Entrepreneurs doing business online these days don’t really need to spend much on a point of sale system. With a POS software that is readily available today, there’s no need to buy a physical cash register and other hardware to process payments and issue receipts.

But helping you with your business’ retail functions is not all there is to using POS software. Retailers having a hard time managing the back office functions can now get help through the mobile point of sale software. With the introduction of numerous mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, developers have also come up with point of sale applications that work in the cloud or through a web browser. What makes these apps valuable is its compatibility with a wide array mobile devices running various mobile operating systems.

While there may be issues present, many businesses are confident in using the mobile POS in an effort to provide customers with a fast, efficient and, not to mention, secure experience all the time. Retailers who may still be hesitant to move to this modern technology owing to compatibility issues need not worry. With the so-called device-agnostic applications, a mobile POS is now versatile enough because it can function on any mobile platform including the Android, Blackberry and iOS.

In the area of processing payments, the mobile method is considered to be less costly as it does not require a hardware but only a certain type of application. Basically, there are three types – the message-based (using text messages or SMS initiated by the customer), the browser-based (similar to an online transaction but using only a smart phone) and the application-based (uses the retailer’s proprietary application downloaded to a smart phone) remote mobile payments.

If flexibility is what you’re looking for, there’s no need to look any further. It is not only cost effective but it also enables multiple applications including the mobile POS and can be used in multi-purpose tablet devices. And the best part is it helps companies manage their operations effectively even in remote situations.

With a growing number of people owning smartphones nowadays, it is just fitting that businesses also keep up with the trend. A Nielsen survey foresees that by 2014, the smart phone will comprise 90 percent of mobile devices in the U.S. Last year, it was found that 62 percent of American adults aged 25-34 claimed to own a smart phone.

Brandon is a business consultant who recommends the use of mobile POS software. He believes this technology is the future which entrepreneurs should fully utilize.