Is a Point-Of-Sale System the Solution for your Food Truck?

By Dougal Smith

Whether you are a brand new business or one that has years of operation under your belt, some fundamentals never change. As a POS consultant I have businesses call looking for a POS. This is good as it is what I sell. One fundamental I see missing over and over again is this: The prospect is looking for a POS not a POS SOLUTION.

When purchasing any product for your business it is critical to understand why you are buying it. Almost, without exception, the first question I ask is “What problems do you currently have that you want the POS to resolve?” The silence following this question can be deafening. My general advice is don’t buy a solution if you don’t have a problem.

A POS solution is a business tool pulling front of house, back of house and administration into a streamlined program. Reasons you may need a POS include better reporting, speed of service, order accuracy and loyalty programs. Most POS systems handle these but all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Understanding the problems you have will lead to understanding the solution that best fits your business.

POS solutions are a big investment. Don’t buy a POS simply because you assume you need one because everyone else uses one. For a very, very, long time, electronic cash registers have provided safe, reliable solutions.

Am I crazy suggesting people buy a simple cash register? Considering I sell POS solutions, maybe. At the end of the day though, selling a solution to someone who does not have a problem is bad for everyone involved. Before you buy, think about the solutions you need. Whether this is POS or dish soap ask yourself, “What problem does this solve?”