Tasmac outlets in Chennai to get PoS machines from January

Sources said that the decision to introduce the PoS machines was taken at a high-level meeting of officials of the Tasmac. The corporation would also be extending the facility to its liquor outlets operated in Coimbatore in the second phase of trial and then to the entire state. The move was aimed to reduced cash-related misdemeanours which were on the rise in recent times.

A senior official said that, “The corporation has been receiving several complaints of overcharging and sale of Tasmac liquor through petty shops. The introduction of the PoS will resolve the overcharging issues and curb the illegal sale of liquor via petty shops.” He added that, “the propose facility can also put an end to misappropriation of funds by salesmen at the Tasmac liquor outlets.”

However, the corporation would have to wait and watch the response and reaction of the customers to the proposed facility. This issue would have to be dealt with seriously and carefully in case of rural areas, where most tipplers would be labourers, who would prefer cash transactions.

Sources said that since the outlets function only from noon to 10 pm, the sale volume in most of the outlets was high. Due to the milling crowd of customers, the salesmen found it difficult to allot time to provide bills. Similarly, the customers were also not keen on getting the bills. To overcome this and to make the process comfortable for both the sides, it was decided to introduce billing machines in Chennai. But, the measure did not help neither the shop staff or the customers.

When asked about the situation in Vellore, sources said that around 120 shops in Vellore division and 100 more in Arakkonam division were yet to get billing machines. “Though billing machines are fast, customers insisted the staff to accept cash and give the bill later,” officials added.

“In such a situation, we have wait and gauge the response to the swiping machines in the liquor outlets. We have to see whether the customers have the patience to wait till the process is completed in the PoS,” a senior official said.

“PoS machines may work in big hotels or trendy bars where the clientele is elite class. But in the case of Tasmac outlets in semi urban and rural pockets, the response can be gauged only after implementation,” the official added.