Did you know that there is a direct correlation between the number of POS terminals in self-serve frozen yogurt shops and the rate of success. Walk into any successful frozen yogurt store and you will see 2 POS terminals. That is actually true for over 85% of the time. The only exception is very small shops (under 600 square feet) inside malls and other places where they are restricted by counter space. Take notice the next time you walk into a Starbucks. The only ones that tend to have one POS terminal are those in small kiosk stands in malls, supermarkets, and malls.
There are several direct and indirect reasons why 2 terminals are needed as follows:
DIRECT REASONS:
1. Strong Opening: A common line of thinking is “I will get one terminal and if I am successful, I will get another.” You may want to reconsider this line of thinking as it may be equal to ensuring a negative perception from your opening. A strong opening is essential to a longer term successful operation. That is why the use of gift/loyalty cards before opening to encourage a strong opening is encouraged. Your opening reflects on 1) the customers who show up, 2) your neighbors who are a good source to spread the word once they see a strong opening, 3) potential customers who drive by and ask “what is going on there?” and 4) the impact of strong openings (pictures, tweets, etc.) on social media and how that can spread to encourage. It does not reflect nicely when you are running
2. Frozen yogurt tends to have about three (3) to four (4) peak times during the day and that notion is the same across the globe. This requires that two terminals are open to accommodate guests. Two terminals cut the line in half. Customers are discouraged when they walk into the store and see a long line. It is estimated that if a location looses three (3) customers during each peak time, then that is about nine (9) per day or around 3,000 a year.
3. The consumer has been accustomed to having things quickly. Their time is counted in seconds. They may take 5 minutes to choose their flavor and stay at your store for 45 minutes, but they do not want to stand in line behind more than 4 people when they want to pay.
4. Ironically there is a coloration between the number of terminals and success rate. A small portion of operations with only one (1) terminal succeed. This is an indirect correlation which says that if you are not busy enough to need two (2) terminals then you are not generating enough revenue. This might be because the location is bad or the demand is not there, but it is an interesting correlation.
5. Operations that depend on the POS for sale (by weight) should have a two (2) terminals in case one goes down. Our systems are high quality and rarely have issues, but the risk is not worth it. One down day can equal to the cost of the additional terminal.
6. The cost of the POS system is relatively a small investment component to the other components (fridges, furniture, tenant improvements, decor, etc.). A new operation cutting back on cost by only purchasing one terminal should carefully look to ensure that they are not cutting back on other components. Too few frozen yogurt machines or low quality frozen yogurt machines will ensure failure. The frozen yogurt experience is a very aesthetically sensitive experience. Your location must look good, nice, and professional. If you are cutting back on this or quality of furniture, then you need to revisit your entire strategy. You cannot have a haphazard frozen yogurt operation.
Need help planning your operation? Sintel Systems is more than just the leading provider of POS systems to the frozen yogurt industry. Contact us and speak to one of our industry specialist who can help you.
Sintel Systems is the only direct to end user full-service for Frozen Yogurt POS. They also provide tailored Point of Sale systems across retail, restaurant and service industries, including, pizzerias, sushi restaurants, cafés and retail stores.
As a single source for business solutions, our experienced, knowledgeable team negotiates the complex POS landscape for you to enable you to find the right POS system for your business and budget. Hardware – Software – Support
Questions or Comments: Contact us 855-POS-SALES www.SintelSystems.com