This startup wants every restaurant to throw out their cash registers and use iPads

Slurp, a startup that offers a cloud-based iPad point-of-sale (POS) system to food and beverage (F&B) retailers in Malaysia, wants a big slice of that sector.

Thanks to growing consumer appetite (pun much intended), Malaysia’s foodservice retailers are only expected to grow in number, and their business is getting bigger. Latest industry data shows the sector was valued at just under US$10 billion in 2012, equivalent to a compounded growth rate of 4.6 percent from 2008. By 2017, the growth rate is projected to hit 5.3 percent.

Food establishments in Malaysia are seeing rising demand from a diverse consumer base. Urban areas, such as Klang Valley (comprised of Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs), are largely populated not just by Malaysian nationals, but expatriates and foreign workers from Indonesia, India, and Nepal. And let’s not discount the influx of international tourists, with Malaysia being a popular shopping hub in the Asia-Pacific region.

Along with this demand, of course, goes the constant challenge for F&B retailers to run their businesses efficiently. This is where Slurp comes in.

Slurp has developed a customizable POS software for the iPad. This software allows retailers to manage their menu, inventory, and pricing. It also allows employees to clock in and out, and businesses to implement loyalty programs, promos, and vouchers for customers.

Together with the software, Slurp developed apps that customers and staff can use to give and take orders. The “customer app,” which is available on iOS and Android, lets diners place orders directly from their tables, make special requests, and get the bill. The “waiter app,” on the other hand, allows staff to receive and manage orders from customers.

Slurp also comes with hardware components: an iPad, an iPad stand, a cash drawer, and a receipt printer.

“The manual method of taking orders was simply inefficient and prone to errors. Slurp automates the process, increasing the retailer’s operational efficiency,” says co-founder Reza Razali.

He adds: “Slurp’s POS system provides low entry cost, which is vital for F&B outlets that are new and small in size. It is also compliant with the GST (goods and services tax) recently imposed by the Malaysian government.”

Sales info a tap away

All information from the Slurp POS system is stored in the cloud. Reza says this spices things up for F&B retailers, as it gives them insights into how they can improve their operations and sales. For instance, they can break their sales information into individual items on their menu, letting them know which item sold best. Retailers can see the number of visitors in their outlets per hour, and which staff members performed well in terms of orders served.

Slurp users can access these analytical reports from a dashboard, using any browser and any device.

100th customer