Cloud-based vs traditional EPoS systems: which is more secure?

Choosing an EPoS system is a big decision for many businesses. There are many factors to consider, such as reporting features, payment methods, and ease of use. But what about security? Cyber attacks are rife and saw a sharp increase over the pandemic. And as an EPoS system stores a lot of sensitive data, it’s important to choose the most secure system to protect your customers, staff, and business. 

You can broadly split EPoS systems into two types: traditional and cloud-based. Each has its own pros and cons in terms of security. So is either better than the other? We weighed up the pros and cons of each to help you choose the best EPoS system for your business.

Where your data is kept

One benefit of having a traditional EPoS system is that you know exactly where your data is. Many are comforted knowing it’s on site or even stored in a location where they can control the security. But while this can be considered a pro, it can be a con too. By having your data stored on-site, it could be less protected. There’s the possibility of accidentally damaging your system or even theft.

Since cloud-based systems are off-site, there’s an extra layer of physical security for your data. And it’s not a cost that falls to you; the server host pays for the building, security, and even the hardware. It saves you money in the long run. And with over 70% of executives suffering an accidental internal breach within the past five years, storing the system off-site could help prevent this. But this will come down to personal preference and how much you trust your EPoS provider to keep your data safe – and even if they back it up.

Updates

Cloud-based EPoS systems can be regularly updated via the cloud. This means your data can stay secure as these updates should tackle new bugs, errors, or cyber threats. And it can all be done over the cloud, meaning there’s no need for a technician to actually come out to your shop.

Traditional EPoS systems might be the opposite. The physical hardware might need regular maintenance and updates might not be as frequent. Check what frequency it’s updated at, if at all. The benefit of this though is it might be a popular system, so any new starters could be familiar with it.

When it comes to traditional vs cloud-based systems, there is no one right choice. Some of the decision will come down to your personal preference. But after this past year, you need every advantage you can get. Opting for cloud-based puts you in a better spot for the future. So don’t just consider what you need now, but what you will need in the future.

At Nisyst, we know how important it is to have an EPoS that’s tailored to your needs while being as secure as possible. For anyone in the charity sector, we’ll be at the Charity Retail Association Conference on the 9th and 10th of September, where we’ll be launching our cloud-based EPoS system CHARiot Web. Come by our stand to find out more or call us today on 01204 706 000.

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6 tips to keep your charity secure

The pandemic wreaked havoc in many areas of our lives. And one particularly worrying trend we saw was a huge increase in cyber crime. Just last year, 26% of charities fell victim to a cyber attack, proving no one is safe.

It’s essential to keep your charity as secure as possible to protect your reputation, your donor’s information and, of course, your staff too. So here are our top six tips for improving your charity’s online security.

Regularly train your staff

Eight out of ten charities say their staff have been the targets of a phishing attack. No employee or volunteer falls victim to them on purpose. All that you can do is make sure they’re well-trained. We recommend retraining staff every four to six months as research shows that, after six months, staff begin to forget best practices. 

Change your passwords

Using long, randomised passwords, and changing them regularly, is one of the easiest and quickest ways to keep your charity secure. Aim to change them monthly. And make sure they’re complex. Many people still use names, places, and other words meaningful to them to create passwords, but these are easy to guess. Choosing a random, complex password makes it much harder for hackers to access any accounts. 

Use multi-factor authentication where possible 

Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security. If, for example, you’re required to tap a number on your mobile phone to access your emails, it means only you will be able to log in. Even if cyber criminals steal your password, they’ll struggle to access your account without access to your phone.

Ensure your phone is secure

More and more of us are using our phones for work, so it’s never been more important to ensure we’re using best practices to keep our phones secure. Start by setting up a password so only you can unlock your phone. Then lock your sensitive apps with different passwords. This way, you have two layers of security.

Consider switching to a cloud-based EPoS system

Cloud-based EPoS systems are more secure than server-based systems, in part because you don’t need to keep any hardware on-site. As well as this, cloud-based systems update regularly and automatically, keeping your data safe. Switching to a cloud-based EPoS system can give you that extra peace of mind.

Prepare a response plan

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to completely prevent your charity from falling victim to a cyber attack, so it’s a great idea to have a plan for if one happens. Linking back to the last tip, another benefit of choosing a cloud-based EPoS system is that it makes it that much easier to get back up on your feet when combined with cloud backup.

As cyber criminals become increasingly sophisticated in their methods, we need to step up our online security to have a fighting chance. That’s why, at the Charity Retail Association Conference, we’ll be launching CHARiot Web. This is our cloud-based EPoS solution designed to evolve with your to keep your charity as secure as possible from cyber criminals.

Curious to see what else CHARiot Web can do for your charity? Come and visit our stand at the Charity Retail Association Conference on the 9th and 10th of September. Or, get in touch with us today on 01204 706000.

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North West Entrepreneurs Join Forces to Benefit Charity Retail Sector

Three successful North West entrepreneurs have united to form an exciting, ground-breaking partnership, which will have significant, positive implications for the charity retail sector in the UK.

Brothers Bob and Dave Chunilal, the entrepreneurs behind Nisyst, the Bolton based supplier of charity retail EPoS software, has joined forces with Tony Hilton, the Manchester based entrepreneur behind charity donation app Gone for Good and Charity Fleetcare, a company which provides a dedicated primary fleet resource for any registered charity. The union has the potential to bring the charity retail sector bang up to date with the services available from commercial retail.

The partnership will allow development of a technology platform that truly focuses on the donors’ experience by linking the Gone For Good app to the charities’ collection vehicles and ultimately into the charity shops, helping reduce costs for charity retailers and at the same time increasing revenues.

Gone for Good, an app aimed to make giving to charity shops easier than ever, has received more than 50,000 downloads since its launch in 2014. Coupled with this, the Charity Fleetcare platform enables the efficient pick-up of a donation by the charity chosen on the app. The Charity Fleetcare software helps third sector organisations by helping reduce fuel costs, lower emissions, enhance driver safety and improve efficiencies.

Dave Chunilal, Technical Director of Nisyst, commented: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Charity Fleetcare to deliver an end to end solution for charity retailers which will help streamline their operational processes when it comes to receiving donations remotely. It will also ensure that they do not lose out on valuable gift aid. This will be available on every single item donated, whether it is a piece of clothing or a large item of furniture and will make a huge difference to the amount of funding charities are able to receive.”

Tony Hilton, founder and CEO of Charity Fleetcare and Gone for Good, added: “This new partnership is an exciting and much needed development. We hope to bring the sector up to the same standard of service that donors experience from commercial retail. For charities, it will make the donor journey much more efficient and environmentally friendly and ensure that income is maximised whilst costs are reduced. It will undoubtedly contribute to charities being able to deliver more for those much needed causes.”

To find out more about the new service available from Nisyst and Charity Fleetcare, please contact Nisyst on 01204 706 000 or Charity Fleetcare on 0800 014 9797.

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Nisyst selected as CRA Training Partner for 2020

The Charity Retail Association has announced today that, following a competitive tender for the delivery of their Retail Gift Aid training courses, corporate member Nisyst has been appointed to deliver these in 2020.

Dave Chunilal, Technical Director said, “Nisyst is delighted to be selected as the Charity Retail Association’s Accredited Training Provider. As an organisation we have more than 27 years’ experience of developing EPoS systems for the retail and charity sector, as well as extensive experience of delivering training and support to charity retailers. Our close working relationship with HMRC ensures that our team are at the forefront of knowing what’s expected of charity retailers, and how systems can be set up to minimize the administrative burden and maximise the Retail Gift Aid revenues for charities.

“We’re very much looking forward to working with CRA members to improve and develop their understanding of how their retail systems can make a significant difference to both their productivity and efficiency as a business, as well as that all-important difference to their gift aid revenue claims, enabling charities to do even more good work.”

Robin Osterley, Charity Retail Association Chief Executive said, “We’re very much looking forward to working with Nisyst on our next round of Retail Gift Aid training. They are a very experienced supplier with good links to HMRC and we are confident that our members will continue to get a course that is both comprehensive and well informed.”

Further information about Nisyst can be found at www.charityretailsystems.co.uk

Details and dates for the CRA’s 2020 Retail Gift Aid training courses will be announced shortly.

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Link to: Get in touch

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Tel: 01204 706000

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Tel: 01204 706000 | Email: info@nisyst.co.uk