LOUISVILLE, KY - Retail experts and a recent survey from CompTIA predict traditional POS solutions will soon become dated, with retailers turning to mobile POS to increase convenience for their customers, Mobile Payments Today reports.
While only 13% of retailers polled said they??re currently using or testing a mobile POS, 19% said they plan to begin tests within the next year, a number that will increase over the next few years, said John Kenney, senior vice president of business development for Stella Nova Technologies Inc.
"The entire experience of queuing-up and waiting in line is going to go from standard operating procedure to unacceptably bad customer experience overnight," Kenney said. "The retailers who aren't developing their plans now with a focus on mobility are going to find themselves hanging on to a tailpipe rather than setting out a well-thought through vision."
Kenney cited Apple as an early adapter of mobile POS that sets the bar high for mobility best practices.
"There is no argument that they have a seamless and well-thought through approach. When you walk through an Apple Store everything makes sense. Store operations, merchandising and technology all complement one another in their environment," he said.
Non-tech retailer Nordstrom has armed 6,000 of its sales associates in 117 stores with modified iPod Touches and is also succeeding with the checkout process revamp.
"They've done a really good job on the operational side," Kenney said. "You get the sense when you talk with store employees there that there is no question about the company's direction to use mobile POS. They clearly have everyone pointed in the same direction, and I'm guessing that's why they are seeing so much success with it."
According to Tim Herbert, CompTIA vice president, it??s not a matter of first-to-market but implementing a strategic plan that works for customers as well as the retailer.
"Reliable wireless connectivity, robust security, quality end-points, data back-up and other IT basics cannot be overlooked by retailers anxious to add new capabilities," Herbert said, adding smaller retailers who lack IT departments face stiff challenge and would need to hire outside help to deploy mobile POS.
"Managed IT services, as the name suggests, is a model whereby an outside IT specialist manages some or all of customer's IT systems," Herbert said. "In the CompTIA research, retailers mentioned one of the greatest detriments of having technology shortcomings is that it pulls them away from working on other aspects of the business. Managed IT services is not for everyone, but in many cases, it does provide significant return on investment."