The POS Software Buyers Guide. Choosing the right POS system for your business.

Transcription

1 The POS Software Buyers Guide Choosing the right POS system for your business.

2 INTRODUCTION The right point of sale (POS) system can have a dramatic effect on any business - giving management a new level of control over operations, increasing efficiency, boosting profits, and helping fine-tune its business model. Whether you re thinking about upgrading your current system or starting new, as a buyer, you ll need to think about your specific needs and know what the options are before making a decision. Taking the time to evaluate and purchase a POS system is well worth the effort though - When done correctly, the right POS system will help grow your business, while also saving you time and money.

3 Misconceptions about POS systems. Separating fact from fiction. Point of sale systems have not just replaced cash registers. They do much more and are tremendous assets for any business. They give you real-time data at your fingertips, are secure with audit trails and even support differing tax rates for businesses that deal with multiple states. They result in speedier service, accurate inventories, better time management and a more-efficient cost of doing business. Everything a point of sale system can do may seem overwhelming, so it s not surprising there are common misconceptions. Misconception 1: Point of sale systems are glorified cash registers. They only do tracking of accounting books and inventory. others can be cloud-based. By the way, cloud-based doesn t mean difficult to set up and that you must have a constant Internet connection. Some options with point of sale systems include: Inventory tracking Automatic price updates Bar code scanning Customer tracking and follow up Electronic ordering Many systems gather sales information about customers, analyze it and present you with data you can use to adjust your offerings. This helps you in market research, efficiency and effectiveness. Point of sale systems enable you to compare how well your products sell, even seasonally, and adjust purchase levels as needed. You can integrate bar-code scanners and credit card authorization to enhance your pricing accuracy. You can also generate reports that tell you about costs, sales and profits of specific items according to salesperson, day of the week, month and year. You can even look at that data on an hourly basis. The truth: Each point of sale system boasts different features and has its own strong suits. Some extremely basic ones may track only accounting transactions and inventory, but

4 Misconception 2: Point of sale systems are confusing; their setup and operation are best left to geniuses. The truth: Many point of sale systems are user friendly. In some cases, all they require is the downloading of an app. Software development teams coordinate closely with clients to create flexible and easy-to-use systems. Even a computer novice should be able to successfully operate a point of sale system after 15 minutes of training and have the skill set to train other workers on the system. Setting up a physical point of sale system is a snap. Manufacturers test and configure their systems and peripherals before shipping. All you have to do is plug in a few things and press the power button. Technical support teams can help you with anything else you may need. They will not leave you out to dry; many teams are available after hours and to help with glitches or breaks. The truth: Businesses have many effective and inexpensive (or even free) options. You can even set up a point of sale system on your smartphone and tablet. Software costs do vary, but they quickly prove their worth. The return on investment from a better system and more-efficient employees is invaluable. A point of sale system can easily pay for itself after a month. Misconception 4: They re too generic. All systems are basically the same The truth: Point of sale systems work for any and every business. Yes, there are plenty of off-the-shelf systems that work for most businesses but there are also industry-specific systems. For instance, if you run an auto repair garage or a beauty shop, there are point of sale systems built exactly for these industries. Misconception 3: They re too expensive. Photo credit: Alan O'Rourke / Foter / CC BY

5 3 Tips for Evaluating POS Software. Things to keep in mind. When your organization is thinking of switching POS systems, it can be an enormous undertaking with the myriad of systems available. However, by finding the right one, you can ensure your company s operations run smoothly and that the software fits in line with your company s objectives. To help you with evaluating POS systems, here are some things to look for. Services Offered Service providers will be more than happy to give you a list of services they have for their software. While this can be helpful, it s important to make sure first that they fit in line with your company goals. Here are some things to look for to accomplish this: Does this software make your company more productive? The goal when evaluating POS systems is to find one that will help you improve your company s operations. In turn, this can lead to better communication between departments, more time to focus on customers and better productivity. Can the provider customize their software to fit your company s needs? If you can find a service provider that will tailor their software to match your objectives then it s a much better fit. For one, you ll mostly pay for just the services you need. Secondly, it will improve your organization s operations since it focuses primarily on the needs of your business. Support Options Almost as important as services offered is support. One of the biggest issues many businesses have with service providers is the lack of technical support after the sale. With this in mind, here are some things you should evaluate when selecting a POS system: Do they offer hands-on training or training materials? Since your employees will have to learn a new system, a well set up training program can help them transition to the new system quicker. This also makes it more likely that your company will weather the transition well and can improve operations as a result. Do they offer technical support after set up? This is of primary importance because if you encounter any issues with the new POS system it s important you have someone you can contact that can help you fix it. When evaluating POS systems, ask the provider is they have qualified tech support people and whether they offer you support after the sale. If they don t, then you have no incentive to go with them.

6 Reputation of Provider The most important factor when evaluating POS systems is the reputation of the service provider, as this will give you insight into whether they are the right fit for you. To help you with this, here are some things to look for: A good first step is to investigate their reputation using the Better Business Bureau s website. The Bureau assigns a grade from A to F based in part on how well companies resolve customer issues. If you identify a service provider with a history of unresolved customer service issues, then it is best to find someone else. Another good resource is customer testimonials especially from similar businesses. This will give you a window into how the service provider treated other companies. It can also help you see whether the system was a good fit for them. Conclusion Evaluating POS systems does take some time, but considering the risks at stake it s time well spent. By using these three areas during research, it can help you identify the right POS service provider for you. Furthermore, by finding the right provider, you ll receive the best deal for your POS service and exceptional support to help your business succeed. Ready to get started? Let us help you select the right POS system for your business. We not only match your business with the right solutions, we are also here to provide you with everything you need from installation and integration, to training, service and support when you need it. Request a free demo of our software to discover what our technology can do for you and your business today! GET STARTED >>