Cloud POS: Why Has it Taken so Long to Get Here?
To start with, existing POS technologies have been around a long time, and have a lot of depth and functionality. They’ve been developed over decades, and resellers know how to manage them.
Unfortunately, you can’t simply switch a traditional POS right over to the cloud instantly. It requires rewriting the application and that’s expensive, labor intensive and has a long completion timetable.
The Technology and Price Tipping Point
POS providers can finally deliver a cloud POS cost-effectively because we can realistically develop a new application using cloud-based architecture in considerably less time and for less cost than before.
We have finally reached the tipping point where it is economically advantageous for POS companies to develop a cloud POS that offers a price point comparable to, or below, that of client-server solutions.
The Tipping Point in Attitudes toward Cloud
Not that long ago, people didn’t really understand, much less accept, cloud. Now, people hear ‘if you’re not in a cloud environment, you’re falling behind’. . . There is general acceptance of, and preference for, cloud-based applications.
The Tipping Point in Attitudes toward Rent-versus-Buy
Along with the acceptance of cloud came the acceptance of an “As-a-Service” payment model. You probably now rent your software, paying for access to it as a service. Consider Office 365, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Spotify.
In the restaurant space, many businesses used to be fine with dropping $30K upfront on equipment and installation, but with shrinking margins and rising operating costs, that number is dangerous on a number of fronts.
But with an ‘As-a-Service’ / rental model,’ you eliminate that risk almost entirely. Monthly payments mean you rent the software and the hardware instead of owning it.
Renting your POS results has several advantages:
1. No huge payment upfront. Without having to worry about a super-sized dip in cash flow, you can take installation of a new system in stride.
2. Predictable expenditures. You pay a fixed price each month that includes everything from hardware to software to service.
3. Global leverage. By renting your POS from a trusted, established provider, you harness their scale, expertise, technology, and service/support.
4. Eliminating capital expenditure. You can rent everything in this model, including the hardware.
So what’s the tipping point for you?
That’s a lot of tipping points, and it took time to reach each one. You can see that a lot of things have converged, in our time, to make a cloud POS solution not only appealing, but the superior choice for most restaurant businesses. That’s why you need Heartland Restaurant.
Heartland Restaurant’s cloud back-office allows you to access your sales anytime, anywhere on your phone, tablet, or laptop. No additional server hardware needed, meaning less money out of your pocket and more money back into your restaurant. Contact us today for a free consultation to see how your restaurant can benefit from our solution.
