It’s common knowledge when you’re wanting to connect your computer to your home’s router, you need to head to the nearest store and purchase an Ethernet cable. You connect it to the specified port behind the tower and BAM! You’re connected to the internet!

But is it that simple for your business?

The simple, yet unfortunate answer is, No.

In a business environment you have to take several things into factor before connecting everything at one location.

Credit Card Processing and PCI Compliance
The most common mistake business owners make is processing payments over the same network the business writes emails, surfs the web, streams music, etc. This is a costly mistake! Processors have written into their clauses what is called a PCI Compliance and their guidelines to comply with them. One of the easiest ways to follow the rule set is to keep your network processing credit cards and the network handling every other aspect of the business separated.

As shown above, the firewall is what ALL point of sale equipment is attached to the Firewall. The firewall is then attached to ISP (internet service provider) equipment to obtain internet. In this diagram, it prevents all outside network activity to access anything containing credit card data.

Wireless Access Points and Guest Wifi

Most businesses will offer free Wifi for their guests. This may present some trouble as the business will have to double up on their wireless networks for the same reason above if they are planning on using any wireless devices to ring orders. Because there is processing on the network, even if not on the actual wireless device, it must be separate from all other devices outside of the network. Surveying the site for potential dead zones and interference is a great way to plan for the optimum connectivity and an estimate to how much the optimum connectivity will cost.

Wiring

Not all ethernet cables are built the same and all serve different purposes though they all look similar, using an RJ45 connector. When testing wire or having wire ran throughout the business, factors such as speed, distance, and cost come into effect.

Cat5e, the most common, will work for most businesses as it has a 1 Gbps (1000 Mbps) connection capability and can keep a stable speed for up to 100 meters. New Mexico POS recommends this wire for all point of sale terminals and peripherals unless unique situations are introduced such as server towers, managed switches, domains, etc.

Cat5 aka fast ethernet is an older and slower version of wire and is still capable of connecting a network but is not advised. This wire is capable of reaching 10/100 Mbps speeds for up to 100 meters.

Cat6a, the premium and fastest option has capabilities of connection speeds of 10 Gbps but comes in at a stable speed length of almost less than half of Cat5e, at 55 meters. It is comparable to Cat7, which does not use a traditional RJ45 connector. This is considered overkill for a point of sale network unless unique and custom items are introduced to the network.

If you would like to read further into versions of Cat cables, we found this website as a great resource. Cable Matters

Questions? Concerns? Reach out to us!

Office: 505-293-7551

As of Monday, July 13th, 2020, New Mexico’s Governor has restricted restaurants from serving indoors and only allowing businesses to serve on an outside patio or provide take out.

These restrictions placed upon New Mexico’s restaurants can be a devastating blow. New Mexico POS would like to offer any assistance we could possibly give to clients and future clients alike.

When front of the house, indoor dining, and traditional serving is interrupted, it is important to give your customers additional options to place orders without compromising social distancing rules and Covid regulations.
Through Focus POS, we have set in place:
– Website (Online Ordering)
– Phone Ordering
– 3rd Party Intergration (Grubhub, UberEats, etc.)
– Mobile Applications

After ordering, it’s crucial that you get the food in the customer’s hands and we’ve also got it covered.
– Walk up counter service
– Drive-thru
– Curbside
– Delivery

Additionally, New Mexico POS can provide other solutions, such as order ready texting, delivery courier charges / zone charges, and much more.

If any business owners have any questions or concerns, we would be more than happy to help, old to new. Please call us at 505-293-7551 if there is any way we can help.

Benefits of Better Hardware for your Point of Sale Software

As time goes on, the demand of resources software requires heightens. Your point of sale system may feel the effects of this demand after owning it for years. Luckily, New Mexico POS is a dealer for Focus POS, a product which moves across hardware platforms without losing any functionality. Though we currently have customers with their original hardware (dating back to mid 2000’s!) we have many who desire either a energy efficient solution or to be on the bleeding edge of technology and speed.

Why are my computers slow?

This question has various answers but the most straight forward is, your computers are outdated due to the demand of newer software resources and under a constant work load. A good comparison would be, if you bought your new Point of Sale System 10 years ago, it still may function but not to your liking. Same would be if you bought a 1st or 2nd generation iPhone in 2010. It will have the basic necessities, such as 3G wireless, 2.4ghz wifi connection, speaker phone, etc. but it will not have anywhere near the same features, functionality, or speed as a iPhone 11, released in 2020. The two aren’t even in the same conversation as far as performance, though 2010 phones were top tier in their time. The same goes for your business’ computer system. The best, most future proof, and cost efficient solution is to replace your old system with another. The benefits of newer technology, functionality, and efficiency will have you wondering why you didn’t replace them sooner! But, if you’re not ready to let your system go just yet, luckily there are some tricks to keep your system alive.

Component Upgrades

Your Point of Sale Workstation’s speed is dictated by these main factors:
– Processor
– Hard drive Speed
– RAM
each of which, if eligible to upgrade, will give an improvement to user end experience tremendously.
Reiterating from the first article, specifications of computers and workstations a decade ago have double or tripled in processing power. An upgrade of specific components can give the desired speed until systems can be replaced in whole.
Contact New Mexico POS to see in which ways we can speed up your workstations today!

What Are Other Ways I Can Speed Up My System?

Network, network, network!
Network capabilities are dependent on type of wire (cat5, cat5e, cat6, etc.), network adapters (10/100/1000 mpbs), Switch and Router modules, Wireless Access Point speeds for Wifi.
These can be built and regardless of hardware, will provide an excellent foundation for any future upgrades or changes.
At the minimum, every workstation requires a dedicated connection to the switch where the Server is located. Every Wireless device on the system requires an adequate wireless signal and coverage. This will guarantee the fastest possible communication between devices on the network.

Not Convinced? Have Questions?

Reach out to us! We’re constantly on the go but everyone at New Mexico POS would love to make time for you.
Call our office! 505-293-7551
Hope to hear from you soon!

Don Valles

Have to brag about our Focus POS user, Cervante’s restaurant. Located at the corner of San Pedro and Gibson in southeast Albuquerque. Had lunch and was reminded of why Cervante’s is truly one of the best New Mexican restaurants throughout the state. No tourist style red or green chili here. Be prepared, the chili is true red and green with a kick. Always fresh, always hot and always true. You can’t beat the flavor of the excellent burritos, enchiladas, tacos or any of the wonderful dishes prepared the New Mexican way. Another thing that will impress you is the beautiful dining room. Absolutely one of the best.

Good food, good service, beautiful house and excellent service, Cervante’s is New Mexican True. Stop by for lunch or diner and be impressed.

Don

Since 1997, New Mexico POS has provided New Mexico and surrounding areas sales, service, and support. We pride ourselves in providing the most up to date solutions at an affordable cost. One of the newest trends within hospitality Point of Sale is the utilization of hand held solutions, such as iPad, Android tablets, and Windows Tablets. Unfortunately, these solutions also come with a drawback as making payments more difficult, customer attentiveness declines as the staff stares into the tablet, and server performance may drop with flooded screens. Luckily, New Mexico POS has several solutions to have these handheld devices work identical to a full POS terminal while being 100% wireless.

New Mexico POS utilizes a remote desktop connection, made exclusively for Focus POS, to connect to a Server PC which is running the software. Paired with our superior knowledge of creating a secure and fast wireless network, we create a platform for your business and staff alike to become more efficient and create an unforgettable dining experience.

When purchasing a point of sale system, a common thought is mobility and efficiency.

Luckily, New Mexico POS has a solution. Tying iPad tablets or Windows Tablets to a secure and strong wireless network, gives you and your staff full terminal capabilities with the convenience and portability of a tablet for ordering and tendering checks. But there are some key differences between the two devices and how they operate. These differences can make the deciding factor which you want to run your Focus POS system on.

iPad Tablets running Focus POS

Apple iPads do not have the capability of running on a Window’s network but Focus POS has developed the app, “Focus RDP”. This allows the iPad to connect to a Server PC though Remote Desktop Connection. We then engineer the system to display identical as a Point of Sale terminal. Mag card swipers and chip readers are all peripheral add-ons but are able to process payments once they’ve been added.

Windows Tablets running Focus POS

Windows tablets have the advantage of running Focus POS on it’s native platform, Microsoft Windows. Connecting to a wireless network and having the ability to store data directly on the tablet or connect to a Windows Server PC gives you the flexibility you want in your business. New Mexico POS provides customers with the option of EMV Chip readers / Card Readers pre-installed or without.

contact New Mexico POS

Interested in seeing both solutions in action? Call 505-293-7551 and set up an time for a demo!

New Mexico POS, based in Albuquerque, has recently moved to a new location in, you guessed it, Albuquerque!

We’ve relocated to 3515 Princeton Dr NE Suite C, Albuquerque, NM 87107. With our new location we’re able to reach our customer’s faster and store more parts and supplies to make sure all sites are operational.

You may see bigger companies pushing loyalty programs more and more recently and they’re doing it for a good reasons. Earning loyalty rewards may be a good reason for customer’s to return but you can benefit more than you think. 

Who are your customers?

Knowing who your customers are and where they’re coming can save time and money while allowing you to focus on specific times or events to bring in better business. 

Your customers age may play an important role into what time and what items are going to be the most ordered. While the younger age group may spend more money late night on Craft Beer, the older crowd may spend their time on liquor and earlier in the day. By knowing this information, you can evolve your specials and menu around these two statistics. This information can also be used to attract the clientele you’d want by putting items on special that they order the most. 

Where are your customers coming from?

Zip codes are commonly requested while signing up customers for their loyalty account. This is for the merchant to track where most of their customers are located. If a good portion of customers are coming from a specific part of town, a new location in that area may be worth looking into. 

What’s most popular?

Tracking the most sold item is part of any competent Point of Sale system but learning who and when may bring a new dynamic to planning events, specials, and menu effect times. 

Making Customers return.

Knowing your clientele’s tastes, location, and preferences may lead to you molding your business’ operations to cater to new potential customers and returning loyal ones. 

New Mexico POS interfaces our POS to any pre-existing loyalty program or can help engineer a new loyalty program!