With mobile technology on the rise, restaurant owners and managers are starting to take a harder look at the benefits of installing state-of-the-art, tableside mobile POS systems that do more than just allow the customer to pay. In fact, 23 percent of restaurateurs who have not installed mobile POS systems within the past three years indicated that they plan to do so within the next 12 months, according to a report by Touch Bistro, an iPad POS provider.
Restauranteurs considering transitioning to a tableside mobile POS system should also use this time to take a deeper look at their payment acceptance portfolio and strategy. As noted by ShopKeer, when it comes to payment acceptance, data showed that a greater variety of accepted card brands translated into more business.
“If you’re going to make the move towards a tableside mobile POS system, it’s a perfect time to also assess the cards you accept to see where there could be gaps that could cause a customer to be inconvenienced when paying because you don’t take their preferred form of payment,” said Pete Illian, Vice President of Discover Global Network. “Solving for those customer pain points during the transition can help keep quality of experience high for the customer, and potentially drive greater loyalty through repeat business. It’s as simple as connecting with your acquirer to ensure you’re providing customers as many options as possible, and then making those options visible to them during the checkout process.”
With a well-formed strategy, the benefits of so-called “Tableside POS” improves almost every aspect of the dining-out experience—from ordering to checkout. Here’s four examples of the value mobile POS systems can bring to restaurant owners.
Better Customer Experience
With hand-held devices that allow servers to take orders tableside, restaurateurs get rid of the need for a server to run to a kiosk or the kitchen to place or amend an order. The result? Fewer errors and more time spent engaging with customers. Portable POS devices also provide customers with a visual menu, showcasing complex entrees and mouth-watering desserts.
Ability to Upsell
In addition to visuals, which servers can use to steer diners to plates they might not have considered, mobile POS systems can prompt servers to suggest add-ons such as a $1 side of guacamole or an espresso when dessert is being ordered.
More Efficient Order-Taking
Remember the drinks that didn’t arrive until halfway through the meal? With mobile POS systems, that scenario could be a thing of the past—servers can send orders directly from the table to the kitchen while simultaneously taking the order for the rest of the meal.
More Efficient Checkout
Mobile POS systems allow for faster, tableside bill paying, negating the need for the server to return to a central kiosk to rectify a bill, then return again to input his or her tip. What’s more, these systems often include enhanced acceptance options, such as tap-and-pay transactions for mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay, and more-secure chip cards, as well. Customers can choose how they want to pay and can finish paying more quickly than without the mobile POS system. The restaurateur benefits, as well, since this scenario means they could turn the tables faster.
“As restaurant marketing makes a digital transformation, much of the focus has been on location-based services, loyalty programs, data gathering, and ease of payment all relating to the new and improved customer experience,” said Kathy Doyle, EVP and Publisher, Networld Media Group, which publishes mobilepaymentstoday.com. “This is especially true when reaching Millennials and focusing on that customer segment toward driving growth.”
To begin accepting Discover Global Network cards, simply contact your current acquirer, or find one from our list by visiting DiscoverNetwork.com. To let customers know that you accept their preferred method of payment, simply log into the Discover Global Network Signage Portal and get free signage, from window decals to website/app acceptance marks, to point-of-sale terminal signage. To test your terminal to ensure Discover Global Network card acceptance, please visit the Test Your Terminal page on DiscoverNetwork.com.
