Right now where I work there are a lot of extra steps in order to check someone out. The system was not built with usability in mind at all.

Let me take you through the steps to help someone with the register. For this example we’ll say they are buying a bottle of perfume for $37.50.

The Keys you would press would be as follows

F1
-enter your user number-
enter
enter
-enter where they are from-
enter
-enter the customer’s name-
enter
Scan barcode on perfume – or type in product number
Enter
Esc
F3
1
enter
-perfume seller’s user number
enter
enter
37.50
enter
PR
enter
A
Esc
US
40.
enter
F5

Now I have seen systems before that take extra steps to make a sale before, but never twenty seven of them.

Checking someone out should be as simple as scanning a product and entering the cash amount. Granted because of where I work I have to take the customer’s information and name, but that should not entail a huge plethora of steps.

So you’re homework for this weekend to identify the places where your business could benefit from a streamlined operation.