Keys to a Successful mPOS Deployment

Deploying a mobile point-of-sale solution is a major undertaking that can disrupt retail operations and result in significant loss if done wrong. To ensure a smooth transition to mPOS, it’s important to take a thoughtful, step-by-step approach.

Form a team: Pull together key stakeholders and decision-makers, including store operators, IT managers and loss prevention and security managers.

Establish scope: Make sure to fully define the goals, requirements and budget for the mPOS build-out. IT managers also must consider integration with back-end systems to enable functionality beyond simple line-busting.

Plan forward: Important changes affect both fixed and mobile POS, and deployment efforts should account for them.

Define success: The iron rule of IT is that organizations can’t achieve what they can’t measure. IT managers should invest time to develop metrics and quantitative goals for any mPOS deployment.

Tune to need: Decision-makers should consider the unique aspects of their operations. For instance, large purchases (such as cars or boats) have very different sales support needs than a run to the supermarket.

Recruit help: During the initial assessment and product review phase, organizations should consider opportunities to bring focused expertise on board. CDW, for example, has dedicated staff members and partners ready to help customers deploy mPOS solutions.

Proof of concept: IT staff members should work with vendors and providers to develop a pilot program to test an mPOS solution.

Want to learn more? Check out CDW’s white paper, “POS Goes Mobile.”