How To Cause A Cash Registers System To Stop Working

Graphics header that reads, "POS Problems: How Retailers Can Avoid Common Pitfalls" Part 1 of ten in our Complete Guide to Secure Remote Access in Retail.

Completing safe, quick transactions is an essential part of any successful retail business organization. To do that finer, businesses use betoken-of-sale (POS) systems to complete purchases, store data, and collect valuable reporting metrics that provide insight to help with aspects of business development. Every purchase that's made is essentially a POS transaction.

What happens if your POS system goes down or encounters an fault? That tin atomic number 82 to a host of mutual POS problems that may slow the pace of business organisation, create unnecessary stress, and fifty-fifty lead to cybersecurity threats.

With POS transactions happening 24/7 around the world, it's important for retailers to exist aware of potential POS bug so they tin can avoid the pitfalls that often come with implementing a POS system. Keep reading to learn about how to avoid these mutual POS problems in your business organization.

Dissimilar Types of POS Systems

Before we jump into the dissimilar types of POS problems, it's helpful to understand POS systems and how they tin differ. Many businesses are turning to deject-based POS applications or electronic POS systems (EPOS) to improve efficiency, security, and reporting.

While many of these cloud-based options are used on mobile devices they can also be integrated with more traditional POS hardware, like cash registers, credit card terminals, and scanners. This combination of hardware and software makes upward the POS arrangement.

5 Common POS Problems and Their Solutions

Whether you're implementing a new POS arrangement or starting with something new, enquire a few questions about the needs of your business concern and its capacity to handle potential bug. POS issues can be a common occurrence, especially if you don't advisedly consider your options and changing business needs. Check out these 5 mutual POS problems and their solutions to make sure you have the near secure POS system possible.

1. Insecure POS System

One of the biggest challenges of managing a POS system is the potential for cyberattacks. POS systems present a big set on surface from the terminal itself to endpoints where data is stored.

Here a few of the well-nigh mutual POS vulnerabilities:

graphic depicting POS vulnerabilities including POS systems, Credit Card Terminals, Internet Exposure and POS Endpoints

POS Systems:

Every time a customer swipes a card or enters a pin, data is transmitted through a POS arrangement and its components. This advanced system may include a last in addition to keypads, chip readers, printers, inventory tracking systems, barcode scanning, and reporting functions. Unfortunately, older POS systems have weak security because they don't have proper encryption, leaving them vulnerable to attacks and other POS problems. POS terminals are also common assault surfaces considering they don't meet PCI compliance. This makes them an bonny target for hackers.

Credit Card Terminal:

Credit carte du jour terminals carry 1 main office: to process credit card payments. Cards are swiped and in some cases, the terminal may connect to a system for checks or gift cards, only mostly, they do non serve equally many functions every bit a POS system. While the credit card final doesn't exercise the same level of reporting and processing that a POS system does, information technology'south important to brand certain all components involved in the processing are compliant with regulations like PCI.

Internet Exposure:

Information technology only takes 1 unsecured admission point to give hackers access to an entire network of POS machines and systems, thus installing malware.

POS Endpoints:

After a transaction, that information gets stored somewhere, simply is it secure? Malicious queries can be loaded into a database, thus exposing or manipulating data.

Some of the most mutual POS problems are a result of malware, which gains access through one of the points shown above, then scrapes a system for unencrypted data. Whether you're a gas station, clothing outlet, or grocery store, if y'all are conducting transactions, you're susceptible to malware attacks.

Solution: Secure Your POS System to Prevent Malicious Attacks

Retailers take improved their endpoint security quite a flake in the by few years, merely the potential for other POS problems related to cybersecurity still be. Since many of the threats are due to malware, it's important that retailers check that their POS systems and vendors are implementing secure remote access. Some of the many benefits of remote access includes:

Encryption: Protects data as information technology's transmitted through the POS organisation
Multi-factor authentication practices: Create security codes or tokens, countersign requirements, and login endeavor limits to control who has access to the POS system.
User controls: If a retailer has multiple vendors and users, it's crucial that each user is given specific permissions to specific devices or networks.
Consolidated remote access solution: One solution that can be applied to devices, vendors, platforms, and retailers to avoid confusion, streamline troubleshooting, and help identify potential risks.

2. Information Tin can Exist Hacked Through a POS Vendor

Retailers often rely on vendors or tertiary parties to manage aspects of their business, including POS systems. A vendor could only be responsible for the POS device or last, or for an entire network.

If you don't know how your vendors are managing parts of your POS systems, or what tools they're using, POS problems like cyberthreats, connectivity issues, or noncompliance may outcome.

Solution: Vet POS Vendors Earlier Agreeing to Work With Them

It'southward ever expert to take a vendor risk management program in place when working with vendors, but information technology's essential to brand certain to vet them before agreeing to practise business. When you're seeking new vendors for any part of your retail concern, just especially for POS systems, consider the following questions to assist preclude POS problems:

What remote admission security tools do they use and how do they monitor POS systems?
Are they compliant with local, national, and international regulations?
How long has a vendor been in business concern?
What is their reputation? Were they referred to you?
What type of agreement or contract practise they offer and is it beneficial for your business?

Many of these questions and others will be addressed in the vendor service level agreement (SLA), which is an important part of whatsoever contract gear up with a vendor. Creating an constructive vendor run a risk management program volition save you and your vendors time, money, and hassle.

3. Picking the Wrong POS System for Your Business

Graphic of a frusterated person because they chose the wrong POS system for their business

Every retail functioning is different which is why they require different POS support. Choosing the wrong POS arrangement or vendor can be costly, specially if your business exceeds accuse limits. This can be especially true for smaller businesses that use a cloud-based POS awarding that limits the number of transactions per month.

If you are a growing business and you choose software or systems that tin't scale, it may outcome in accidental violations that freeze your account or limit sales. If your POS partner has limited reporting capabilities, it will be difficult for your business to make accurate projections for marketing and revenue purposes.

Solution: Choose a POS System to Match Your Concern Needs

Before you choose a POS system, vendor, or hardware, evaluate your business concern. Do you plan to grow, and if so, how much? How many devices do you take? What's your revenue like? Locations? There are a number of questions to inquire, but make sure you lot have a comprehensive view of your business and its goals to avoid mutual POS problems.

Once you know your business, consider these questions when choosing your POS:

What kind of training and support does the system offering?
Can it scale with your business?
What bank is the merchant tied to?
Are there fees associated with the partnership?
Is it compatible with all devices used by your business?
What kind of reporting and analysis does it offer and is it sufficient for your business?

iv. Your POS System Isn't Correctly Installed

It may seem like a small-scale affair, merely all likewise often POS problems are related to installing issues. This can occur for a number of reasons including:

WiFi connectivity problems
Wires or cables that aren't properly installed or malfunctioning
Devices and software aren't compatible
Software bugs and errors

Solution: Properly Install and Check POS System Regularly

POS systems are made of many parts, so at that place may exist different people and teams setting upward the diverse components. It'due south important for clear communication betwixt 3rd parties and your business concern IT department during install to ensure that and POS bug or questions are addressed. If POS system installation is handled by a 3rd political party, brand sure all aspects of their services align with your concern needs and compliance issues. Common POS problems that you lot can quickly check are:

Wires and cables are properly installed and plugged in
Mobile POS devices are fully charged
Software is updated and uniform with devices
Secure remote access solutions are applied to all parts of the POS system
Ensure that the WiFi connection is secure and strong to support the level of POS action
POS connection to the cyberspace: is it in the store network or elsewhere?

5. Insufficient Troubleshooting Back up

Since you'll exist partnering with various POS vendors to manage your system, it'southward important that there is ample support when POS problems arise. Your IT department is equipped with internal cognition about your network, simply issues with software, hardware, and devices may need further support.

You may encounter user error as well, requiring that IT staff exist available for back up. If POS system vendors don't have ample tech support for It staff and other employees, information technology tin can lead to a slow resolution process and lost business.

Solution: Be Prepared to Troubleshoot

Whether information technology's setting up your own IT team for success, properly preparation employees, or POS vendors are ready to support, you want to be ready when it comes fourth dimension to troubleshoot to avoid common POS problems. Here are some tips for being prepared:

Proper grooming for anyone using a POS arrangement
Discover secure, consolidated software solutions that allow y'all to do more than with fewer applications and tools to streamline training and operations
Take secure remote access solutions setup for the It department to easily troubleshoot from distant
Work closely with POS partners to establish a process for addressing POS bug

Use Impero Connect to Assistance Combat POS Problems

In the digital age, cyberthreats grow and POS systems present large attack surfaces that are vulnerable to malicious attackers. The retail manufacture is particularly vulnerable to these attacks, but they don't take to exist with comprehensive secure remote support that helps your IT section prevent, identify, and resolve any cybersecurity issues from anywhere in the world. POS systems operate at their best when they are secured from every angle with one remote access tool like Impero Connect. To larn more about securing your POS system with Impero, kickoff your free trial today.

Graphic giving a recap of common pitfalls that can be avoided with secure remote access