SANCO Systems

A cash register is literally the centre of a business. It is surprising; therefore, that it is very often an after thought in peoples plans. It isn't the most exciting or the most glamorous item but it is a necessity for the smooth running of your business.

So what kinds of issues should you be looking for in your quest for the perfect cash register? Are you opening up a shop or a restaurant? Are you looking to improve on your existing system? Is money a factor?

Of course, money's always a factor. But don't be disheartened as we offer low cost rental options just contact us. The world of the cash register is a puzzle to many but it isn't a complicated one. Allow us to guide you through the maze.

What do you need?

Cash registers fall broadly into two categories:

Hospitality

If you're running a restaurant or bar you need to be able keep track of tables and orders out front. You might want to be able to send orders straight to the kitchen from the cash register as well as combine bar and food bills.

Retail

By contrast, retail operates behind the scenes. You want fast and efficient service on the shop floor which will allow you to process customers quickly. Then the stock and general system control can be handled from the back.

Basic definitions

Leaving aside obvious ones like keyboard and till rolls, here are some of the other basic terms you might not be aware of:

Departments - programmable keys to allow distinction between products or departments eg: groceries, sweets and tobacco in a newsagent.
Electronic cash register (ECR) - this is the conventional cash register and while it can be programmed to keep track of and recognise departments in a shop, it isn't a computer.
Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) - EPOS cash registers are computers. They can be networked or standalone and they operate by recognising codes on the merchandise, which are sometimes barcodes.
Kitchen printing - allows orders to go straight from the cash register to the kitchen.
Point of Sale (POS) - simply the place where the sale is made.
Scanner - reads barcodes for automatic price entry on EPOS machines.

What can we offer you?

There are four basic routes you can take when looking into buying a cash register. Obviously it depends on what type of business you are running and how much money you have to spend.

1. Out of the box cash register

The mass route is through the very simple out of the box cash register. Basic in principal and functions, this is designed for low volume use.

2. Electronic cash register

Moving up the scale you have two basic types: the standalone electronic cash register (ECR) and a networked ECR. This isn't technically an EPOS machine but has entry level software to control stock.

In both of these cases, Sanco will be involved in programming, implementing and training you to use the systems. It may therefore be more expensive but you will get after sales care and support as well. But remember this expensive can be reduced by our low cost rental options contact us for further information.

3. Closed POS

You can then move up to a more sophisticated point of sale. A closed POS is still a cash register rather than a computer but it provides high level support with features such as a scanner and kitchen printer.

4. Open POS

At the top end of the scale is the open POS. This is a PC based register that will allow you a much greater control over the system. Restaurants, for example, can tailor it to break down exactly what ingredients are in each dish and re-order when stocks are running low.

Future proofing

One more thing that you should bear in mind when choosing a cash register, is future proofing. What I mean by this is think about what you will need as your business grows and bill this into your choice because even though you can upgrade this will involve a new learning process.

For more information or if you have any questions just contact us.