London-based coffee shop upgrades from simple cash till to a modern sales and management tool
London-based coffee shop upgrades from simple cash till to a modern sales and management tool
London coffee shop, Venetia’s, has adopted the new Casio VX-100 Android electronic point-of-sale (EPoS) terminal from Casio Electronics.
Embracing digital technologies
Transactions were formerly processed by a standalone Sharp electronic cash register, which simply registered all customer bills after each order was completed. Aware that technology had progressed dramatically and that EPoS terminals were now affordable for small business, owner Venetia Strangwayes-Booth approached Casio and its software partner, AlfaRichi, to recommend a system that would not only gather transactional details withstanding the rigours of a hospitality environment, but also to garner valuable management information.
In April 2012 Venetia installed the first such hospitality system in the world to run on Google’s Android mobile software platform – the new Casio VX-100 Android EPoS terminal. It was recommended due to a combination of its rugged, large, splash-proof colour screen, simplicity and Android back-office platform to provide real-time remote connectivity and hospitality focused applications. Venetia was pleased that it was available to use, straight out of the box. No interface cables were required and it’s footprint on the busy counter is a compact 395x237 millimetres.
Strangwayes-Booth explained: “Because the AlfaRichi EPoS software running on the Casio VX-100 is cloud based, you can access your data from anywhere, in real time, but the till will still work even if there is no internet available in the shop. This was important to me as it provides me with the ability to understand where the business is at any time, even when I am not in the premises. Suddenly, also available to me on demand was a wealth of management capabilities that I simply couldn’t control before.”
Internet-enabled access advantages
With the ability to tap in remotely to all transactions, Venetia’s realised that there were major discrepancies between what was registered at the terminal and the takings for the day. The reporting power of the Casio VX-100 provided full transparency and an audit trail that its owner was then able to address. The new system also assisted the accurate compilation od staff rotas, ensuring that the staffing levels were appropriate with the transactions per hour allowing adequate staffing levels to best serve the needs of the customers.
And when it comes to restocking, the Casio VX-100 with AlfaRichi software also delivers accuracy on what has been consumed. Going forward, Strangwayes-Booth plans on using the VX-100 system for email and SMS marketing to existing and new customers.
She summarised her experience to date: “The Casio VX-100 with AlfaRichi software is probably the single biggest tool that any small retail business can have to accurately understand detailed transaction information; deter and stem any possible loss of takings by employees and to transfer the generated management information into valuable assets.”
Strangwayes-Booth said she plans to exploit the opportunities available through the launch of the new Casio Business Portal for online apps and services. “With more hospitality apps being delivered every day on the Android platform, the possibilities are endless – from customer loyalty schemes to CCTV usage. All in all, it’s been an incredibly positive experience,” she concluded.
