update the software your computer is running. How does that impact you? With no more security updates or technical support for the XP operating system, your computer will be more susceptible to cyber attacks, ultimately putting valuable customer information and company data at risk. Cybercrooks are also more likely target XP-based computers as they will be looking exploit weaknesses in the 12 year old platform from April onwards. Another important point to consider is PCI compliance. As the PCI Security Standards Council does not consider out of lifecycle operating systems to be PCI compliant, retailers running Windows XP will no longer be conforming to these benchmarks. This is regardless of whether your point of sale (POS) software or payment system is PCI compliant. While penalties for PCI violations aren’t widely publicised, fines can be as high as $10,000 for every month of non-compliance. To continue to process payments and handle customer credit card information, retailers will need to remain PCI compliant and therefore migrate from Windows XP. There’s no denying that these hefty fines would have big impacts on bottom lines, particularly for smaller businesses. Don’t get left behind While upgrading to Microsoft Windows 7 or 8 will probably be the first instinct for most business owners, it’s important to bear in mind that the cost of this upgrade will not be limited to software. A business running a 12 year old operating system is likely to have to invest in new hardware to support Windows 7 or 8. This means purchasing new desktop systems and laptops, which could prove to be a costly and lengthy exercise. Even by upgrading to a newer Windows fleet, businesses are likely to face the same issue further down the track once Microsoft no longer supports older operating systems. Upgrade to modern technologies If your business is looking to purchase new hardware, it could be time to consider moving to a more modern solution such as a tablet-based POS. Tablets such as Apple iPads are very simple to run as payment terminals. They are also user friendly and significantly cheaper to implement, not to mention much quicker to deploy. The cost of migrating to an entirely new platform such as Apple iOS is less not only initially, but also down the track, as it decreases IT management costs associated with ongoing support for Microsoft platforms. Prepare for the future In this modern age, everything is becoming mobile – and there’s no reason this shouldn’t extend to cash registers. There are many advantages to running a POS system from tablets that will help with speed, efficiency and customer satisfaction of your business. If you run a quick service restaurant or food truck, you may have big queues from a lunch time rush at midday for example. Why confine your staff to a counter? With a mobile POS system, sales are no longer limited to the four corners of the counter. Businesses can have staff take orders in the queue on an iPad or an iPad mini and have them wirelessly sent to the kitchen. There’s no denying that POS systems are integral to many businesses and that technology in this space is quickly changing. The question is, do you stick with a platform that’s comfortably familiar, or do you take the plunge and upgrade to the future of POS mobility? Sean Tomlinson is chairman of Revel Systems Asia. Revel Systems is a hybrid cloud-based point of sale system for restaurants and retail establishments (including food trucks and grocery stores), enabling real time access to data, in a scalable and secure solution that is centrally managed and PCI compliant.