Supersizing POS Software Sales

Fast food restaurants (e.g., McDonald's, Burger King) accounted for 33% ($100 billion) of total food-service sales in 1996, according to the National Restaurant Association (NRA). Growth in this market is expected to outpace other parts of the food service industry, including table service restaurants, hotel/motel restaurants, and college and hospital cafeterias, notes an NRA report. "VARs and integrators will find increased selling opportunities in this market," says Richard Adler, president of Integrated Restaurant Software (Fort Lee, NJ), a software development company. Integrated Restaurant Software has installed its RMS-TOUCH POS, touch screen- based, point of sale system in more than 4,000 restaurants worldwide.

Restaurants Need Repeat Business
For fast food restaurant operators, increasing sales means increasing the number of customers served. Point of sale (POS) quick service software, designed specifically for the fast food market, can help operators do just that, says Adler. He suggests that restaurants spend less money on billboards, print ads and Web sites to attract customers and more on keeping existing customers coming back. For example, software programs with frequent dining features are used by restaurants to track customer purchases and spending habits.

"Restaurants use this information to market to their existing customers," says Adler. A special coupon or discount offer can be mailed to every customer who spent $8 or more in the restaurant during the past two months, for example. Adler predicts that frequent-dining programs will be included in most quick service software programs within the next five years. Software programs with frequent-dining features are being used in fine-dining restaurants (restaurants that have waitstaff and offer table service to customers).

Adler offers VARs additional advice on selling quick service software:

• Know the customers - Fast food restaurant operators are concerned with the speed of customer transactions, explains Adler. Knowing this, VARs and integrators should concentrate on software features, such as touch-screen capability and customizable menus, that help operators perform customer transactions more quickly.
  
  
• Follow Up With Service - Because restaurants are busiest in the evenings and on weekends, Adler says VARs should be prepared to provide 24-hour support.VARs unable to provide this level of support should contract with a third party for service of fast-food accounts.