Cash paying customers check out faster with SMARTtill

APG Cash Drawer, a manufacturer of cash management solutions, on Thursday announced the release of TCP/IP connectivity for the SMARTtill® Cash Management Solution.

“The new capability will enable retailers to accept cash at a dedicated cash check out location while still maintaining cashier accountability,” said Stephen Bergeron, V.P. of Global Marketing at APG Cash Drawer.

“No longer will cash paying consumers need to stand in line with customers paying by credit, debit, and mobile wallets. Retailers can reduce the POS hardware required to handle cash transactions freeing up more valuable counter space to display products, and cash transactions are consolidated to a single SMARTtill® Device,” he said.

APG Cash Drawer envisages the innovation creating a modern, flexible shopping environment for customers in convenience stores, grocery stores, small boutiques, fast food, quick service restaurants, and gas stations.

The solution can now be operated entirely via TCP/IP allowing integration with cloud based POS and back-office applications. Integration with mobile POS platforms will allow the use of multiple tablets or other handheld devices while still maintaining cashier accountability. The Intelligent Cash Drawer’s built-in Ethernet port enables networked Point of Sale (POS) via the retailer’s LAN network.

The IP SMARTtill® Intelligent Cash Drawer also enables other types of “host to Slave” configuration(s) whereby “back office” software or cloud systems can control and monitor the hardware without the need of integration with the POS application. The IP SMARTtill hardware can be used with a conventional printer set-up so that the cash drawer opening impulse can either be derived from the local printer, network printer or from a network host.

“The integration capabilities provide additional valuable insight into back-office reporting and reconciliation activities to improve store productivity and reduce cash losses by up to 90%,” said Robert Banker, Director of SMARTtill Sales. “The SMARTtill® Solution, when integrated with CCTV, loss prevention, cash management or POS applications can track in real-time which associate uses the Intelligent Cash Drawer, the transaction time, related transaction details, and the actual cash float level. This information granularity helps managers schedule cash lifts and top-ups more efficiently, quickly resolve discrepancies, and identify problems or training opportunities with specific employees.”

The Ethernet SMARTtill Solution functionality is an additional enhancement to the existing technology that utilizes the current communication protocol, but with network security enhancements. “In a wireless setting, these capabilities are especially relevant, continued Banker. “When several associates use a single Intelligent Cash Drawer, the SMARTtill® Technology keeps records matching an employee to each transaction. This provides loss prevention capabilities by making it possible to tie a specific employee to any cash shrinkage-related issues. This customer shopping experience is also improved as sales associates are free to move around the store helping customers for a chance to capture sales at the point of decision.”