Retail solutions POS - self service

Point of Sale (POS) has come along way from its humble roots in the 1870s to the current laser scanning and self scan services that are available today. However, one thing is for sure, as POS technology increases and retailers reduce the number of POS staff, self-service touch screen interfaces can offer retailers a cost-effective alternative.

With self-service on the rise, the question for retailers is how they can best utilise and embrace the technology, and how to do so in order to positively impact customer service.

Some retailers have taken this a step further, and now whole shops run without a single check-out operative. The idea between this small Tesco store is to increase efficiency and speed up the shopping process.

Advantages of POS self-service

As with the majority of retailers, the more space there is to sell products the more profit can be had. One of the advantages of the current self-service check-outs in comparison to its primeval predecessor is its size.

And smaller footprints are a godsend for space-restricted retailers trying to pinch every ounce of space for the shop floor. Indeed, retailers such as convenience stores, drug stores, specialty shops and department stores can now benefit from space-saving versions of self-checkout.

After the initial outlay, the cost of operation is significantly cheaper which could lead to cheaper prices for the consumer (assuming the retailer feels so inclined). Also using self-service POS increases personnel reliability, in the sense that retailers needn't concern themselves with staffing schedules etc.

Disadvantages of POS self service

There are clearly strong advantages to having a self-service POS, but likewise, there are numerous disadvantages.

Whilst reducing staffing levels can likely increase profits for a retailer, the knock-on effect of this means less job availability, and essentially a squeeze in the job market on check-out operative employment. Similarly, the loss of human POS staff means customers are denied human contact. This can be as simple as a customer wishes to be greeted and exchanging conversation or more complicated if the customer is keen to argue over a misleading offer. On the flip-side, check-out operators can easily point customers to an item they may have forgotten during their shop, or advise them that an item is bruised or broken etc.

Similarly, some customers may struggle with technology and to avoid embarrassment may avoid self-service stores altogether.

Related articles:

Harnessing the power of cross-channel retail | Digital signage - A new solution with SaaS? | Is digital signage the face of the future? | Consumers connect with touch screen digital signage

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