SpotOn Restaurant POS has a ton of great features. One of the best features in its software package? The SpotOn POS Handheld. This device is slim, fast, light, and easy to use for staff. More restaurants are continuing to have handhelds as a ‘must’ for their point of sale configuration. Why is SpotOn’s so great? Let’s take a look under the hood at how this handheld helps restaurants streamline operations.

Light Handheld Hardware

SpotOn’s handheld is packed into a lightweight, slim device that can easily be held in the palm of your hand. Each device has about 8 hours of battery life. The screen can be dimmed to dark mode for any intimate or bar environments. Plus, each device has built-in LTE capability. Afraid of the wifi going out and disrupting service? Don’t worry about it. The device will automatically kick on to cellular service and won’t disrupt operations.

Cloud Programming

SpotOn’s cloud-based programming lets all menus run on the same platform. A change made at the front-of-house will automatically translate over to the handheld. Programming is done in real-time without the need for a refresh. This is a big win for legacy POS users that have to disrupt service in order to update their menus.

Payment Technology

SpotOn’s handhelds are able to take modern forms of payment. There is a tap area for customers that choose to tap to pay with newer credit cards. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay are all capable of being accepted on SpotOn’s handheld. There is an EMV chip card reader built into the device as well.

Speaking of EMV, why is it important to take EMV payments on a handheld device? The answer: reducing chargebacks. Chargebacks are payment disputes placed by a customer to their credit card provider. Restaurants not using EMV are liable for paying a chargeback. EMV is a way to shift liability back to the credit card companies and the customer.

Utilizing a SpotOn handheld 1. gives the restaurant EMV technology and 2. allows restaurant customers to never let their credit card leave their hand. Part of EMV compliance is to protect customers as much as possible. Part of this protection is to not let the customers’ credit card leave their possession at any time. Accepting tableside payments and giving customers the opportunity to physically perform the transaction on their own helps provide more EMV protection to the restaurant.

How is this beneficial? A lot of restaurants have great customers. Others, like busy college bars, may not. Busy bars can have a higher rate of customers with fuzzy memories. This can create a higher rate of chargebacks for bar concepts.

Let’s say you’re a restaurant that, unfortunately, has $100.00 in chargebacks per week and not using EMV or handhelds. That could mean $5,200.00 in lost payment disputes and potentially 52 hours dealing with the credit card processor per year. Using SpotOn handhelds and using modern payment methods can reduce chargeback liability and time spent disputing the chareback claim.

Decentralized Operations

Ever worked in a restaurant with a large floor plan? Walking back and forth from table to point of sale to kitchen and back can be daunting. A SpotOn POS handheld can easily speed up operations be reducing trips to centralized locations. This concept is called ‘decentralized operations’. Now, servers can skip the step of walking back and forth to stationary POS terminals.

What if your servers spent less time at POS terminals and more time upselling customers?

Take for instance if five servers were able to upsell 10 more $5.00 beers each day with handhelds.

5 Servers X 10 More Beer Sold Each X $5.00 = $250.00 per Day = $91,250.00 in More Revenue per Year.

What if this is a high estimate? What if the number is close to only 10% of the estimate? That would still mean more than $9,125.00 in higher revenue on an annual basis.

Faster Manager Action Taking

Restaurant managers’ jobs are busy enough. A main goal of a point of sale system should be to reduce the amount of time it takes to perform tasks for them. SpotOn’s handhelds allows managers to take action faster. Reduce trips to POS terminals to take action on voids, comps and discounts and simply approve them through a handheld device. Faster actions by a manager can create a better experience for staff and customers alike.

Better Order Accuracy

Have you ever had a server memorize your order? Has it always been accurate? Potentially, yes; likely, no. Order accuracy has been shown to increase when servers take orders on a handheld at the table. Staff no longer have a need to memorize orders, scratch it onto a messy notepad, or accidentally input the wrong order into a POS terminal. SpotOn’s handhelds can reduce mistakes by increasing order accuracy.

Assume your restaurant has $50.00 worth of food order mistakes per day. Let’s say utilizing a SpotOn handheld reduces food mistakes by 75%. Originally, those $50.00 order mistakes would equate to $18,250.00. Now, with SpotOn handhelds, better order accuracy rates can recoup $13,687.50 per year.

Quicker Table Turns

With SpotOn handhelds, staff can now take orders and payments at the table. Less time running back and forth to a table can mean faster service. A faster service rate, even by a few minutes, can mean a higher table turnover rate. More table turnover equates to more guests served and, ultimately, higher sales totals.

Imagine your restaurant averages $100.00 per table per night. What if you speed up service and add one more table per hour over four peak hours three days per week?

1 Table X $100.00 X 4 Peak Hours = $400.00 X 3 Days per Week = $1,200.00 per Week = $62,400.00 in More Revenue per Year.

It’s time for your restaurant to say hello to SpotOn’s handhelds. Want to get SpotOn for your restaurant? Contact POS Philly today for your free consultation. Our team will help you determine how many handhelds are optimal for your restaurant’s operations.