Point of Sale Modernization | Publicis Sapient Solutions

Publicis Sapient’s unique Point-of-Sale Modernization (POS) approach

Publicis Sapient’s unique Point-of-Sale Modernization (POS) approach combined with our Rapid Commerce accelerator can help retailers leap frog their pursuit of a modernized, cloud-native POS system. With the acceleration of e-commerce, customers are empowered by choice and demand convenience. These changes have required POS systems to grow exponentially as a critical part of a connected commerce system for retailers. This is achieved by modernizing point-of-sale systems in-store. These machines are usually more than a decade old and typically don’t support upgrades like more advanced technologies would.

To innovate, retailers need to build a platform model that will enable:

Cloud-native behaviors that make it easier to deploy customer-centric features like those of software upgrades
Consistent ability to implement and monitor new hardware and software upgrades responsible for different POS functions in a way that’s scalable
Non-disruptive, cost-effective and incremental migration of existing hardware and software assets

Based on our experience at Publicis Sapient, we have found that a modernized POS system should:

Consider most of the retailers’ digital environments have evolved to adopt cloud-native architectures. Retailers should use aspects of existing environments to add uniformity across e-commerce and POS systems, enabling both divisions to contribute consistently when rolling out new business features.
Use open architecture that integrates with a range of hardware, peripherals and custom software, with the ability to allow easy onboarding of talent to support the solution and scale in volume over time.
Enable granular operational support, from managing and monitoring software on individual POS devices, to enabling troubleshooting that typically inhibits agility in digital environments. The granular management of devices also helps with controlling software rollouts at an individual device level.

The POS Ecosystem and Digital Services

POS environment changes can be costly and are an important aspect to consider when building a solution that scales efficiently. The architecture should be able to co-exist with existing POS environments and enable the retailer to modernize components gradually.

The Publicis Sapient Approach

Our proven framework creates exponential value and real transformation, resulting in actionable business outcomes focused on new customer and business value, along with continuous innovation that connects experience with brand promise.

Hunt

Hunting is about determining where to play and how to win. It’s about identifying the large pools of customer and business value. It’s about choices that senior business leaders in the executive suite make on where to allocate rescourcs within their organization. As soon as value is identified, we move to shaping. No-regret opportunities are pursued at speed, minimizing cost of delay, and accelerating time to market.

Incubate

Incubating nurtures ideas into viable and desirable solution candidates. It’s about validating need, exploring options, testing hypotheses with real customers for evidence of the four experience qualities of our transformation mindset, and understanding potential value in the choices. Incubating involves diving further into detail, designing, tinkering, tweaking, iterativately testing prototypes with real customers.

Shape

Shaping formulates testable hypotheses from the identified customer and business value pools. Shaping uses data, research, feedback, modeling, and analysis techniques to sharpen hypotheses and probe the consequences of investment choices. We consider alternative scenarios and outcomes, measure risk and reward, and narrow our focus, direction and energy toward the opportunities from which the most value can be derived.

Build & Scale

Turn value proposition into real outcomes. Interdisciplinary teams partner closely with the business to design and build based on value. Deliver a mixed backlog of product or services-related stories in an agile manner. Test a minimum viable product as early as we can, so we learn, evolve, and scale with confidence. Shift to a product mindset wherin the relentless pursuit of value never ceases.

Based on our industry experience, we have developed a set of components rooted in architecture patterns, code components and best practices that help retail organizations transform their POS and create a seamless in-store experience that evolves at the pace of digital innovation. Our framework is being used successfully by large retailers across U.S. and UK, allowing these businesses to introduce a platform that enables rollout of features like new digital payments, biometric identification and other POS system features across multiple stores.

Point-of-Sale (POS) Modernization