How a POS system can help you to get to know your customers

Now more than ever, customers want to build a rich and dynamic relationship with the online or physical stores where they shop. 

Personalization is proving to be the best way to craft the ultimate buying experience and to form the building blocks that turn one-time visitors into long-term, loyal brand ambassadors. 

As you look at the various ways to engineer these close relationships with buyers, it is vital that you view your point of sale system (POS) as one of your most effective tools.

Components of a point of sale system.

No doubt, you have already integrated a POS into your operations. But just in case you haven’t yet done so or have failed to take full advantage of its capabilities, it makes sense to review its parts.

The system is made up of hardware, including a tablet or keypad into which information can be entered by customers or by your staff. 

Additional equipment that usually comes with a POS includes barcode scanners for registering inventory, receipt printers, cash drawers, and card readers (usually allowing for conventional and contactless payments). 

Furthermore, the system requires software that acts as the “brains” of the POS, allowing it to not only accept payments but also integrate other features that streamline the other numerous processes involved in running a retail business.

Your POS and customer loyalty.

The system that enables you to offer a fast and secure payment experience is also equipped to facilitate the personalization that has become so important to today’s shoppers. 

The key, as with many of the POS’s features, lies within its database function. Once customers have granted their permission and provided you with important contact and personal details, you can easily store the information for later use. 

Then, by virtue of the POS’s reporting tools, you can incentivize your customers by means of programs that reward them for their continued patronage.

The concept of the loyalty program is not new. For decades, shops and restaurants have been keeping track of buyers’ purchases, at first using paper cards and now through digital means. 

Every time a product is bought or a service used, the system adds it to the person’s account. Once they have reached a set milestone, the reward is dispensed, usually in the form of free products or discounts. 

The most compelling aspect of loyalty programs is that they foster ongoing purchases and bring people closer to your brand. Often, people begin to feel like part of your success as their bond with you grows stronger.

Your POS and analysis of shopper profiles.

As we stated above, your barcode scanner makes it possible for you to record each piece of merchandise as soon as it comes into your warehouse. 

When it is purchased, the system can be configured to record who bought the item, automatically adding this information to that buyer’s unique profile.

With this data at your disposal, you can generate aggregated reports that show buying trends across customers and demographics. 

In addition to achieving big-picture macro information, you can also learn what items a particular person has been buying, making it possible for you to then send targeted emails and text messages, and, if desired, even to make personal phone calls that alert the individual to the promotions and sales you want to highlight.

It's more than an anonymous flyer or coupon book that goes to everyone. Thanks to your POS technology, each buyer can receive deals that are expertly curated just for them. 

This, like few other marketing techniques, shows customers that you have their special buying history, interests and priorities in mind and are willing to take the time and effort to contact them personally.

Your POS and your social media presence.

If you haven’t already entered the world of TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, or other similar platforms, you are missing out on incredible opportunities to expand your business and to get closer to your most valued customers. 

Launching, updating, and otherwise maintaining pages on the sites your customers frequently visit helps people feel connected to your brand and provides you with numerous opportunities for free or low-cost promotions, dialogues with clients and guests, and the ability to feature textual and video content that shows off your most compelling products and services.

Just how does your POS enter into the picture? It occurs through the capabilities of social media pages to link back to your store’s website, shopping cart, and payment gateway. 

In just a few clicks, a visitor can transition from viewing your post to buying one of the items you feature, all thanks to your POS technology that ensures you have the inventory in stock to fulfill their order, facilitates a secure payment, and records the purchase under the buyer’s name in your customer loyalty database. 

As a result, social media’s gift for attracting and engaging visitors can interplay with your store catalog to create profits for you in the present and the potential for a customer who remains increasingly loyal and connected to your brand with every passing year.

Gone are the days when customers simply came to a physical store or shopped online with the expectation of a simple, one-time transaction. 

Today’s shoppers demand personalization, curation, and a special relationship with the brands to whom they give their dollars. If you haven’t already upgraded your point of sale system, it’s time to have a conversation with your payment processing company.

The system you choose should, of course, be in compliance with the latest data protection measures, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and any other requirements governing your particular industry. 

Additionally, it should have the capacity to scale with your growing business and to integrate with any third-party technology you are already using. 

Finally, using it should be intuitive for you and your staff, and the vendor should provide you with comprehensive training modules and customer service from human representatives.

When you make it a point to build unique relationships with each of your customers, you can provide them with the customized buying experience that will set your business apart from your competitors. 

Technology in the form of your POS system makes this otherwise daunting task not only possible but easy. Don’t wait another day to use your point of sale solution to delight each of your valuable customers.