A Cannabis POS and inventory management system relies on an internet connection to operate and accomplish tasks. From tendering a purchase while complying with purchase limits to integration with cannabis traceability reporting systems, a WiFI internet connection is an essential requirement. As a cannabis retailer, the question you should dare to ask is how reliable is your cannabis POS during an internet outage? How would you complete a purchase and stay compliant when your WiFi is slow or not functioning? Cova, our award-winning dispensary POS, addresses internet outages with its “Offline Mode”. In this blog post, you will learn about a cannabis POS’s Offline Mode and why it’s a must-to-have capability in a dispensary technology solution.
What is Cova POS’s Offline Mode?
Budtenders at a dispensary need to access different data points during an in-store sale via the cannabis POS system. To begin any sale to customers, they need to check out cannabis product information, pricing, and stock availability. They must also ensure that the purchase is within the customer’s cannabis purchase limit and add any promotions if needed. For any reason, should your internet connection fail, unlike other POS systems, Cova POS allows you to keep tendering sales and accomplish all the above tasks, in regions where a live connection to the traceability system or customer database is not a compliance requirement. Cova’s Offline Mode temporarily stores the sales data, and once the connection is re-established, all the information automatically gets synced.
Why is Offline Mode a Must for your Cannabis POS?
1. Internet Interruptions and Outages are Rampant
In the era of digital data and the internet, some might argue an offline mode is not a necessity and won’t be a deal-breaker. Internet infrastructure is more sophisticated than ever, yet businesses and individuals experience several interruptions and outages, resulting in various complications. Natural disasters, technology/device failures, ISP outages, and cyber-attacks are the most common causes of network downtime and are almost inescapable, no matter whether you use Wifi or keep a Hotspot as a backup. In the summer of 2022, a massive network outage at Rogers, a prominent Canadian telecom, caused significant internet, cable, and cellphone disruptions, leaving more than 10 million customers without internet. In such uncertain circumstances, an offline mode could save you and your dispensary operations from several losses and headaches.
2. Sales Disruptions and Revenue Loss Can be Staggering
Depending on a dispensary POS that’s only functional with the internet is detrimental to your sales, especially during prolonged outage periods. No offline mode simply means no sales and no revenue. Both customers and employees would get frustrated, and you would lose thousands of dollars per hour. Even if your internet goes down for just a few minutes, it leaves you with long lineups, stressed-out budtenders, and annoyed customers who may turn away from your store and buy from your competitor that may be using a POS with an Offline-Mode. An unhappy customer may never return to your dispensary and become loyal to a competitor instead.
3. Reliability during 4/20 and Hot Sales Periods is Crucial
As a cannabis retailer, you understand how critical seasonal sales and other celebratory events are to increase your dispensary revenue. You probably track your sales calendar and plan weeks in advance to get prepared for big days like 420, Green Wednesday, Black Friday, and many more. From stocking up your cannabis inventory with the bestsellers to scheduling the right number of staff, you prepare to make the most of these sales events. But what happens if your internet goes down and your POS isn’t functional to tender sales? Cova POS, known for its reliability and fast transactions, ensures your lines keep moving with its Offline Mode feature.
4. Maintain Compliance All the Time
The first and perhaps the only way that comes to mind to continue sales in the case of an internet outage without an Offline Mode, in states where live connection to the traceability system or customer database is not required, is manually recording all transactions. Writing down all the detailed cannabis traceability information not only substantially increases wait times for your customers but also significantly exposes the entire operation to errors. When budtenders have to manually ensure that sales are within daily purchase limits and compute product equivalencies in their heads, errors are almost inevitable. Not being able to keep your cannabis dispensary operations compliant during an internet outage can cost your money and maybe even your dispensary license. Avoid such mistakes at all costs.
Always Stay Connected with Cova POS
With all that said, evaluating a cannabis POS's reliability during internet disruptions, especially in a competitive market, can’t be overlooked. Cova's POS has been voted the industry’s best cannabis POS system by multiple organizations because it's always reliable and keeps evolving with features that let you seamlessly serve more customers and stay competitive in the dynamic cannabis retail industry. Book a demo with us to learn more.
