We don’t have to remind you that retail and catering are extremely competitive. Customers expect fast service, quick ordering, and same-day delivery. A restaurant, bar or store must be able to deliver orders on time and have the customer’s choice in stock. It’s not good to run out of something on your menu, or in your product catalog. To keep customers happy, they must offer discounts and loyalty programs. Revel Systems POS is the answer.
Many software platforms claim to offer the best. But are they worth the effort? Let’s take a look at one of these softwares and see if it works.
Let’s dive in to our Revel Systems POS review.
Who’s Revel in POS?
Revel Systems POS a cloud-based iOS point of-sale platform. It integrates point of sale (POS) functionality with customer channels, operations, and customer channels from one convenient dashboard. Its website states that it is:
“An intuitive point-of-sale for your employees. The power of technology to enhance your business .”
Revel claims that it can bring:
“Added Value to Your Business, From Creating More Revenue to Improving Efficiency to Thrilling Customers.”
This software can be used to manage customers and inventory. It also provides insights and data analytics to support business decisions.
Revel keeps track of your order history and customer lists. It also tracks payment summaries, hourly sales figures as well as sales summaries.
The data is then presented in clear graphs and reports.
A Short Background
This US company was founded in 2010 and is based in San Francisco. They have offices in Australia, Lithuania, and Singapore. They have more than 700 employees and more than 25.000 terminals in active use.
Revel’s customers:
It is aimed at all types of establishments, including restaurants, bars and pizza places. Some of the most well-known clients are Cinnabon and CurryUp Now as well as Cake Supplies, Cinnabon and Ginger Elizabeth.
What does the Revel POS System do?
The offer can be divided into four categories:
- Rapid Service
- Restaurant & Bar
- Retail
- Pizza
1. Rapid Service
Revel’s Quick Service mode aims to offer a superior customer experience for caterers who need fast service. This includes coffee shops, fast food restaurants, frozen yogurt bars and bakeries.
Revel’s Customer Show System can be used for transactions at the front of the house. Customers can pay in seconds, add a tip, and even sign the check.
You can also choose to go into ‘Always on Mode’. This allows businesses to continue operating even when they are offline. This would be useful in the event of a power cut or a downed internet connection. Even if the internet is slow, you can still make card payments.
You can also create your own menu by using the Menu Building feature. It makes it easy for customers to view what you are selling. You can upload images, descriptions, customize individual items, etc. You can upload images, descriptions, and customize individual items.
You can monitor your inventory and ingredients from the back of the house. This allows you and your team much more control over how much stock to replenish and when. This ensures that you don’t run out of food or drinks while you prepare them for sale.
You can also use the back of house function to manage your employees’ schedules, hours worked and payroll.
Last but not the least, Revel offers “intelligent reports.” This gives you information about which items are selling best, when your business is busiest, hourly sales and how your business is doing each month. This allows you to access historical and current data in order to make informed business decisions and determine the direction of your business.
Quick Service’s “On the Go” facility is a great feature. Customers can place orders in advance through a self-service kiosk. This eliminates waiting time and potentially reduces waste.
Delivery management is another option available on the go. You can accept orders, track them and manage them in real time. You can also keep track of delivery times and manage food deliveries from one location to another.
Revel’s Insights App will be available to you if you use ‘On-the-Go’. It is simple to use and easy to access. You can also manage employee schedules and reports right from your smartphone.
2. Restaurant and Bar
The restaurant and bar option is a full service POS solution that was specifically designed for busy restaurants or bars.
What does it do?
Simply put, you have control over what you sell, what you are currently selling, and where your customers order.
Revel’s bar and restaurant option targets restaurants and bars as well as breweries and pizza outlets. Also, any place that has a large volume of stock or high customer turnover.
Your front-of-house staff will receive a handheld POS device. They need to log in using a PIN to gain access. They can access your entire product listing, as well as product descriptions, from their touchscreen. They can then take orders and have them delivered to the kitchen. It should, theoretically, speed up service and reduce discrepancies.
You can also create loyalty programs for customers. This is one way to increase customer loyalty and retention. Customers can earn points or discounts based on how much they spend on your brand.
Order totals will also be displayed. The software allows you to add products, discounts, and other payments. You can use it as a customer-facing kiosk or display.
You can manage your stock levels from the Back of House option. This option gives you all the information you need to maintain a tight control on ingredients. These insights can be used to help you decide when to order more stock.
You’ll have access to both historical and real-time data analysis tools, just like the Quick Service facility. This eliminates the need to guess when making business decisions.
Revel’s “On the Go” customers have access to a delivery management system that allows them to accept orders, track their progress, and find the driver at any point. Again, this is all done in real-time. We also have the Insights app, which we mentioned earlier. This allows you to access data from your phone while on the move.
3. Retail
Revel also offers a retail option as a POS service. It promises:
“Alleve stress and streamline business operations.”
Revel appears to be targeting catering-related retail outlets like wineries, bakeries and other businesses that sell products at events and beer breweries.
Their ‘Show Floor” mode is very similar to the ‘Always on’ mode that we discussed in the Quick Service section.
You can also keep track of your customers, such as who they are, when they visit, what they order and how they place them orders.
4. Pizza
Yes, that’s right.
Revel created a complete POS system for pizzerias. They’ve definitely met a niche market because of the speedy nature of these establishments.
Secure payment options include Apple Pay, chip and pin credit, and debit cards. You can also manage your inventory and avoid running out of ingredients. There are many tools that can help you track your customers. You can keep track of their visits, what they order and how often they visit.
Revel Systems POS: What’s included and what it costs
There are three pricing options available:
1. Software
The monthly cost is $99 per terminal, which is billed annually. There is also a 3-year option that works out cheaper.
To do this, please see
- Tools for managing customer relationships
- Tools for employee management
- A simple POS
- Inventory management tools
- Analytics and reporting
For a moment, let’s return to Revel’s CRM tools. This makes it easy to expand your customer base. When customers make a purchase, you can add new customers to the Management Console. These customer profiles can be updated on-the-fly. You can add details such as birthdays, loyalty program information, and any other pertinent information.
Revel allows you to create customer profiles. This will allow you to track the purchases and consumer behaviour of your customers, giving you a better understanding of their buying habits. This information allows you to customize discounts and other marketing materials for your loyal customers. Handy, right?
2. Processing
The ‘Processing” plan is a flat fee that you pay to process your payments. However, this fee is not specified on their website. We recommend contacting them directly for more information.
To do this, please see
- All card types can be processed
- Apple Pay is now available
- EMV-friendliness
- Access to Revel’s support team
- Online reporting and statements
3. Installation
Revel’s Installation package is available for a single payment of $649. The key selling point of this package is the fact that you will be assigned a Revel expert who will work side-by-side with you to get the whole system up and running.
Also, you’ll get:
- Hardware installation assistance
- Management Console training
- A menu consultation
- Assistance with setting up your payments
- Onboarding
All three plans offer the following:
- Support available 24/7 via live chat or by phone
- Mode “Always On”
- Automated product updates (for no cost)
- Personalized onboarding
- A secure cloud backup
Revel Systems POS: The Key Features
While we have covered most of Revel’s features, it is worth noting that Revel’s website categorizes their functions under headings that we believe are simple to understand.
They are less verbose than their competitors which makes it easier for people who don’t want to delve into a maze of “software talk”
We’ve listed some features to show you what we mean.
Customer Experience – Discounts, gift cards and customer display systems. Also, online ordering
Management Solutions Includes menu building, inventory and employee management, as well as reporting and analysis
Point-of-Sale Processes: Includes cash, table, delivery management, security and open API.
Hardware Features This includes customer display systems, mobile order taking, and self-service kiosks.
Financial Tools – Including payment flexibility and integration with QuickBooks
Revel Systems POS: Its Key Benefits and Cons
Revel is more expensive than some of its rivals at first glance. Some may find the price prohibitive for small businesses. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of this product before making a purchase decision.
Revel’s most coveted perks:
- Its modern and sophisticated-looking display
- Access to a kiosk
- Easy to follow guides are provided
- Excellent customer support
- Solid integrations
- Reporting and analytics tools that are useful
- You can find it in many languages including English, French and German as well as Spanish, Polish, Italian, Spanish and Thai
- Access to the ‘Always on’ mode
- Inventory management in real-time
Revel, as with most POS software, has its flaws.
- It is more difficult to set up than plug and play solutions.
- It is expensive
- There are no free options
- We could not find a free trial on the website.
What support does Revel Systems offer?
Revel’s customer service has been mentioned a few times throughout this review. We thought it would be best to go into more detail.
Their support section, which can be found easily on Revel’s site, looks great at first glance.
Revel offers customers 24/7 support in many ways.
You can reach them by phone and ask any questions or queries. This includes billing and sales issues. Their customer service team can be reached by email or via a ticketing system.
Remote support is another option. Remote support is where one the Revel tech team members can access your device remotely to troubleshoot. This is a great way to get tech support if you have any technical issues.
You can also find a blog that contains a variety of articles. There are titles such as “Maximizing your Point of Sale during the Holiday Season,” Understanding the Digital Customer Journey, and Tips for Business Owners to Manage an Omni-Channel Multilocation Operation.
The Resource Center includes guides on topics such as “Intro to Analytics and Reporting,” “How to run a successful coffee shop” and “5 Ways to leverage data to increase revenue.” Revel’s blog, and its Resource Center, both contain current and relevant information for customers and potential customers.
Revel University is home to some of its educational materials. Here are the majority of videos and training.
Live chat and FAQ sections are available for day-to-day issues. You can also use this area to ask your question and find a solution.
The FAQs can be divided into the following areas.
- FAQ Products
- FAQ for Account
- iPad POS FAQ
- FAQ about add-ons
- FAQ Hardware
- Reports FAQ
- FAQ Payments
Some sections are more detailed than others. Although the Hardware section appears to be quite small, the Payments FAQs answer more complex questions such as “How can I accept tips for Retail EMV Transactions?” and “How is tax printed onto receipts”?
Revel has a social media presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Follow them on social media to keep up to date with all the latest company news!
Who does Revel Integrate with?
Revel offers an open API and many third-party integration partners. Revel has 13 categories for its integration partners, which include marketing, payment gateways and CRM services.
You have the option to choose which features you think are most important for your business.
These are some of their most popular integrations:
- Payments: Zapier, Apple Pay, Bitcoin, PayPal, Braintree
- Accounting: Quickbooks, Xero
- Add-Ons: customer-facing display, digital menu board, and kitchen display system
- Employee management Homebase DTT, Deputy
- e-Commerce/mobile ordering: Shopify, Chowly, Zuppler, Open DIning
What about payments?
Revel Advantage is its own payment system. It costs $0.15 per transaction, and has a rate of 2.499%. Customers can also choose from Adyen or Tyro as payment processors. Revel works with USAePay and FreedomPay, however, if we are talking about payment gateways.
What kind of hardware does Revel offer?
Revel only works with Apple devices. This applies to iPad Air, iPad Pro, iPad Mini 3, 4, and iPad Air 2. Revel allows you to purchase all of the hardware you need, or you can use your existing equipment. However, it is worth speaking to Revel’s tech assistance first to make sure that any Apple hardware you own is compatible with Revel POS.
What you can purchase from Revel:
- Barcode scanners
- Cash Drawer and Till
- iPads
- iPad stands
- Networking
- Payment devices
- Printers
- Self-Service Kiosk
What do other Revel Reviews have to say?
Revel has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, at the time this article was written, it is not BBB accredited. BBB has 15 reviews, with an average rating of one star. There are complaints about hard selling tactics, billing problems, and lack of transparency from sales staff.
Revel users also voice their dissatisfaction with billing, installation, or fees elsewhere. It’s important to note that most negative feedback on Revel dates back between 2017-2018.
Now, it’s 2019 and things have picked up. Revel has received a lot more positive feedback on the internet. Users are raving about its ease-of-use, simple learning curve, great value for money and exceptional customer service.
The majority of 5-star ratings are in the 5-star range, however, there are still complaints about the steep learning curve and the high price. Revel is best for people who have more basic POS requirements, according to some reviewers.
Revel’s website has five-star reviews and links to other review sites with mostly positive comments. These reviewers also like Revel’s user-friendly interface, reporting options and responsive customer service.
Prospective customers can conduct their own research before signing up. Revel has more recent reviews; the most recent was December 2, 2019.
Conclusion
Now you know all the details to help you decide if Revel is the right POS solution. This software is a powerful piece of software and offers a wide range of tools to cater to retail establishments of different sizes.
Some people say it is better for small businesses than others. Revel seems to target almost all establishments so it’s not surprising.
Although Revel may not be the most affordable option, its extensive and generous list of third-party integrations might convince even the most forward-thinking start ups that it is worth the investment. It may be costly for small businesses that are trying to increase their profits.
Revel is a good option for businesses looking for a cloud-based POS system. Despite the negative reviews it received a few years back, they seem to have improved. It consolidates your management tools, and reduces paperwork. We recommend that you shop around before making a decision.
Are you familiar with Revel Systems’ POS? Were they worth the hype or a complete failure? Are you considering purchasing this software? We would love to hear from you in the comments below. We are eager to start the conversation!
