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Element’s All-in-One Medical Devices for Healthcare Efficiency Element K95A Full HD Medical-Grade Panel PC Although healthcare is far removed from retail and hospitality, there are key parallels Element’s panel PCs and washable healthcare peripherals are perfect for a medical setting Together, items in the range can offer an all-in-one solution Far from the world of retail and hospitality, Element’s focus on design, quality, and purpose fits well in a special place: healthcare. Even with the differences, there are still similarities between these settings, both have a fast pace and need for efficiency. The customer experience in healthcare is crucial, because the “customers” are the patients and those receiving care. Element provides a full range of medical-grade products. This includes touchscreen panel PCs and Washable keyboards and mice. All products meet strict certification standards. Element’s healthcare hardware is made from special plastics with silver nanotechnology and is carefully designed for hospitals, where controlling infections is very important. Constant use of eMR (electronic medical records) is essential in healthcare today, so quick access is crucial. Having a terminal available whenever and wherever needed is imperative. This is especially true when hospital staff are always short on time and resources. Having the computing power to get results, enter patient data, and track their health is key to meeting health goals.  The Element K95A and K959 are touchscreen panel PCs designed for portability and ease of use. Both units have optional RFID readers. This lets clinicians use their ID cards to log into their accounts. Their desktop and work environment will be ready to use right away on the terminal. One of the key features of both the K95A and K959 is convenient side-mounted battery access. This design allows for smooth, secure hot-swapping of batteries, minimising strain and ensuring reliable connections. The feature allows easy access for quick battery replacement. Even when on a cart, it works for users of all heights. This makes power replenishment faster, safer, and more comfortable.  On battery power, the K95A and K959 can run continuously for up to 12 hours. Both units have a built-in power supply unit (PSU). This means you can easily plug them into a powered cart or wall socket for power.  The K95A and K959 both feature an optional onboard camera to facilitate video consults, while their 11th Gen Intel® Core™ Tiger Lake processor ensures plenty of headroom for medical applications.  To reduce noise for patients, the K95A and K959 are fanless medical PCs. This allows staff to work quietly at night. Each of these units also has an LED reading light mounted on its lower edge to illuminate a keyboard or hardcopy medical information without the need to switch on brighter overhead lights and disrupt the sleep of patients. The Element M24-HC clinical review monitor is great for diagnostics. It shows medical images clearly and accurately. This includes X-rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs.  Element M24-HC medical-grade touchscreen monitor The monitor is DICOM calibration compliant, meaning that if clinicians share patient files between hospitals, for example, they can be sure they are seeing exactly the same thing as what anyone else with a DICOM-compliant monitor is seeing. This LCD digital display comes in touch and non-touch versions. You can use it on a cart or at an imaging centre. Perfect for any place that needs a high-quality medical monitor. Powerful peripherals The Element ECT-105 is an exceptionally cost-effective but feature-rich medical-grade keyboard. Its small form factor makes it easy to keep on a cart, without compromising on a full 104-key layout. It supports multiple ways to connect. You can use a USB cable, Bluetooth, or WiFi, and it has an IP68 rating. This means you can easily clean it by washing it in a disinfectant solution. The Element ECT-409 wireless washable mouse mouse has very quiet buttons and a scroll wheel. Perfect for medical settings where noise should be low to avoid disturbing patients. The design includes an actively sealed battery compartment, allowing you to sterilise it in a dishwasher. For medical scanning applications, Element offers the P50BT cordless companion scanner. A Useful feature of this unit is that it can connect directly to a tablet or PC using Bluetooth. It can also connect with its charge and communication cradle. You can carry the scanner unit around as it is not permanently fixed and will easily pair with different cradles when needed. Light enough to hang on a lanyard around a healthcare worker's neck, it uses a green laser for scanning. This is better than a red laser, which can remind people of blood in a hospital. The P50BT also features night mode with haptic feedback to avoid waking patients with audio alerts. It reads all mainstream barcodes and QR codes, including those from a mobile phone screen. Element Healthcare Peripherals Putting it all together Element’s healthcare range offers a purpose-designed all-in-one solution to transform healthcare delivery, with a strong focus on staff efficiency and, equally, patient experience. The K95 series can be mounted on a powered or unpowered medical cart, and connected to the washable ECT-105 keyboard via Bluetooth, cable or WiFi.  Paired with an ECT-409 wireless mouse, the system is easily cleanable, reducing the risk of infection. Adding a P50BT provides the necessary functionality for scanning medicines, pathology samples and the like, and together, these products represent a complete technology suite to meet all the needs of a healthcare setting. Thousands of these units are already used in hospitals across Australia and are reliable tools for bedside patient care. Contact Element today to learn more about how we can create an all-in-one healthcare solution to suit your requirements.

Concealment is the name of the game for a next-level customer experience The benefits of a technology-free counter are more than skin deep Hiding the hardware will necessitate practical considerations such as cable management Element offers a super-compact product that is perfect for under-the-counter installation There may be a proverb about not judging a book by its cover, but the reality is that everyone does anyway. So, ensuring a sleek, attractive appearance at the sales counter is an important way to create a positive impression of your business. One effective way to deliver a neat, minimalist look is to conceal as much POS hardware as possible by building it into the cabinetry. It’s generally unlikely that you are going to hide 100% of your technology, but Element has worked with retailers to fit even items such as touchscreens into recessed areas that leave the benchtop free and open. There are functional benefits to having as much of your technology hidden as possible. Apart from the appearance of a clear counter space, it will be advantageous for a fashion business to have more of the benchtop available to fold and bag clothing. Keeping the POS hardware out of sight means you can get away with a smaller counter, diminishing the Great Wall of Retail and making less of a barrier between sales staff and customers. Saving space at the counter also means more floor area for displaying products to sell, or in a hospitality setting, room for an extra table. Security is another advantage, as keeping the technology under the counter makes it less accessible to staff. Without an available USB port where someone can charge a phone or potentially plug in a USB drive, the network is protected from cyber threats that staff may unwittingly bring to work on an unsecured thumb drive. Putting it into practice There are several considerations that must be taken into account when installing POS hardware under the counter. Heat is the chief consideration, and adequate ventilation was crucial for older-type 180W POS systems. However, cutting-edge hardware such as the Element MPC1 (see below) is a low-power fanless unit, featuring reduced heat output. Element MPC1 Mini Box PC Cable routing is vital for the effective functioning of your POS system, and choosing peripherals that support Bluetooth or WiFi connectivity will be efficient to use in this scenario. Remember to ensure peripherals such as receipt printers are mounted so that staff can readily access them, for easy replacement of consumables as required. Use a display-mounted barcode scanner on the head unit, or keep a handheld or desktop scanner in its own recessed area under the counter for storage, to be brought out when needed. The key is to keep these items concealed whenever they are not in use, leaving as much of the counter free as possible. Out of sight, out of mind Hiding the technology away can make us forget how powerful and versatile it is. It can sometimes be easy for retailers to not be aware of everything that goes into setting up a POS system, and all the in-built features that can make a huge difference to your business. It pays to explore all the options available instead of just going for a bulky default POS terminal, and one such option is a product whose tiny size belies its enormous potential. The Element MPC1 mini box PC is a commercial-grade, modular unit that is incredibly compact without compromising on power, making it particularly valuable as an under-the-counter POS solution. It is also a prime candidate for use in digital signage, especially in applications where space is at a premium. At just 120mm square by 23mm thick, the Element MPC1 has 100mm and 75mm VESA mounts for effortless installation. Its space-saving form factor allows it to be installed into areas that are prohibitively small for standard-sized POS hardware, and its low energy consumption means you save on operating costs. Plus, because it’s an industrial PC, it is built with long-term architecture in terms of its chipset and its board. This tiny powerhouse is equipped with an Intel Elkhart Lake J6412 processor, runs WiFi 6, and can be operated continuously with very low heat output, and no noise. This is another advantage for applications such as digital signage, where it can be connected to as many as three displays via USB-C and two HDMI interfaces for output in dazzling 4k resolution. Element RW60+ It is also the perfect option for use with a touchscreen as a slimline kiosk. Add a wireless receipt printer such as the Element RW60+  and the Element P135BT cordless Bluetooth barcode scanner, and you have a complete kiosk solution. These wireless peripherals minimise the need for cable management, helping your business create its own kiosk that can be embedded in a wall, for example, to suit space constraints. Element P135BT 2D Cordless Bluetooth Barcode Scanner Contact Element  today to learn more about the hidden magic of technology, and how we can help create a concealed POS solution that will ensure an epic customer experience. We will empower you to understand why the not-so-obvious features of Element technology make it efficient, versatile, and successful for your business.

Connect with customers like never before, thanks to cutting-edge hardware Element Tanso POS Tablet Use customer data to personalise the sales experience The personal touch can make visitors feel uniquely understood The right technology is essential to support effective clienteling Human connection is something we all seek, and effortless connections can be a potent driving force for successful sales transactions. Skilled sales staff always have a knack for developing rapport with customers and will also know when to give people space when they need it. But repeat visitors to a business can grow tired of re-telling their story and explaining their preferences and requirements to new staff. Luckily, in the 21st century, technology can come to the aid of sales assistants, equipping them with not only background information on customers but also the power to show different options immediately, filter results and check stock availability in real time. This offers all the advantages of the online shopping experience in a brick-and-mortar store, combining the best of both worlds. What is clienteling? This is a term that refers to using customer metrics to personalise the sales experience for them. When the so-called ‘ platinum rule ’ can be the deciding factor for what makes shoppers return, it’s imperative to tap into how the customer  wants to be treated. Clienteling can do just that: by bringing up a customer’s profile, sales staff can provide relevant recommendations and instantly have a platform for developing great rapport. As soon as a customer is identified, which can be as early as when they make a booking at a hospitality venue or present a loyalty card, they can be treated to a personalised shopping or dining experience. Using data such as ordering preferences or purchase history, staff can tailor the in-store experience to each visitor, creating a meaningful relationship very quickly. And that relationship can be leveraged both for purchases made during that visit, and to encourage the customer to return to the store for more of the uniquely connected, personalised service that is on offer. The personal touch Through clienteling, staff can address a customer by name and draw on their purchase history to help establish a meaningful connection -- recreating an old-school shopping experience where ‘everyone knows your name’. For example, being aware of a customer’s recent appliance purchase can allow the sales staff to ask how their new smart fridge is shaping up, for an effective ice-breaker in more ways than one. Element Tanso POS Tablet Based on preferences such as knowing a previous fabric colour selection for a sofa, staff can make recommendations for items that complement the customer’s interior colour scheme. This depth of insight can elevate the customer journey to a truly bespoke experience: if a visitor to the store feels innately ‘understood’, then they are much more likely to return to the business that creates that feeling for them. Ultimately, it’s about investing in a process that will not only generate sales but ensure happy customers who are more likely to review your business positively and recommend it to others. The tech that makes it possible Powerful hardware is essential for a memorable clienteling experience, as the device used by sales staff will not only need fast processing and impeccable connectivity but a vibrant display and a fast, responsive interface. The Element Tanso POS Tablet is the perfect tool for clienteling: a sleek design that is lightweight and easy to carry, it features a generous 10.5” screen for presenting staff-facing data and customer-facing options. Tanso 10.5" POS Tablet Running Windows 11 on an Alder Lake-N, N100 processor and boasting impressive battery life, the Element Tanso is the ultimate platform for delivering customer profile information for staff. It is equally effective for presenting product catalogues, menus and item variants to customers on a beautiful IPS display, which supports 4k media decoding. Thanks to WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, it can integrate with your existing POS system and connect to peripherals such as printers and barcode scanners. In one example of clienteling, it can efficiently bring up all the details of a customer who has identified themselves using a loyalty card. The salesperson can quickly make a connection with the customer and explore how they can help -- drawing on previous purchases to provide subjects for conversation and points for comparison. From there, the Element Tanso facilitates showing new product ranges, filtering by various parameters ranging from colours and sizes to material types, as well as checking stock availability on the spot. In a hospitality setting, the Element Tanso can be used to show a digital menu pre-populated with a customer’s favourite meals to make cuisine selection a breeze. Depending on the menu software running on the tablet, meals can also be filtered by dietary requirements such as vegetarian or gluten-free options, all illustrated with sumptuous graphics. Enhance Your Hospitality Experience with the Tanso Tablet Contact Element  to learn more about this portable powerhouse and how it can become an affordable technology cornerstone for your business. Product demonstrations are available so that you can see for yourself what a difference the Element Tanso can make through clienteling.

Being strategic about your interaction points will rub customers the right way In some instances, maximising throughput is indeed desirable There are other cases where friction is a crucial and welcome aspect of retail An adaptive approach is arguably the best-case balance of convenience and interaction If you walked into a store, grabbed a few items from the shelf and walked straight out again, wouldn’t you be shoplifting? Not if there was advanced AI tracking the products you picked up, automatically performing a checkout service and using biometrics to charge your preferred payment method. What would otherwise be a crime becomes an example of frictionless retail in its purest form. According to a report published by PwC, more than 40% of people surveyed would be prepared to pay extra for products that could be bought more quickly and effortlessly. In this report, the frictionless model is described as “the future of shopping” and there is a strong emphasis on how retailers can embrace and drive its uptake. But a little like Schrödinger’s cat, the ‘shoplifting’ comparison illustrates that there may be a component of absurdity involved in an otherwise seemingly logical retail process. Because when it comes to retail, the path of least resistance does not necessarily equate to the best possible customer journey. The benefits of express service Imagine a stadium packed with music lovers or sports fans, at a moment when there is a break in the action and people want to purchase fast food. In this situation, moving people through the checkout at the swiftest possible rate is a highly desirable goal. Ideally, the line will go straight in, then straight out, as the crowds purchase their refreshments without being burdened by any unnecessary processes. By the same token, consider drive-thru lanes at QSRs (quick-service restaurants), where cars notoriously get backed up -- not only during times of peak service, but regularly throughout the day. One improvement rolled out by quick-service burger chains is the concept of dual-lane drive-thru: it’s a way of reducing friction, and in this case, creating greater opportunity for revenue. It also improves the customer experience, as people don’t have to wait as long or get frustrated while queuing in an epic river of vehicles. The registers are still staffed by people taking orders, but the addition of camera AI helps track the movement of cars, and the process-driven kitchen meshes smoothly with this improvement in fluid dynamics. And when customers wave their phone at the point of payment, a lightning-fast NFC (nearfield communication) transaction removes yet another friction point. No retail exists in a vacuum From one perspective, frictionless retail is the idea of treating your customer as a commodity. There is truth in this, but truth doesn’t make it right; just because customers’ money drives your business, doesn’t mean they’re simply walking paycheques. Applying the ‘platinum rule’ and keeping the customer experience and the staff journey front of mind will reliably translate to loyalty and revenue. The reality of human behaviour means there is always going to be some aspect of retail or hospitality that could be described as ‘friction’. We don’t live in a vacuum; the only truly frictionless interactions occur in outer space. Bringing our attention back to McDonald’s, consider how the self-serve kiosks’ GUI (graphical user interface) is designed. Above all, it is user-intuitive and provides a satisfying, frustration-free experience. But simultaneously, a key aspect of the user pathway includes a subtle endeavour to upsell the customer, since adding more items to the basket is going to create more revenue. This means McDonald’s must tread a very delicate balance of including just enough friction to maximise each transaction, while keeping the process adequately stress-free so that customers aren’t alienated. Creating strategic friction From fashion stores to luggage retailers, the best place for staff is out among the customers rather than being stuck behind the counter -- the Great Wall of Retail. The idea of salespeople interacting with customers is not consistent with the vision described by PwC, yet even their statistics note that the majority of customers still value a traditional model. Just as e-readers have not rendered physical books obsolete, there will probably always be a desire for the attention salespeople can lavish on their customers. People have questions that only an experienced sales assistant can answer, and so far AI has still not been able to equal this. Visitors to a brick-and-mortar store want to compare products, they want to see alternatives, and adaptive retail augments these opportunities with a personalised digital service. It’s a little like using technology such as an advanced POS tablet while interacting with customers to offer ‘everything, everywhere, all at once’ -- including an online-like experience. Adaptive retail recognises that the ability to physically try on clothing, touch and see physical products, is as irreplaceable as the guidance of a trained salesperson. These aspects of the customer journey are more complex than simply walking in and then walking straight out, and when enhanced by technology, add up to a rich and rewarding retail experience. Element’s years of experience working with retailers and hospitality businesses enable us to explore with you where to strategically introduce friction, and conversely, where (as well as how) to eliminate it. Contact us to discover how you can equip your staff with technology that will allow them to indulge your customers in an adaptive retail experience that is second to none.

Equip yourself with the hardware you need to deliver an individualised experience Ensure you take good care of the ultimate authority in retail -- the customer How can adaptive retail give you a competitive edge? The Element Tanso equips you with the technological power to augment the retail experience In the world of retail, the customer is all-powerful -- so in such an uncertain and fraught economic climate, with sky-high costs of living, it’s more important than ever to entice return business. One solution is for retailers to adapt to the changing face of customer expectations, and deliver a uniquely personalised experience. There is simply no space for a second-rate customer journey. And in today’s reality, that means the interaction points between consumers and technology must be meaningful, effortless and rewarding. Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, once delivered a powerful training program for employees which centred around ‘the customer who never returns’, as a model for what not to do in retail. Although this training was initiated years ago, its message is all the more incisive today in an age when the retail landscape is saturated with data and metrics on consumer behaviour. Sam was quoted as saying, “There is only one boss: the customer. And they can fire everyone in the company, from the president to the janitor, simply by taking their money to spend elsewhere.” Adapt and conquer What does adaptive retailing actually mean, and how can it be harnessed to ensure the customer does not spend their money elsewhere? As a high-level management practice, it is all about adapting your business approach to impress your customers like never before, drawing on data you have gathered about their shopping patterns, their likes and dislikes. Adaptive retail means communicating with your customers and using channels such as social media to develop meaningful relationships, instead of taking a one-size-fits all approach. As the authority in conducting your business, it is imperative to implement ways of offering a service that combines the benefits of online shopping with the advantages of in-person sales. When the store’s counter can be like the Great Wall of Retail that creates a barrier between staff and customers, mobile technology can break through this barrier and allow one-on-one attention that doesn’t sacrifice access to your POS system. Corporate brands make huge investments into training their staff to deliver outstanding service. But to really derive a competitive edge from this, staff need to be equipped with adaptive technology that helps them facilitate a new kind of in-store experience. At the level of customer interaction in a retail setting, adaptive retail is all about providing a flexible shopping experience on the fly, responding to the customer’s needs but also anticipating unspoken opportunities. With so many shopping-related channels available -- from the online marketplace to the prolific availability of reviews -- customers are building a personal ecosystem of preferences around how they spend their money. To lavish your customers with attention they will find irresistible, and make them excited about returning to your store, retailers need to adapt to a new norm for consumers: accessing ‘everything, everywhere, all at once’. What this can look like in practice is using technology to showcase related items for a shopper, such as accessories or different products of the same class. This gives them a wider variety of choices and puts the key perks of an online experience right at their fingertips, ensuring an inspirational in-store journey. Technological enhancement The Element Tanso is an ultra slimline tablet designed to facilitate adaptive retailing. It frees sales staff from behind the Great Wall of Retail and arms them with the information they need to better understand each customer. And what better way to attract glowing approval from the boss that the customer represents, than by augmenting their journey through your store with the feature-rich power of online sales? Running Windows 11, the Tanso allows staff to interact meaningfully with visitors to the store and adapt in real time to their preferences and requirements. Staff can accompany customers as they browse, providing valuable insights, checking the availability of different sizes or colours, and offering clienteling services that would be impossible without a fast and powerful mobile terminal like the Tanso. The unit can then be brought back to the counter and mounted on a compatible clamp stand for use in a stationary configuration, with efficient cable management and sophisticated aesthetics that complement a modern store interior. Just as breaking the fourth wall in movies creates a more intimate connection between the viewer and the narrative, overcoming the Great Wall of Retail personalises the connection between sales staff and customers. But the Tanso is not limited to a retail environment; it is equally suited to an adaptive approach within the hospitality setting. It can enable waiting staff to easily show customers images of the dishes they are considering, or provide interactive details such as a description of exotic ingredients. Element’s ethos of design, quality and purpose is epitomised in our approach to creating adaptive technology that provides a uniquely dynamic customer experience. We can help you enhance both the staff journey and the services your salespeople can offer customers, supercharging their in-store interaction with the ability to be ‘everything, everywhere, all at once’. Contact us today to learn how we can empower your business to thrive like never before by embracing adaptive retail principles.

Gold standards are undoubtedly prestigious, but there is a way to go beyond Applying a lens of empathy for customers puts transactions in a new light Idealistic though it may seem, there are concrete ways to put this theory into practice At Element, we’re committed to empowering your business to deliver top-tier service Since time immemorial, precious metals have been used as indicators of value, success and victory. From jewellery to record sales, a relatively recent development on this theme is the idea that platinum represents an even more desirable prize than gold. So it follows that a principle known as the ‘platinum rule’ is something you may consider worthy of implementing. One person discussing this platinum rule is John Foley, a Blue Angels pilot, bestselling author and leadership speaker who has been described as “the greatest keynote on the planet”. In a reel posted earlier this year, John reflected on a conversation he’d had regarding sales training, and one subject in particular resonated with him. The golden rule of treating others the way you would like to be treated yourself is an age-old truism most of us are familiar with. But the ‘platinum rule’ that John quoted was all about treating others the way they want to be treated. Tune in to client wishes Shifting the perspective to a platinum model might be relatively straightforward in some aspects of sales. When it comes to a retail store, however, you might wonder how it’s possible to achieve this level of empathy. Clienteling is a one effective way to treat people to a personalised pop of luxury, so the right hardware and software to facilitate this is essential. Experienced sales staff will naturally intuit how the customer wishes to be treated, and some stores also have colour-coded shopping baskets to help facilitate interpreting a client’s desires. Evolving to platinum What about when the retailer is the customer? Element’s pillars of design, quality and purpose are not static properties — they are continually evolving. Evaluating market forces such as the increased cost of living, interest rate rises and so on, as well as our industry experience, gives us clues about what our partners will appreciate. Among the conclusions we are drawing is the notion that people are not currently looking for complex, technical, high-cost hardware. Instead, we are hearing calls for good value, good products and good pricing. For this reason, in the lead-up to Christmas, we have a whole raft of specials that can help retailers seeking dependable technology replacements at the right value. And these solutions will enable your business to continue delivering platinum-level service right through the transaction process. Make the last mile gleam When we think about how a customer would like their transaction to unfold, our attention will naturally encompass key peripherals. Depending on what products you have available, will a fixed barcode scanner be convenient to use, or is a portable one a better option? Applying the platinum rule means putting the right scanner in the right place, at the right value. Element’s range of 2D scanners can be positioned in a fixed location, but also fit in the palm of your hand, allowing you to bring the checkout to the product as required. The humble receipt printer is another item that can be a make-or-break cornerstone of the customer experience, for those who need a hardcopy record of their purchase. Maximise your ability to deliver effortless throughput by choosing a unit that will handle kilometres of receipts before the print head is even close to conking out. Because if there’s one thing you can be sure that someone who already loves your store doesn't want, it’s the hassle of being delayed at the checkout due to equipment failure. Contact Element to discover what deals we can offer across various ranges, providing value products at a crucial time and helping to make your business a shining example of ‘getting it right’.

Elevate your technology ecosystems with seamlessly integrated onboard features Subtle additions can equip healthcare terminals for exceptional EMR management A hybrid POS that can transform into a tablet offers remarkable versatility Element can empower your brand to shine through an integral technology experience We’ve already talked about the power of peripherals, and how the lead players of a technology ecosystem are nothing without a first-rate supporting cast. Regardless of whether the vertical is POS, healthcare, hospitality or industrial, the greatest gains in workflow efficiency are attained through the ingenious integration of peripherals and other key hardware features. Healthy interest At first glance, retail and healthcare might seem worlds apart, unless you’re in a shopping centre like Chadstone. But when viewed through the lens of technology, notable parallels soon become apparent. Think of a medical practitioner as a service provider, and a patient or recipient of care as the customer. Psychologists and counsellors overtly refer to the people they work with as ‘clients’, while in a more general mental health setting, people requiring services are frequently called ‘consumers’. So how can workflow be economised to support the healing process, minimising the disruption to the patient’s life? Integrating subtle but powerful features into an AIO (all-in-one) touchscreen terminal such as the Element K959 can make a huge difference when working with the inescapable medical reality of EMR (electronic medical record). Something as simple as a single sign-on function thanks to an integrated RFID reader makes it effortless for nursing staff to log in to a terminal, and an in-built LED work light offers tightly focused illumination where it’s needed, minimising disturbance to sleeping patients. When the patient is on the move and the terminal needs to roll with them, the onboard power supply can simply be disconnected from the wall and the unit switches to its hot-swappable battery system. And side-mounted orientation of the battery bay means gravity can’t work against you. These small differences may not have conspicuous effects at the conscious level - however, in concert, they serve to reduce the stress points in an environment that is inevitably fraught with worry. Hybrid theory When is a tablet not just a tablet? When it can be instantly transformed into a freestanding POS, loaded with optional peripherals. These are too diverse to list here, but they’re perfect for ‘clienteling’ -- the art of building meaningful relationships with customers, that can be transfrerred to other individuals within the sales team. It’s a popular choice for concept stores, since staff can close a sale directly from the unit. The modern, ergonomic docking station features a magnetic lock and rotating ball joint so the tablet can be viewed from a variety of angles. Plus, the docking station offers extra comm ports, LAN, USB ports and even cash drawer points -- all integrated into the base of the unit. Interaction by stealth It’s not enough just to spruik the value of integration: choosing the right products means understanding where and how they are going to be used, then qualifying them correctly. Ultimately, the whole point is to make the hardware and software disappear, and allow the engagement with your brand to take centre stage. Hardware that is effectively ‘invisible’ will often nevertheless create a subliminal impression of your business space as a whole being sleek, modern and beautiful. And while customers should hardly notice the POS itself, they should remember their transaction as being smooth and pleasant. Let Element help you map the right staff experience with the customer journey to ensure the best possible outcome for your business.

Enhance your retail space with technology that makes people want to use it It is imperative that retailers see consumers as more than just walking meal tickets Creating a rich, rewarding customer experience is central to the success of your brand The Element Duet is a great example of how design and inspiration can intersect Have you noticed anything special about those individuals who have chosen to give you their time and attention by visiting your business environment in the real world? They care enough, or are curious enough, about what you offer, to bless you with a moment of their consciousness. Your customers aren’t just walking transactions -- while it’s true that their purchase decisions drive your livelihood, they have so much more to offer than simply being your meal ticket. What are you going to give them in return? Sure, they have come to you for specific goods or services. But the way they feel when they interact with your staff and your technology is a delicate fourth dimension to their retail experience, and it’s imperative that you make the most of that opportunity to acknowledge how valuable they are to you. Make those precious seconds count Kayleigh Fazan is a top influencer in the field of future-proofing customer experiences, who creates incisive and valuable content advising businesses on how to thrive in a post-COVID world. Now the floodgates have been opened and physical stores are an option rather than a necessity, we need to rethink many of the time-worn practices traditionally associated with retail. In a recent vlog reel she posted on LinkedIn, Kayleigh made the poignant observation that when a person comes into your retail space, they are giving you a “golden ticket” to “engage, inspire and educate” them. When someone visits a physical store, they are in effect voting with their feet, which provides you with an opportunity to enrich their lives through inspiring, engaging and educating them. Option paralysis That’s not to say you need to be all over every visitor like a skin condition. Innisfree -- a Korean beauty chain with outlets in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan -- offers customers the ingenious option of choosing colour-coded shopping baskets to indicate whether they want to be approached by staff, or they’re happy just browsing independently. But whether you use a brilliantly expedient method like this or simply train your staff to read the people walking into your store, it is vital that you make the most of those precious seconds. Even if your product or service is the best thing since sliced bread, you may never get a second chance to make a lasting impression. Attention scan It can be frustrating for customers to pass an item over a wave-and-weigh surface and it doesn’t scan. With products such as the Element Duet, we’ve tried to overcome this annoyance by developing a product from the ground up that has a remarkably sensitive scan engine. It can be positioned on a countertop or easily fit in your hand, with a 2D scanner that can pick up and read the smallest of barcodes, such as those found on small pharmacy labels. But the real kicker is the ability to digitally interact on single device with your customer through a second barcode scanner on the customer-facing side. Obviously this saves money, because you do not need to buy two scanning devices for individual tasks. More importantly, it creates a unique customer experience, and expedites the transaction -- and by doing so, it shows your customers that you care about their time and don’t want to hold them up. This makes the Element Duet a quintessential example of how our ethos of design, quality and purpose intersects with Kayleigh’s vision of a 4D consumer experience that is ‘engaging, inspiring and educating’. We are always committed to moving forward, embracing the cutting edge of the cresting wave and mixing metaphors while we’re at it. And when all is said and done, a win for your customers is a win for your business.

Let’s unpack the reasoning behind some outlandish claims you might have heard Our attention is shifting away from physical hardware and tokens of exchange Inconspicuousness can be a sign that you have the right hardware The focus on software makes it more crucial than ever to be informed about hardware Commonly heard in mediaeval times, cries of “The king is dead! Long live the king!” bear an eerie resemblance to some of the slogans flying around today. We’re not talking about recent events related to the UK’s monarch, but attention-grabbing claims made by pundits speculating about the shape of things to come. Unless we’re living in a holographic universe, it’s pretty obvious that in literal terms, hardware is not dead. But if some of our traditional hardware-based modes of transaction are indeed dying out, new paradigms are rising to take their place. And ultimately, all models and simulations, virtual machines and virtual desktops, are still going to need something physical to run on. Treading softly with transactions It can certainly be argued that advances in software -- particularly in the field of AI -- have outstripped some aspects of hardware development. As for cash -- as in, physical currency -- this might as well be functionally obsolete for an entire generation. But that doesn’t mean cash is dead. Similarly, credit and debit cards are falling from favour. According to a recent report from the Reserve Bank of Australia, mobile wallet payments totalled more than 25% of all cashless transactions at card payment terminals through Q1 of 2022, and this percentage has been increasing steadily. But does this mean plastic is dead? Not by a long shot -- it is just that the way we transact is evolving. With the advent of email more than three decades ago, there was plenty of talk about it meaning the death of paper correspondence. And yes, many of us now opt to receive paperwork such as bank statements and utility bills in soft copy -- which is great for the environment. But does this mean paper is dead? Certainly not, if the countless physical cards sent by snail mail at Christmas time are anything to go by. Do ebooks and e-readers mean libraries are dead? No, it just means they have embraced soft options like Libby and Borrowbox to augment their physical presence. The industry is changing, there is no doubt about that. Yes, people are focusing more on contactless payment options, and the hardware frameworks at the centre of our transactions need to evolve and keep pace. Does this mean hardware is dead? No -- like other migrations from analogue to digital, it’s evolving. However, we do need to think more seriously than ever before about the evolution and change that is taking place: what are the real, tangible implications for hardware? Every cloud has a silicon lining Storing our data ‘in the cloud’ and working online has become the new normal, so it’s no surprise that many of us imagine computing to be insubstantial and vapour-like. However, no matter how clever our applications, no matter how convenient it is for us to transact using a smartwatch, software will always share a symbiotic relationship with hardware: one is useless without the other. In an age of cloud-based everything, it is easy to forget how essential the right hardware platform is for smooth operation. It’s not unlike the unconscious reliance we place on electricity -- when we flick a switch, we simply expect it to be there. But think of the end-to-end process starting from the coal, sunlight and wind being converted into electricity, think of the high-voltage transmission lines and banks of transformer stations. Without this complex infrastructure of systems, we would never have the end product we take for granted. Yet as with digital hardware, the fundamental technology involved is often forgotten because all we notice is the service that runs ‘on top’. Nothing to unsee here Ironically, the focus on software is a major reason why it’s more important than ever to choose the right hardware. To continue with our electricity analogy, a customer’s interaction with software should be effortless and meaningful. Even though it is at the heart of retail and hospitality transactions, the POS machine itself should vanish into the background. Similarly, in a healthcare environment, the medical-grade EMR (electronical medical record) terminal should blend into the overall treatment setting, as if it’s hardly even there. But how do you choose the best POS system to ensure such an experience? How do you find an anti-microbial touchscreen to support our healthcare heroes? Under the bonnet, it means understanding the ecosystem and qualification of the total solution. The customer or staff journey needs to be meticulously mapped out, we need to establish the minimum specifications for the software, and whether the hardware is single-task or multiple-task orientated. This is barely scratching the surface of all the details that need to be evaluated. Add to this the financial outlay, be it POS system rollout, medical-grade EMR or industrial PCs, and you’ll realise that decisions around industry-specific hardware solutions need to be expertly informed and thoroughly thought-through. Your trusted adviser This is where Element can help. Obviously nobody is going to think of purchasing industry specific hardware as being comparable to buying a first home or planning a wedding, but in the context of a business lifespan, it is an undertaking of similar gravity. Remember that in retail or hospitality, every single in-person transaction will be processed through your POS system -- meaning the right equipment can save you from innumerable pain points every working day. Instead, the point of sale service you provide can be a little ray of sunshine in every customer’s journey. In an industrial setting, the same should be true of a panel PC built to survive the harshest conditions -- it should facilitate work instead of being hard work to use. Connected business is the way of the future, so at Element, we are motivated to share our collective experience for the benefit of everyone -- our partners and competitors alike. Monopolising knowledge doesn’t serve the industry, and if we’re not serving the industry, we are failing in our mission to empower informed decision-making. There is nothing to be gained by clinging to the past -- that ship has sailed, that king is dead. Long live the king!

Why 16:9 is more relevant than ever at the busiest time of year for retailers and other merchants? Retail is not the only industry to benefit from the ‘silly season’ Ensure your POS platform doesn’t bottleneck your sales Software providers need to catch up with 16:9 As soon as Halloween has floated away in all its ghoulish wonder, the retail environment goes into overdrive for the lead-up to Christmas. Sales statistics reflect what all retailers are well aware of: from Black Friday all the way through to January is consistently the most frenetic time of year for retail sales. But what is known as the ‘silly season’ for consumers couldn’t be more serious for businesses whose turnover skyrockets during this period. Where there are shoppers, there are opportunities Retail is only one of the industries that thrives on the huge throughput of eager consumers at the pointy end of the year. The crowds of Christmas shoppers bustling their way through malls and retail precincts inevitably need somewhere to grab their lunch while on their Santa-inspired mission. This leads to a flow-on effect to food courts and takeaway outlets, not to mention standalone restaurants. The increase in Christmas party activity also represents boom time for a variety of related businesses. From venues serving alcohol to beauty salons committed to helping people to look their best at this time of year, the ability to maximise profits hinges on fast, efficient and reliable transactions. The customers are there, and they are keen to spend: what is the best way for you to capitalise that? How to make the most of the pre-Christmas rush The best possible POS platform is more relevant than ever at this time of year: you need to be ready to handle that onslaught of sales. With such a hive of activity going on in the retail sphere, consumers are simply not going to have the patience to transact at a location where they see a long queue at the till. The advent of 16:9 high-definition POS systems gives retailers and other businesses unprecedented transaction power. With the option of bigger buttons, or more options onscreen to choose from, sales staff equipped with 16:9 terminals are two steps ahead of their counterparts struggling to manage the increased throughput on older, clunkier 4:3 devices. Can your software handle the pressure? As LCD panel and touchscreen manufacturers shift their focus to the 16:9 aspect ratio, and demand for this format increases, so does the availability of hardware options. The price, meanwhile, becomes more affordable than ever before. Conversely, as demand for 4:3 terminals dwindles, they become more expensive and difficult to obtain. This is where you need to ask the question: is your software provider keeping up with this evolution? Once again, your success as a seller of goods or services hinges on an intuitive layout and optimised content-to-chrome ratio that allows your staff to provide better service to customers. If your software isn’t designed to match your hardware, this will also cause a bottleneck in your ability to reap the rewards of high-volume sales. Where demand arises, supply will follow. A business that relies on POS devices in the last mile will consistently achieve better sales with scalable software that can make the most of the increased screen real estate and higher resolution of 16:9 terminals. This is the reason why you, as a merchant, have the power to ‘vote with your feet’ and put pressure on software vendors and resellers to provide more options tailored to maximising your sales. View our current range of Element 16:9 POS terminal solutions below:

How Element can support you with cutting-edge POS hardware at inflation-defying prices Intel can’t hold back the inevitable increase in processor prices any longer Element can help you sidestep the effects of this in the short term Be ready for Christmas by equipping yourself with cutting-edge POS hardware now Inflation is one of those certainties that falls into a similar category as death and taxes. So finding a loophole or exception that eases the pressure of price rises on your business -- especially at the most intense time of year for retail -- can make a huge difference. It’s common knowledge that Intel is increasing prices on its CPUs. For some time, the company has been attempting to amortise the effects of inflation and soaring costs of raw materials to ensure cost stability and reduce downstream impact. However, change cannot be staved off any longer, and in July, Intel announced it would implement price rises across its range of products, including chipsets, processors and motherboards, in Q4 of 2022. Shelter from the economic price storm? Intel’s response to market forces is by no means an isolated incident. Inflation is pushing prices up all over the country, from groceries to rental costs; the Australian dollar is crashing, and this in turn cranks up the cost of net imports. But there is good news that contrasts with this troubling backdrop of financial crisis. At Element, we have been working for more than a year to anticipate how we will be able to help our partners weather the economic storm that has been brewing. Thanks to the ‘just in case’ model we have been utilising, we now have significant holdings of cutting-edge stock available for our retail and hospitality partners. Retail cycle vs economic cycle As the economic cycle is going through a phase of severe inflation, the annual retail cycle is also accelerating to the fever pitch of the Christmas/New Year period. Element has prepared for exactly this kind of scenario with stock on shelves right now of slimline 16:9 POS products featuring 11th-gen processors. These can empower you to transact at the speed of life during the busiest period of the year. We’ve said it before, but it is worth emphasising again that our priorities are centred around promoting a conscious, connected business model in which resources are pooled and advantages are mutual. In response to the hostile economic climate, our community of solution partners is pulling together and developing meaningful ways we can help one another to thrive, even as the effects of inflation run rampant. If ever there was a time to ensure continuity of your POS retail equipment, it’s now -- and through the Better Together program, Element can support you with the latest hardware. Contact us, or our distributor, Sektor, to discover how we can put together a pricing package that will be a welcome relief for your business in today’s harsh reality. But don’t delay, because this is the last wave of tomorrow’s terminals we will be able to supply at yesterday’s prices.

Conscious business is not a New Age ideal but an efficient way of adapting to modern reality Redirecting resources from competition to cooperation results in better outcomes for all Product showcase: bundles that make life easier for your business The concept of conscious business might sound a bit utopian and idealistic to some, but for others, it represents a natural and logical coming of age in light of today’s realities. We live in a world that allows us to be connected like never before, where the clear-cut lines of yesterday’s business dogmatism no longer apply to dynamic and rapidly evolving ways of living, working and transacting. For those familiar with the term, ‘conscious business’ is often associated with responsible ways of operating that do not have an adverse impact on humanity. But it’s a very high-level overview -- and for those already working from this starting point in terms of resource management, what does it mean in the context of functional business practices? Better together At Element, taking a conscious approach means working as industry advocates and business leaders, establishing and supporting an ecosystem of solution partners who empower one another to grow. It’s more than just a hip New Age-y catchphrase: conscious business means moving away from insular thinking and strictly transactional relationships, and instead developing a culture of collaboration. The world is not built on simplistic patterns of ‘buy, sell, move on’. Instead, as an increasing body of experiential evidence suggests, groups that partner together put better solutions together, and this is just as true in business as it is in the community as a whole. Prioritising connection and mutual support between businesses is a path to better outcomes for everyone involved. There is more than enough demand to go around -- in fact, as the world readjusts to the aftermath of COVID, the supply chain is still overwhelmed in ways it has never been before. So it stands to reason that a new way of navigating this unfamiliar commercial landscape is needed: and when we embrace networking, when we pool our resources and share lead generation, the benefits filter through to all stakeholders. Strength in unity There is no single business that can do everything on its own; it really does take that metaphorical village to raise a child. From raw components for manufacturing to every link along the supply chain, an intricate interdependence between companies is the cornerstone of survival. But how we approach the concept of conscious, connected business determines the extent to which we can all thrive. A product that is meticulously designed for the market, built to exacting standards of quality and fit for purpose, is only the beginning. You also need a partner community: a specialist who understands the merchant experience, experts in the customer experience and representatives of the staff experience. And collaboration between these like-minded individuals is what it takes to get a remarkable and innovative solution out to market. Bundle of joy This month, we’re not focusing on individual products but on the bundles we can assemble for you. Even when we’re talking about physical hardware, Element is committed to the initiative of being better together. We’re offering a diverse variety of promotional deals and specials on a range of different product sets, each suited to a specific vertical: just to give you an example of what’s available, we’ve put together bundles for healthcare, retail and hospitality. Contact Element or get in touch with our distributor, Sektor, to find out how we can craft a bundle that offers significant savings while also being tailored to your specific business ecosystem. And join our Better Together program to discover for yourself how connected business practices can supercharge your problem solving, transform the benefits you gain from partnerships, take efficiency to new heights, and empower you to pool resources for mutual success. Individually, many of us succeed -- but as a united industry, we triumph.