Cash registers and point-of-sale (POS) systems are essential for retail businesses, restaurants, salons, and more. Both allow you to process hundreds of transactions daily. Cash registers are typically less expensive and offer more basic functionality, while POS systems are pricier but integrate more comprehensively with your business operations.
Is a cash register or a POS system the best choice for your business? This will depend on your business type and size, the number of transactions you process, whether you want advanced functionality, and your budget.
A cash register, also known as a “till,” is a cash management device commonly used in retail and other businesses. It’s used to calculate and record sales and electronic transactions.
Cash registers create a record of a business’s cash inflow and outflow. They can also calculate and add taxes and generate receipts. Cash registers typically include a keyboard or touchscreen, a receipt printer, and a drawer for holding cash.
The cash register was invented in 1879 by James Ritty to prevent his employees from stealing money from the till. The original model was called “Ritty’s Incorruptible Cashier”!
Cash registers have evolved significantly since then. Today’s models are electronic, though more and more retailers are opting to use point-of-sale (POS) systems instead of basic cash registers.
A POS, or point-of-sale system, is more than just a cash register. A POS system streamlines, automates, and simplifies the day-to-day operations of running a retail business using a combination of modern software and hardware.
A quality retail POS system makes it easy to calculate and record sales, but it also helps you operate more efficiently when managing inventory, staff, customer management, and more.
Square Register is a fully integrated point-of-sale system that allows you to manage card and contactless payments, online and in-person sales, and pickup and delivery, all from one POS.
Square POS system dashboard with sales, product, report, and employee management features.
Today’s cash registers and POS systems are often intuitive and easy to use. However, you should train new employees on both customer service and how to use your business’s solution.
Some training tips include: having new employees shadow your best cashier, scheduling their first shifts during slow periods, instructing all employees on how to load receipt rolls, providing employees with a product code sheet to memorize, training on returns and exchanges, and teaching employees how to spot counterfeit bills.
