In this article we asked Marc Brown, Managing Director, Syrve UK: ‘If you had to give one bit of advice to business people about the importance of a good epos system (in your case), what would it be?

An EPOS system is only part of the story. If you’re a bar or restaurant, you can’t just think in terms of a till any more. The needs of modern businesses and what’s possible today using advanced tech has changed radically — and can now span your entire operation.

This is great news for companies who are focused on enhancing the customer experience, while also trying to maximise margin and profitability. Next-gen tech help you to achieve new levels of visibility, efficiency and control.

Today, each ‘event’ within your business can be captured digitally in simple, tech-assisted ways. This can include everything from stock arriving and inventory checks, to batch production, sales and wastage. And it all happens in real-time. You can say ‘Goodbye’ to countless labour-intensive tasks and record-keeping. The system has it covered.

But that’s just the beginning. Crucially, the tech can fix the traditional disconnect between front-of-house and back-of-house operations. The system takes each ounce of information in real-time and feeds this automatically into other processes — and then acts on it automatically. It uses artificial intelligence to accurately create sales forecasts, food prep plans, staff scheduling, reports and much more.

In essence, your operation starts to become unified, ‘self driving’ and friction-free, optimising everything instinctively. It does the smart thinking for you. There’s no ‘trying to remember everything’ or missing something important. The system has your back — and automatically prompts your team to act. The tech can act as a star player at every location you manage.

This is great news for executives, managers and staff, making everyone’s life easier and more rewarding. The tech can free everyone to focus more time on customers and adding value to your brand.

You can check how your business is doing at any moment — whether you’ve got a single bar or a vast chain of restaurants. The information on performance is in real-time and trustworthy.

The tech can also let you imagine ‘what if’ scenarios and the impact on your bottom line if you tweak menus, ingredients and other aspects of the business. The possibilities are enormous. Over the past year or so, we’ve seen companies use next-gen tech to transform themselves quickly. Virtually overnight, they can roll out loyalty programmes, offer food deliveries, accept orders from third-party apps and manage drivers easily.

The best tech doesn’t need to be complicated, risky or cost a fortune. With the cloud, you can roll out systems quickly, pay by subscription and get stellar support.

Although the name ‘EPOS’ is still used, the tech has transformed. Today, it’s about recording, guiding and reporting on every area of your operation. It’s a must-have for bars and restaurants that want outstanding insight, agility and control.