Top 10 Features for POS Systems for Bars and Nightclubs

“Quick Summary” Once dusk settles in, bars and nightclubs spring into action. The weekends are even busier starting Friday eve. With so many customers visiting your establishment, prompt service is a must. There are no two ways about it. Advertising and marketing can only get you so far. Only when you can keep the crowd entertained with great music, ambiance, and good service will they return—the crucial element being exceptional service.

Now, you might ask - Which is the best POS system for bars and nightclubs? The right POS system enables bar/nightclub owners to increase their profit margin while providing useful insights into customer preferences and behavior. Moreover, the POS system will help with sales, inventory management, reporting, etc. If you intend to take your business to the next level, your POS system needs to possess a few integral features.

Nightclub/bar POS vs. regular POS systems

Choosing the right POS is crucial for nightclubs and bars. The worst mistake you can make is settling for the wrong POS system. Well, you’re in for a rude awakening.  A generic POS system won’t do the job. POS systems built specifically for bars and nightclubs are created, keeping in mind its unique customer base.

Aspects like tab management, splitting the cheque, proper menu management for happy hours, special offers, personalized menu, mobile POS, etc. are incorporated into the POS system. Most importantly, no significant tweaks need to be made to the POS to make it customer/client specific. Industry-specific features are already present in the POS.

Select a bar/nightclub POS with these 10 indispensable features

When it comes to POS systems for nightclubs and bars, you need to have these ten features to stay ahead of the game. Let's take a look at these POS system features.

Personalization

In a bar/nightclub, you can’t go by the rulebook all the time. On certain occasions, you need to bend the rules to keep customers happy. Guests come from all walks of life, and high profile clients pay for the extra service rather than the drinks/food.

Some might order unconventional cocktail combinations and food items which can be arranged for, but how do you enter all that information into the system. You need to take orders quickly without missing out on crucial details, and this can only be accomplished with a custom-built POS.

Bill split

A couple might ask the staff to split the bill, and both may want to pay using different debit/credit cards. Hence, it is essential to choose a POS that allows you to split the check into two or more parts. You can even split the bill proportionally or adjust the amount as per customer preferences.

Menu Management

The menu in a nightclub is never the same. It changes depending on the season, time of the year, special occasions, and so on. How does one manage the changes during the new year, happy hours, and private parties? It is not feasible to configure the entire system for each event or promotion. It would be highly unproductive and time-consuming.

In a reputed, user-friendly nightclub/bar POS system, items are usually separated by groups and colors, plus prices change for happy hours automatically. It enables staff to serve customers better.

Mobile Integration

In a nightclub, you can’t expect customers to go up to the counter and make payments. Moreover, in a busy atmosphere, you want to be quick and accurate. This is why you need to provide staff members with a mobile POS system so that they can serve customers better. 

They can interact with the customers, place orders, upsell, and recommend premium liquor. In the long run, the establishment makes more money.

Card pre-authorization

All kinds of people frequent a bar/nightclub. Pre-authorizing a card enables the staff to verify the card’s authenticity, prevent fraudulent transactions & chargebacks, and save the information for future use.

Apart from the points mentioned above, card pre-authorization helps cut down on shrinkage, speed up service, improve service levels, and ascertain if the customer has the required funds to complete the transaction.

Better Inventory management

Alcohol is the reason for a bar/nightclub’s existence. If a customer doesn’t get his favorite drink, he is not likely to come back. On the other hand, liquor sitting on the shelves is not suitable for the establishment either. 

A specialized POS gives you the ability to monitor stock levels, plus it also gives you insight about best-sellers and poorly performing products. Ultimately, you will be able to stock the right products in appropriate quantities, thereby preventing losses & maximizing profits.

Age verification

Age verification is one of the crucial aspects of operating a nightclub/bar. You don’t want shady characters, underage individuals entering your establishment. Customize your handheld POS systems with age-verification software to comply with the law and obtain complete customer information. 

This information can also identify loyal customers and offer them discounts, vouchers, reward points, etc.

Cloud integration

You can keep track of daily sales and revenue and even use it to formulate strategies for the future, but what if your system crashes. In this scenario, you would need a backup. It is advisable to back up all your data on the cloud so that you can retrieve it in the event of an emergency. 

When all information is on the cloud, it enables useful and accurate reporting because all the details are automatically uploaded. Not just for a particular week or month, you can also check reports for previous months and years.

Billing

Having customers sit around for long is not fun for customers or the staff. The faster the bill is provided to the customer, the quicker they leave and make way for other customers. Manual bill calculations will take ages, especially when it’s a busy weekend. A nightclub POS will make billing quick and easy.

Access to information

At an establishment, there is plenty of information. Not every department/employee needs to know everything. In such scenarios, access management comes into play. With POS, you decide who needs to know what. Moreover, you can also configure settings for individual access or department access.

Cash management

Many organizations face theft, shrinkage, and cash shortfall, ubiquitous in a nightclub/bar environment. Along with detailed sales and inventory management, nightclub/bar POS also offers an added feature - cash drawer management. It allows you to monitor multiple cash registers while helping you keep track of daily cash flow, mismatch, balance, and cash-register sessions.

Final thoughts

You will find thousands of POS applications in the market, but you need to consider your establishment’s specific requirements and select the best POS system for your bar. Don’t make the mistake of settling for a cheap/generic POS because you will end up spending more in the long run. 

All that money spent on the DJ, cozy couches, attractive barmaids, and exquisite liquor will be of no use if you compromise on a POS system. The right POS in the hands of the right employees will bring you great success and prosperity.