Making the Most of Cash Registers

Turn your POS registers into multi-talented machines

Most cash registers for sale today may come with a lot of bells and whistles, but getting the best performance out of them still comes down to human attention to detail. If you're clever enough to make your cash registers into more than just a money box on the counter, you have the kind of innovative business spirit it takes to succeed.

Making the most of cash registers means finding ways of integrating them into pricing, security or advertising systems that you already have in place or may be thinking of implementing. Here are just a few of the ways in which you can accessorize or enhance cash registers and increase business success:

1. Move your store register one step closer to automated cash registers by adding a bar code scanning unit.

2. Keep careful tabs on your money with cash register compatible surveillance systems.

3. Use custom paper to save money on printing fancy logos or messages on your receipts.

Upgrade your point of sale cash register to a scanning system

While the smallest companies may not be able to justify the extra cost, almost every business would benefit from the increased speed and efficiency of adding a scanner to its cash register system.

Protect your point of sale cash registers against employee theft

The cash register was originally created to reduce employee theft. Take security a step further by implementing a text-overlay cash register surveillance system so you can easily review cash register transaction information on your video surveillance screen.

Imitate fancy features with the right cash register paper

Some of the more expensive cash registers are capable of printing in color and even adding a custom logo or message to each transaction. If your cash register doesn't have this feature you can approximate the effect by using custom printed cash register paper with your company's logo on it. Even if your register can print custom logos, you may find that letting someone else do the printing saves you money on ink.

• If you're adding a scanning system to your current cash register, remember to make sure you're prepared for either adding custom bar codes to freight--you may need a specialized printer as it arrives--or that you have the right software for scanning the bar codes already in place.

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