Groupon today announced Gnome, a new tablet-based platform that it said will provide sophisticated tools to local merchants to run their businesses more effectively and understand their customers better, according to a press release. The tablet will let merchants instantly recognize their Groupon customers as they enter their business via BLE technology, redeem Groupons and save time and money with a point of-sale system and credit card payment processing service.

Gnome will soon integrate with popular accounting software programs such as QuickBooks and Xero and offer a suite of customer relationship management tools, including the ability to customize marketing campaigns based on purchase history, share customer feedback via social media and respond to customer inquiries or comments, according to the press release.

"Gnome is an amazing piece of technology that plugs our merchants into the Web and helps them form relationships with every customer that walks in their front door," Eric Lefkofsky, Groupon CEO, said in a press release. "When it's complete, Gnome will serve as an operating system for merchants to run their entire operation and enable them to create real-time promotions that bring customers into their business when they need them the most."

Gnome is already in market, and will roll out to tens of thousands of merchants in the coming months, according to the press release.

Highlights of Gnome will include:

• Bluetooth Groupon redemption: Automatically redeem Groupons using Bluetooth technology or search for customers by name, Groupon barcode or voucher number. Customers no longer have to present a printed voucher or even show their mobile device.
• All-in-one cash register: Everything local businesses need to operate more efficiently and deliver outstanding customer service — log cash transactions, accept credit and debit card payments, print or email receipts, calculate multiple tax rates, manage menu items, view transaction history and issue refunds.
• Customer relationship management: Customize marketing campaigns using customer purchase history and preferences. Gnome also lets merchants share customer feedback via Facebook and Twitter and enables one-click email response to solve customer service issues as they happen.
• Accounting software integration: Gnome integrates with popular accounting software programs Quickbooks and Xero, providing merchants with a convenient and hassle-free way to upload their sales data for bookkeeping and taxes.
• Simple, customizable point of sale: Gnome comes with preloaded menus and inventory lists for the most popular types of local businesses, enabling merchants to start running their systems within minutes; merchants can also add, scroll and search thousands of menu items.

Additionally, Gnome will come with 24/7 live support and a payments service with competitive rates on credit card processing fees backed by a low-price guarantee to save merchants money, Groupon said in the press release.

Groupon said in a statement it will continue to evolve and expand Gnome's capabilities to enable merchants to connect even further with its vast mobile and online user base and suite of merchant solutions.