| The point of sale industry has seen a remarkable | | | | some are not. Those high maintenance users present |
| surge in advancement over the last several decades, | | | | a unique challenge to the POS industry, in that the |
| as it has changed with the times to meet the emerging | | | | amount of technology training that must be given to |
| needs of new information technology. Programming | | | | those people is substantial. However, for most users, a |
| languages have changed to enable ever more | | | | POS interface can be used with practically no training. |
| complex ideas to be expressed with greater speed | | | | Costs for POS services for trained users is less than |
| and simplicity. Most experts expect the current trends | | | | the costs of providing the same services to high |
| to continue into the foreseeable future, enabled and | | | | maintenance end-users, due to the decrease in time |
| enhanced by a continual influx of talented POS | | | | and effort that is required to support the system. |
| experts who continue to push the envelope of POS | | | | There are ways to reduce the costs associated with |
| capabilities. | | | | high maintenance users of POS systems. One way is |
| The advantage that the POS industry enjoys is also | | | | to use a more stable operating system. Of the three |
| the mirror reflection of its chief challenge. The | | | | operating systems in use - Microsoft Windows, Mac |
| advantage lies in the industry's pairing of evolving | | | | OS X, and Linux - Microsoft is the least stable and |
| technologies with end-users who lack the skills to | | | | Linux is free. The math is pretty simple to do. A |
| maintain pace with the changes. The challenge lies in | | | | second way to reduce costs is by actively training |
| making the POS systems easy enough for those | | | | your end users. Relying on the POS provider to train |
| technologically-impaired end users to navigate. Thus | | | | your high maintenance end users is not the most |
| the most serious issue facing the POS industry is in | | | | efficient use of your company resources. Most POS |
| determining how to develop a cutting edge POS | | | | providers allocate no more than a couple of hours to |
| system that can be readily understood by people who | | | | training any high maintenance users. I f you have |
| have no understanding of technology. | | | | employees who cannot understand the system after |
| Though most users of POS systems are somewhat | | | | that training, any additional training would be better and |
| familiar with computer use, there are times when | | | | cheaper if done in-house. |