The hidden magic of technology OR hidden assets

Concealment is the name of the game for a next-level customer experience

April, 1, 2025

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.



 

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 Bluetooth Scanner

Contact Sektor 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 customer's business.


To learn more about Element, please contact us on:

sales@sektor.com.au   |  1300 273 586

Extreme Networks