a spray nozzle and a sink area. It is used to remove food residue from dishes before washing them in a dishwasher.
3. Glasswashers
Glasswashers can be used to clean and sanitize glass dishes.
Sinks:
The sink is the equipment used in the kitchen to wash hands, dishes, and utensils. You can set multiple sinks in different places in your restaurant.
There are different types of sinks available for restaurants such as hand sinks, compartment sinks, and bar sinks.
1. Hand sinks: Hand sinks can be placed in easily accessible locations, such as near restrooms and entrances, to ensure that employees and customers can easily use them.
2. Compartment sinks: Make sure there is enough space around the compartment sinks. Compartment sinks can be used by too many people. Also make sure you are placing it near where dishes and utensils are used and stored, to make it easy to wash them.
3. Bar sinks: Bar sinks can be placed at the bar, near where glasses and other bar equipment are used, to make it easy to clean them.
4. Mop sinks: you can place mop sinks in an area that is easily accessible to staff such as a janitorial area or a kitchen
5. Prep sinks: Place prep sinks in the kitchen area, near where food is prepared, to make it easy to wash produce and other ingredients.
6. Utility sinks: the best place to place utility sinks is the kitchen area, near where large pots and pans are washed, to make it easy to sanitize utensils and other equipment.
7. Scullery sink: It can be placed in the kitchen area, near where dishes, pots and pans, and kitchen equipment are cleaned.
Preparation equipment:
Preparation equipment is one of the pieces of equipment that is used to cook and prepare food.
1. Knives: Used for cutting and chopping ingredients
2. Cutting boards: Used for chopping, dicing, and slicing ingredients
3. Measuring cups and spoons: It is used to measure the volume of solid or liquid cooking ingredients
4. Colander: It is used to dry foods and ingredients such as pasta, and wash vegetables.
5. Vegetable Peeler and potato smasher: The vegetable peeler and potato smasher help speed up your cooking time.
6. Whisk: It is used to whisk foods such as salad dressing and other mixing of food ingredients.
7. Blenders: Blenders are common equipment used by restaurants. It can be used to prepare various types of foods such as juice, smoothies, milkshakes, and cocktails. It is also used for preparing ingredients.
8. Food processors: Used for chopping, grinding, and pureeing ingredients
Serving equipment:
Serving tools and equipment that are used to serve food to customers.
Storage equipment is used to store food and its ingredients. Equipment storage is a critical aspect of running a restaurant, as it helps keep the kitchen organized, safe, and efficient, which in turn helps the restaurant run smoothly and can save money in the long run.
1. Refrigeration units
2. Shelving: Shelving helps you to get more space in your kitchen by organizing the placement of ingredients and other equipment. There are types of shelves available such as corner shelves, Shelves designed to hold canned goods, and over head shelves.
3. Prep tables: A metal rack designed to keep food, mixers, and other food ingredients organized and easily accessible.
4. Frozen storage: Perishable foods such as milk, and meat can be stored in frozen storage.
Dining equipment:
Dining equipment refers to tools and items used to prepare and serve food.
1. Tableware: plates, bowls, cups, glasses, silverware, napkins, and tablecloths
4. Small appliances: toasters, blenders, mixers, and food processors
5. Serving equipment: trays, platters, and serving utensils
6. Buffet equipment: chafing dishes, warming trays, and serving spoons
7. Table service equipment: salt and pepper shakers, sugar caddies, and condiments holders
8. Bar equipment: shakers, strainers, jiggers, and bottle openers
9. Cleaning equipment: mops, brooms, sponges, and cleaning chemicals
10. Furniture: tables, chairs, booths, and bar stools
Safety equipment:
Safety equipment is really important when it comes to the restaurant business. You have to take proper safety precautions to prevent fires, protect against carbon monoxide, provide first aid, prevent slips, protect employee and customer health, comply with regulations, ensure a safe working environment, protect the reputation, and more.
Types of safety equipment used in restaurant
1. Fire extinguishers
2. Smoke detectors
3. Carbon monoxide detectors
4. First aid kits
5. Slip-resistant floor mats
6. Properly labeled emergency exits
7. Personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees, such as gloves and face masks
8. Properly maintained kitchen equipment, such as stoves and ovens
9. Proper storage for cleaning chemicals and other hazardous materials
10. Proper food handling and storage equipment, such as refrigerators and freezers.
Other equipment:
Some equipment in restaurants refers to miscellaneous equipment. It is not directly related to food preparation or service but is still necessary for the operation of the restaurant. Some examples of different equipment in restaurants include:
1. POS systems
A POS system is a system that is used to record and process sales transactions. It consists of a hardware component, cash drawer, customer display, and a barcode scanner, as well as software that is used to manage and process sales transactions.
The POS system helps businesses to manage sales, customers, employees, payments, and other business operations.
Recording and managing sales transactions such as items purchased, the total cost of the sale, and the method of payment (cash, credit, debit, etc.)
The inventory management feature track inventory levels, monitor product sales, and reorder items as needed. It helps you to manage and keep your inventory efficient.
You will also easily get real-time, weekly, monthly and yearly reports.
With a customer, management features POS stores customer information, such as contact details, purchase history, and loyalty program information. You can use the customer data for your loyalty and other marketing programs.
POS tracks employee performance, such as how long it takes them to process transactions, how many transactions they process, and how accurate their transactions are.
Manage your multi-location businesses and online businesses using POS software. Transfer goods between your stores and keep your business efficient.
After all, the POS system helps you manage and grow your business. By automating the most tedious and difficult manual business operations, you can simplify business operations and focus on business growth.
2. Kitchen display system
A kitchen display system(KDS) is a computer system that is used in food-related businesses to display and manage orders from the point of sale system to the kitchen.
When an order is placed it is sent to the POS and the kitchen, kitchen staff can see the orders and requirements of the order. Also, he can see the priorities of which order should be prepared first, etc.
However, the kitchen staff can work more efficiently by reducing the time it takes to prepare and deliver orders. Additionally, it can help to improve order accuracy by providing clear and concise information about orders and can help to reduce food waste by ensuring that orders are prepared correctly the first time.
The smart KDS can also have features such as real-time tracking of food preparation and delivery, inventory management, and reporting capabilities, which can help restaurant managers to make more informed decisions about their operations.
3. Cash registers
The cash register is a system that is used to record and calculate transactions at a point of sale. It typically includes a drawer to store cash and a display for showing the total amount.
Cash registers also store sales data, which can be used for financial reporting, inventory management, and other purposes. They also help to prevent errors and fraud by providing a clear record of each transaction.
Cash registers are often replaced by POS (point-of-sale) systems, which have more features when compare to cash registers.
Kiosk helps you to enhance service quality, order accuracy, and overall premium customer experience.
5. Security cameras
Security cameras are surveillance device that is used to monitor and keep secure a specific area in your restaurant. It is used to deter theft, monitor employee performance, and provide evidence in the event of a crime.
Some common types of security cameras used in restaurants include CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras, IP (Internet Protocol) cameras, and wireless cameras.
How to maintain your equipment
It is really important that maintain restaurant equipment for your safety and extend its lifespan. Here are some tips to maintain your equipment.
Read the manufactures instructions and use the equipment properly for long-term usage.
Regularly clean your equipment.
Perform regular inspections of the equipment and make sure everything works well.
Keep equipment lubricated and in good working order. as recommended by the manufacturer, lubricate moving parts, such as gears and bearings. Ensure that all safety devices and guards are in place and functioning properly.
Schedule regular maintenance and contact a service professional as needed. So this will help you identify and address issues before they become major problems.
Train all employees on how to properly use and maintain the equipment to prevent damage and prolong the equipment’s lifespan.
Where to buy restaurant equipment
There are several options to buy equipment for your restaurant.
From a local store: Purchasing from local equipment dealers, it is more personalized because they know well about the local market it is more helpful to find the right equipment for your specific needs.
It is also more convenient to install and can quickly replace a broken piece of equipment. They can also provide better service and maintenance when compared to online suppliers.
From online stores: Online store is an option to purchase restaurant equipment. Online sellers like Amazon, Webstaurantstore, and KaTom.
Manufacturer’s websites: You can buy products directly from the manufacturer’s websites. It is an option if you are looking to buy a specific brand or model of equipment.
Secondhand: If you are not going to buy new equipment, you can also buy second-hand equipment. It costs less compared to buying new equipment. Make sure the equipment is in good condition and worth for money.
Compare the equipment of each option and their prices and analyze their reviews before purchasing.
Financing (types of loans, price of equipment)
There are a lot of financial options to purchase restaurant equipment such as Traditional bank loans, leasing, SBA loans, equipment financing, business credit cards, and crowdfunding.
Before going to take financing to purchase you need to consider some key factors.
The total cost of the equipment and any additional costs such as installation and maintenance.
The length of the loan and the interest rate.
The creditworthiness of the business and its ability to repay the loan.
The loan terms and conditions, such as collateral requirements and prepayment penalties.
It is better to consult with a financial advisor before taking an option.
Types of financial options to purchase restaurant equipment
Traditional bank loans
It is the most common option to fund. It typically involves applying for a loan with a bank or credit union.
Leasing
Leasing is an option to purchase highly expensive equipment. It is a cost-effective way to acquire the equipment your business needs without a large upfront investment.
SBA Loans
Small Business Administration (SBA) loans are government-guaranteed loans that can be used to purchase equipment, as well as for other business expenses.
It is really important that you have to consider your financial position before taking loans. Make sure your business can meet the loan and is capable of completing the loan.
Choose equipment for your specific needs
List your restaurant business needs and purchase the necessary equipment. Buying multi-functional equipment and considering the trends in equipment will be cost-effective. You can also consider second handed equipment as it is low cost.
Retail Shrinkage is a significant problem faced by retailers. 1.44 to 2.00 percent shrinkage is seen in retail sales. It may seem like a slight loss at first glance, but it results in tens of thousands of dollars in losses each year. Retailers are adopting a range of technological solutions to mitigate shrinkage, such as artificial intelligence-based video analytics, self-service locking cases, autonomous security robots, and license plate recognition.
What is retail shrinkage?
Shrinkage in retail refers to the loss of merchandise that occurs due to factors such as theft, damage, or error. This can have a significant impact on a retail business as it can reduce profits and increase costs.
The shrinkage can be calculated as Shrinkage = System inventory – Physical inventory.
For example, the System inventory is 20 lks, and the Physical Inventory is 19.5 lks. Then shrinkage is 10 – 9.5 = 0.5 lks.
Preventing shrinkage is very challenging for a retail business. Shrinkage has a lot of potential in a retail store. It can be collected by customers or employees.
Primary causes of retail inventory shrinkage
How the shrinkage in retail is happening
Shoplifting
Employees
Return fraud
Administrative
Unattributed loss
Primary causes of retail inventory shrinkage | LithosPOS
Shoplifting
Shoplifting is theft. This is the act of deliberately taking goods from a store without paying for them. Shoplifting causes a 36.5% shrinkage in retail businesses. Shoplifting is a crime that is punishable by law and can result in fines, imprisonment, and other legal penalties.
It also negatively affects your business image. It will also cause your sales to decrease. Customers don’t want to go into shops where shoplifting is common, they feel unsafe there.
Product falsification can lead to huge financial losses for retailers. Also, it is expensive to secure and authorize the replacement of goods to prevent such thefts.
According to a study by the National Retail Federation, more than 30% of shrinkage in retail occurred due to employee or internal theft.
Refund fraud
Another shrinking factor in the retail business is refund fraud. Stolen items are returned to the store for a money refund. This can be difficult for retailers to identify as refunds are requested using fake bills or receipts.
Special training for retail employees is essential to prevent such fraud. If you provide a valid ID or something else on the bill at the time of purchase, you can do verification on it.
Administrative
This is an error when receiving goods and billing products to customers. For example, a cashier is billing for a 10-count product. But only 8 items were billed and the other 2 items were sold without payment. So we lost 2 products because of the error.
It can be of 2 stars either done intentionally by the cashier or unknowingly omitted to scan. If the cashier purposefully misses scanning the products then it will be called a “sweet heartening” or “Under Ringing”.
However, other administrative errors can happen in stock inwarding or outwarding. For example, if you are transferring 50 goods from one store to another, and you mistakenly print 48 goods, then you lost 2 goods.
Such mistakes from the administrative side can lead to huge losses and are difficult to identify.
Unattributed loss
This is shrinkage, which does not fall into any of the above categories, but which retailers cannot understand. This leaves you and millions of other retail stores in the dark.
Ways to prevent and control the shrinkage in retail:
Retail stores often take measures to prevent retail shrinkage, such as
Security cameras
Shoplifters can be easily detected by placing security cameras in the store. And help you deal with them legally.
Security guards
Shoplifters can be quickly identified by hiring more employees. Shoplifters cannot engage in any form of shoplifting when staff is present in all critical areas of the store. It will also help you to provide a premium customer experience
Anti-theft devices
Shop theft can be prevented with the help of advanced technology. By using anti-theft devices such as security tags and alarms, shoplifters sound the alarm when goods are taken without payment.
Train your employees to identify customer behavior
Train your employees to understand customer actions and identify shoplifters. Be careful not to blame customers just because of suspicion. It will affect your business negatively.
Use proper product placement (Increase store visibility)
Increase your store’s visibility. Make sure you have visibility into your most expensive and most likely to be stealing products in your inventory. This will reduce the nuisance of shoplifters to some extent.
Implement strict inventory control procedures
An inventory management software tool can accurately track inventory and identify discrepancies that indicate shrinkage. So you can ensure that your inventory is efficient and it is more helpful to monitor and manage your inventory operations.
Employee training on proper inventory management procedures
Employees should be trained to accurately record and track inventory. Make them aware of the potential loss to the business due to shrinkage.
Audit inventory levels regularly
Retailers need to regularly audit their inventory levels to accurately identify and prevent inventory discrepancies. Such operations can be easily managed with inventory management software.
It also has employee tracking and data like their shift reports. This will help you quickly identify shrinkage in your store and how it happened.
Assign employees roles
If you use point of sale software, you can set the roles of your employees. Important functions like ordering and receiving goods can be delegated to key employees only. So you can control your employees.
Give receipt
Be sure to give the customer the receipt of their purchase. Ask for the receipt at the time of arrival for a refund. Receipts prove that the item was not stolen.
Daily stock check of high-value items
Your inventory items such as high-value items or fast-moving SKUs when prone to shrinkage. Those types of products may experience more shrinkage.
A common entry and exit point
Give employees an exit point. Employees should be allowed to leave only through it. It will help in identifying staff who are involved in the theft.
Physically check the received order
The purchase order receiving manager should physically check the stock of orders received. Vendors are prone to fraud and faulty products. There is a possibility for fraud or the absence of goods by the vendors.
However, The average shrink rate in 2021 was reported to be 1.4%, signifying that, on average, retailers experienced a 1.4% loss in their total retail sales due to shrinkage. By taking these steps, retailers can help prevent shrinkage and protect their inventory, which can ultimately lead to increased profits and customer satisfaction.
When starting your own business, choosing the right name is essential. In addition to sticking to the minds of your target audience/potential customers, your choice of business name also has to stand the test of time and avoid any legal issues or trademark infringements down the road.
These branding mistakes can ruin your business before you’ve even started it up, so be sure to steer clear of them when you name your brand.
Getting Emotionally Attached to Your Choice of Business Name
Having a business name you are emotionally attached to is an easy way to sabotage yourself. You will spend all your time trying to make it work instead of finding another name.
When you want to start a new venture, the best thing to do is purchase a business name listed for sale. This will save you the headache of having a business name that doesn’t work for your idea.
It is also helpful if you plan on changing your business model at any point because then you won’t have to change the business name. According to a recent survey, less than 20% of customers say that A Brand Name Change Is Perceived Positively. According to this survey, you should attempt to get your business name right the first time because most customers find it unfavorable. Why? This is because they are already familiar with the old name, and it is difficult for them to connect with a new name.
Business names are an integral part of a company’s identity, and it is important to be mindful of the connotations and interpretations of words when choosing a name. For example, ‘death’ might not be the best name for a flower company.
Luckily, if you make a mistake with your name, there are avenues available to correct it. Suppose you’re stuck with an unsuitable moniker; there are plenty of business names for sale on the internet that you can explore.
While you are at it, you can spruce things up and change the meaning of a word without changing the spelling: use an alternate pronunciation, spell out numbers instead of abbreviations, add “and Sons” after a business name, change “Way” to “Avenue,” etc.
Building Barriers to Memory
What’s in a name? Quite a lot. Your business’s name sells your brand to customers and gives them the first impression. Your business name should be an extension of your brand persona, what you do, and what makes you different from any other company.
A common mistake is picking a name that doesn’t convey anything about your business type or its specific attributes. You want to avoid phrases like Home Improvement Company or Business Services. These generic titles don’t give potential customers enough information about your offer.
Choose words that let people know at least some part of your story, but not all of it- this keeps their curiosity piqued, so they’re inclined to find out more.
How Does Negative Interpretation of Business Name Affect Business
Naming a business is among the most important decisions any business owner will make. It’s the first impression people have of what you do, and it needs to be memorable and unique. But the wrong name for your business could lead to disaster, as many entrepreneurs found out after naming their businesses something negative or inappropriate.
Here are common mistakes entrepreneurs made with naming their businesses and how they turned out:
The Business Name: Chunky Monkey Ice Cream
What Happened?
The ice cream company was forced to change its name because there was another company called Chunky Monkey. They didn’t want anyone confused between the two brands, so they changed their name to Moo Freez Ice Cream.
The Business Name: Allstate Sugar Beet Insurance Agency
What Happened?
You may not think sugar beet and an insurance agency would go together. Still, someone thought it sounded like a good idea. It turns out this business name wasn’t as catchy as they had hoped, and they changed it to plain old “insurance agency.”
Negative Interpretations of Brand Names Example
Your business name is a big decision, and you don’t want to make it lightly. Here are seven common naming disasters and how you can avoid them.
• A brand name should never be negative. Examples of this include Plague or Murder.
• Your business should not have a negative connotation if it sells food or drinks. For example, Sodalite might not be a good name for someone who sells ice cream.
• Businesses with ambiguous or generic names will be harder to identify in online searches. For instance, if your business is called “The Company,” potential customers won’t know what type of company they’re looking at when they research companies like yours online.
• It’s also important to consider international use when choosing a business name. You may think your business name sounds catchy and clever, but you could end up with some strange translations.
• When searching for business names, getting information about any existing trademarks is important before finalizing a purchase. Otherwise, you may end up paying legal fees when somebody files a suit against you for trademark infringement.
Finally, keep your target customer group in mind when naming your business!
Conclusion
There are a lot of pitfalls to watch out for when naming a business. A name should be catchy and memorable while aligning with the business’s mission. As such, it’s important to avoid words/phrases that have already been trademarked or used by another company.
Squadhelp is the world’s leading crowdsourced naminig platform supporting clients from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 companies. Grant Polachek is Head of Branding at Squadhelp.com, a 3X Inc 5000 startup and disruptive naming agency. They have reviewed over 1 million names and curated a collection of the best available names on the web today.
point of sale software for small business | LithosPOS
A point-of-sale (POS) system is essential to improve day-to-day operations. The system helps in core functions of the business like employee scheduling, customer loyalty programs, and inventory tracking. So, your overall business functions are integrated with the system, and simply manage it.
In this guide we’ll cover:
How does a point of sale software work at a small business
Why do you need to consider a point of sale software for small businesses?
Type of small businesses and suitable point of sale software
Tips for choosing the best Point of sale software for small businesses
Types of point of sale software are commonly used
Frequently asked questions about a point of sale software for small businesses
How does a point of sale software work at a small business?
Point of sale software keeps your business efficient. It tracks sales and accepts payments from customers when a purchase is made. Most of the point of sale software is integrated and includes features that help you streamline your business, such as inventory management, report and analytics, payment integration, and a customer loyalty program.
However, let’s dive deep and learn how point of sale software works in a small business,
To get a clear picture, we can take a real-life scenario.
A customer comes to your instore and asks for one product they want
You are offering multiple payment methods and payment partners. The customer chooses one option and makes a payment
Point of sale tracks and records sales and automates printed or email receipts – customer satisfied.
As I said earlier point of sale software features help to streamline all your business operations.
1. The customer comes to your instore and asks for one product they want: studies show that when you are running out of stock more than 75% of customers rely on your competitor. So you need to make sure of the product availability.
So how will you do that? well, the software tracks every item in your inventory. When an item runs low on stock, you will be notified. Or you can preset a level and the stock will automatically add to the inventory.
2. You are offering multiple payment methods and payment partners Customers choose one option and make payment: “80% of retailers are suggesting contactless payments. It helps them to keep checkout counter clean and safer for employees and customers”.
However, you can enable a premium customer experience with integrated payments. It will boost your checkout process. Offering various payment methods and payment partners based on your country. The customer feels secure and flexible
3. Point of sale tracks and records sales and automates printed or email receipts – customer satisfied: the software records each transaction. You can check the sales data anytime. By automating the receipt option you can save a lot of time. and it will also help enhance the customer experience. If the customer prefers digital receipts you can send them to their email.
4. You are using customer data for your customer retention strategy: every time a purchase is made by the customer it will record in the CRM. based on their buying history it’s easy to find your loyal customers.
Use the data for marketing purposes (email marketing, WhatsApp marketing, SMS marketing, google ads, Facebook ads, etc) by targeting your loyal customers. As you know customer retention cost is cheaper than acquiring a new customer.
The Point sale software for small businesses is integrated and has multiple features. You can see here that everything is connected. So it keeps all the operations efficient.
Pro tip: Rather than investing in multiple software such as inventory management, CRM, loyalty programs, and online delivery, you can get everything under one umbrella. So you don’t need to pay for each software. For a small business, the point of sale software is worth it.
Why do you need to consider a point of sale software for small businesses
The image will give you a better understanding. So, you don’t need to visit another 5 blogs to understand this.
LithosPOS is one of the leading point of sale software with thousands of restaurant and retail customers from 64+ countries. The industry-leading software has 12+ integrated payment partners with multiple payment methods, online ordering and eCommerce integration, inventory management, accounting integration, and many more.
Intending to help and encourage small business owners, LithosPOS is the most affordable point of sale software for small businesses when compared to other software.
LithosPOS Uniqueness
Use the software like any other software on your mobile and pc
Helping small businesses and startups for getting success. Most affordable
Multiple integrated payments based on your country’s
eCommerce integration
Aggregator integration
Inventory management
Report and analytics(real-time, daily, weakly, monthly, and yearly)
Customer loyalty program
Work offline as well as online
Employee management
Manage multi-location business
Works on any devices
Access to reports from anywhere (cloud-based)
24/7 customer support, and more
Simple to use
LithosPOS focuses on user experience. With simple navigation and a better interface, anyone can simply understand the software. The data visualization and analysis are much simpler, you can view and analyze data in one interface. For example, you can see your eCommerce and in-store sales and compare them in one interface.
Most affordable
When compared to other point of sale software LithosPOS is the most affordable with so many benefits. LithosPOS aims to provide affordable software to small businesses and startups and help them grow.
Customers are now opting for smart devices or cards to make payments. by 2024, contactless payments are projected to triple from $2T to $6T. You can offer a premium customer experience with integrated payment. You can choose your payment partners based on your country.
It helps restaurant retail businesses to provide a premium customer experience to their customers. It helps to facilitate payment transactions and speed up the checkout process.
eCommerce integration
According to NRF retail sales are projected to reach $5.13-$5.23 trillion, with online sales growing 10-12% in 2023. The online business has high potential in the coming years. and online business becomes a necessary platform that helps you to increase sales and reach customers as well.
You can manage your online business and offline business with LithosPOS. Making reports and automating inventory, managing sales, and customers will be easier. Integrate your e-commerce platforms such as WooCommece, Shopify, and more.
Lithospos is a way for businesses to expand their business. Lithospos helps you accept online and offline orders, manage inventory efficiently, and know the performance of your platform.
If you are a restaurant owner you can expand your online business with various aggregators. For example, you can choose Uber Eats as your aggregator, sell items, and analyze your business.
Inventory management
LithosPOS keeps your inventory profitable. By preventing out-of-stock and maintaining inventory levels you can save a lot of money. The software will notify you when an item running low on stock. It also helps to generate reports and simplify accounting such as tax reports, sales reports, purchase returns, sales returns, and more.
By automating inventory, your inventory will also change based on the orders received from your online and offline platforms. You can automate all the manual tasks, including headaches.
Report and analytics
Access to the business data in real-time and manage it from anywhere in the world. Analyze your business performance such as most selling items, worst selling items, most and worst sales days, online sales, offline sales, employee efficiency, customer report, and more.
Customer loyalty program
LithosPOS point of sale software for small businesses tracks every customer. So you can simply find your loyal customers based on their buying behavior. However, you can use the customer contact details for marketing purposes. For example, send offers through emails, or SMS, and you can also add on a custom customer loyalty app.
Work offline as well as online
The software is cloud-based, but you don’t need to worry about it. If the internet is down you can make sales offline mode. After the internet is restored the data will automatically sync.
Employee management
Finding your top-selling and worst-selling employees and analyzing their performance will be easier. By tracking employees you can identify the cash lack at the end of the shift.
Manage multi-location business
Manage your multi-location business with LithosPOS. Transfer the goods across your businesses, simply analyze and generate inventory, sales, customer, tax, and many other reports.
Works on any device
If you are a small business owner with a limited budget, LithosPOS fits you. The software works with any device. You can simply run it on your existing Android, ios, and Windows devices. So you don’t have to buy any special hardware.
Pro tip:
Most of the POS software providers will tell you to invest in expensive hardwares. However investing in POS software like LithosPOS allows you to use any hardware that you have or you can afford. It is a huge advantage for small and medium businesses.
Access to business from anywhere
To manage your business you don’t need to be in your store location. Using LithosPOS cloud-based point of sale keeps your business efficient wherever you go. Access to the business report – analyze and manage, all you need is an internet connection and LithosPOS.
24/7 customer support
LithosPOS is always there to help you. You can contact customer support anytime you want.
Pro tip:
Small businesses need scalable software. In the future, your business will expand. In such a scenario, cloud-based software that can grow with the business is essential. Constantly changing software providers at every stage of your business growth can be difficult and time-consuming. It is also challenging for employees to learn the software if you consistently change.
However, Invest your money in the right software, not only for today but also for tomorrow.
What type of small business are you? | You need this
Single store business
If you are running a single-store business. Because of the limited budget and manpower, the business needs to invest in cloud POS software. You can reduce manpower by automating business operations. Automate inventory, generate reports, and more.
Pro tip:
You can also invest in a self-service KIOSK to reduce the need for labor. So the customer can checkout themselves.
LithosPOS-kiosk-software
Multilocation chain
To make multi-location businesses profitable you need a proper system. To keep both businesses efficient you need to invest in point of sale software. When you started using the software the inventory process got easy.
For example, if your one store runs out of stock, you can transfer goods from one store to another. The point is it allows you to manage everything in one software.
Combined brick-and-mortar and Online business
If you are a business owner with both online and brick-and-mortar stores, it can be more challenging to manage.
For example,
You sold a product through your eCommerce store
You are manually reducing items in the inventory
And manually calculating the online and offline sales
You are struggling to calculate your sales, profit, loss, and more in your business(online and offline)
Instead of that, you can invest in point of sale software for small businesses
For example,
You made a sale through your e-commerce platform
It automatically reduces that sold item from the inventory
The software automatically generates reports end of the year, month, week, or in real-time
You can simply analyze all your sales data without any manual calculations.
Managing both online and offline is crucial without technology. By integrating all your business operations together, you can manage your entire business from one place with one software.
Tips for choosing the best Point of sale software for small businesses(How to buy)
Your budget: consider your budget before buying software. It will be more expensive when purchasing the hardware. If you choose software that is compatible with any device, it allows you to use the software on your existing or low-cost devices as well.
User-friendly: The software should be very user-friendly. It should be easy to use even by a non-technical person. This will help prevent wasting a lot of time on software training. Every newly joining employee can use the software with ease, with no need for special training.
Your size: Consider where your business is now and at the same time consider your goal. Forecast your business growth and invest in point of sale software that can scale with you.
Your industry: Consider your business industry. If you are a retailer you need retail point of sale software it includes features such as payment integration, eCommerce integration, accounting software integration, CRM, and more
If you are a restaurant owner, you can invest in a restaurant point of sale software that includes payment integration, online ordering, aggregator online ordering, integration, accounting software integration, CRM, and more.
Types of point of sale software are commonly used
Here is the list of commonly used point of sale software for small businesses.
POS Type
Description
Suitable Businesses
Online POS
Operates over the internet and allows businesses to process transactions from different locations. Offers flexibility and accessibility.
E-commerce stores, multi-location retail businesses, service-based businesses with mobile operations
POS system installed on desktop computers, typically used in fixed locations such as retail stores or restaurants.
Boutique stores, high-end retail stores, cafes, and businesses with a focus on aesthetics and customer experience
iPad POS
Built for Apple’s iPad devices, providing a user-friendly and intuitive interface for processing transactions.
Retail businesses, cafes, small and medium-sized businesses, and businesses utilizing Android devices
Android POS
Specifically designed for Android devices, offering compatibility with a wide range of smartphones and tablets running on the Android operating system.
Retail businesses, cafes, small and medium-sized businesses, businesses utilizing Android devices
On-premise POS
Installed locally on the business’s own servers or computers, allowing complete control over the system and data.
Large retail chains, businesses with specific security and compliance requirements
Multichannel POS
It supports multiple sales channels, such as physical stores, online stores, and marketplaces, enabling seamless integration and management.
Retail businesses with an online presence, businesses selling through various channels, businesses aiming for centralized control
Omnichannel POS
POS system that provides a unified and consistent experience across all sales channels, allowing customers to have a seamless shopping experience.
Retail businesses with a strong online and offline presence, businesses prioritizing personalized customer experiences
Frequently asked questions about point of sale software for small businesses
Which point of sale software is the most affordable?
LithosPOS is the leading point of sale software for your small business. The price is low when compared to other software. It has a wide variety of payment integrations, inventory management, eCommerce integrations, aggregator integration, online ordering, report and analytics, customer loyalty programs, and more.
Can I use the phone as a point of sale (POS)?
Yes, you can. You can manage your business using your mobile devices as your POS. All you need is an app and a card reader. The software is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows, and more.
Is the point of sale software expensive?
Investing in cloud-based software is less expensive. You can reduce the high amount of hardware costs by using Android, ios, and Windows devices.
How long does it take to install a Point of sale software?
You can set up the software within 5 minutes. For example, you can quickly add thousands of items using CSV spreadsheets to inventory management. So, it is really fast and you don’t have to invest your time too much time in point of sale software.
Which is the most popular POS system for restaurants?
LithosPOS is the most popular POS system for restaurants, retailers, and small businesses. We are currently present in over 70 countries and our software is being used by over 6,000 independent businesses and 100+ chain stores. We support 5 languages including English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Arabic. We have registered our company in the US as Lithospos, Inc. and we already have hardware and payment partners in several countries, including the US.
For a restaurant what type of business functions can be integrated with LithosPOS?
You can integrate your various business functions with LithosPOS. You can simplify your inventory, CRM, employees, payments, and online business. It also helps you to integrate with the front office and back office functions like KOT, kitchen display, customer display, Kiosks, and more. Not your business tasks, you can also simply manage your multi-location business through a centralized dashboard.
How do I set up a POS for my small business?
Get instructions from the POS provider
Set up hardware (computer, printer, scanner) and connect it with POS software
Upload products using Excel(bulk upload)
Give user permission
Configure taxes/payment options
Integrate with other software
Give training to staff
Test thoroughly, then launch and monitor
Identify the ways you can grow your small business and use it
Does LithosPOS integrate with QuickBooks?
Yes, LithosPOS integrates with QuickBooks. It allows you to simplify your accounting operations. And you can also integrate many other software as well.
Best POS with credit card processing option
LithosPOS can seamlessly integrate credit card processing into your point-of-sale system, providing you with a secure and efficient payment solution
There will be 4.41 billion social network users in 2025. can you imagine that half of the worldwide population uses social networks? we can use these networks for business opportunities. from large organizations to local businesses that are using these platforms. Let’s take restaurants as an example, using social media for restaurants helps to build a brand, trust, sales, and also customer loyalty.
“86% of Millennials will try a new restaurant after seeing food-related content online”
Social media has the influential power in users to make decisions. you can interact and encourage them to take action. but before that, you need a strategy. a proper strategy can bring more sales. you cannot increase sales just by posting images on social media. It makes no sense.
We have some tips to share with you about restaurant marketing on Instagram, keep reading…
Instagram for your restaurants
The Instagram app has more than 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. the user spends an average of 29 minutes a day on this platform. it is one of the largest photo and video-sharing social networks.
This platform can be used for business purposes. there are 200 million business profiles on Instagram. it is a great place to find your customers.
Instagram is a great platform for promoting your restaurant. it helps them build brands and trust, reach new customers, build relationships with existing customers, and also increase sales.
Tips for Improving Instagram Restaurant Marketing
Without the right strategy, your Instagram marketing efforts will fail. It all depends on how you influence your customers. Let’s discuss some restaurant marketing on Instagram tips.
1. Complete your bio
Add something special about the restaurant to your Instagram bio. it could be your business achievements, uniqueness, and more. The bio tells all about your restaurant.
restaurant marketing on Instagram | bio tip
Take an example sweetgreen. their bio is more eye-catchy.
Include these in your restaurant Instagram bio
Name and user name
Highlight your brand voice
Include relevant hashtags
Use emojis
call to action
website
WhatsApp link
2. Take advantage of analytics
restaurant marketing on Instagram | analytics tips
On Instagram, there is an insight feature. it will help you analyze your performance, account reach, interactions, and followers based on specific dates. you can also see each post’s performance.
Analyzing your performance will give you better insights. It’s useful to know when and what kind of posts and hashtags are working. analyzing has a vital role in restaurant marketing
3. Regular posting
Consistency is a high priority for your Instagram growth. schedule your daily posts(recommended). it helps you gain brand awareness, customer satisfaction, and also conversions.
4. No compromise in quality
Quality content is always king. use high-quality images and videos. post content like creative food photos, user-generated content, and engaging content.
Visit Classic Foods UK where they are using user-generated content. it builds their credibility and trust.
5. Test test test
Post different types of content and find out what works and what does not. also, test various time posts and it will help you find the most engaging time.
For example, you can post a delicious food photo or video with a call to action at lunchtime(12 pm to 1 pm). there is a possibility of getting a conversion.
because 12 pm to 1 pm is mostly starving time. users are more likely to convert when they see your post.
Keep testing and find opportunities.
6. Collaborating with food bloggers
Collaborating with food bloggers is a great way to maximize your reach on Instagram. influencer marketing is highly recommended. not only for brand awareness but also to help build trust. many are using this tactic in their restaurant marketing on Instagram.
restaurant marketing on Instagram | Collaborating with food bloggers tip
Labbaik_pune shared a reel collaborating with marathifoodblogger. this helps them get more engagement and sales.
7. Use the Facebook ad library for competitor analysis
restaurant marketing on Instagram | Facebook ad library tip
Running Instagram ads helps you get more reach and conversions. for getting better ROI you need a proper strategy. building a winning strategy is very simple. find your industry-leading competitors and study them.
Use the Facebook ad library, you can find all your competitor ads from there. analyze what kind of ads they are running, their call to action, offerings, landing pages, etc.
Find long-running active ads. that will be their most effective ad. build a strategy that beats your competitors.
8. Use more Instagram Reels
The Instagram reel is more effective at reaching out and engaging. It has 22% more engagement compared to a normal video. make more reels, that are engaging and informational.
restaurant marketing on Instagram | reels tip
Crafians on Instagram share so many types of reels. They are properly utilizing it. They’re getting thousands of views from reels. take them as an example.
Some Instagram Reel ideas for your restaurant
Follow your employees and show their work-life and efforts
Show your online ordering platforms. how to use it and new updates
Promote special offers
Introduce and describe all your menu items
9. Use stories
restaurant marketing on Instagram | stories tip
Instagram stories are highly powerful. use various polls to engage your followers. give them two options and let them choose. understand their behavior and preferences and create content based on that.
Here is an example of using stories as you can see in the above picture. Subway asks a question and their followers can select their answers.
10. Let them speak
Let your customer speak. studies show that content like the user speaks is more powerful. it has more engagement and reaches. ask them their thoughts and experiences based on a specific subject.
For example, ask your followers to comment, “What is the most delicious meal you have ever eaten?”
This is a great way to bring more engagement to your page. It helps to build a strong relationship with followers.
11. Tag them for your post
Loyalty is everything. customer interaction helps to build strong loyalty. capture memorable experiences with your customers on camera. upload it on Instagram and tag your customers.
It will also help to connect with customers from outside of business as well. this will build a strong relationship with your customers.
12. Followed by celebrities
People always like recommendations. not only from friends and family but also from celebrities and influencers. Celebrities and influencers help build trust in businesses. on Instagram you can collaborate with them.
But more than that, you can ask them to follow your page. when a user reaches your page they feel something they trust and will likely convert.
restaurant marketing on Instagram | Followed by celebrity tips
For example, Hard Rock Cafe has a paid partnership with Lionel Messi. He also follows them. It enhances the brand identity of Hard Rock Cafe.
13. Use Facebook ad lookalike audience
Facebook lookalike audience for restaurant marketing on Instagram
You can run Instagram ads using the Facebook ads manager. Lookalike audiences are a golden feature of Facebook ads. You can create similar audiences for your existing customers and run ads targeting them.
Collect customer data such as names, mobile numbers, and emails. Upload it to Facebook Ads and run targeted ads. You can also create a Lookalike audience from that customer list.
It also enables you to run low-cost ads and reach the right targeted audience.
Conclusion
Nowadays, it is very important to use Instagram for restaurant marketing. It helps to build a brand, conversion, and also customer retention. reaching customers with Instagram has no limits and you can always stay in touch with them. Instagram has become the number one part of your online presence.
Retail industry trends | digital trends | marketing trends | future of retailers | Lithospos
Did you know that retail industry trends need to be discussed? Understanding the trend is very important for a retail firm or any business. To stay strong in a competitive market you need to be updated. The purchase behavior of consumers constantly changes market fluctuations and so many other changes directly affect the future of your business.
Technology dominates the retail industry. actually, the truth is, the technology can be used as an opportunity for your business to simplify and manage. To stand out in the current market you need to be aware of the technology that can be used in your business.
Emerging trends in retailing
Let’s divide retail industry trends into two. 1. Digital trends and 2. marketing trends. You need to be aware of digital trends (technology trends) and marketing trends for customer satisfaction and the smooth running of a business.
We are going to discuss the retail industry trends such as digital trends and retail marketing trends that any retail business should be aware of at the ending of 2022.
Keep reading…
Moving into online
Moving into online | Lithospos
The retail industry suffered a major setback in the long-term lockdown during the Corona Pandemic. It’s hard to survive in such a market condition. So you have to find other opportunities and invest your time and money in those functions. As a retail company, there are many ways to expand your business online. You’re obliged to take the retail industry to another level.
You have to be prepared to take the right decisions at the right time. Before that, you need to be aware of the business opportunities.
For example, Retailers now provide an online platform to cater to their customer’s buying preferences. Today, 53% of buyers buy things monthly, while 88 percent of enterprises sell products online. Of course, the importance of an online store is growing significantly.
However, you have to expand your business online also. Customer behavior will change in the coming years and you will have to take major decisions in your business to keep up with that trend.
Still important in the physical store
Still important in the physical store | Lithospos
No matter how many retail companies switch to online platforms, physical stores are still important. Going forward with online ordering, the requirement for a physical store is that 3 out of 5 people rely on physical stores.
Therefore, in-store engagement strategies are important in the coming years. But remember, you need to make sure your both online and offline store is efficient.
Let’s go with the trend
Innovation makes trends. The customer always wants innovations. You must choose ways to meet customer needs or customer satisfaction.
Take the case of payments, as an example, the transition from cash payments to contactless payments has had a major impact. Customers can say they want it. In short, businesses that want to stay in the marketplace need to develop a plan to improve customer engagement and focus on a rapidly changing culture.
However, the payment innovation made a digital payment trend. Now the majority of retail payment transactions are digital.
Payments
Digital payment | Lithospos
This is vital to retail industry trends. As mentioned earlier, payment methods have undergone a revolutionary change. The use of mobile devices has led to mobile payments. Mobile payment methods such as Apple Pay provide a faster and easier payment experience.
Additionally, QR code payments enable customers to make quick checkouts without having to stand in queues for extra time. Retailers need to be able to cater to a diverse range of payment methods, such as mobile payments if they want to keep their customers.
Social media
In 2021 4.48 billion people use social media. Of course, it will increase in the coming years. Facebook’s renaming metaverse means the next generation of the internet. Facebook ads can be more efficient and helpful in getting it to the audience.
For retailers, maintaining a business presence online is essential. Instagram has many features like Stories, IGTV and Reels. They need to be used properly. Social media has become a great platform to get attention for your small business. You can create followers with influential people on Twitter or Instagram so that you can enhance your brand image.
Online presence
Online presence becomes very important when examining retail marketing trends. We see the potential of digital marketing growing. You can understand the importance of websites by replacing social media with an online presence. Websites can help you get the highest quality leads.
By optimizing the search engine you can rank the website on Google and the user will be able to see the website and get business while your service is browsing on Google. In addition to SEO, paid ads are also a significant marketing strategy. One example is PPC, and pay-per-click marketing.
Technology like AR
augmented reality (AR) retail trends| Lithospos
Technology is evolving and the customer is changing accordingly. Innovations like augmented reality (AR) are going to bring big changes to the retail industry.
The biggest example of this is the way IKEA brought augmented reality through its IKEA Place app. Customers can virtually view the furniture they intend to purchase using their Android and iOS phones. Each product can be viewed in real-time at the location where the customer intends to place it.
The growth of technology significantly influences every business. We expect new technologies to come in the coming years and significant changes in the retail industry.
Conclusion
Retailers should look towards trends in the industry and take note of what’s changing. Corona has been hitting companies hard and some steps can be taken to move forward when it comes to retail. Consider incorporating these tips into your business plans moving forward. The article on changing retail industry trends does not end here. See you again with the tips you need to improve your business when new innovations come through.
