You may have your sights set on cloud POS, but it’s smart to consider a hybrid POS system
before you make your next investment.
What’s Driving Cloud Migration?
Businesses are fast-tracking their plans to transition to the cloud. In 2018, 61 percent of
merchants said their next POS system would be cloud-based. Three years later and after the
COVID-19 pandemic began, businesses are even more determined. Veeam’s 2021 Data
Protection Trends Report found 53 percent of 3,000 global respondents said the pandemic
accelerated their digital transformation. Additionally, a whopping 96 percent of respondents are
increasing cloud usage overall.
It’s easy to understand why. Shutdowns and work from home orders during the pandemic proved
that cloud systems can keep data accessible. Managers didn’t have to go into a restaurant if they
had cloud access and reporting. They do their jobs from anywhere with an internet connection.
Also, restaurant business models shifted to adapt to new consumer behaviors. Diners ordered
online for delivery or curbside pickup. Cloud POS made it easier to staff outside the four walls of
the restaurant to accept orders and payments. It also gives employees in those roles the tools to
provide fast and efficient customer experiences.
Cloud can keep you connected and operations, but there is also a risk that it could lead to a
disconnect. If you are operating purely in the cloud, your business is dependent on an internet
connection to work. A cloud POS system may provide you with some offline capabilities.
However, they won’t give you the same user experiences as when you connect directly to your
POS system in the cloud.
When your business relies on connection to run business systems, there is no room for the
message “connection lost.” Beyond the financial impact of downtime, network outages cost you
brand damage, loss of customer confidence, and lower employee morale.
A hybrid system for your restaurant helps to ensure that if you lose the network, it’s still business
as usual.
Hybrid POS Keeps Your Business Operating
A hybrid POS system ensures that you have the resources you need to keep operating. By using
applications and data both on-premises and in the cloud, you can create business continuity. If
your internet service is lost, you can continue to operate as normal by leveraging systems onsite.
When all systems are back up, the system syncs. On the flip side, if your physical facility is shut
down due to natural disasters, outages — or a pandemic — you can operate in the cloud.
Furthermore, your customers can continue to engage with you. They can keep placing orders and
place their checks. They can also redeem loyalty points and purchase gift cards. With a hybrid
model, you can deliver uninterrupted service while capturing every sale possible.
A Hybrid POS System Builds Redundancies
The adage, “Hope for the best, plan for the worst,” applies to restaurant technology. As a
restaurant owner, you hope that your cloud POS system will always be available. But, when it
does, you hope that restoring backups and recovering data will be quick and accurate. The truth
is, though, that full cloud recovery takes time, and backups can fail a staggering 37 percent of the
time.
A hybrid POS system is naturally redundant, with data stored on-premises and in the cloud. You
still need to back up data, but a hybrid system provides an extra layer of data protection and
recoverability.
Have the Best of Both Worlds
For restaurateurs recovering in the post-pandemic era, adopting a hybrid POS system is the key
to optimal business continuity, accessibility, and uninterrupted customer engagement.
Contact us to learn more about the best choice for your next POS system.
Contact us to learn more about the best choice for your next POS system.