It’s flavorful, colorful, and just healthy enough to not feel guilty about indulging in it. That’s right: we’re talking frozen yogurt. Specifically, we’re talking frozen yogurt point of sale (POS) and how to choose a frozen yogurt POS that goes the extra mile for your business.
You’re likely well aware of the popularity of frozen yogurt shops; it’s estimated that 121 million servings of frozen yogurt are served each year in the United States! And while it’s good news that so many people love the tasty dessert, it can also be intimidating to think about the best way to go about differentiating your frozen yogurt shop from the competition.
In addition to choosing a strategic location, creating an attractive aesthetic, offering high-quality flavors and toppings, and effectively marketing your business, did you know that a well-thought-out POS can be a stable foundation to a successful, differentiated frozen yogurt shop? Read on to discover the 4 essential features of a frozen yogurt POS solution.
Feature #1: Scale
Arguably one of the most important features of your frozen yogurt POS is your scale. Why? Simply put, accuracy is money!
To ensure you are charging the correct amount for the frozen yogurt that you sell, selecting an NTEP-certified scale is a must. The NTEP Certificate of Conformance “indicates that the device manufacturer has demonstrated the ability to meet applicable requirements for commercial weighing and measuring equipment in the United States as specified in Handbook 44: Specifications and Tolerances and Other Technical Requirements. NTEP certification is required in most states in the United States.”
Second most important to accuracy is connectivity. What good is a scale if it doesn’t connect to the rest of your POS? Be sure to choose a scale that connects to your software and operating system. It is also helpful if your scale features multiple interface options such as Bluetooth, Serial, and USB. Additionally, it’s wise to choose a scale that directly connects to your POS so that there is no risk of human error in entering numbers incorrectly from the scale to the POS.
Finally, let’s be real: frozen yogurt can easily become messy. Choose a scale that has an available protective shield to defend it from spills.
Star’s mG-Scales
Legal for Trade, NTEP-Certified
Multiple Interfaces (Bluetooth, Serial, USB)
Support for Windows, Android, iOS
Available with Protective Shield
Feature #2: Receipt Printer
Your customers want to eat their frozen yogurt before it melts. One way to help them do that is by utilizing a fast, high-quality, and easy-to-use receipt printer. A reliable and high-performance printer means your employees can complete transactions more quickly, and customers can get to enjoying their treats in a jiffy.
On a more technical front, it’s crucial to choose a printer with the connectivity options to meet your needs. Some good connectivity options to look for are Bluetooth, USB, Lightning, and LAN. And by choosing Star’s mC-Print2 or mC-Print3, you’ll get the added benefit of SteadyLAN® technology. This world-first solution provides both power and direct, reliable Ethernet connectivity to iOS, Android, and Windows devices via the printer, and all through one cable. You can say goodbye to downtime and low-signal frustration with SteadyLAN!
Two more aspects of a receipt printer to look for are a splash-proof design and marketing capabilities. By choosing a splash-proof printer, you know your POS hardware is safe from any spilled frozen yogurt mishaps. And some receipt printers, like the mC-Print Series, includes free receipt marketing software so that you can promote upcoming sales, special flavors, and more right on your receipt, where customers are sure to see it.
Feature #3: POS Software
Just like sprinkles make the perfect accompaniment to frozen yogurt, choose a printer that pairs well with your favorite frozen yogurt POS software!
If you’re currently shopping around for frozen yogurt POS software – or considering making a switch – here are some good features to look for:
- Weight-based pricing
- Inventory management and detailed sales reporting (so that you can know which flavors and toppings sell fastest, when to replenish, profit margins, real-time sales, etc.)
- A simple checkout process and easy training (for part-time and seasonal staff)
- A prominent customer display system (CDS) for transparent transactions
- The opportunity for customer information capture for marketing activities
- Offline transaction processing
- Employee timekeeping
- Pay-as-you-go pricing (if you are a seasonal business)
- Secure payments (EMV-ready for chip and pin payments)
- Handheld, mobile POS capabilities for peak business hours
Feature #4: Sleek Design
Frozen yogurt shops are known for their design. You know the look: a well-lit, happy space, with bright colors and the undeniable feeling of childhood-like joy. What’s one thing that can completely kill the mood? Outdated POS hardware.
Choose a POS that is as sleek as the rest of your business. Not only will this create a cohesive feel, but this optimized design will help you create a memorable experience and hopefully stand out in your customers’ minds.
The easiest way to create an attractive POS area is by choosing a clean, sleek tablet POS stand. Look for a stand that features hidden cable management that routes cables through the stand arm (like the Star mUnite). Another key feature that cannot be overlooked is choosing a stand that includes universal VESA mounting, meaning it can support any iOS, Android, and Windows touchscreen device. An added bonus of a stand with VESA mounting capabilities is that it is future-proof and can save you money: if you change your tablet down the road, the same great stand will still work.
