eatPOS.co.uk, have developed an intuitive EPOS system for the hospitality and retail industry, designed to deliver tableside ordering software at affordable prices. We met with Sawan Kotecha, lead developer, at their offices in Leicester, to discuss their EPOS software and their tableside ordering solutions.
What sets you apart from other EPOS companies?
Unlike other EPOS companies, we actually have experience running restaurants in leisure parks, hotels and retail outlets and we have implemented over 65 years of experience in our software. We know from first-hand experience how kitchen receipts and table layouts should be configured, and the huge impact that they can have on business efficiency (customer waiting times, wastage etc.) and staffing costs. We have also discovered several innovative ways to save businesses money, including a method that will allow businesses to take credit and debit card payments at a negligible cost. In addition to this we have moved away from the traditionally programmed terminals; in the unlikely event that there are problems with your eatPOS EPOS system we can generally fix them remotely, and our hardware can be sourced easily so if necessary your hardware can be replaced swiftly.
So tell us, how does your tableside waiter ordering software work?
A waiter can take an order at a customer’s table with a wireless ordering tablet and at the touch of a button this order will be saved, and printed in the kitchen, bar etc., without any further intervention. The process of opening, holding and printing orders is seamless and our waiter pads offer the same functionality as our full blown EPOS system. They can be integrated and synced across branches and terminals. This reduces the mistakes associated with handwritten notes, travelling to and from stations and thus improves the customer experience.
So you offer waiter pads, but how much is this really going to cost the restaurant? – Many will have already invested in an EPOS system
This is the interesting part: through an intensive R&D and hardware selection process we have been able to put together a cost-effective package which we have termed the 321 for £999 deal.
So tell me more about the current trend of what restaurants are demanding and your offering to them?
Yes! From a recent survey we undertook, we learnt that the restaurant operators want to have the ability to take orders at the table but so far have been put off by extortionate prices being charged by large suppliers. Currently only multiple operators can afford these prices.
As mentioned before, we have put together an affordable solution in which a restaurant receive 3 electronic waiter pads, 2 fast thermal printers and 1 cash drawer for just £999. This is everything a restaurant needs to start taking orders at a customer’s table. It can in fact replace their current EPOS system. The printers work wirelessly and are configured before they leave our office so when it arrives, it is literally plug and play! We’ve had a great response to this so far and unlike many other EPOS companies, we pride ourselves on our price transparency. Our prices are clearly displayed on our websites; be wary of companies that are secretive and cagey about pricing, it normally implies hidden and/or high charges! A lot of our competitors are afraid of mentioning prices as they charge 3-4 times what we do and often, they justify this by stating that they sell tailor made solutions and configure them specifically for each restaurant. EPOS systems are not rocket science and this is just a ploy to extract more from restaurants.
Do you also offer standard EPOS terminals?
Yes, we sell all in one touchscreens from 12”to 22” with all the requisite functions, including postcode lookups, address lookups, loyalty systems and much more. Our systems synchronise within a unit and across branches so it is a scalable solution at an affordable price. For a small takeaway or a start-up unit we have a full system starting from as little as £749.
And moving on to the online side, what are you doing to address concern at the high fees being charged by the likes of JustEat and Hungry House etc.?
We have recently launched our online ordering system; restaurants and takeaways can now launch their own online ordering website from as little as £199. Now, this has all been done before but we are one of the only solutions that is fully integrated. This means that you can control the online and in-store menu centrally, and it’s all in one piece of software so the online ordering can be linked to the instore EPOS system. When an order comes in from the website, it is printed automatically at the unit instore and you can decline/approve it. The orders are also synced so you can have combined reporting in one location; any orders that are placed through the website are sent directly to the eatPOS EPOS system.
What is your current customer base?
Our customers range from small takeaway to multiple operators
We are currently working on implementing an EPOS with integrated online ordering across a chain of 25 units. We are therefore able to cater for any size of business, from independent operators to national chains.
What developments do you have planned?
On an ongoing basis we have a fulltime team that works on making improvements that will help hospitality operators improve efficiency. We also have a system where our existing users are able to create a wish list and where there is sufficient demand for a particular wish we ensure that we incorporate that within our software.
We are always looking at integrating with various accounting packages, payment gateway and social media
Very soon, we are launching our customer tableside app, which will allow order pads to be fixed to the table and customers will then be able to order from there.
We have actively listened to both our current and prospective customers. Combining this with our extensive experience has allowed us to develop a truly seamless system. Unlike more traditional companies, our software is not based on outdated technologies and so we do not have the same development constraints. We can react very quickly to customer requirements. Much of the industry is comprised of companies who attempt to scare businesses into purchasing overpriced solutions, but more expensive is not necessarily better, and the eatPOS system, reasonably priced, can be customised to fit almost any business.
H&C News comment
Meeting with eatPOS has introduced us to a company who are passionate about helping restaurants deliver a unique tableside ordering solution to provide their customers with the best possible restaurant experience. With benefits for both the customer and the restaurant staff the system offers an ability for hospitality operators to improve efficiency and takes away the opportunity for errors at the ordering stage saving time and money. We wish them every success in the future.
For more information about eatPOS click here
4th Floor 13-15 Belvoir Street, Leicester, LE1 6SL
0116 380 0299