CHICAGO — Most dry cleaners have a point of sale (POS) system already in their store — but are they using it to its fullest advantage? Once a tool used to simply keep track of the goods being cleaned, modern POS systems can now help cleaners keep track of their entire company.
POS developers believe that a properly deployed and utilized system can give business owners insights about their customers that previous generations only dreamed of learning. This data can not only allow cleaners to serve their clients better, they say, but also enables them to build loyalty and keep them coming back.
The POS Evolution
“From the day-to-day aspect of running things, a modern POS means there’s going to be an increased amount of efficiency, accuracy and profitability for the drycleaning operator,” says Tom Beidle, CEO of SPOT by Xplor.
“The system has evolved from managing parts of the business to managing the entire business,” he says, “from employee productivity to route optimization to customer interaction.”
“A POS system is like oxygen to the brain,” says Ali Khan, president of Dajisoft. “It tracks your customers. It tracks their habits, their spending and other information. The POS system gives you a chance to customize your services and cater them to a particular group of customers who bring in more business because of the services you provide. All this is possible with the data you collect.”
It can also help business owners make smart decisions, notes Rohan Bedi, head of sales and business development at CleanCloud.
“You can see within your business what services have been good and it can point you to invest properly,” he says, “so you don’t need to buy, for example, unnecessary machinery, which is a huge capital saving potentially.”
Customers value dry cleaners who make their lives easier, and developers believe that a modern POS system can help them do just that.
“A drycleaning POS is specifically tailored to help run each unique store at maximum efficiency,” says Cleaner Business Systems Sales Executive Jared Epstein. “A versatile POS will provide the most value by making quick work of tagging and invoicing, creating a simple trail to follow every piece through the process. It can also hold cards on file to make a customer’s journey quick. As a result, your staff has more time to focus on assembly.”
But, while efficiency is necessary, today’s customers also want to be treated as individuals — and this is an area where POS designers say their systems can help a dry cleaner shine.
“A POS system keeps track of each customer’s preference during the intake process at the counter or online,” says Ee Sef Lee, director of sales for UP Solution. “For example, business owners can look up information such as the preferred starch level, creases and other detailed information for customers that are already in the system. Also, the POS can identify both active and inactive customers to target special promotions or discounts to ensure customers come back for repeat business.”
Come back Thursday for Part 2 of this series, where we’ll dive deeper into the ways a POS system can allow a cleaner to give each customer the personal treatment they deserve.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].