No matter what sort of business you operate, retail and restaurant alike, a POS system is one of the largest investments you will make. Choosing the correct system for your establishment is only half the battle. The other half is system upkeep and ensuring that your ROI is realized. The best way to do that is through the care and maintenance that you provide your POS hardware and software. Here are five tips for extending the life of your entire POS system:
1. Regular Cleanings
POS systems live in tough environments. Constantly handled and exposed to dust, dirt, grime, and grease, the machines can build up a layer of filth very quickly. These accumulations will eventually break down the components of your POS system. That’s why it is essential to examine your POS machines regularly and remove build up as soon as it’s noticed.
There are few simple things you can do to keep your equipment clean:
- Use a freshly-laundered towel or cloth that has been sprayed with ammonia-free glass cleaner to clean CRT touch screens.
- Never spray the cleaner directly on the screen.
- Printers need to be wiped down, inside and out, with a soft cloth.
- Fingerprints can be removed from finger sensors with just a piece of clear tape
2.Treat Equipment Properly
Your many staff members, seasoned and green alike, will be handling your expensive POS system. It is critical that each employee is trained on how to handle your POS equipment with care and respect. For example, employees can help preserve the life of touch screens by using finger tips, rather than pens. For POS systems that are not responding to touch, employees should know that it’s not permissible to ever strike repeatedly on the display out of frustration. Additionally, staff members with mobile POS units should take care to avoid spills and drops.
3. Practice Restarting Your Machine
Many business owners don’t realize that restarting their POS systems is the first step in troubleshooting POS system issues. Unfortunately, many owners keep their POS systems running 24/7 and don’t notice when their system begins to show signs of wear. It’s important to keep in mind that you don’t need to turn off your POS system every night and restart it, but it is critical to do so about once a month to rid the system of small glitches.
4. Consult the Professionals
Performing all of the tasks listed above is vital to ensuring your ROI, but nothing can replace the occasional care and attention of a professional. You should hire a trained technician to examine and perform maintenance on your POS system at least once a year. Some vendors or resellers offer a POS maintenance program. Enroll in it. Preventative maintenance can potentially keep more expensive fixes and replacements from happening.
Observing these five tips will help ensure that your POS system hardware and software don’t stop functioning prematurely. You will have to upgrade your POS system eventually, but you shouldn’t have to do so due to the early break down of your system.
