In a time where more companies are looking to streamline their processes and become more efficient, many c-stores and gas stations are still tethered to the old ways of printing receipts or taking stock of their inventory.
Going paperless is all the rage, and for many reasons. First, there’s the environmental factor to consider. According to an article on Shopify, the United States wastes over 250 million gallons of oil, 1 billion gallons of water, and 10 million trees each year on receipt paper alone.
However, “going paperless” isn’t all about the receipt paper. There are a number of other ways to boost sales, increase productivity, and cut costs without cutting down trees.
Online inventory management software helps keep your counts accurate, and your margins front and center. Utilizing paperless technology, as well as implementing other tech-related upgrades such as digital POS systems, can help improve profitability by as much as 15%, according to a study conducted by Cisco. The gain is due partially to the increase in productivity as well as the savings on paper supplies.
Of course, going paperless has benefits that stretch beyond just increasing profitability. In fact, going paperless can also reduce waste and the associated removal costs, free up employee time for more important tasks.
Streamlining your filing system is also an added benefit. Gone are the days where a cramped file room was needed to keep all of your sales filings. Free up space as well as time, and never cram banker’s boxes full of receipts in a dark, leaky storage room again.
What’s more, a paperless system is password protected by the cloud. This means that sensitive information is better protected and more secure.
Customers are more plugged in than ever before, and there’s no signs of that stopping. According to one study, people spend more time on their phones and tablets than they do sleeping! This means there is an increased demand, even an expectation, of mobile-enabled POS systems that deliver a mobile purchasing experience.
Corporate clients especially enjoy receiving paperless receipts. As more expense reports head to the cloud, so too should the expense receipts. For those customers who still want a paper receipt, most POS systems can now support both methods.
More customers are taking an interest in social and environmental causes these days. Going paperless is one convenience store management strategy for tapping into the social trend. It sends a positive brand message by showing you care about the environment, and your customer’s values.
The idea of a truly paperless retail business has been floating around for a long time. In practice, it’s probably not possible to truly go 100% paperless just yet. However, the added security and peace of mind, in conjunction with increased profitability, make it a solid investment towards the future of convenience store management.
learn more about the benefits of a cloud-based software in this article.
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