How to pick the right POS system for your dry cleaning business
As a dry cleaning business owner, you have a mountain of tasks and items to keep up with every day to ensure your business is running smoothly. You need to communicate with customers and employees, keep track of customers’ items, and ensure that basic processes like payroll and credit card payments occur seamlessly. The good news is that POS software can streamline your operations and save you time and money in the process.
What is a dry cleaning POS system?
A dry cleaning point of sale system is sales software that allows you to track sales, receive notifications, improve your customer support, and stand out in the dry cleaning industry. Business owners with a single store and multi-store operations are always on the lookout for technology that can make their lives easier. A POS system offers many real-time functions such as credit card processing that can help you do just that.
POS solutions help dry cleaning businesses with customer relationship management (CRM) and can act as a dispatcher if you offer a delivery service. Your point of sale solution is management software that keeps your dry cleaning business humming along.
The best POS features for your business
Other things to consider when choosing a POS are ease of use, workflow, and employee management. Another important consideration for you might also be whether the POS solution is compatible with QuickBooks or other software they are already using.
User features are what distinguish the various POS software solutions out there. Maybe you know you want your POS to be user-friendly, recognize your barcodes, and work on a specific device, but what other features might be important? Here are a few features to consider for your dry cleaning business when selecting a POS system.
Secure payment processing
It's always a good idea to choose a secure payment processing option that works on both Android and iOS platforms. If your dry cleaning business uses an iPad, it's essential that the POS you choose works properly on the device. It’s also helpful to choose a system that sends an SMS as a receipt and allows for text messaging.
Your POS system needs to offer a level of security that makes your customers feel safe using their credit cards to pay. As part of your email marketing, you can help customers feel more secure by explaining how your POS provides secure payment processing.
Integrated online app that allows customers to track their order
It's also essential that your POS solution helps with inventory management, so it's easier for you and the client to keep track of their dry cleaning. It's easy to find an online integrated app, and many customers prefer to use dry cleaning businesses that offer this service.
Delivery route coordination
A delivery route coordination feature can help you optimize costs by ensuring that your drivers take the most efficient route and deliver orders in the most efficient order. In addition to reducing expenses, this feature helps ensure customers get their dry cleaning back quickly. Some delivery route coordination features also coordinate with the customer, so the customer knows when someone needs to be home to receive the items.
Customer communication database
A customer communication database feature can also allow businesses to take advantage of email marketing. This feature makes it easier than ever to reach out to your customers and attempt to build brand loyalty while growing your revenue.
Inventory management
Rather than dealing with a glut of dry cleaning software for different tasks, choosing a POS solution that offers inventory management can help save you time and money. POS systems with inventory management systems allow you to track your inventory with each sale without the hassle of opening multiple programs.
Why you need a POS system built specifically for a dry cleaning business
Most dry cleaning businesses find that choosing a POS designed with your specific business needs in mind is more than worth it when it comes to the time and money they save. Here's a look at a few of the reasons why a POS designed for your dry cleaning business may be the better option.
Benefits of dry cleaning POS software
Dry cleaning POS software helps you keep all of your software needs in one mobile app. You can handle a host of jobs from credit card processing to employee management to inventory management to CRM with one POS solution.
In addition to the supplies you need to run your business, your inventory includes the personal items of your customers. This makes inventory management essential, and you need a POS system that helps you keep up with all of it.
You’ll find a POS specifically designed for a dry cleaning business much easier to use than other point of sale systems.
Competitive advantages of using dry cleaning POS software
Dry cleaning POS software makes it easier for you to do your job. Your customers can trust that you offer secure payment processing, and that their credit card information is safe. This type of POS also offers your customers options for receiving receipts through SMS texting.
The right POS solution can help you with CRM, so you can handle email marketing directly through the platform. It also helps customers track their drying cleaning orders, so your business doesn't have to handle as many calls from customers inquiring about order status, freeing up your employees for other important tasks.
Employee management
Employee management features also help you track the hours your staff works, so you aren't over or underpaying them. This feature also creates and maintains the records you need to comply with federal, state, and local regulations without an extra step.
The right POS system designed for the dry cleaning industry helps you make the most of your human resources. Employee management features make it a snap to create efficient weekly schedules. When you have the right number of employees at the right time, your customers don't need to wait, which improves customer relationships and reduces expenses.
Equipment management and tracking
Additionally, your business also has to track the personal items customers bring in for cleaning. Inventory management systems provide you with information about the status and location of customers’ items with a few clicks.
A good dry cleaning POS system should give you an almost instantaneous look at inventory levels. It should also make it easier to project future needs and keep the inventory you need on hand without wasting space on extra items
Payment processing system
The payment processing also needs to be user-friendly because not all of your customers have the same level of tech skills. You also don't want your staff handling the customer's credit information any more than is necessary. When you have the right payment processing system, your customers will appreciate your commitment to protecting their financial information.
Sales and revenue management
The right dry cleaning POS can also help you increase sales through the CRM feature. Through email marketing, you can keep your business in customers’ minds and offer promotions and coupons to entice customers to come in. You might even consider SMS texting to encourage customers to drop off their items for dry cleaning on a slower day.
Quality control
The right POS solution helps you ensure quality control, so your customers return for all their dry cleaning needs. When quality control systems are automated, you can devote your time to other matters, such as growing your business. This is essential for any small business, especially one in the dry cleaning industry.
Heartland is the point of sale, payments, and payroll solution of choice for small businesses that need human-centered technology to sell more, keep customers coming back, and spend less time in the back office. More than 750,000 businesses trust Heartland to guide them through market changes and technology challenges, so they can stay competitive and focus on building remarkable businesses instead of managing the daily grind. Learn more at heartland.us.