Customers purchasing habits are changing faster than ever before. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed that changes even further. The crucial interlinking of e-commerce and stationary trade has also been facing new challenges for IT and POS systems. Real-time availability, large volumes of data or system stability are just a few of the key points. Cloud-based systems have become increasingly important in recent years.

Comprehensive information on every product in POS is essential. That includes: product features, variants, availability, images or videos. Furthermore, offline availability of customer cards or other bonus programmes is important. A software has to process immense amounts of data. A special architecture is required to meet all the criteria and maintain high performance at the cash register.

The Cegid Retail Y2 POS system is expressly tailored to these requirements. With the installation of a local client it all becomes possible. The POS system draws the necessary data from the cloud. In the event of a failure, it can operate offline. The customer determines which data should be stored locally. As soon as the connection is re-established, the cash register synchronises automatically. No further tools or third-party licenses are required at the checkout. This reduces the licence costs for the database and other components.

Cloud architecture is the key to international trade: major brands are represented almost everywhere in the world. An integral part of a worldwide presence is a reliable and high performing software. Today's customers make swift decisions, travel frequently and expect flexibility. They expect that the dress they bought in Rome today can be returned in London tomorrow. Cegid Cloud ensures real-time availability of data as it is stored in a central database for all countries. Customer data is therefore available everywhere, no matter where it is accessed.

One challenge that results from high requirements is the response time of the servers: This so-called latency and if not handled properly may represent a weak point in the sales process. The customer can become impatient by the delay and abandon the completion of purchase, e.g. when the request for the availability of a product takes more than expected.

The three PODs ensure a high degree of reliability. The owner of the retail trade can concentrate fully on the business, because the availability of the systems is guaranteed. Back-ups and failure precautions ensure that work can continue on site even in the event of a system crash - true to the motto "never miss a sale".

Cegid covers all system needs, including tests, backups and updates. Various customers can share the cloud and benefit from Cegid's monitoring measures. Upon the request, a customer can be provided with a dedicated cloud in which customer-specific environments and update cycles are available. In terms of the important aspect of security: data protection, certified data centres (USA, Ireland, Singapore) and security mechanisms with assigned roles and rights are self-evident.

The significant advantage of Cegid Retail Y2 POS system is the easy with which it can be rolled out. Depending on the requirements, 100 or 200 stores can be set up overnight. The checkout does not have to be a high performance device and there are just a few specifications that need to fulfilled. All types of rollouts can be handled easily and quickly and updates can be called up automatically.

In recent years, Cegid has seen a clear trend towards cloud solutions away from on-premises. The data stored on cloud scores particularly well with the advantages for international business. With approx. 80% of new customers opting for cloud solutions the tendency is rather set. With on-premises systems retailers have to maintain the infrastructure themselves: data centre, qualified team, support and compliance with the relevant legislation varying from country to country.

Cegid, as one of the leading international suppliers of checkout and store systems, provides comprehensive compliance with law and is used in over 75 countries. As a localised tool it is also available in 24 languages. Small customers with a few branches up to large corporations with over 1000 branches carry out operations successfully with Cegid Cloud.