iPad@Work: This Michigan Coffee Joint Is The Apple Store Of Hot Java [iPad SMB Case Study]

By

mightygoodipad

The next time you visit the corner coffee shop, you may see iPads rather than cash registers. The trend is happening across the country. One Michigan retailer, Mighty Good Coffee Roasting Co., has become an enthusiastic supporter of iPads in business. In fact, customers call the company a “coffee shop meets the Apple Store.”

“The iPad offers us the most flexibility as a cash register,” Mighty Good’s David Myers tells us. It took the five-year old Ann Arbor coffee firm just five minutes to connect the iPad to the receipt printer and actual cash drawer.

The iPad is used alongside commercial software from ShopKeep and the free idynamo app from Mercury Payment Systems. The MPS system allows businesses to process credit cards and gift cards from the iPad or iPhone. “The up-front costs were a fraction of what it would have taken to implement a full point-of-sale (POS) solution,” said Myers.

“The response has been very positive from everyone, young and old,” Myers says. “In our area, and in general, it’s still pretty unique for coffee shops and quick serve to be using something other than a basic cash register or a cumbersome Point-of-Sale.”

For other businesses mulling whether to employ iPads, Myers suggests asking questions. “Investing heavily in a stand-alone POS system may be overkill for your business and not give you the flexibility you need down the road,” he advises.

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.