When you think of companies that are on the cutting edge of technology, you tend to think about corporate outfits that work in offices and provide important services. Perhaps you think of electronics manufacturers, and maybe big international organizations, but you probably don’t think of small commercial businesses like restaurants or shops. If you run a shop then all you need to do is to let people buy products they bring up to the till, and if you run a restaurant then you just need to cook… so what good could technology possibly do you?

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Well actually there is a role for technology in almost every type of business, no matter who you deal with on a daily basis or what the bulk of your work involves. By using technology you can streamline your workflow, you can reduce your overheads, and you can impress your staff, your guests and your potential business partners with new technology that looks the part and impresses with its function. Read on for some examples of tech that can benefit any small commercial company…

POS Systems

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A POS system is a ‘Point of Sale’ system, meaning that you use it to take cash and give change. Often this will be a till, but actually there are many more high-tech options you can use instead including top-end computers or even tablets. Using a tablet such as an iPad and placing it on a table where you can serve a customer looks much more high tech and modern, and also removes the barrier between you and your customer so that you are better able to talk and provide that personal touch. That’s why more and more companies are opting for iPads over tills.

POS Displays

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A POS display meanwhile is a display that goes at your tail. This is normally used to list special offers and to try and convince customers to add to their order – once they’re at the till they’ll have made the mental decision to buy and will have overcome the barriers to purchase that were previously prevented them so they’ll be more likely to throw in cheap extra items.

Again though, a great option for your POS display is to use a tablet such as an iPad which can list special offers or play silent advertisements. You can even use a tablet as a place to show a special menu in a restaurant and this way you can help to make the text much clearer and more legible while at the same time removing the need to manually rub out the items to add new ones and giving your business a more modern air once again.

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Self-checkout kiosks can make a huge difference in stores – improving the experience for customers while at the same time creating less work for your staff. With kiosks you allow your shoppers to serve themselves, and this in turn then means that you’ll be able to serve more people more quickly thus increasing your turnover and your profit.

A good kiosk should be simple and intuitive to use while at the same time having a security element to try and prevent customers from skipping payments entirely. Again there are many ways you can do this with an iPad which is a cheap and convenient option that many customers will already know how to interact with.

Security

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Every commercial business should have some security that they can use to keep their premises safe, and the more high tech the security you use the lower the chances of losing money or having an accident in your store/restaurant. For example, while you probably already have some CCTV installed, more high tech options would include IP CCTV which is wireless to allow for easier positioning and motion sensors to reduce the amount of footage you have to sift through the next day. Other installations that can be useful include smart alarms, digital locks and more – all of which can make a big difference to your business and represent great investments for your company.

Author Bio:

The author of this article is Shruti Vaghe. Shruti is a freelance blogger currently writing for Aireus, leading providers of Apple POS for restaurants. Shruti is an avid traveler and loves to travel with her family and friends. You can follow her on Twitter @ShrutiVaghe.