What's the Future of POS? (Pt. 1 of 2)

Dec. 24, 2019

One newer developer of point-of-sale and shop management software is relying on the blockchain as a way to connect and verify customer information wherever they go.

Editor's note: The January 2020 issue of NOLN takes a look at some of the newer, stripped-down POS products that are web-based and evolving alongside more powerful internet networks. This is the first of a two-part blog leading up to the magazine story, which will be available on Jan. 1.

A relatively new player in point-of-sale software is ShiftMobility, which has LubeLite as one of its products.

LubeLite is marketed as an application ecosystem— like the apps you might download to your phone. But its functionality is similar to the web-based platform, because it can be loaded onto any mobile device, tablet or computer and operate over the internet. 

“It’s evolved the automotive shop device choice from these bulky desktop computers to tablets to smartphones,” says Elliott Schendel, director of marketing at ShiftMobility. “We sync them all together so they can quickly move between the front desk and the bay.”

The company also says its first-to-market to utilize blockchain technology to manage things like vehicle and customer information. Blockchain is a digital ledger that stores information among a decentralized network, all of which verify one another’s transactions. Schendel says that blockchain provides a record for vehicle service and preferences that can be shared among shops, as well as vehicle ownership and anything else.

“We’re blockchain-enabled,” he says.” We leverage the one VIN, one vehicle concept. It’s essentially like a fingerprint for each and every vehicle owner out there, including everything from real-time events to transactional data at quick lube shops or repair.”

Theoretically, all those transactions stay with the vehicle and can be accessed from the blockchain by a vehicle owner or any service center.

Look for part two with Sage Microsystems on Dec. 31.