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Despite the growing trend of e-commerce, more than 50% of museum and park visitors still buy tickets at the door. This presents a valuable opportunity to elevate the visitor experience by introducing efficient POS software right at the moment visitors arrive. By doing so, you can streamline the process and enhance visitor satisfaction.
1. Seamless Integration With Your Online Ticketing.
Perhaps most important, your POS software should integrate with your online ticketing. This ensures ticket sales are automatically subtracted from the total capacity, which prevents overbooking and mitigates the risk of disappointing visitors. You avoid letting in more visitors than you can handle, which means no overcrowding and a better visitor experience. Not forgetting that choosing a partner capable of handling both online and offline ticketing ensures you have a single point of contact for all your ticketing inquiries. This saves you from the hassle of being caught in the middle of communication between multiple parties.
2. Easy to Use.
The best POS software is easy to use from day one, making sure you can quickly process orders and guaranteeing you a higher turnover. This is particularly important for the leisure sector which tends to employ a lot of seasonal or part-time staff and needs to train new recruits to a high standard, at short notice. Interfaces that are intuitive, easy to adapt, and explain to others mean shorter queues, happier employees, and a superior customer experience.
3. Ability to Customize.
Every museum or park is different, so you should be able to design and customize your cash register software to suit your preferences. That includes adapting the images, products, pricing, inventory, and whatever else makes it feel like yours. Moreover, the ability to modify the interface should not be restricted to individual museums or parks but should extend to each Point of Sale. That means you can cater to the specific needs of different areas in your business, whether it's the box office, the museum shop, or the restaurant.
4. Flexible Set-Up.
A good POS software should be hardware agnostic, which means it can be installed on any device. Whether you prefer handheld devices, robust cash registers, or even smartphones, the choice is yours. This allows you to create your own optimal setup for seamless entrance management. For optimum use business-wide, choose software that’s compatible with multiple operating systems like Android, iOS, and Windows.
This flexibility proves especially valuable when you need to scale up rapidly during peak hours. Equipping your team with mobile devices to swiftly process ticket sales at the entrance ensures a smooth flow of visitors, even during unexpectedly busy periods. Additionally, it's worth checking if your POS partner offers the convenience of easily installing scanning software on smartphones too.
5. Choose Your Own Hardware.
The ability to build your own hardware stack is a huge plus when it comes to cash register software. You don't want to be stuck with one hardware partner, which might force you to invest in new terminals and printers if you decide to switch things up as your business grows. The best route is to find software where you can use your existing hardware and still enjoy all the benefits. However, if you're looking to upgrade or add more hardware, you should have that option too.
6. Always Ahead of the Curve.
Time and technology don’t stand still, so it’s wise to choose POS software that is constantly updated to meet your industry's changing needs and the preferences of your visitors. As you know, every vendor will tell you that they are the leading innovator out there. The best POS partners will ask you for your input and take on board any recommendations for future product developments. For example, acting on customer feedback we recently added a customer-facing display in our POS that immediately presents the visitor with a QR code to enter the museum or the receipt when they purchase a drink or snack. The result? Reduced paper use and reduced impact on the environment - all while providing a great visitor experience.
7. Real-Time Reporting and Analytics.
Naturally, you want to keep track of your performance. Opt for software that gives you real-time, accurate insights into sales, revenue, transaction volume, inventory levels, and customer behavior all collected in a centralized dashboard. These powerful analytics improve decision-making, give you a better understanding of how to serve your visitors, and help you develop a strategy to boost sales and improve operations.
8. Connect With Relevant Partners.
As you can probably tell, we’re big fans of integrated services. Choosing a POS that connects with other important partners, such as payment providers (e.g. Zettle) and gift and loyalty card recognition services such as Museumkaart, CJP, and Vriendenloterij VIP-kaart enables you to offer more options to your customers and improve their overall experience.
9. Visitors Are in Control.
Preferably you choose POS software that also includes the possibility of a self-service kiosk, which lets visitors buy their own tickets. This takes the pressure off your staff, increases efficiency, and reduces waiting times. In addition, the new generation of visitors like Gen Z and Millennials also prioritize quicker queuing experience over personal contact, leaving them with a better experience. Finally, the self-service kiosk also provides the opportunity to boost upsells by putting on pop-ups of exclusive exhibitions or tours.
10. Stability is Key.
Finally, good POS software is scalable and adaptable, and processes orders super quickly. This means you can handle high transaction volumes during peak seasons such as school holidays and big-ticket events where your revenue potential is often highest. This is essential if you want your business to grow and evolve and keep your visitors coming back for more.
Introducing… your ideal POS software
If that sounds like a lot to expect from your POS software, then you’re in for a nice surprise. CM.com does all this and much more.
Our solution has been created and updated based on industry requirements, as advised by businesses like yours. It’s efficient and easy to use, with a modern interface that helps you achieve a higher turnover rate. It’s flexible and intuitive so your team can provide a quicker, slicker service and feel confident using it right away.
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