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May - 2016 issue

IoT and Mobility- taking POS to the next level

By Vignesh Anantharaj

Today’s retail businesses want the convenience and flexibility of using tablets connected to wireless POS deceives so as to provide the customers with the advantage not having to line up in a counter to complete transactions. In restaurants and eateries, the use of tablets to take orders and customer payments at tableside will become more and more popular. For an increasing number of businesses that need POS technology, the future is in wireless and mobility.

Additionally, the Internet of Things seems to never be far behind with latest tech such as Location-based beacons, and sensors coming together with smart innovations, such as price tags, that cal allow prices to change in real time. However, how a customer reacts to a price tag that keeps changing is another issue altogether. But sensors that can alert store officials when it is nearing expiry can be an advantage. The biggest challenge in this regard is how vendors can provide these solutions in India, where strength of internet connections is always an issue, apart from the numerous other security and privacy concerns.

Even though the growth looks promising, many retail chains today struggle owing to increasing cost of operations, lack of quality power and transportation. Another major factor is the lack of quality talent and high attrition rates that are common within retail chains. Retail service companies are already seeing a boom in this regard with growth of consultants in Visual Merchandising, manpower hiring consultants, IT, supply chain and logistics providers set to see a drastic increase. Most of the POS vendors and companies that we interviewed for this issue also showed a keen inclination towards increasing shopper engagement via novel ways as loyalty management comes under the scanner.

Though the overall outlook seems to be a bit cautious, many margins are subdued as the pressure is still high with regards to revenues. Considering all of the above mentioned aspects that are going to give retail CIOs a few sleepless nights, we have put together this month’s special issue targeted towards showcasing the best POS solution providers in India today. We highlight unorthodox and effective, yet simple PoS providers who can definitely make a difference and prove that within the retail segment, IT is more than a strong tool for increasing ROI.

Do let us know what you think.

Vignesh Anantharaj
Managing Editor
vignesh@cioreviewindia.com