When choosing a retail POS system, make sure to consider the following before deciding to work with a provider.
Consider your business needsBefore you dive into market research, take some time to look at your business and determine your list of must-hes. By understanding what you need in a POS system, you’ll be able to evaluate candidates much more effectively.
“The first step is to determine your ultimate business needs,” said Jason Schlichting, account executive at ScanSource. “Consider if the software is customizable; if not, ensure the features offered meet the needs of your business. It’s important to determine what features are non-negotiable for your business to operate successfully.”
System uptime and maintenance supportA POS system that’s constantly going down is going to he a negative impact on your business. Examine uptime reports to ensure the POS system you’re considering almost never crashes. Additionally, check out the level of maintenance support a company requires, which can make the difference between a critical outage and a quick fix should the system crash.
“Warranty and maintenance should be strongly considered when purchasing a POS,” said Bart Collins, president of Macro Integrations, a DecisionPoint Systems company. “A retailer’s ability to conduct transactions requires a much stronger sense of urgency than comparing warranty to consumer electronic devices.”
Usability and installation processConsider how easy a system is to set up and use before buying. You’ll want to limit the disruption of the implementation process and ensure your staff can get up and running with the new system fairly easily. Take advantage of any training programs ailable as well to make the process as smooth as possible.
“Most of today’s systems require professional staging, integration, installation, training, maintenance and support,” Collins said. “Cutting corners on these services can be expensive down the road. Most of today’s applications are flexible to be tailored to your needs and processes.”
Feature set and scalabilityWhen examining a feature set, keep an eye on the future. Just because your business doesn’t need a particular feature, such as advanced reporting for example, today, doesn’t mean you won’t need it down the road. Consider the trajectory of your business and whether a POS system will be able to grow alongside you.
“Look for inventory management, payment processing, e-commerce capabilities, CRM and HRMS functionality, loyalty and rewards programs, and physical and cyber security options,” Schlichting said.
Integrations and compatibility with your tech stackWhichever POS system you choose, you’ll want to be able to tie it into the rest of your business software. For example, seamlessly transferring data from your POS system to your accounting software reduces the need for double data entry, eliminating errors and sing time. Look for integrations with the tech stack you already he in place.
“Professionally unpacking all components, loading all software and utilities and testing the entire system is critical prior to installation,” Collins said.
Customer service qualityWhenever you’re dealing with a technological system as sprawling and important as POS software, you need to know there’s a responsive and helpful customer support team at your back. Consider customer reviews about tech support quality and closely review service agreements before signing.
“Ensure service-level agreements (SLAs) support your business needs and look for dedicated account representatives,” Schlichting.