Did you know that in the U.S., the point of sales development industry brings in about $1 billion in revenue every year? Point of sales refers to payment systems that retailers and restaurants use to process payments using credit cards, debit cards, cash, etc.

In recent years, POS systems have gone mobile. Mobile point of sales employs iPads, tablets and other mobile devices to expedite transactions. These devices can be connected to a network, and allow customers to pay on the go, while they are shopping, or right at their dinner table.

Here are some of the other benefits of mobile point of sales systems for restaurants and retailers.

• Efficiency. In any restaurant, there are dozens of patrons that come in and out of the eatery on a regular basis. Typically, they order their food, ask for the bill, pay the bill, wait for the waiter or waitress to bring the receipt, and then leave a tip. But what if this could be taken care of with an iPad POS system for restaurants? Patrons could finish their meal, pay for the bill right at their seat, and have the receipt texted to them, or sent via email. This increases efficiency, allowing restaurants to serve more customers.
• Cost-Effective. Most traditional POS devices are bulky, require several wires, and incur costly installation fees. In addition, upgrades to the system can also be pricey. But once a mobile POS system is installed, there is a minimal fee for the installation, and as long as the network is connected to the internet, updates to the software can happen instantaneously for no additional cost.
• User-Friendly. If companies use iPads or mobile devices, payment can be as easy as clicking on an app. Credit card and debit card swipe machines often misread the card, or prompt customers to swipe several times. Because they are usually connected through a telephone wire, the machine’s ability to process the payment can take several minutes. With an iPad or mobile device, the payment goes through almost automatically with a few taps on the screen, and minimal input of information.

The benefits of this type of system speak for themselves. So, if your establishment isn’t using mobile POS, it’s about time you switch over.