Evaluating POS Systems: Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery Case Study

This report provides a comprehensive assessment of Point of Sale (POS) systems, examining their advantages and disadvantages for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It explores the competitive advantages offered by POS systems, such as efficient employee and customer relationship management, centralized databases, and enhanced decision-making capabilities. The report uses a case study of Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery to illustrate the positive impacts of POS system implementation. It also delves into the telecommunication options available for POS systems, recommending LAN for SMEs. Finally, the report concludes with a detailed risk assessment, highlighting potential security threats and offering recommendations for mitigating them, such as periodical auditing, data encryption, and up-to-date software to ensure the secure and efficient operation of POS systems. The report emphasizes the importance of POS systems for improving business management and gaining a competitive edge.

Running head: ASSESSING THE POS SYSTEM
Assessing the POS system
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1ASSESSING THE POS SYSTEM
Executive Summary:
Enterprises were in dire need of management system that can help them to manage the
operations of an organisation with complete comfort. Different IS/IT systems were introduced
for the same however lack of fund prohibited SMEs to use the available resources to fulfil
their needs. Hence, POS systems were introduced for the same. The deemed report has put
fort an assessment of the POS system and the factors involved in it. The assessment is
performed with the help of Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery, who underwent significant
positive changes after the implementation of the deemed system. The report has been
concluded with the risk assessment of the system so that the users can take a more safe
approach towards the same.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:................................................................................................................................3
Pros and Cons:............................................................................................................................3
Competitive Advantage:.............................................................................................................4
Centralising the Database:..........................................................................................................4
Decision Making:........................................................................................................................5
Tele-communicative options:......................................................................................................5
Risk Assessment:........................................................................................................................6
Conclusion:.................................................................................................................................7
References:..................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction:
Organisations are employing information systems strategies to sustain their business
progress. However, lack of enormous budgeting forces the SMEs (Small and Medium
Enterprises) to retreat their position in technological adaptation. Hence, for the sustainable
development of the SMEs POS (Point of sale) system was introduced in the market in the
1970’s by IBM (IBM 3650 & IBM 3660 store systems) (Mukherjee 2017). Since the time
POS systems have undergone many changes and upgradations. However, the real upgrade
was introduced in the year 1992 by Bob Henry and Martin Goodwin, when they introduced
the first POS software (IT Retail) capable of running on Microsoft Windows (Mukherjee
2017).
The report is designed to offer an in-depth insight of the POS system including the
advantages and challenges offered by the same. The competitive advantage offered by the
system has also been evaluated along with the risk associated. Taking the support of the case
study which signifies the changes that the subject brought in the Four Seasons Greenhouse
and Nursery the system is being assessed.
Pros and Cons:
The introduction of the report states that the deemed subject was designed to assist
SMEs in increasing their revenue while maintaining the sustainability. Hence it is essential to
measure the advantages offered by them and the challenges that are associated with same. The
discussed section deals with the same:
PROS: The most significant advantage that the system offers is reduction in the effort put
forth by the human resources of the enterprises while saving the capital from the expenses
(Abdalla and Ibrahim 2014). The considered system also enables derivation of the

4ASSESSING THE POS SYSTEM
sustainability strategy by analysing the profitability level of all the products offered by the
firm. Safekeeping of the information is also an advantage offered by the system.
CONS: The system is an advantageous one however it also offers some challenges like
keeping up with the cyber threats can be costly. The reason for stating the statement is
because the system is server enabled which makes it vulnerable to cyber attacks. To prevent
the attacks, the system should be continuously upgraded which is not cost-efficient (Moser
2012). Another fault of the system is that it is not immune to the physical threats.
Competitive Advantage:
POS system offers a highly efficient Employee Management System (EMS) and
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that increase the image of the firm
(Aleksandrovna, Fedorovich and Viktorovna 2016). The system also offers easy handling of
the informative resources of the firm while meeting the time framework. The decision making
and goal defining of the organisation are also enhanced after adaptation of the system. The
points mentioned above can be summarised to state that the deemed system helps in resources
management of the system. However, it is known that the key to competitive advantage for an
organisation is to maintain its resources (Albrecht et al. 2015). Hence, it can be concluded
that POS system offers competitive advantage.
Centralising the Database:
Centralising the database offers multiple advantages, most significant of them being
the improved integrity and reduced dismissal of the data (Plazzer et al. 2013). Other benefits
include suitable data preservation methods, security notifications, proper data administration
and secure data transfer. Along with the advantages mentioned above the system also offers
ease of use for the users.

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Decision Making:
POS system enables the organisation with various operations of the organisation with
ease and accuracy. However, ease and accuracy are not the only offerings by the deemed
system. It also offers money vaults, information safekeeping, EMS, inventory management
(IM) and other advantages. One of the other advantages that the system offers is that it
enables the organisation in decision making which has been evaluated in this section
(Ståhlberg and Maila 2012).
POS offers an innovative and dedicated approach to organisational resource
management. EM, IM, CRM and all the operations of the organisations are well established
by the deemed system. Self-goal setting for the employees enhances their productivity by
reducing the pressure and allowing them to choose the work according to own skillset
(Ståhlberg and Maila 2012). The same can be stated for the inventory, as the system helps the
organisation to measure the profit based on the products. The data collected can be used to
manage their inventory. Information for the future use also receives an appropriate
safekeeping method. The deemed system also enables manual tracking of the information in
real-time using the bar-code and other available methods. Overall, it can be stated that the
system efficiently answers all the questions of an SME regarding the functionality and
operations of the firm. The data collected from different operations of the system can be used
for further enhancing the system and hence improving the business management.
Tele-communicative options:
POS is a collection of different interconnected equipment that assesses in managing
the organisational resources. Hence it is mandatory to define the type of networking
organisations can equip for the data communication. Depending on the geographical range the
telecommunication methods can be categorised into three categories namely LAN, MAN and
WAN (Vaquero and Rodero-Merino 2014). LAN (Local Area Network) is the connection of

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multiple systems through cables (co-axial, fibre-optical or copper cables) within a premise or
campus. MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) is used for communication within a town or city
through cables or wireless mode. On the other hand, WAN (World Area Network) has no
limit to its range. The Internet is the most significant example of the WAN. It can range from
a state to entire world. LAN is the most comfortable to maintain and offers high speed
because of its short range.
The networking of the systems can also be categorised based on their connection type.
Wired and wireless are the divisions depending on the connection type (Perrig and Tygar
2012). Wired connection refers to the communication system where the data is communicated
through cables as the channel. While, wireless mode represents the mode where transmission
is done through waves (electromagnetic, radio waves or any other waves). SMEs like Four
Seasons should equip LAN as the networking type. The reason for the statement made above
is that their need is geographically limited and also high speed and less maintenance of LAN
are desired for the SMEs. The recommended networking type is also cost-efficient when
compared with other modes of networking.
Risk Assessment:
POS systems manage all the resources of the organisation and stores the data collected
from it in a single database. Also, it should be noted that the system is connected to a server
for the purpose of maintaining all the equipment of the system. The server-based system and
storing data in a single database develops risks that are associated with the security, privacy
and confidentiality (Cunninggham et al. 2015). In case, the central server is breached all the
information that includes, the financial details, employee detail, strategic plans and others
related to the organisation will be vulnerable and hence can be exploited. Hence, to prevent
any of these threats for arising the organisations should consider the following
recommendations:

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 Periodical auditing of the system can help in determining the faults, required
improvement along with any security concerns associated with the system.
 Information is the most useful resource of an organisation for expansion of any
organisation (Samek and Hernandez 2013). Hence, the informational data should be
encrypted to prevent any potential misuse of the same.
 The software is the first line of defence for any technological system, and hence, the
former should be up to date to avoid any remote tampering of the system.
 Security programs for the POS security can be equipped.
Conclusion:
The discussions made in the report suggests the importance of the POS system for the
SMEs to gain competitive advantage and manage their resources more efficiently. The system
also assists the organisation in decision-making by putting forth all the data that can help the
latter in making appropriate decisions for the well-being of the organisation and the
stakeholders. The report has even offered an insight of the telecommunication methods while
recommending the most suitable mode for SMEs like Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery.
Risk assessment of the deemed system has also been done to offer recommendations for
avoiding security threats. Hence, the report can be concluded to emphasise that the deemed
system has the capability of making an organisation more efficient through appropriate
management of its operations.

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References:
ABDALLA, M.A.A. and IBRAHIM, Y.A.H., 2014. Android Point of Sale (Android
POS) (Doctoral dissertation, SUDAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY).
Albrecht, S.L., Bakker, A.B., Gruman, J.A., Macey, W.H. and Saks, A.M., 2015. Employee
engagement, human resource management practices and competitive advantage: An
integrated approach. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 2(1),
pp.7-35.
Aleksandrovna, M.E., Fedorovich, N.A. and Viktorovna, P.T., 2016. Potential of the Internet
network in formation of the assortment of the trade organizations. European science review,
(1-2).
Cunningham, C., Good, T., Kearney, S.P., Miraglia, M., Amundsen, T., Giordano, P., Wang,
Y.P. and Zhu, X., Metrologic Instruments Inc, 2015. Point of sale (POS) based checkout
system supporting a customer-transparent two-factor authentication process during product
checkout operations. U.S. Patent 8,976,030.
Moser, H.G., 2012. PoS (Vertex 2012) 024 3D Interconnection with TSV.
Mukherjee, K., 2017. Technology at Point-of-Purchase-A Journey from Electronic Cash
Registers to all Inclusive Point-of-Purchase Systems. Asian Journal of Applied Science and
Technology (AJAST), 1(8), pp.01-04.
Perrig, A. and Tygar, J.D., 2012. Secure Broadcast Communication: In Wired and Wireless
Networks. Springer Science & Business Media.
Plazzer, J.P., Sijmons, R.H., Woods, M.O., Peltomäki, P., Thompson, B., Den Dunnen, J.T.
and Macrae, F., 2013. The InSiGHT database: utilizing 100 years of insights into Lynch
syndrome. Familial cancer, 12(2), pp.175-180.

9ASSESSING THE POS SYSTEM
Samek, J. and Hernandez, M., Honeywell International Inc, 2013. Encoded information
reading terminal in communication with peripheral point-of-sale devices. U.S. Patent
8,550,335.
Ståhlberg, M. and Maila, V., 2012. Shopper marketing: How to increase purchase decisions
at the point of sale. Kogan Page Publishers.
Vaquero, L.M. and Rodero-Merino, L., 2014. Finding your way in the fog: Towards a
comprehensive definition of fog computing. ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication
Review, 44(5), pp.27-32.