The benefits of EPOS systems with integrated payments

Consumer expectations have never been as high as they are today, and with so much competition for their attention, the smallest issue can be the difference between keeping and losing customers to the business around the corner.

An EPOS system (electronic point of sale) with integrated payments could have a positive impact on the smooth running and profitability of your business, and here we’ll look at six reasons why.

1. Speed up the payment process

Even a nation of queuers like us Brits has its limits when it comes to queuing up to pay, in fact, the exact time it takes the average consumer to give up and walk away has been shown to be six minutes and 46 seconds - surprisingly short. 

It’s not just shoppers who get frustrated by a slow payment process, but staff too - it’s pretty stressful watching a line getting longer and longer while working hard to clear the backlog. 

EPOS systems with integrated payments means the till systems speaks directly to the EPOS, so there's no manual typing involved. This helps facilitate faster payments, preserving customer satisfaction, and helping prevent businesses from losing a customer to a competitor. With an integrated system, you could shorten waiting times and serve more customers in a shorter space of time.

2. Eliminate human error 

When connecting your card machine to your POS (point of sale), it cuts out the need to manually input transaction amounts. So no manual typing necessary, your system speaks to the card machine.

We all know how it feels to be rushed off your feet, and it’s in these times that mistakes are inevitably made - we’re all human after all, but actually charging the customer incorrectly could do some serious damage to your reputation and make you look pretty darn unprofessional to boot.

Connecting your payments systems also means you avoid duplicate payments and chargebacks while simultaneously protecting your business from accidental underpayments - it’s a win-win situation.

3. Reduce the opportunity for staff theft 

We know it’s something no business owner ever wants to think about, but unfortunately, it’s a fact of life that some employees are capable of taking from the company pot.

The number of cases of employee theft reported in England and Wales in 2019 was a staggering 9,835, and sources suggest 48% of that is via manipulating the amount due on a card machine and discounting items for friends.

With integrated payments, you can protect against employee theft by removing the need for manual input. On top of that, you’ll also be able to set staff permissions, effectively giving you an audit trail should anything go awry.

4. They save you time

As a business owner, you’re no doubt familiar with the feeling you’re drowning in receipts, invoices, and reports. Let’s be honest, no one’s idea of a fun time is manually comparing card machine and point of sale reports at the end of a busy and exhausting shift. 

If you opt to integrate your payments technology, on the other hand, you cut out the need for duplicate accounting efforts which will either save you valuable time or save you money paying someone else to do it for you, either way, you come out better off. 

5. Reduce reporting inaccuracies

Erroneous reporting and the knock-on inaccuracies that occur as a result are one of the biggest issues faced by businesses.

Without integrated payments, your card machine’s end of day report will need to tally up with your point of sale system for the reports to be correct, but if an error’s been made on either of the systems it can result in an accounting nightmare.

The aim of the game for all business owners is to nurture a growing business, and with that comes the possibility of additional POS’ and readers - if they’re not integrated you could end up with quite the logistical nightmare at the end of the day. 

Integrate your payments into a cloud-based EPOS system (spoiler, like ours) and you’ll get full visibility of all reports, across all tills and readers, from the comfort of your own home if that’s where you’d rather look at them.  

6. They’re super secure

Protecting your customers’ data is absolutely critical to maintaining trust and credibility - it can make or break your reputation so should be top of your priority list.

Integrating payments using the EPOS Now system guarantees security at every stage of the transaction process by arming you with the tools you need to safely accept payments, fight fraud, and ultimately safeguard your business.

Integrate your payments with us

If you’re sold on the idea of integrating your payments with an EPOS system, then signing up for the EPOS Now system with takepayments comes with heaps of extra benefits, including:

• Personalised pricing - starting from £65 a month
• Quick and simple start-up - we provide remote one-to-one training
• There are no unnecessary costs - we don’t charge sign-up or exit fees
• We offer next day replacements - so you’re never left high and dry
• We provide unlimited support - whenever you need it.

Using the EPOS Now till system you’ll also be able to:

• See your real-time data online
• Create customised dashboards
• Collect customer data and build loyalty
• Look for trends to help develop future plans
• Monitor and amend stock levels
• Manage staff rotas, pay, and performance
• Have access to automated reports you can send straight to your accountant
• Card machine rental is included in our prices.

Sold? Reach out to one of our friendly experts today to get the ball rolling!

Bryony Pearce

Copywriter