Article

Review: LightSpeed focuses on retailer's experience to improve the customer's experience

Mac-based POS offers desktop, laptop, web, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad functionality out-of-the-box.

January 25, 2012

Review by Mike Wittenstein

LightSpeed introduced a Mac-based point-of-sale system for multi-location, inventory-focused retailers in 2005. With annual enhancements like e-commerce, mobile, developer APIs, and now iPad support, LightSpeed has made retailing much easier for retailers.

LightSpeed takes the work out of retail by putting minutes back into retailers' days. Behind the cash wrap, in the stockroom, or on the showroom floor, the retailer-friendly design begins with a Mac operating system. System operation is intuitive, which means training takes less time and new features are easier to use. The retailer interface is simpler too. No green screens, just point, click, drag and select. Fewer keystrokes for set-up, admin and day-to-day tasks saves time and reduces errors.

LightSpeed's Retail Experience
The best part of LightSpeed, in this reviewer's opinion, is that you get desktop, laptop, web, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad functionality out-of-the-box. This translates to:

• The right device in the right place
• No wires
• Faster set-up
• Easier changes to store layouts (including ability to handle high-volume sales with 'roving registers')
• More efficient labor metrics because clerks aren't tied down to a single location

Mobile commerce is particularly easy with connectivity to iDynamo and Ingenico built in. Because of its plug-and-play nature, this retail solution makes it possible for retailers to get a better product experience and to deliver a better shopper experience at the same time.

For example, with LightSpeed retailers can:

• Enter product images and descriptions once and have them automatically size to any supported platform or device
• Put e-commerce equipment (scanners, readers, printers, registers) anywhere in the store that's needed (great for stores with mobile fixtures, saves costly wire runs and keeps prototype store designs flexible)
• Take orders from a show or exhibition with full inventory available in a limited space
• Put iPads in RSA's hands as 'roving registers' or attach them to fixtures or walls as customer-operated kiosks
• Enter once, use everywhere. Enter inventory at any location and "push" it to the others
• ShowNTell feature expands product descriptions into multimedia catalogs that fully inform shoppers, keeping them in control
• Use LightSpeed's front end with practically any back end system (e.g. Oracle) for additional customization and control

The Bottom Line
By focusing on ease of use across platforms, LightSpeed has succeeded in improving the retailer experience. Their clients are delivering better customer experiences as a result.

Read more about retail technology.