OrderOut, paired with Star Micronics CloudPRNT printers, helps Clover to provide seamless online ordering to their restaurant customers
Somerset, NJ – April 2, 2020 – Star Micronics, a leading manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies, is proud to announce that OrderOut is using the Star mC-Print3 to bring online ordering solutions to Clover POS restaurants. OrderOut works with third-party online ordering platforms and the restaurant point of sale (POS) to consolidate all platforms onto one device.
OrderOut provides direct integration into the Clover POS system, eliminating the need for separate tablets for each third-party online ordering system being used at the restaurant. When online orders are placed, OrderOut detects the order and instantly transfers it to the kitchen printer. The platform also automatically accepts orders based on your current menu and availability, and maps the restaurant menu from the POS and food delivery services directly into the OrderOut system.
Star Micronics mC-Print3 with CloudPRNT technology makes accepted and printing online orders easy for restaurants and food service operations. OrderOut and Star have teamed up to offer restaurants using Clover POS the full online ordering solution and delivery services, along with the Star printer for only $59 per month.
“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Star Micronics along with our integration into Clover,” says Zack Martin, CEO and Co-Founder of OrderOut. “Merchants, specifically restaurants, are getting an amazing solution that will streamline their third party food delivery operation. It’s amazing to partner with some of the most trusted names in the hospitality industry, and we look forward to enabling restaurants across the country to be more efficient and successful.”
We understand that this is a difficult time for businesses– especially those in the restaurant and hospitality industries, and are providing our services at a discounted rate to help your restaurant’s third-party food delivery operation. Click here to see if your restaurant qualifies.
The point of sale (POS) and payments industries are changing. About five or six years ago, a shift in the business occurred when the payments side of the business and the POS hardware and software side began to integrate. Because of this merge, it’s not enough to simply sell your core product anymore.The key to success today – and tomorrow – is selling a full solution to the customer. In today’s blog, we will explore the best way to sell merchant services and remain sticky with your customers in this time of innovation and blending.
Why the Change?
The change is happening for a good reason: for the customers! While it may seem like a tricky and ever-evolving shift, integrating payments and offering a full POS solution provides the best possible experience to the customer. Simplicity is key, so why should customers have to piecemeal their solution together when payments and POS providers all work with the same customers in the end anyways?
Offering POS Systems and Hardware is Crucial to Today’s Merchant Services
When it comes to selling merchant services, offering POS systems and associated hardware is a must. In the past, technology companies told the customers what to use. Today, that situation has completely flipped, and now the customers tell us what they want.
The Amazon effect, as it’s called, essentially means that consumers want what they want, and they want it now. This is a great opportunity for companies looking to “get a bigger slice of the pie” and claim more market share. By offering a complete, end-to-end solution, you can increase profits and offer your solution as a service model, ultimately increasing your bottom line over time and giving the customers the simple, all-in-one solution that they crave.
The POS Tech That Makes Waves
So, by now you might understand that you need to offer POS hardware in addition to payments services. But what POS tech will have the most impact on your business? Again, it’s good to focus on providing a full solution, including:
Printers
Cash drawers
Scanners
Tablet POS stands and enclosures
Customer displays
Consumables like paper, labels, and ribbon
By offering a full, robust POS stack, you relieve your customers of having to deal with different companies and you guessed it – you can easily add to your bottom line along the way.
Offering Industry-Specific Solutions
It should come as no surprise that different vertical markets require different POS hardware. The best way to sell merchant services is to cater to these unique needs instead of trying to sell a “one size fits all” solutions. Some industry-specific examples include:
Cannabis customers, such as dispensaries, require NTEP-certified scales which are legal for trade
Most retail customers require a barcode scanner/imager
Customers looking to take advantage of self-service kiosk applications require a kiosk printer to be mounted inside an enclosure
The Secret Sauce: Support and Value-Added Features
The icing on the cake of a bundled solution is of course top-notch support and value-added features. What does this look like when it comes to POS?
One example is to offer POS hardware that features an easy-to-integrate SDK (software development kit). A simple SDK can help ISVs utilize and support a complete line of products. It’s important to also offer hardware that is backed by an experienced integration team and readily available technical support staff.
On a value-added front, some POS hardware includes marketing tools that work out-of-the-box. For example, Star offers PromoPRNT, a receipt marketing tool which allows anyone using Star printers to create custom scheduled advertisements and promotions at no charge.
Value-adds can be more technical, too. Take for instance, Star’s SteadyLAN® technology which allows tablet POS users to not only charge but also communicate via Lightning- or USB-C®-to-Ethernet connection without the use of third-party peripherals.
The Future of POS and Payments
What does the future of POS and payments look like? We believe that more mobile solutions will emerge that encompass the entire solution with payment and printing in one device. Self-service checkouts with kiosks are another trend that’s sure to remain strong. We’ll also likely see more acquisitions/mergers from payments companies, and more companies will begin to offer total solutions or risk going out of business.
How Does Star Fit in to This Trend?
Star Micronics has been around for over 70 years and started in Japan manufacturing precision components. Today we are one of the leading manufacturers of POS solutions, offering the entire POS stack with our easy-to-integrate SDKs which allow ISVs the ability to deliver a predictable outcome every time and confidence that the solution is going to work for the customer.
Star’s approach is to remove the fear of the unknown by educating ISOs, resellers, and anyone interested in learning about POS. We have the resources available to help our partners gain confidence in offering the total solution.
Most importantly, we listen to our customers. We never try to fit a square peg in a round hole. We realize aesthetics and functionality are critical in today’s market. Merchants spend millions on furniture, displays, and retail designs, and we understand that the POS system should also look appealing. To make this happen, our engineers are always looking at the most recent trends and ways to improve our products both technically and aesthetically.
Becoming more than an MSP can help your ISO business. Download our free eBook, “3 Reasons why ISOs Must Become More than Merchant Service Providers” now to learn more.
You are already aware of the impact that coronavirus (COVID-19) is making on restaurants across the world. Unfortunately, this crisis has put a halt on practically all dine-in service, leaving restaurants dependent on alternative service options like delivery, takeout, and curbside pickup. While this is a difficult time, there are several ways for restaurants to keep business flowing. Read on to discover four survival tips for restaurants during COVID-19 – and beyond.
1. Set Up Food Delivery
Simply put, if you own a restaurant and you don’t already have a food delivery solution established, now is the time to get it set up – and set up fast.
Implementing third-party food delivery services such as DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats is the easiest way to accomplish this task in a timely and effective manner. These service providers not only feature thousands of couriers, but also millions of customers ready to order with a simple tap on their smartphone. As customers across the globe practice social distancing, they are turning to food delivery not only because dine-in establishments are off-limits, but to feed their families without the risk of leaving their home. Many third-party delivery providers are also offering promotions to mitigate restaurants’ financial burden during this difficult time, which can make setting up a new service a more feasible option for you right now.
Establishing a third-party delivery solution can be simple. With Star Micronics CloudPRNT, your restaurant’s printer can fetch orders directly from the third-party service, with no local tablet, software, or SSL certificate required. Simply prepare the orders as they are received and have a delivery driver already on the way.
Do you already have food delivery set up? It’s the perfect time to improve upon it. Now more than ever, restaurants need to think about how to optimize their operation for third-party food delivery. OrderOut provides a solution to do just that, by automatically detecting third-party orders, instantly transferring them to your POS and kitchen printer, and providing detailed delivery partner and food data in an easy-to-use, at-a-glance dashboard.
Free Resources During COVID-19 & Beyond
Now more than ever, safety is a priority in retail and hospitality environments. Star Micronics is proud to offer a line of solutions and resources for businesses during this challenging time, designed to keep consumers and employees safe, as well as mitigate business impact caused by COVID-19.
Delivery is not the only way to get food into your customer’s hands: takeout is another great option.
During COVID-19, many states and localities are mandating that restaurants do not have any in-person customers. However, there are still ways for customers to come pick up their meals from your restaurant – without making any physical contact.
One option for this is establishing a curbside pickup option. For curbside pickup, customers can place their orders online or over the phone, and when they arrive to your door they can remain in their vehicle as one of your staff members brings the food outside in a safe, hygienic manner. Restaurants during COVID-19 can take curbside pickup a step further by:
Allocating nearby parking spots for curbside pickup orders
Designating staff to watch for customer vehicles (and take down the vehicle’s make, model, and color during order-taking)
Encourage and communicate the option to pay over the phone to limit physical contact during pickup
If customers want to pay in-person, offer mobile payments to minimize trips back into the restaurant
Invest in high-quality insulated and ventilated takeout containers
Don’t forget to communicate your curbside pickup service to your customers via email, social media, and your website
3. Do the Math
Once you have signed up for third-party food delivery and established a curbside pickup plan, you need to start thinking about the economics of the situation, such as your margins and how many staff you need to make this all happen.
To bolster your margins, a good rule of thumb is to avoid putting items on your delivery service’s menus that you’re not going to make money on. You get the freedom to create your own menus, so make sure they make sense economically and you’re making money on every order. Get a calculator or set up a spreadsheet and do the math!
4. Choose Your Staff Wisely
At the end of the day, your restaurant depends on having professional, personable, and appropriately skilled staff. It’s wise to take a moment to consider your labor expenses and how that aligns with what skillset you need during this unique time. For example, you probably don’t need a five-star chef on hand in your kitchen to ship out chicken fingers, and people probably aren’t going to be ordering designer cakes during this time. Adapt your business and hire good, hard-working people that can make the food that will keep customers coming back for more from your restaurant!
Self-service solutions, like many other technologically intensive solutions, are becoming smarter and better designed due to the unstoppable improvement of the available tools and the involvement of more experienced participants in the sector. The sustained increased demand for innovative kiosk solutions is also a factor as it provides the resources to keep the cycle going.So, you may be asking yourself: why are kiosks becoming so popular, and which new solutions should I consider offering to my customers this year? Read on to find out.
Why Kiosks?
As consumers become more aware of the advantages of self-service kiosks – like more accurate ordering and easier order customization – merchants are becoming more open to considering them as a part of their operations.
By choosing to implement kiosk technology, merchants not only improve their customers’ experience, but also positively affect their operation’s bottom line with automated and optimized processes designed for success. And calculating the ROI (return on investment) of kiosks isn’t ambiguous: understanding the value has become easier than ever with the ever-increasing availability of business intelligence reporting within the kiosk itself.
With innovative kiosk solutions available for virtually any market – restaurant/QSR, retail, hospitals, and even corporate office buildings – it’s important to note that not all kiosks are created equal, and kiosk solutions can be customized to meet your customer’s specific needs. Below are three innovative kiosk solutions you should consider in 2020:
1. Intelligent Queue Management Systems
The process of pulling a preprinted number through a fixed dispenser with the sole purpose of organizing customers into an orderly queue is a thing of the past thanks to kiosks. Intelligent and feature-rich solutions are now available to bring value to both merchants and most importantly, their customers.
Customer-facing features like being able to check on current queue times from home, getting in line before arriving to the premises, scheduling an appointment remotely, checking in upon arrival through a mobile app, and receiving notifications for scheduled appointments and the best route to follow considering traffic are just a few things already possible through the use of the currently available smart queue management solutions. It’s important to remember to include walk-in customers in your kiosk considerations too and be sure the kiosk is capable of issuing receipts, service tickets, and more at each location for those who did not take advantage of the remote features of the solution.
2. Digital Signage with Printing Options
Smart advertising is emerging in many verticals, not only because of its ability to disseminate content, but also because of the advanced technologies used to deliver that messaging.
Imagine being able to watch digital advertising while walking at the mall and at any point be able to request a printout with information, promotions, and special messages relevant to what you were watching. Furthermore, imagine this information being able to dynamically change based on each individual consumer’s purchasing habits.
The way companies are reaching their potential customers is changing and innovative kiosk solutions are absolutely going to be a part of that change.
3. Advanced Access Control Solutions
Self-service kiosks can now be integrated with many biometric technology features like:
Facial recognition
Retina and fingerprint scanning
Gender and age validation
And more
With these technologies in place, access control solutions are now capable of identifying people attempting to go through their systems with an almost zero-failure rate. Not only does this improve safety and security, but this also allows for faster and more accurate screening, turning a potentially bottlenecked process into a perfectly flowing one, opening the door for new possibilities in the sector.
Kiosk Solution-Selling Tips
Solutions will continue to evolve as their demand stays in an upward trend. As a solution provider, it is important to be innovative in your proposals and to remain a leader in your space. Providing real-world experience and trusted consultative services to your customers will set yourself apart from the competition.
To deepen your self-service kiosk solution offering, be sure to partner with other companies that also have a breadth of experience and knowledge on the latest kiosk trends. For example, Star, a kiosk printer provider, has sales and marketing teams with over 370 years of collective experience in the POS industry. Additionally, we are proud to have a Kiosk Product Champion on board, as well as an integration team that is well-versed in making sure Star’s solutions work with the industry’s leading POS software solutions.
Together you and your kiosk partners can successfully move forward in this ever-changing technocentric world through mutual excellence and solution selling, not product pushing.
Free Self-Service Kiosk Resources
The future of many industries lies with self-service solutions. That’s why Star Micronics is offering free online ordering resources for resellers and software developers who are helping customers future-proof their businesses with self-service solutions.
Star is proud to offer a complete line of kiosk printing solutions perfect for a variety of industries such as hospitality, stadium/recreation, banks, retail, parking facilities, transportation hubs, and more.
Star’s Kiosk Printers At-a-Glance:
Available in multiple paper widths (2”, 3”, 4”)
Open-frame and housed printers available
Multiple footprints available, from compact to modular
Available interfaces: serial, USB, parallel, Ethernet
Operating system compatibility: Windows, Linux, Android, Mac, iOS
Multiple accessories available including bezel, presenter, and large paper roll holders
NRFis a wonderful show for multiple reasons – it’s where over 40,000 retail industry professionals gather to share ideas, build partnerships, and experience the year’s latest technology. Speaking of partnerships, one of Star’s favorite reasons for being at Retail’s Big Show is the dedicated time we give to catching up with our many retail software partners.
In today’s blog post, discover what one of Star’s POS software partners, Tulip, is doing in terms of modern retail this year. Learn more about our partnership in the below video interview filmed at NRF 2020 and stay tuned for even more partnership interviews in our upcoming Star Spotlight NRF 2020 Edition blog posts.
What Does Tulip Do?
Tulip is the global leader in mobile retail technology solutions. Partnered with Apple and Salesforce, Tulip’s mission is to harness the power of the world’s most advanced technology to deliver simple-to-use mobile applications that enable all aspects of the retail experience from Clienteling and Assisted Selling to Point of Sale. Only Tulip enables the omnichannel experience via a scalable and extensible technology platform designed around the retail associate.
Tulip was founded in 2013 by Ali Asaria and a team of mobile commerce experts with the vision to reinvent retail and shape the future in-store shopping experience. Today, Tulip powers the in-store experience for our clients and partners around the globe.
Tulip provides a SaaS-based mobile platform to empower retailers and better connect customer and store associate experiences.
Tulip’s mission is to empower next generation retail associates with world-class mobile-first, cloud-first enterprise software that modernizes and transforms the in-store experience.
In this day and age, shopping needs to be personalized. With Tulip’s clienteling capabilities, users can:
Create and access detailed customer profiles
View a customer’s wish list and previously viewed items
Manage a VIP customer client book
Track birthdays and anniversaries
Schedule one-on-one follow-ups and marketing campaigns with customers
And more!
Checkout Nova
This mobile POS solution allows retailers to seamlessly complete transactions from anywhere in the store. It’s not just about payments though: Checkout Nova can also access in-store and online inventory, support discounts, coupons, and loyalty points, and mix in-store and online products into one order.
Assisted Selling
Retail associates become trusted advisors when they use Tulip’s assisted selling features like mobile omnichannel catalog access, real-time product ratings and reviews and social media activity, advanced searching capabilities, and more.
Runner
Almost everyone has experienced needing some extra help locating an item in a store, only to be left alone for minutes as the store associate completes the request. With Tulip’s Runner, employees can request items from other coworkers real-time on a mobile device (even a smart watch) and never leave the customer waiting.
What’s New with Tulip in 2020?
In 2020, mobility is setting Tulip apart in the retail space. Tulip has worked with some of the world’s largest retailers in powering transactions from anywhere on the sales floor. Associates can build a basket, take a full transaction, look up orders, complete returns, and more – all on the go, without customers lining up and waiting in a queue.
High-speed printing (250mm/s) Easy setup across all models Lightning connection for simultaneous charging and data transfer Compatible with Star Micronics Cloud Services
Stay tuned for our upcoming NRF 2020 Star Spotlights, coming soon. In the meantime, learn more about how Star and our partners have teamed up to provide solutions by browsing our Success Stories.
The growth of the self-service kiosk industry is undeniable: 2019 was the third consecutive year of double-digit growth for the industry, according to Kiosk Marketplace. This data confirms that the industry is a very attractive specialized vertical to focus on, and as a kiosk solution provider, being prepared to provide what the market needs – with the right technology and innovation – is key.One example of this innovation is the ability for a kiosk to support tablets, including Android-based systems. Why is supporting Android tablets so important? As a kiosk solution provider, read on to discover three reasons you should choose a printer with Android SDK support.
Free Self-Service Kiosk Resources
The future of many industries lies with self-service solutions. That’s why Star Micronics is offering free online ordering resources for resellers and software developers who are helping customers future-proof their businesses with self-service solutions.
The times are changing, and so are the go-to devices found in self-service kiosks. As the industry grows and sectors that were previously indifferent to self-service solutions become a part of the demanding force, the need for cost-effective, flexible, and easy-to-integrate solutions has emerged.
One ideal solution to meet this need is the Android tablet. Affordable, compact, and simple to use, Android tablets are replacing computers, all-in-ones, and touchscreens across the industry, and it’s important to support them.
Reason #2: Android as a Cost-Effective Solution
The tablet world has evolved at lightning speed with bigger and more powerful devices available at every price point imaginable. Interestingly, this shift was not triggered by self-service kiosk solutions, but it has changed the way kiosks are designed and has disrupted the industry at its core.
Although highly customized Windows- and Linux-based kiosks running costly CPUs and larger-than-life touchscreens are still available for those with the budget and need, the self-service market has been disrupted by newer, cost-conscious tablet solutions, with Android becoming the leading operating system for this type of integration.
Reason #3: Android as a Sleek Design
When it comes to self-service kiosks, the design follows the function, meaning that the most effective kiosks are designed with their specific use cases in mind.
Not surprisingly, as the demand for self-service solutions increases, ideal solution designs have also changed. In many cases, this means a smaller footprint, a minimalist style, and more intuitive interfaces – all of which can be found in an Android-based system.
In addition to the device itself, selecting the right set of components to accompany your Android tablet-based kiosk will dictate how successful your proposed solution will be today and into the future.
In Summary: Why It’s Imperative to Support Android
One size does not fit all when it comes to self-service kiosks. Some kiosks print sales receipts in quick service restaurants (QSRs), others print shipping labels in courier companies, some print tickets in parking garages, and so on.
With so many potential applications (and potential customers), offering the right operating system support is extremely important. And with their high quality, compact size, affordable price point, specific functionality, and easy compatibility, Android devices are now the norm for the market. To ensure your entire kiosk solution is Android-friendly, it’s a must to choose a printer with Android SDK support.
How to Choose an Android-Compatible Kiosk Printer
The self-service kiosk journey does not end at the tablet. To ensure maximum efficiency and success, it’s important to choose a kiosk printer that not only supports Android but is also reliable and high-performance. Here are some kiosk printer features to look for:
Paper Size: One of the first considerations when it comes to a kiosk printer is what size paper you need to be printing. Common widths include 2”, 3”, and 4”.
Interface: Next up on your list of kiosk printer features to think about is the interface. Will you need serial, USB, parallel, or an Ethernet connection? Be sure that the kiosk printer you choose is compatible with the interface(s) you plan on using.
Footprint: Another important consideration is the kiosk printer’s footprint. Do you need the most compact printer possible? Or do you need a larger, more modular printer?
Position: Like the printer’s footprint, you must also consider whether the printer needs to be in a horizontal or vertical position and choose a printer that can accommodate that requirement.
Accessories: Last but not least, be sure to assess which kiosk printer accessories you will need and make sure the printer you are considering is offered with them. Common accessories include a bezel, a presenter, a large paper roll holder, and more.
Meet Star’s Kiosk Printers
Star is proud to offer a wide range of kiosk printers featuring multiple paper widths, interfaces, footprints, positions, and available accessories – all compatible with the Android operating system! Learn more about Star’s kiosk printer family in the below video, featuring Star’s Kiosk Printer Champion Augusto Echecopar:
There are nearly 200,000 quick service restaurant (QSR) franchise establishments in the United States, and that number is growing steadily each year. For your QSR customers, that means the competition is hot and the need to run a cohesive, streamlined business is higher than ever.
The success of a QSR business relies on many factors: location, high-quality product, marketing, and of course, the bottom line. Did you know that by offering a loyalty program, you can help your customers do all the above and more? Read on to discover six ways a QSR loyalty program can help your customers succeed.
Benefit #1: Less Price Comparison
Most of the time when consumers are deciding on a product, price is a top consideration. What is your QSR customer to do if they aren’t necessarily the lowest priced option in their market?
The answer can lie in a QSR loyalty program. If your customer successfully implements a loyalty program that their patrons love, your customer’s restaurant is more likely to stand out in the patron’s mind. This loyalty means those diners may not simply choose the cheapest meal option – if your customer successfully creates a rewarding, personalized experience, their patrons will likely choose the restaurant that gives them perks and customized attention, not just the lowest price tag.
And your customers can add special value, even if at first glance they do not appear to be the lowest priced meal provider. According to The Association for Consumer Research:
“The excitement that is often generated in consumers by a price promotion suggests that there is an ego-expressive, as well as utilitarian aspect to a price. This ego-expressive aspect results in ‘smartshopper feelings.’ It is proposed that these feelings can be enhanced by leading the consumer to feel responsible for the discount and by dangling the discount in front of consumers.”
In other words, by offering a promotion via its loyalty program, a QSR’s customers are more likely to feel like smart shoppers. This is even more true when they feel responsible for finding the discount (i.e. when they find a discount in their personalized loyalty program) and when the promotion is “dangled” in front of them (also through the loyalty program). That rewarding feeling may just be enough to entice them to eat at your customer’s restaurant instead of another establishment that doesn’t offer any special mood-boosting promotions.
Benefit #2: Stronger Customer Retention
Loyalty programs are designed to, well, create loyalty. With so much competition in the QSR market, it’s critical to retain the diners that your QSR customer has already attracted. It’s also worth noting that:
25% to 40% of total revenue from the most stable businesses comes from repeat business
A QSR loyalty program can also help raise a restaurant’s Customer Lifetime Value (CLV or CLTV). What’s that? Simply put, it is “a prediction of the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer.”
By leveraging loyalty program analytics, your restaurant customer will be able to calculate each of their patron’s CLVs. Knowledge is power, and understanding this data can help the restaurants strategize how best to cater to these patrons and keep them loyal.
Loyalty programs increase overall revenue by 5-10%
On average, loyalty members spend 5-20% more than non-members
Loyalty program members buy 5-20% more frequently than non-members
Clearly a QSR loyalty program is a win-win: it provides benefits to the consumer and greatly affects the restaurant’s bottom line.
Benefit #4: A Personalized Experience
Personalization is everything. We’re living in an era where virtually everything is personalized – with self-service kiosks you can order your food your way and you can even have your favorite household supplies delivered directly to your door on whatever schedule you’d like. A QSR loyalty program should play into this era of personalization.
A complete, successfully implemented loyalty program will make your QSR’s customers feel emotionally connected to the restaurant. Not only will these positive emotions bring diners back again and again, but they are more likely to be forgiving if a hiccup like a mistake in order-taking occurs during one of their visits.
Some ways a loyalty program can create these personalized feelings is by calling customers by their name within the user interface, remembering a customer’s favorite customized orders, offering rewards for special events like the customer’s birthday, and more.
Benefit #5: Create Influencers
According to marketing legend Philip Kotler, “the best advertising is done by satisfied customers,” and isn’t that the truth?
Did you know that an estimated 20-50% of all purchasing decisions are primarily influenced by word-of-mouth? And nearly three-quarters of millennials feel it’s their responsibility to help their loved ones make smart purchasing decisions. In other words, when consumers have a positive opinion of your brand, it’s sure to go places in terms of growing your QSR customer’s business.
How does a QSR loyalty program fit into this? If the program offers special deals and great perks, patrons are likely to share that information with their friends and family. A smart loyalty program will also include a refer-a-friend feature (which is another great place to incorporate a special discount like “refer a friend and get $5 off your next order”).
Benefit #6: Attract New Customers
To grow as a business, your QSR customer needs to not only be keeping its current customers happy, but also be attracting new customers. A well-thought-out QSR loyalty program can help do just that. Here’s how:
An immediate discount or promotion just for signing up with the program can entice people to try the restaurant (and the loyalty program).
If a customer is aware that the loyalty program offers good, easy-to-obtain deals and discounts, they are more likely to try a restaurant for the first time.
When choosing a place to eat, roughly 60% of consumers say they use their mobile device to help them decide. If a loyalty program (and its immediate discounts) are easily found by the consumer in search results or on social media, they are more likely to try the restaurant and get that deal.
Examples of Successful Loyalty Programs
So, what does a good QSR loyalty program look like? Luckily three major brands have built success programs you gain can inspiration from:
Starbucks
Source: starbucks.com
The Starbucks Rewards program is an iconic loyalty program. Featuring order ahead, pay-by-phone, free birthday treats, “Double-Star Days,” personalized exclusive offers, and more, Starbucks is doing a lot of things right. And according to Zinrelo, Starbucks has reported an increased revenue of $2.65 billion, attributing the program for most of that increase. Click here to learn more about the Starbucks Rewards program.
Panera Bread
Source: panerabread.com
Panera Bread’s loyalty program, MyPanera, is another one worthy of drawing some inspiration from. It offers a sign-up reward, exclusive sneak peaks, information on local events, order personalization and easy reordering, and the opportunity to subscribe to a MyPanera+ Coffee program which provides unlimited coffee for just $8.99 per month. Click here to learn more about the MyPanera program.
Chick-fil-A
Source: chick-fil-a.com
Chick-fil-A One, the popular chicken QSR chain’s loyalty program, is a tiered program that allows customers to earn points on every purchase. The program includes things like the ability to use points for catering orders, surprise rewards for a customer’s local Chick-fil-A restaurant, birthday rewards, new menu items and insider content, and more. Click here to learn more about Chick-fil-A One.
Looking to offer even more to your QSR customers? Discover all of Star’s products for restaurants in our Restaurant Brochure.
NRFis a wonderful show for multiple reasons – it’s where over 40,000 retail industry professionals gather to share ideas, build partnerships, and experience the year’s latest technology. Speaking of partnerships, one of Star’s favorite reasons for being at Retail’s Big Show is the dedicated time we give to catching up with our many retail software partners.
In today’s blog post, discover what one of Star’s valued software partners, Springboard Retail, is up to this year. Learn more about our partnership in the below video interview filmed at NRF 2020 and stay tuned for even more partnership interviews in our upcoming Star Spotlight NRF 2020 Edition blog posts.
What Does Springboard Retail Do?
“It all began out of necessity. Gordon Russell’s Boston-based chain of specialty retail stores had a problem. He needed a POS system that would be comprehensive enough to manage his current business, while also driving future growth. Gordon tried plenty of available retail point of sale systems, but none of them provided the intuitive yet flexible structure his retail teams needed to succeed.
So, Gordon and co-founder, Jay Stotz, put their heads together. They focused on developing a modern, cloud-based POS system designed to support a growing multi-channel, multi-site retail enterprise with features that brought clarity and resilience for the future. Reporting was key. With a multitude of data points, they ensured that their point of sale was able to combine relevant data in any way the retailer envisions and that the software was responsive, agile and easy-to-use. In fact, the results of their efforts were so successful that the team had to share it with other retailers. Springboard Retail was born.
Since our official launch in November, 2013, Springboard Retail has helped our customers grow across their locations and channels—processing over $2B of retail sales at over 1,000 sites across North America. The team continues to focus on providing exceptional value to our customers. We take our customer’s success personally because we’ve walked in your shoes and understand that even the smallest detail, is critical.”
Point of Sale: Cloud-based and user-friendly, Springboard Retail’s POS is highly scalable and includes features like quick order lookup, easy customer creation, split payments, simple returns, sales rep tracking, and more.
Order Management: Springboard Retail’s order management makes it easy to access inventory in real-time and place orders across multiple store locations, online, and in the warehouse. The order management also includes fulfillment alerts and easy order splitting to multiple fulfillment points.
Inventory Management: Your inventory is key. With features like partial and full inventory counts, transfer management, custom reasons codes for adjustments, and more, Springboard Retail’s inventory management keeps retailers running smoothly.
Customer Management: CRM and POS don’t have to be separate. Springboard Retail’s included CRM features a QuickView customer dashboard, unlimited custom fields, custom reports for segment marketing, and integrations with top loyalty/marketing providers.
Purchasing and Receiving: Retail buying is made easy with Springboard Retail’s ability to create barcode labels directly from a PO, easily process returns to vendors, smoothly enter size runs with an item grid feature, and more.
Metrics and Reporting: Data is imperative! Enjoy real-time data, custom field and reports, user-based permissions, CSV/PDF/URL sharing and exporting, and data comparison with Springboard Retail.
Traffic and Conversions: Gone are the days of manually tracking retail traffic. With Springboard Retail’s POS, track foot traffic electronically, review real-time traffic data, and more – even if you have multiple stores.
What Sets Springboard Retail Apart?
Springboard Retail focuses specifically on larger-footprint specialty retailers, with two to 200 store locations. Additionally, Springboard Retail is a browser-based system and cross-platform, meaning it has customers that use Mac, PC, and iPad POS, and is able to deliver a consistent, streamlined experience to all of those customers with its POS products.
What Star Products Does Springboard Retail Integrate?
High-speed printing (250mm/s) Easy setup across all models Lightning connection for simultaneous charging and data transfer Compatible with Star Micronics Cloud Services
2-inch portable printer with compact, lightweight design Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR / USB 2.0 full speed Barcode/graphics printing supported Magnetic stripe reader
Black mark label support Vertically mountable Double resolution mode to increase graphic sharpness Bluetooth, CloudPRNT, WebPRNT, Serial, Parallel, USB, LAN
Stay tuned for our upcoming NRF 2020 Star Spotlights, coming soon. In the meantime, learn more about how Star and our partners have teamed up to provide solutions by browsing our Success Stories.
It’s flavorful, colorful, and just healthy enough to not feel guilty about indulging in it. That’s right: we’re talking frozen yogurt. Specifically, we’re talking frozen yogurt point of sale (POS) and how to choose a frozen yogurt POS that goes the extra mile for your business.
You’re likely well aware of the popularity of frozen yogurt shops; it’s estimated that 121 million servings of frozen yogurt are served each year in the United States! And while it’s good news that so many people love the tasty dessert, it can also be intimidating to think about the best way to go about differentiating your frozen yogurt shop from the competition.
In addition to choosing a strategic location, creating an attractive aesthetic, offering high-quality flavors and toppings, and effectively marketing your business, did you know that a well-thought-out POS can be a stable foundation to a successful, differentiated frozen yogurt shop? Read on to discover the 4 essential features of a frozen yogurt POS solution.
Feature #1: Scale
Arguably one of the most important features of your frozen yogurt POS is your scale. Why? Simply put, accuracy is money!
To ensure you are charging the correct amount for the frozen yogurt that you sell, selecting an NTEP-certified scale is a must. The NTEP Certificate of Conformance “indicates that the device manufacturer has demonstrated the ability to meet applicable requirements for commercial weighing and measuring equipment in the United States as specified in Handbook 44: Specifications and Tolerances and Other Technical Requirements. NTEP certification is required in most states in the United States.”
Second most important to accuracy is connectivity. What good is a scale if it doesn’t connect to the rest of your POS? Be sure to choose a scale that connects to your software and operating system. It is also helpful if your scale features multiple interface options such as Bluetooth, Serial, and USB. Additionally, it’s wise to choose a scale that directly connects to your POS so that there is no risk of human error in entering numbers incorrectly from the scale to the POS.
Finally, let’s be real: frozen yogurt can easily become messy. Choose a scale that has an available protective shield to defend it from spills.
Star’s mG-Scales
Legal for Trade, NTEP-Certified Multiple Interfaces (Bluetooth, Serial, USB) Support for Windows, Android, iOS Available with Protective Shield
Your customers want to eat their frozen yogurt before it melts. One way to help them do that is by utilizing a fast, high-quality, and easy-to-use receipt printer. A reliable and high-performance printer means your employees can complete transactions more quickly, and customers can get to enjoying their treats in a jiffy.
On a more technical front, it’s crucial to choose a printer with the connectivity options to meet your needs. Some good connectivity options to look for are Bluetooth, USB, Lightning, and LAN. And by choosing Star’s mC-Print2 or mC-Print3, you’ll get the added benefit of SteadyLAN® technology. This world-first solution provides both power and direct, reliable Ethernet connectivity to iOS, Android, and Windows devices via the printer, and all through one cable. You can say goodbye to downtime and low-signal frustration with SteadyLAN!
Two more aspects of a receipt printer to look for are a splash-proof design and marketing capabilities. By choosing a splash-proof printer, you know your POS hardware is safe from any spilled frozen yogurt mishaps. And some receipt printers, like the mC-Print Series, includes free receipt marketing software so that you can promote upcoming sales, special flavors, and more right on your receipt, where customers are sure to see it.
Feature #3: POS Software
Just like sprinkles make the perfect accompaniment to frozen yogurt, choose a printer that pairs well with your favorite frozen yogurt POS software!
If you’re currently shopping around for frozen yogurt POS software – or considering making a switch – here are some good features to look for:
Weight-based pricing
Inventory management and detailed sales reporting (so that you can know which flavors and toppings sell fastest, when to replenish, profit margins, real-time sales, etc.)
A simple checkout process and easy training (for part-time and seasonal staff)
A prominent customer display system (CDS) for transparent transactions
The opportunity for customer information capture for marketing activities
Offline transaction processing
Employee timekeeping
Pay-as-you-go pricing (if you are a seasonal business)
Secure payments (EMV-ready for chip and pin payments)
Handheld, mobile POS capabilities for peak business hours
Feature #4: Sleek Design
Frozen yogurt shops are known for their design. You know the look: a well-lit, happy space, with bright colors and the undeniable feeling of childhood-like joy. What’s one thing that can completely kill the mood? Outdated POS hardware.
Choose a POS that is as sleek as the rest of your business. Not only will this create a cohesive feel, but this optimized design will help you create a memorable experience and hopefully stand out in your customers’ minds.
Star’s mUnite Stand
The easiest way to create an attractive POS area is by choosing a clean, sleek tablet POS stand. Look for a stand that features hidden cable management that routes cables through the stand arm (like the Star mUnite). Another key feature that cannot be overlooked is choosing a stand that includes universal VESA mounting, meaning it can support any iOS, Android, and Windows touchscreen device. An added bonus of a stand with VESA mounting capabilities is that it is future-proof and can save you money: if you change your tablet down the road, the same great stand will still work.
We hope that these frozen yogurt POS tips were useful. Need some help choosing your frozen yogurt scale? Download our free Scale Buyer’s Guide now!
NRF is a wonderful show for multiple reasons – it’s where over 40,000 retail industry professionals gather to share ideas, build partnerships, and experience the year’s latest technology. Speaking of partnerships, one of Star’s favorite reasons for being at Retail’s Big Show is the dedicated time we give to catching up with our many retail software partners.
In today’s blog post, we will explore what one our valued partners, Erply, is up to in 2020, and how they are working with Star. Learn more about our partnership in the below video interview filmed at NRF 2020 and stay tuned for even more partnership interviews in our upcoming Star Spotlight NRF 2020 Edition blog posts.
What Does Erply Do?
Erply started as an award-winning Seedcamp entry in 2009 –hence its name, ERPly!– and was officially founded in 2010. Since its establishment, Erply was designed to create B2B customizations for small to medium-sized businesses, resulting in a highly in-depth inventory management platform.
Today Erply has grown into a successful company that processes billions of annual transactions and supports over 100,000 stores across the globe in over 15 different languages.
Erply’s cloud-based, full-featured point of sale solution has helped us become a recognized leader in the retail POS space. Erply POS serves retailers large and small, and is well-known for its:
Comprehensive POS features
World-class API
Highly secure servers
Personable customer support
Mobile applications
Flexibility has always been a key feature of Erply, and its expertise in creating highly customized solutions comes from its team of veteran developers who have years of experience building specialized business solutions.
Designed for enterprise retail, retail franchise, and more, Erply’s products can be grouped into several categories:
Point of sale: Erply’s cloud-based POS is powerful, easy-to-use, and works online and offline. Features include employee timeclock, layaway sales, cash in or out, in-store pickup orders, recent sale lookup, stock and price lookup, returns and refunds, and more.
Inventory management: For large and small businesses alike, Erply’s inventory management solutions include product information management (PMI), inventory transfers, stocktaking, matrix products, supplier management, stock replenishment reports, and more.
CRM: The power is in the customer data. Erply’s retail CRM has what it takes for retailers to develop long-term customer relationships, and includes customer information, a loyalty program, and customer grouping.
Multi-store management: Perfect for chains, Erply’s multi-store management solutions help retailers set up store locations, manage pricing, create promotions, manage employees, track store activity, and more.
Sales management: The key to retail success lies in well-managed sales data. Erply’s back office technology allows retailers to easily create sales quotes and orders, manage order fulfillment, and handle invoicing and payments workflows.
Reporting: Erply provides its customers with fully customizable reports, for sales, inventory, and more.
API: Erply’s API is simple to use, and allows businesses to easily integrate with other applications, creating a true omnichannel retail experience.
What’s New with Erply in 2020?
One of the biggest differentiators for Erply in 2020 is its ability to integrate with customers’ existing tech stacks, whether it’s a CRM, ERP, or an e-commerce platform. This integration ability ensures Erply can provide a true all-in-one system, making retail operations much easier and more efficient.
What Star Products Does Erply Integrate?
Erply currently integrates the Star Micronics TSP143III, mPOP™, SM-S230i, and mC-Print2.
High-speed printing (250mm/s) Easy setup across all models Lightning connection for simultaneous charging and data transfer Compatible with Star Micronics Cloud Services
Compact and sleek design Printer – cash drawer – scanner – device stand Compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows Two cash drawer options: vertical bill (4 bill and 6 or 8 adjustable coin slots) and flat bill (4 bill and 4 or 6 adjustable coin slots)
2-inch portable printer with compact, lightweight design Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR / USB 2.0 full speed Barcode/graphics printing supported Magnetic stripe reader
Stay tuned for our upcoming NRF 2020 Star Spotlights, coming soon. In the meantime, learn more about how Star and our partners have teamed up to provide solutions by browsing our Success Stories.
Black mark label support
