The mobile payment market in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to grow. Mobile point-of-sale (POS) solutions provide a way for retailers to grow sales anywhere, not just in one fixed location in a store. Recognizing the value and importance of this component of the retail consumer journey is critical to retailers across the whole Middle East.
What Is a Mobile POS Solution?
A mobile POS refers to any app-based application that accepts payment from consumers. This typically involves a smartphone or tablet-based solution, but mobile payments can also be linked to any type of smart device.
It was not that long ago that nearly every retail transaction took place at a cash register, where consumers handed cash or a card to the cashier for their purchase. Mobile POS solutions have changed in other ways as well. Today's modern solution is more about a point-of-service – not just a payment portal. Consumers expect these mobile solutions to offer real-time visibility into inventory levels and guide them in their purchases.
Key Benefits of Mobile POS Solutions in Retail
The list of benefits for mobile POS solutions in retail is incredible, with nearly every touchpoint in the customer's journey impacted in some way by those benefits, including:
Personalized guest experiences
Provide consumers with better service by offering a faster and more efficient way to source what they desire, no matter where that inventory is at any given time.
Support transactions with more device flexibility
Tablets, mobile devices, and self-service kiosks are some of these systems' most impactful functions. They save time in the payment process and may even facilitate the customer doing more of the "work" of processing payment, speeding up transaction times.
Gain a 360-degree customer view
With mobile POS, retailers gain better insight from sales, including total customer lifetime value and specific factors that drive consumer loyalty. More so, businesses can send targeted offers directly to a consumer already interested, closing the deal faster.
Save the sale
These mobile devices enable organizations to provide supportive services to consumers. For example, staff can use their devices to look up stock in a different location or arrange for mobile or home delivery.
Upsell the transaction
Staff members themselves can upsell additional products, services, and warranties directly with the consumer, even at the consumer's home during a service call. Automated solutions can offer suggestions to consumers at the point of sale, encouraging them to add to their orders effortlessly.
Transformative Roles of Mobile POS in Modern Retail
Consider, too, how transformative mobile POS is to modern retail. It changes the way consumers interact within the retail consumer journey. Unlike the traditional retail layout design, which focuses on moving customers around the store to check out, mobile POS changes the process comprehensively.
- Integrate technology into every area of a retail location. Empower sales agents to close a sale where they are rather than waiting for the client to check out.
- Streamline and enhance efficiency in-store. By providing sales associates with portable devices, they can handle the check out at the location, eliminating the wait of long queues that often turn shoppers off from buying.
- Mobile devices enable sales associates to bridge the gap between online and offline stores. Seemingly, all products are available across all areas, inventory levels are accessible and no longer limited to what is on the store shelf, and consumer profiles can help sales associates in real time.
Instead of a shopping cart pushed around a store, the mobile POS retail layout enables shoppers to purchase at any point, without the wait, with ample engagement, and with a seamless process.
Challenges and Considerations with Mobile POS Solutions
As with all technological upgrades, there are some potential challenges, and retailers must carefully consider these before transforming the way they operate. Key areas of focus in the UAE and surrounding region include:
- Meeting compliance requirements. Due to security risks and increasing regulatory measures over cybercrime, retailers must ensure a solution capable of providing security beyond all measures. Both hardware and software security compliance must be met.
- Integrating with existing systems. Mobile POS systems can integrate with most modern customer relationship management, inventory management, and other operational tools. However, retailers should verify this before deciding which solution is best for their operation.
- Compliance with both local and international regulations is imperative. As mobile POS use grows, retailers have an increasing opportunity for international growth. That said, retailers must also be able to adapt efficiently to international requirements.
Future Trends in Mobile POS Technology
Widespread use of mobile POS through the UAE and surrounding areas is easily expected within a matter of a few years. With this adoption comes a variety of potential additional benefits, including:
- Integrated multichannel experiences, including non-linear paths to purchase outside of the traditional storefront.
- Contactless payments may offer more robust offerings, including instalment payments, subscription services, rewards programs, and more.
Ready to Upgrade Your Retail Experience with Mobile POS?
In reality, retailers who put off applying a mobile POS strategy may lose business to competitors who are already engaging in this component of the retail consumer journey. Explore what could happen and how seamless a transformation to a mobile POS system can be for your existing organization.
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