Top POS Predictions for 2017
“Windows will no longer be the number one operating system in the market, as multiple operating systems are being offered to allow greater flexibility to consumers. Data collection will be a bigger selling point for consumers, not only to track sales and inventory, but also to manage shifts and training, as well as deploy customer loyalty programs.” — Bematech
“We will see increasing configuration flexibility to adapt to more fluid layouts in a hyper-channel oriented world, smaller counter footprints, more intensive future-proofing and increased value.” — Fujitsu America, Inc.
“Major restaurant chains will continue to adopt online ordering and line-busting technology and POS hardware will do a better job of connecting wirelessly to each other (Internet of Things) and to mobile (smartphone and tablet) devices. It will also integrate with sensors, cameras and video monitors to provide smart advertising to customers based on environment and purchasing trends.” — Epson
“A lot of the new requests for hardware are around supporting initiatives for increasing customer engagement. These come in the form of minimizing the barrier for traditional POS, installing kiosks of varying sizes and form factors, mobility solutions, and customer-facing screens on the POS for supporting both touch and non-touch versions.”
— Par Technology Corp.
“In the end, hardware is simply the platform for software and consumer omnichannel demands. The rise in mobile payments and the EMV mandate will prod hospitality to upgrade legacy POS systems because of the need for security compliance and to accept more payment options. Tablets, smartphones, software- (SaaS) or POS-as-a-service models, and cloud-based POS will continue to drive the need for POS hardware to adapt to new IT and consumer interaction.” — Posiflex
“POS hardware will expand connectivity in keeping with the IOT revolution, so operators will be able to provide a more personalized experience to customers at checkout.” — Toshiba
“There will be increased investments in WiFi, location-based services (LBS), mobile computers and data capture solutions as more consumers use their smartphones to engage in mobile ordering and loyalty programs for personalized offers. In addition, businesses will have an increased need for visibility in automating food safety processes.” — Zebra
This fellow has an interesting argument for switching the hotel's PMS to a cloud-based version. He is specifically referring to Opera Cloud PMS. He believes that if you don't switch from a license to a subscription model, your hotel will be left behind and unable to take advantage of new features that are likely to become the norm in hospitality. And without those capabilities, the hotel becomes disadvantaged competitively which leads to waning revenues, which leads to cost cutting measures, which leads to more lost revenue and so on; the death spiral. Is my hotel PMS ready for the future? Is it easily adaptable to meet the unexpected wishes of the traveler? The author is calling it "future proof technology". It's a gamble if your business isn't ready for it and I suspect when owners review their P&L's, they are willing to take the risk of waiting to see what happens. The author also makes reference to the sustainability benefits of transitioning to a cloud-based PMS. However, if moving to a cloud-based PMS is more expensive than the hotels current PMS solution, spending more money to be environmentally responsible, while noble, is a tough sell to most owners.
