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Main Functions and Features Of Point Of Sale (POS) System In Hotels

Functions Of Point Of Sale System In Hotels

Introduction: what is a point of sale system in a hotel?

A point of sale (POS) system is an integrated configuration of hardware and software that connects front-of-the-house operations to the back-of-the-house accounting functions.

Typical front-of-the-house equipment includes computer terminals set up to function as smart cash registers that can be programmed to help control and account for sales, timing, and inventory, while increasing efficiency.

Often, these computer terminals are set up to include one or more cash drawers, bar code scanners, receipt printers (including remote location printers), touch-screen monitors, credit card readers, and pole displays.

Implementing a Point of Sale - POS system in your hotel:

A POS system is a must for any hotel or resort that wants to keep track of their inventory and sales. For example, a hotel has the simple task of recording the number of rooms sold, the amount of revenue, and profit.

In order to make the task easier, a POS system will allow the hotelier to enter the sales data by simply scanning a bar code that is on each item of inventory. The bar code shows every item that was sold, and how much it sold for.

A POS system can help a hotelier to keep track of the inventory in their hotel. In addition, a POS system will allow the hotelier to see how much money they made or lost during a specific period of time.

Point of sale systems for hotels - Functions

1. Receiving payments / cash collection

Receiving payments is an important function of the POS system. It is performed by a central system that receives the data from all payment terminals and sends it to the bank account. In addition to receiving payments, the POS system also receives credit card data and the merchant's bank account information.

It is possible to print cash receipts for customers and optionally provide a receipt printer that prints out receipts for purchases. The POS system can be connected to the printers via a USB port.

2. Managing inventory

Inventory management is one of the main functions of the POS system. The POS software has a powerful inventory control feature that allows the operator to input and update certain content in the database. The POS system also keeps track of product information such as type, color, size and price.

3. Sales reporting

A POS system stores sales data in a database, and uses this information to generate reports on sales performance. Sales forecasting POS systems can also be used to forecast future sales performance.

4. Customer service

With all the transactions possible for a business, having access to customer information is vital. The POS system facilitates this by storing and tracking customer information. This includes names, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses, credit card information and billing details.

5. Employee Management

POS systems allow for the management of employees and their pay. Employees can be entered into a system so that they are easily tracked from time to time. This allows employers to keep an eye on how much an employee is working, and how much they are being paid.

6. Guest registration Inventory management

This is the main function of the POS system. It manages inventory and provides information about products in stock. Inventory data includes price, quantity, and product name. The POS system also keeps the inventory on hand, which is called "pending orders", up to date.

How to choose the right Point of Sale - POS system for your hotel 

1. Is your POS system compatible with the current device platform?

2. Does your POS system support multi-currency and multi-language?

3. What is the maximum size of the data volume you can handle?

4. What security features does your POS system offer? How easy it is to use?

Conclusion: A POS system enables you to provide guests with the best service, increase sales and make your hotel more profitable. Your customer base will grow and so will your profits. 


 
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Augustine

Authored and managed by Augustine, a hotelier with over 20 years of experience in the industry. He has a 3-year diploma with 'honors' from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute and a Bachelor of Computer Application - BCA Degree.