One primary challenge for the businessmen running multiple-store locations is delivering a cohesive experience across all the locations while making sure that every store relates to the other and reflects the local flavor of its community. 

One easy way to overcome this challenge is by choosing the right point of sale software.

If you’ve been researching the POS systems and reading about them, you must know that there are many options in the market. In addition to the specific type of a POS system, you’ll also get the options of a mobile-based or iPad-based system. Now you may be left with the confusion that should you go for a system that does both?

So, let us help you with that.

First of all, find out what a particular system can do. Consider the range of features and then choose the best match for your multi-store retail business. Many point-of-sale systems provide more functionalities, including a customer dedicated screen, inventory management, reporting, and customer management, among other things.

With the help of a POS system, here’s what you should do to keep all stores on one page.

Develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures

Create a set of standard procedures for all stores. It is the best thing to establish consistency across all channels. Some of the SOPs include:

• Employee rules, regulations, and responsibilities
• Business technology’s usage
• Cleaning and sanitizing processes
• Business operating hours
• Customer experience policies
• Payment processing

For instance, when big businesses use a POS system with a multi-store management feature, they can easily use it to dictate how employees should work, either by establishing a standard set of rules or arranging a training program.

Setting up such protocols ensure customers can have the same and consistent experience, no matter which location they visit. When your team is trained with such plans consistently, they can be more productive and work together more efficiently.

Streamline Communications

Having the same point-of-sale system at all store locations will benefit streamlining communications across an enterprise.

When choosing a multi-store communication system, business owners and managers can reach employees at every site. Thus, providing managers with the correct information and the current state of affairs at the moment. A single communication setup can also help provide your team with frequent, tips and reminders for everyday tasks, and any policy updates, providing teams with the tools they need for optimal performance.

Aim for the Cloud

Going with the advancements, the best thing you can do for your business is to run it in the cloud. Let us clear you out here, that the data and system running on clouds, don’t rely on a single system. Instead, they allow you to access the information from anywhere and at any time. As long as you have an internet connection, you have everything in check.

So, if you are travelling or at home, and want to know a particular order’s status, you can easily do that. Even if you want to check your employees’ attendance at the main store, log in to the system, and your POS system can bring the results for you. So, keeping a check on your other branches or your operations as a whole is as easy as logging into the system.

More importantly, your data and operations are updated in real-time when using a cloud-based cell phone repair shop POS system. It keeps all the fronts updated and informed. This is actually quite powerful and essential for large retail businesses. Having accurate data at any moment will enable owners to make more informed, decisions and help you better understand your business.

The other advantage is the high level of security in the cloud database. Since the information is not bound to a single computer system, it cannot be stolen or changed. Removing the data from a local device and keeping it in the cloud, minimizes the risk of data loss. You’ll have everything protected even if your system gets crashed.

Plan a Winning Customer Experience

One essential thing that every business should work on is having the right balance: between uniformity and localization. All of your storefronts should operate on one rule: Great Customer Experience.

Your stores need to offer a consistent experience for your customers, to win the maximum sales.

It is a bit tricky, but showing the same business theme and values at all outlets will serve the purpose. Implement the same policies for returns and customer loyalty, so your customers don’t feel irrelevant when visiting any of your business outlets.

However, you can play around with having different inventory items at various stores. It gives a sense of variety. But remember, the items you showcase and sell must reflect the local communities to which your stores belong.

Let’s say, for instance, your store location that is near to an educational institution will have different offerings than a store branch that’s located in an office building.

Offer Effective Loyalty Programs

When businesses store all of their data in a single POS system, they unify operations. And connecting every store to another will benefit your business like never before. We are talking about the most important and revenue-generating terms.

Implementing a loyalty program and offering a consistent customer service.

When businesses introduce loyalty programs over multiple stores, they can quickly identify their most profitable customers. They can see and understand which products and services are needed in specific locations.

It results in gaining better insights into consumer behaviors. You can then use this data to better market their client base for future campaigns.