POS DEVICE MANAGEMENT
Managing point of sale solutions is complex because of the vast array of options available. Are you using standalone units? Or how about iPad-based systems? Are you mobile-first and rely on mPOS? Or maybe you have a combination of all these. With Esper, you can mix and match, and then manage them from anywhere.
POS systems for business use cases
The good news: Point of Sale (POS) systems, both traditional and Mobile Point of Sale (mPOS), are guaranteed to help you streamline the checkout process. With a wide range of form factors available from tablets to full units, the odds are high that you can find a solution for your needs.
The bad news: There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The variety available can be just as overwhelming as it is freeing. You’ll need to assess the hardware requirements, software features, and integration capabilities of each. Plus, you’ll need to pay extra attention to security as you’re dealing with sensitive payment information. And, unless you love chaos and bleeding money, you’re looking for a long-term investment, something built to last but flexible enough to iterate with you. These things don’t grow on trees.
Unfortunately, this is not a magic show where we pull your perfect POS out of a hat. But we can give you a little guidance to make it easier. Read on, and you’ll be collecting people’s money in no time!
mPOS can be a smartphone, a tablet, or a standalone unit based on a smartphone form factor. Any of these are more compact than a big, bulky POS system.
Going to trade shows where you plan on selling goods? Take your mPOS. Want to set up shop on the sidewalk because it’s a nice day? Your mPOS has your back. Decide to close up your restaurant and buy a food truck instead? You won’t need to change your POS system.
You can use your smartphone, right? Then you can use an mPOS. In many cases, it’s just an app that runs on the device (though dedicated mPOS devices also exist!), so it’s intuitive. Plus, you won’t have to manage it yourself since the mPOS service provider will almost certainly have robust support options.
mPOS is more secure than a traditional POS system because it’s completely cloud-based. That means none of the data — credit card or customer information, for example — is stored locally. For a deeper look at mPOS security, check out this whitepaper.
No need to manually generate revenue reports, manage bank accounts, or the like. It’s all seamless and simple with an mPOS system.
At this point, customers are very used to mPOS systems and many likely prefer it overall. With many mPOS systems, the customer’s email address and phone number are attached to their credit card, which makes digital receipts, returns, and customer history dead simple.
Have you ever dropped an old-school POS and broken it? Probably not, because it’s largely stationary. An mPOS though? Drops happen. Better get a ruggedized case.
What happens when you break that high-dollar mPOS tablet? You have to replace it. That can be costly depending on which model you’re using. While traditional POS systems are more expensive, they’re also far less likely to get damaged, making replacement cost more of a consideration for an mPOS system.
There are plenty of old-school POS systems still in use today, but mPOS systems won’t have the same lifecycle. They’re not designed to stay in service indefinitely and have limited support lifetimes, so they’ll have to be replaced regularly for cybersecurity purposes.
Time to shop! Let’s be smart about this. You don’t go to the grocery store hungry, so don’t buy a POS system without reading this list of considerations. Our biggest advice: overthink it, this is important.
Build or buy?
Should you buy an all-in-one POS system or build your own? Buying is generally simpler, easier to scale, and more economical, but building gives you the full control to create and upgrade your POS the way you want. Are you loving what they’re selling, or do you want it your way? A true pickle.
Durability
POS systems are really put through the grind, and they don’t get a long bath and glass of wine at the end of the day. For your sanity, and your bank account, buy something reliable.
Security
From customer details to payment card numbers, POS systems are a hacker’s gold mine. Make sure your POS system properly complies with industry standards like PCI DSS to keep their shenanigans at bay.
Integration capabilities
Your POS needs to be a team player. Make sure it’s compatible with other essential tools like peripherals, especially printers, and software like inventory management or accounting systems. Group projects don’t have to be miserable.
Ease of use
POS is the sun the retail experience revolves around. Make it complicated and employee onboarding is longer, transactions are slower, and errors abound. Yuck.
Budget
Expand your thinking beyond price per unit. Factor in routine maintenance, troubleshooting, and other lifetime costs to determine the actual cost of what you’re buying. Otherwise, you’re in for some not so fun surprises.
NEXT STEPS
Our hardware experts make finding the right hardware easy! Esper has guided thousands of customers to develop efficient, scalable device fleets that meet their needs. With our robust partner catalog and vast hardware support we can always find a solution.
Managing my pos
An MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution is a critical tool for enhancing both the security and efficiency of your POS system. There’s a big wide world of MDMs out there for you to choose from, so it’s easy to get it wrong. Here are some key considerations to avoid common pitfalls:
With Esper, device management is as efficient as it gets. Automated and user-friendly, the perfection here is our robust, flexible infrastructure that lets you command your fleet from anywhere, reduce your OpEx, and scale your POS fleet with ease. Esper can really take you places if you let it. And you should let it.
Streamlined device grouping
Manage all your POS systems in a single place. One POS, groups of POS systems, or all of them.
Update at will
Test updates on a single POS, then stage rollouts to groups based on custom rules.
Enhanced visibility
Monitor POS vitals like status, health, and usage at a glance. Set custom alerts for automated monitoring.
Extended hardware life
Deliver engaging, modern Android experiences on your existing hardware — even if it’s x86.
Secure POS deployments
Esper is validated by PCI DSS and certified from ISO27001 to SOC-II, ensuring your revenue-critical devices operate safely.
Real-life examples of how Esper’s innovative solutions drive value across diverse industries
Hardware support takes new retail program to market in 10 weeks
Esper partnered with a leading POS solution provider to support Parker’s in quickly rolling out their updated loyalty program. Their new hardware all came preloaded with Esper’s custom operating system, Esper Foundation, making implementation a fast, and essentially touchless process.
Esper is an indispensable tool for managing our devices. It allows us to effectively manage our devices both individually and as a cohesive unit. When deciding on hardware for our fleet, our first priority is ensuring it’s compatible with the Esper platform.
To support better customer and employee experiences across our POS, tablets, and other devices, we needed a solution that worked for our next generation enterprise Android apps. Esper is a true partner. Working with them allows us to move fast, save money, and now we can make strategic decisions about what hardware to use.
POS stands for Point of Sale and is designed as a terminal to accept payments from customers for goods and services. POS systems range from full desktop computers to fully mobile POS terminals, called mPOS.
POS systems can run a variety of software, including Android, iOS/iPadOS, Windows, and Linux. POS management software is used to configure, deploy, and update POS systems. This is usually part of a mobile device management solution.
MDM — mobile device management — for POS systems includes the software used to manage, configure, remotely access, and update POS systems.
Any industry that accepts any form of payment relies on POS systems, including retail, restaurants, hospitality, and many more.
