A leading provider of multi-cloud services, VMware has unveiled a new solution to help global retailers modernise their point of sale (POS) and unlock more financial value from their systems.
Developed in collaboration with Stratodesk, a VMware retail ISV partner, the new POS modernisation solution extends the lifecycle of current systems to deliver tangible ROI, reduce security risks, maximise store uptime, and improve the customer experience.
The VMware Retail POS modernisation solution combines VMware’s enterprise-class virtual desktop infrastructure and unified endpoint management software with Stratodesk’s endpoint operating system to enable a more agile, modern, and secure point-of-sale service.
“Retail is one of the most costly and complex environments in which to operate. Changing market dynamics have created a new opportunity for POS systems to become a hub for innovation, a driver of retail business priorities, and an enabler of improved financial performance for retailers of all sizes,” Coresight Research CEO, Deborah Weinswig said.
“Virtualising existing POS systems and adding multi-cloud support enables retailers to deliver more modern and flexible environments while helping to eliminate the heavy capital spending required for POS terminal upgrades.”
Decoupling POS hardware and software with VMware virtualisation software and Stratodesk’s NoTouch OS can extend the lifecycle of POS devices beyond a typical three to five-year span.
Retailers can patch and update critical systems such as payment controllers as they would any other software-defined workload, allowing for continuous operations. Security organisations can automate deployment of patches and security updates to mitigate overall security risk more quickly.
Retailers can create a store-in-a-box scenario whereby hardware and software systems can be preconfigured, dropshipped to stores, and operational in a matter of hours. Marketing teams can take advantage of new technology-enabled service offerings to attract customers, and more quickly deploy and update solutions for store analytics.
Retail IT can use orchestration and analytics tools they have expertise using in their data centers to manage previously isolated systems. Application updates are centrally managed and automated through the VMware Retail POS solution through the cloud of a customer’s choice.
“Point of sale is no longer simply the last point of customer engagement; it is a business process enabler. Retailers can’t afford to be constrained by legacy POS systems that hinder execution of retail strategies,” VMware senior director of retail industry solutions Ed Durbin said.
“The VMware Retail POS modernisation solution enables global retailers to deploy and support a system that leverages current investments in retail POS technology to enable a modern customer experience aligned with business strategy.”