Your business relies on different tools and technologies to run efficiently, but sometimes it’s necessary to consider a change. For example, have you faced a situation where a customer wanted to use Apple Pay, but your payment terminal didn’t support it? Or, have you had to turn a customer away because your point of sale (POS) device was down?
While switching out a tried-and-true piece of technology like a point of sale (POS) device can seem daunting, there are numerous benefits to upgrading to a smart terminal and switching is probably easier than you think.
In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about evaluating POS systems and their costs and offer a recommendation for how GoDaddy Smart Terminal POS can improve and modernize your business operations.
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Evaluating your current POS solution
First things first, it’s time to take a good look at your current POS system and evaluate how it’s serving your customers and business needs today.
We recommend re-evaluating your POS system every three years to ensure that your system still meets your business needs.
Here are a few key questions to ask yourself to help determine if it’s time to upgrade your system.
Does it meet my customers’ expectations for payments?
At its most basic level, a POS system should accept all major credit and debit cards, but customers today expect much more. They’ve become accustomed to the numerous payment options made available to them when shopping online — such as contactless payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay — and want to see this flexibility reflected in their in-person shopping experience, too.
Additionally, for businesses with online and in-person presence, the ability to buy online and pickup in store can be very popular with customers who don’t have time for a full shopping trip. Does your current POS system support that behavior?
Or, is your business largely mobile? Are you able to accept payments on-the-go? A mobile POS system should be able to help collect payment from wherever your business is selling.
Beyond these factors, customers also expect an intuitive, simple, and fast payment experience. They don’t want to fumble around to try and find where to swipe, insert, or tap their card or mobile device. Watch your customers as they make purchases with you. Do they struggle or seem confused about how to make a payment? These inconveniencing experiences can leave your customers feeling flustered or frustrated at the end of their purchase — which is not an ideal experience!
Does it work well with my other business systems?
A POS system can only help you run more efficiently if it connects seamlessly with the rest of your business ecosystem. How well does your current system connect with the other devices involved in your checkout process, such as your receipt printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners? Ideally, all these peripherals would integrate with your POS to reduce manual entry requirements and potential points of friction for you and your customers in the checkout process.
For businesses that operate in-person and online, there’s a whole additional set of considerations:
- Does your POS system make it easy for you to keep track of in-person and online sales, or are you doing a good amount of manual work to merge these disparate systems?
- Does your POS system track when an item was sold online or in-person, to help you keep track of stock, or is it difficult to know your true inventory at a glance?
Is it extensible or customizable to my business’ other needs?
Running your business successfully includes a lot more than just accepting payments — as important as that is. How does your current POS system fit into your larger operational processes? Does your POS system support customer loyalty programs, make it easy to create and accept gift cards, or help you manage employee clock-ins/clock-outs? POS systems have come a long way and can do so much more than just swipe cards — assuming you have the right system!
POS system costs
One of the most challenging parts of choosing a POS system is understanding and evaluating the costs associated with purchasing a new system, setting it up, and using it over time. When considering a POS system, be sure to think about the following costs:
- Hardware. How much will it cost to buy the core hardware for the POS system? What peripherals are included, if any? If none are included, what will they cost to purchase? These typically constitute one-time investment but can add up quickly depending on how much (or how little) the base POS hardware can do on its own.
- Software. The heart of a 'smart' POS hardware is the software that runs on it. At minimum, the software enables payments, but can also be sophisticated to support complex businesses. What will you need to pay on a monthly basis to use the POS software for your business needs?
- Payment processing fees. What are the fees associated with each payment method on the POS system? Typically, whenever a customer swipes, dips, or taps their card in person, you pay a percentage of the transaction total plus a flat fee. To understand the true costs here, take a look at the number of in-person card transactions and average order value over the past few months, then calculate what the processing fees would be with the new system.
- Onboarding and support fees. Are there additional costs associated with getting setup? Will you need to pay for ongoing support?
- Early termination fees. Does this POS system include a contract? If so, what does it cost to break the contract to acquire a new system?
- Other hidden fees. Will you be expected to pay a monthly PCI compliance fee or chargeback fees? Some systems include many hidden fees like these.
Process of changing POS systems
Now that you’ve taken a closer look at your current system, it’s time to weigh the benefits of upgrading to a new system vs. sticking with current because of the perceived difficulty of switching and fear of potential business disruptions.
Before you let the effort involved with switching scare you off the project altogether, be sure to think about the longer-term impacts of an outdated POS system and the costs associated with not switching. No one wants to take on extra work, but if it means that your business is stronger and that your customers are happier in the long run, it can be absolutely worth it to take on the cost of switching.
All about the GoDaddy Smart Terminal POS
If you’ve found that your current POS system just isn’t working for you anymore, or you've gone on for too long adjusting to a less-than-ideal POS system, it’s time to consider a change. There’s a lot to love about GoDaddy’s Smart Terminal POS, but here are a few highlights to help you feel confident in your decision.
Delight your customers with a fast, seamless checkout experience
A versatile POS system like GoDaddy's Smart Terminal is sure to impress your customers. Its sleek interface and dual screen design makes checkout a delight and easy, and it can accept all the payment methods your customers love — credit cards, debit cards, and popular contactless payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Pay. You can even print or offer email / texted receipts with a built in printer, seamlessly prompt for tips with the customer facing display, and showcase your brand/promo to engage your customers further.
Smart Terminal gives your customers a premium checkout experience, at a rate that works for business budgets of all sizes.
Increase your business efficiency with interconnected tools
For businesses that rely on multiple tools to support their checkout, you’ll love how the GoDaddy Smart Terminal connects easily to devices you rely on — from barcode scanners to cash drawers to specialty tools like kitchen printers. When everything works well together out-of-the-box, you don’t have to spend your valuable time and energy trying to manually transfer information from one system to another, risking errors and a frustrating checkout experience for your customers. You can rest easy knowing that your tools will work together to create an effortless, efficient system that your staff and your customers will enjoy.
Handle more of your business operations in one place
For businesses that operate in-person and through an online store, Smart Terminal can help you keep track of everything. You’ll have straightforward insights into your sales, inventory, and business analytics from a single place, no matter where your business operates. You can also take advantage of GoDaddy’s extensive app ecosystem, which supports up to 35 apps to help you run more of your business through your Smart Terminal. You can manage employees, support scheduling, run customer loyalty programs, and offer buy online / pickup in store options for your customers. It all adds up to a more efficient and enjoyable checkout system.
GoDaddy Smart Terminal costs
Smart Terminal is available at an affordable initial rate, with low ongoing payment processing fees, and no hidden fees. Take a look at the table below to learn more about the costs associated with GoDaddy’s Smart Terminal.
| Hardware | $499.00 USD |
| Software | No software fees. |
| Payment processing fees | In-person transactions: 2.3% + 0¢ Online transactions: 2.3% + 30c Keyed-in: 3.3% + 0c |
| Onboarding and support fees | No setup or support fees |
| Early termination fees | No early termination fees — no contract. |
| Other fees | No interchange, risk, PCI compliance, or other hidden fees. |
GoDaddy makes switching easy
With GoDaddy, switching to a new POS system is quick and painless. Not only is the Smart Terminal POS easy to setup and connect, the GoDaddy POS software comes pre-installed so your Smart Terminal is ready to use out of the box. You can reach us 24x7 for any questions and technical support.
For merchants who sell over $100,000 a year, GoDaddy’s team of customer success representatives offer one-on-one onboarding and setup support at no cost and can assist with critical migration tasks like importing your product catalog, setting up your payments portal, and configuring payouts in accordance with your business needs.
Switch to Smart Terminal when you’re ready to get all the benefits of a powerful, sophisticated, and flexible POS system. You’ll feel even better about your decision with these added benefits:
- 30-day money-back guarantee for a risk-free process
- Free 2-day shipping to help you get started quickly
- Pre-loaded configuration so you can use the system right out of the box
- 24x7 expert support and extensive help materials available to ensure you'll be successful with your new system.
As your business grows and changes, your technology stack needs to adapt as well. Your POS system is a critical part of your overall business health, and so it’s important that you evaluate its performance on an ongoing basis. When you find that your POS is no longer keeping up with your customer expectations or business needs, consider making the switch to a newer POS system.
Take time to research and compare the top payment processors for 2023. Here is a resource to help you:
GoDaddy’s Smart Terminal offers all the features your customers, business, and staff need at a reasonable rate, with low processing fees that mean you’ll get to keep more of what you earn. Best of all, the GoDaddy team is by your side along the way — from the initial switch and migration to everything you might need in the future.
