Proper Care and Maintenance of POS Equipment: Practical Considerations

One of the lesser-understood issues when it comes to the proper care of point of sale equipment is the need for a restaurant or other small business to supply POS systems with clean electrical power.  In fact, challenges related to a stable and steady electrical supply is the number one cause of problems with POS equipment.  This only stands to reason; since POS systems contain highly sensitive and sophisticated electronics, even small fluctuations in the supply of power can lead to adverse effects.

Such fluctuations can occur when other machines consuming electricity are located on the same circuit.  Items such as fax machines and copiers are obvious candidates to isolate from the circuit being used by the POS circuit, but other machines such as blenders and microwaves can also cause problems in the steady supply of electricity.Restaurant POS Point of Sale

Solutions

Most POS equipment repair technicians advise that POS systems should be installed on a dedicated circuit used only by the system itself.  This circuit should be supplied with an isolated ground wire.  Another alternative is to use power filtering.  This can help to eliminate “noise” in the circuit and level out spikes in power.  It is, however, considered less of a complete solution than moving the POS system to a dedicated circuit.

Businesses should discuss their power situation with the point of sale repair firm providing them regular service.  Only then can they feel assured that all proper safeguards have been put in place.

Wireless handheld point of sale units

When servers or other employees use handheld units instead of a centralized touchscreen, it can improve efficiencies and return on investment because workers are “on the floor” far more.  This enables them to interact more extensively with customers, which has the effect of both improving customer service – a key component helping to guarantee return business – and of giving them more opportunities to make sales.

Wireless POS terminals are, therefore, an excellent addition to POS systems, particularly in the restaurant trade.  They come with their own considerations, however.  Businesses with tile or concrete flooring will need to make sure they invest in the most rugged units possible, even though these tend to be more expensive.  Such an investment will minimize the need for POS equipment repair.  Restaurants that have carpeting, which provides a “soft landing” for dropped units, may be able to successfully use less rugged units.

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Point of Sale Systems