Given the qualities of thermal paper, point of sale (POS) systems stand to benefit in terms of productivity. Thermal paper can significantly boost the productivity levels of businesses that rely on their point of sale systems for revenue generation and customer service. Increases in productivity can be seen from:

Quicker and higher quality printing capabilities – Thermal paper is coated with a colorless substance, so that strong text and images are created on the paper during the printing process. Easy to read sales receipts enable customers to review details of their transaction, whether at the gas station or at the ATM.

Accuracy – Because thermal paper can be attached to a printer that is PC-based, it reproduces exactly what the user punches in; there is no margin for error. Productivity is increased because "doing it right the first time" saves a lot of manhours in fixing data errors – time that is better spent on sales-related activities.

Cost considerations – Businesses have the option to choose the size of their thermal paper rolls because their machines are configured to take in a certain size paper. For example, if the cash register of a gas station will take only a smaller thermal paper roll, the gas station owner can save on his thermal paper costs because smaller rolls cost less to manufacture. Another aspect of the cost factor is also evident when a business owner can choose high quality thermal paper versus low quality thermal paper. The main idea is really not to choose the lower quality thermal paper because it can cause printing jams, but in order to save costs, a business can choose a lower grade, particularly if the receipts are of a "short duration" nature like gas station or ATM receipts.

Efficiency – Imagine your customer waiting impatiently at the check out line; it is always something any business owner wants to avoid. Thermal paper facilitates the check out process because once installed at the cash registers, they work like magic. The traditional cash register with ordinary paper often has technical problems that take minutes to repair, therefore causing annoyance to customers who are in a rush.

Versatility – Many POS systems are PC-based and are configured to perform multiple functions: to ring sales, collect and record sales information, calculate taxes and provide sales reports. Some POS systems are also designed to accommodate the supplementary functions of inventory tracking, stock re-ordering and customer purchases. Input all that information and the thermal paper spews out an exact match of the data keyed in.

Adaptability – Thermal paper can be run on ultraviolet printing presses; this enables business owners to benefit from improved differentiation, security and tracking capabilities. Thermal paper is also low-maintenance which means that businesses can run a more efficient operation and can streamline their sales and inventory activities more effectively.

Thermal paper and POS systems also increase productivity because marketing efforts are supported by the "physical" requirements. When businesses want to raise their marketing at higher levels, they introduce coupons, loyalty programs, bonus points and customer profiles. By using thermal paper, these incentives are produced more quickly and more accurately. Productivity gains are also made from price verification terminals and in label and promotional sign printing.

For auditing and accounting purposes, thermal paper removes the administrative burden of going through bulky files and records. The thermal paper contains all the information needed by auditors to execute an efficient audit.

The use of thermal paper and a good printer or cash register eliminates much of the human error that is associated with live persons behind the counter. Thanks to the capabilities of thermal paper, people now go directly to their ATM machine and obtain a receipt of their transaction in less than five seconds. Compare that amount of time spent by customers approaching a live teller who has to punch in the details manually and then asks the customer to sign on the dotted line. By having machines and thermal paper take over some human activities, a bank’s productivity is increased, thus enabling it to devote time and effort to other activities that will generate additional revenues (like handling business loan applications of small to medium size companies).

There is also the fact that the less paper employees have to deal with, the more productive they become. Using thermal paper cuts down on the amount of paperwork that needs to be done, freeing up time for your employers to spend on other tasks.

For businesses to increase their productivity, they must first read the manufacturer’s requirements for the type of thermal paper to be put in their machines. It is then up to the business owner to shop for the best thermal paper that will fit his or her requirements to a "T".