It’s no secret that speed and accuracy at the point of sale remain top priorities for retailers, which is one reason computerized point of sale systems have become so popular over the past few years. However, there’s more to the equation than that. Integrating even the most basic and innocuous of peripherals with the point of sale system yields significant benefits you just can’t ignore.

Take scales, for instance. An integration of in-counter scales, such as those used in supermarkets, with the point of sale system enables cashiers to seamlessly “transition” from scanning a barcode to weighing items. Customers move through the checkout process far faster than without an integrated configuration.

“Seamlessness” also reduces the potential for error. A similar integration between bakery and deli scales and the point of sale system offers comparable benefits. Here, employees can weigh the product and type in a key code; the scales then print barcode-emblazoned stickers to be scanned by the point of sale system. Checkout personnel need not spend time trying to decipher handwritten price labels, keeping customer lines moving. Even more important, there’s consistency of pricing between scales and the point of sale system.

Some point of sale software, such as Version 12.5 of Cash Register Express from pcAmerica, integrates with certain vendors’ scale software to the extent that price updates can be sent to scales automatically rather than programmed in separately. Consequently, price changes on items that require weighing go into effect as they occur, increasing accuracy, saving time in the back room and bolstering the bottom line. Additional information on Cash Register Express Version 12.5, as well as on Restaurant Pro Express Version 12.5, can be found at www.pcamerica.com.