Rail passengers have over the years proved to be voracious consumers of light snacks, drinks and meals, particularly during long journeys. Points-of-sale can be buffet cars, waited tables or trolleys, and each has its own specific client base and expected mode of payment. Centralized menus and product lists simplify rail-based sales personnel jobs and provide consistency over a maintained network. And by capturing sales and inventory data electronically, a day’s accounts become automatically available for financial review. However, none of this is possible without a dedicated rail-based mobile retail solution.

All TouchStar products have been created in close collaboration with major companies from the sector’s mainline. Overnight cradling of the handheld at a terminal linked to the back office enables the devices battery to be recharged, the previous day’s data to be downloaded, and the upcoming day’s menus and prices to be uploaded onto each unit.

During the shift, there is no need to enter prices, as categorized touchscreen menus guide users to pre-priced products. Customers requesting a receipt or to pay by credit card can have their wishes granted thanks to TouchPoD’s Magnetic-Stripe and/or SmartCard reader and integrated thermal printer.