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can't do that with a POS system that's installed in the basement of your store," says ShopKeep's Richelson. But some in the industry wonder whether such convenient access to data could open up security risks. Jay Caragay, owner of the Spro Coffee shop in Baltimore, signed on with Coffee Shop Manager earlier this year (though he uses an iPod Touch and Square to run credit cards because he has found it to be cheaper than traditional credit card processing setups). Caragay says he does feel drawn to the always-in-your-pocket data accessibility of the cloud-based sys- tems, but he feels like his traditional Coffee Shop Manager network is more secure. "You control the data, the drives, the serv- ers," he says. "It's not just floating out there for someone to crack into." Spence of SelbySoft says his company has tried to appeal to both sides by offering a "hybrid system"—sales data is still saved and contained in an isolated computer within the café or office, but owners can receive sales summaries through email and use the cloud to run a single loyalty pro- gram across multiple locations. Spence says the idea of moving entirely to online serv- ers for data storage is not one SelbySoft is going to adopt any time soon. "The cloud has some great benefits, but I don't think everything should be there," he says. "It's a concern to me if everything you have business-wise is not in your store." ($5/< $'237(56 7KH FDIp LQGXVWU\ SXWV D SUHPLXP RQ VSDFH DQG FRVW ZKLFK H[SODLQV WKH TXLFN ULVH RI WDEOHW EDVHG 326 accept gift cards and export data to accounting software. But one difference will continue to divide the "old guard" Windows-based programs and the newer iPad-reliant solutions: dependency on the cloud. ShopKeep and its iPad kin feature systems that store virtu- ally all sales data in servers online. It's this technology that allows them to offer real-time reporting tools that open the door to scenarios like those of McGinness, who can check his retail inventory when he's at the roastery, at origin or seem- ingly anywhere else. One of ShopKeep's most talked about fea- tures, in fact, is its Dashboard app. It can be downloaded onto the mobile device of an owner or manager and gives the user constant updates on details such as daily sales totals, summa- ries from the day before and how much cash is in the till. "You B ecause it's filled with so many per- sonalities and business approaches, the café industry has never been well suited for a one-size-fits-all approach. And it's becoming clear that a diversity of options in the POS department is something the industry has been thirsting for. One of the latest introductions from Coffee Shop Manager, for example, is a twist on POS that shifts the café ordering process completely. The setup involves an iPad pre- sented in a self-service kiosk format: A customer walks up, follows some ordering prompts, slides a credit card and the drink details go right to the barista station. It's not right for every shop, of course. But it's a sign of the tablet creating new POS possibilities. "Coffee seems to be ahead of the curve in looking at tablets," says Holscher, who in her role at Granbury Restaurant Solutions has a unique view on how the café industry compares with other areas of foodservice. "Space is really at a premium and cost is such a big consideration." Any POS provider that can deliver in those areas has a shot at gaining traction. freshcup.com November 2012 49