As a small business owner, there are countless little details you need to see to in a day to make sure everything is running smoothly for your business. That is the price you pay for doing business in the modern world. The more technology you use in the course of your business, the easier handling many of these details becomes. However, the technology itself can be a detail you need to have on your “to do” list for the day – especially if your business accepts credit card payments or uses computers in the flow of the day.
Smart terminals are showing up in large and small businesses around the world. These point-of-sale terminals make life easier for businesses and business owners by tracking inventory, ringing up sales, keeping track of customer loyalty programs and rewards, creating sales reports, accepting credit card payments, and countless other record-keeping and productivity boosting tasks. They are a boon for the modern small business that is well worth the price of the technology.
Why Are Programming Updates Necessary
However, it is important for business owners to understand that all terminals need occasional updates. Technology evolves, weaknesses are discovered and exploited, new tools to deter and prevent hacking become available, and countless other things occur that make updates essential to help keep your terminals in good standing. Whether the updates address routine system maintenance issues or wage war on hackers trying to take private consumer information from your system, it is essential that you pay attention to communications from your processor so that you can get the updates you need to protect your business, your customers, your employees, and more.
From time to time, laws or rules about how point-of-sale terminals operate change. New threats emerge in the world of cyber terrorism and hacking. Or, emerging technology creates opportunities for the more efficient operation of your terminals. Among the common reasons terminal require updates are the following:
Increase System Security
You can’t turn on the news these days without hearing about a high-profile retailer or organization being the victim of hacking attempts. Target, Sony, and Equifax are just a few examples of big businesses who have had big breaches thanks to hackers. While you might believe that small businesses are immune to these types of attempts because you don’t hear about them in the news.
In fact, CNBC reports that only two percent of small business owners believe they are at risk of cyber attacks, but goes on to report that nearly half of the 28 million small businesses in the U.S. have suffered data breaches. Here’s the alarming news for you – as a small business owner. The Denver Post recently reported that nearly 60 percent of all small companies that are victims of data breaches fail to recover and are out of business within six months of the breach.
Many of the programming updates that are required are designed to strengthen security and protect the private, personal, and financial information of your business, employees, and your customers.
Ensure Smooth Transactions
Creating smoother transactions for your business is one of the primary purposes of investing in a point-of-sale system for your business. To keep these transactions running as smoothly as possible, it is sometimes necessary to install updates, get rid of outdated code, and offer the benefit of shiny new code that presents smoother running for all involved. This can bring new features to your terminals, increase the operating speed of your terminals, and sometimes, just create an easier to use or more intuitive interface for your employees.
Enhance Machine Operability
In some cases, it’s all about enhancing the functionality of the machine or preventing the breakdown of it. Like all machines, there is some maintenance involved in keeping all parts moving as expected. Programming updates help to ensure that your machine is functioning properly and no weaknesses are available for exploitation.
For the most part, terminal updates will need to be done through credit card processing companies. However, if you use the Clover Station POS system your updates will be automated because the Clover is a cloud-based system. This means you will never need to worry about being left unsecured and in the dark with your POS terminals. In the day and age of PCI compliance that is no small fear.
You have enough details to deal with in the operation of your business. Using the Clover POS system allows you to focus on the details that will grow your business best while keeping the minutia of terminal programming updates off your plate. And that is only a one of the many benefits Clover has to offer your business.