VMware, Stratodesk Modernizes POS for Retailers

January 24, 2023

VMware unveiled a new solution to help global retailers modernize point of sale (POS) and unlock more financial value from their POS systems. Developed in collaboration with Stratodesk, a VMware retail ISV partner, the new VMware Retail POS modernization solution extends the lifecycle of current POS systems to deliver tangible ROI, reduce security risks, maximize store uptime, and improve the customer experience. With the VMware Retail POS modernization solution, store operators, large and small, can modernize customer-facing POS systems while simultaneously minimizing their technology debt.

Retailers have the opportunity to accelerate digital transformation through advances in leading-edge technology that help them evolve to an agile cloud and software-defined architecture. Doing so can address key retail IT and POS challenges related to deployment, management, security, and continuous updates at scale. The VMware Retail POS modernization solution combines VMware’s enterprise-class virtual desktop infrastructure and unified endpoint management software with Stratodesk’s endpoint operating system to enable a more agile, modern, and secure point-of-sale service.

“Retail is one of the most costly and complex environments in which to operate. Changing market dynamics have created a new opportunity for POS systems to become a hub for innovation, a driver of retail business priorities, and an enabler of improved financial performance for retailers of all sizes,” said Deborah Weinswig, CEO, Coresight Research. “Virtualizing existing POS systems and adding multi-cloud support enables retailers to deliver more modern and flexible environments while helping to eliminate the heavy capital spending required for POS terminal upgrades.”

Delivering Outcomes for Key Stakeholders Across the Retail Organization

With the VMware Retail POS modernization solution, operations, IT, marketing, and security teams are positioned to gain greater agility and responsiveness to deliver on key business, customer, and IT outcomes. These targeted outcomes include:

Extend Hardware Life Cycles: decoupling POS hardware and software with VMware virtualization software and Stratodesk’s NoTouch OS can extend the lifecycle of POS devices beyond a typical 3-to-5-year span and drive meaningfully better ROI.

Maximize Uptime / Continuous Operations: retailers can patch and update critical systems such as payment controllers as they would any other software-defined workload, allowing for continuous operations that positively impacts both the bottom line and customer experience.

Better Securing POS Environments: security organizations can automate deployment of patches and security updates to mitigate overall security risk more quickly. Moving to a software thin-client on POS devices further reduces an organization’s threat footprint.

Brand and Service Expansion: retailers can create a “Store-In-A-Box” scenario whereby hardware and software systems can be preconfigured, drop shipped to stores, and operational in a matter of hours, consistent with the rest of the organization. Marketing teams can take advantage of new technology-enabled service offerings to attract customers, and more quickly deploy and update solutions for store analytics to drive better understanding of customer behavior through advanced metrics.

Mobile POS & Pop-up Shops: moving workloads to a retail edge platform or into a cloud of choice enables retailers to expand their footprint dynamically and utilize mobile kiosks and handheld devices for “line bursting” without retraining staff to utilize unfamiliar software solutions.

Simplified IT Management and Operations: retail IT can use orchestration and analytics tools they have expertise using in their data centers to manage previously isolated systems. Application updates are centrally managed and automated through the VMware Retail POS solution through the cloud of a customer’s choice.

“Point of sale is no longer simply the last point of customer engagement; it is a business process enabler. Retailers can’t afford to be constrained by legacy POS systems that hinder execution of retail strategies,” said Ed Durbin, senior director, retail industry solutions at VMware. “The VMware Retail POS modernization solution enables global retailers to deploy and support a system that leverages current investments in retail POS technology to enable a modern customer experience aligned with business strategy.”

“The VMware Retail POS modernization solution with embedded Stratodesk NoTouch software enables retailers around the world to embrace modernization initiatives and improve on the customer experience,” said Emanuel Pirker, founder and CEO of Stratodesk. “Regardless of the kiosk, lane or store, businesses can create the same modern retail experience through the Stratodesk endpoint suite and deploy and repurpose standardized terminals using their preferred hardware.”

Built on Proven VMware and Ecosystem Partner Technologies

The VMware Retail POS modernization solution utilizes proven VMware end-user computing and cloud technologies and VMware partner solutions that retail IT teams already use throughout the business. The solution includes:

VMware Horizon: connects the POS terminal to virtualized desktop and app workloads and more securely reconnects peripherals that are physically connected to the POS terminal. This includes receipt printers, bar code scanners, cash drawers and credit card pin pads.

VMware Workspace ONE: cloud-native device management that improves security hygiene and provides automated application management and delivery to the POS systems;

Stratodesk NoTouch OS and Management Software: allows POS terminals to run more secure and well-maintained OS that is centrally managed and easily updated;

Multicloud and Edge Compute: VMware Edge Compute Stack or any public cloud provide compute and management services for workloads that enhance security and agility.

New Research from Coresight Reveal Key Drivers for Retail Technology Investments

New research conducted by Coresight and commissioned by VMware reveals retailers can tap business gains through technology solutions, such as by moving to the cloud, which enables them to turn fixed costs into variable costs, access near-unlimited computing power and develop new functions more quickly and easily. Yet the cloud is sometimes not enough—retailers also need to deploy computing power closer to physical stores, which is also known as edge technology, to enhance security and provide a quicker response in functions such as image recognition, which are time-sensitive. Finally, retailers need a software platform that determines which actions need to be performed in the cloud and which actions are best performed locally.