Web-based solution for SMEs launched by PLDT

MANILA, Philippines - Small and medium enterprises, who long for a point-of-sale (POS) system that can track how much they sell and how much stock they have left at their stores in real-time and from anywhere, can now turn to PLDT SME Nation.

With PLDT Check Out, SMEs can have a cost-effective POS solution that uses the web to connect their stores to the head office and transmit sales and inventory data. The owners can even monitor sales and inventory while half way around the globe as long as they have an Internet connection.

PLDT SME Nation Head Kat Luna-Abelarde said this is the first web-based POS solution for SMEs in the country.

“PLDT Check Out answers the need of SMEs for information that will allow for timely decision-making,” she said. “Studies have shown that sales can increase by as much as 20 percent and net profits can grow by 30 percent with a POS system.”

POS refers to the location where a transaction occurs. A POS system incorporates the software and the hardware, usually called the POS terminal, which is used to complete the transaction and print the receipt. This terminal is sometimes called the cash register.

“PLDT Check Out minimizes the cost of having a POS system. Convenience of tracking stores’ sales transactions and inventory levels is now within reach for many SMEs,” Luna-Abelarde added.

PLDT Check Out has two components: A POS Front-End System, which is a browser-based POS system, and a POS Headquarter System, which the owner uses to monitor sales transaction data transmitted from the Front-End System in real-time.

For a monthly service fee of P2,750 per store or branch, and a one-time fee of P500, SMEs can now have an automated process for accepting and recording sales transactions, monitoring inventory and sales analytics. The monthly fee already covers software updates, maintenance of software and 24/7 technical support.

SMEs who want to avail of PLDT Check Out must have an existing PLDT SME Internet connection. Clients just need to have a computer to access the web-based POS application.

The benefits of this solution are evident. A client with a grocery store for example can see how much he has sold at any given time. He will also know when to replenish stocks and thus cut handling and storage costs too.

PLDT SME Nation assistant vice president for marketing Amil Azurin said the traditional way of monitoring sales and inventory include pen-and-paper tracking, stand-alone electronic cash registers, and on-site POS, which can cost a lot.

“Acquiring a conventional POS system involves upfront costs for hardware and software,” he said. “This can hamper cash flow. On top of that, there are monthly payments that strain cash flow even further.”

The cost of ownership for one year for a conventional POS system – complete with software, POS terminal, and server – can reach almost P600,000 compared to only P64,988 for PLDT Check Out. The two-year cost of ownership for the conventional setup can cost more than P200,000 compared to only P44,988 for PLDT’s solution.

Since this is a web-based solution, SMEs can monitor their stores’ operations from anywhere using any computer hooked to the Internet. PLDT Check Out is also easy to set up since there is no need for high-end hardware and server requirements. The solution also obviates the need for manual back-ups, reconfigurations and upgrades.