| Replacing your cash register and payment processing | | | | companies that you are interested in adds another |
| terminal with a point of sale (POS) system is a great | | | | dimension to the decision making process. |
| way to take your business to the next level. Few | | | | Some POS companies will include everything in their |
| purchases can have as dramatic an effect on your | | | | quotations while others will leave items out to make |
| retail or hospitality business as a POS system. | | | | their prices seem more palatable - make sure you are |
| A well implemented POS system can give you a new | | | | comparing apples to apples. It's also very important to |
| level of control over your operations, increase | | | | ask about costs that may arise during the life of your |
| efficiencies, boost profits and help you fine-tune your | | | | POS, such as maintenance, support, and upgrades. |
| business model. In addition to efficiency gains over | | | | You should also ask the sales rep to give you a |
| your cash register, POS systems provide information | | | | proposal on all hardware, training, installation, support, |
| and reports that can help you make more informed | | | | upgrades and maintenance. |
| business decisions. | | | | Ask salespeople the following questions |
| Conversely, the wrong POS system can multiply your | | | | 1. Is software support included for the full term? |
| headaches and cause you to spend valuable time and | | | | We can't reiterate enough how important support is. |
| money on supporting a technology that distracts you | | | | The majority of providers will provide free support for |
| from running and growing your business. | | | | the first year of the contract, leaving you with |
| By reading this article, you will learn how to make an | | | | potentially expensive on-demand support for the |
| informed POS purchase decision. Knowing what | | | | remainder of your contract. Be sure to clarify the |
| questions to ask will help you avoid the mistakes of a | | | | support service when you are evaluating companies. |
| first time buyer. | | | | 2. Is hardware support included for the full term? |
| DO YOUR RESEARCH - Spend time evaluating POS | | | | Some companies separate hardware and software |
| companies | | | | support. Hardware support is just as important as |
| Finding the right POS software for you takes time and | | | | software support. Be sure to find out if hardware |
| effort. It's an important decision that will effect how | | | | support is 1) included and 2) covered for the full term |
| your business operates. Make sure you do your due | | | | of the contract. |
| diligence and research several companies. | | | | 3. Are there internal costs I should consider? |
| When choosing a POS system, experienced buyers | | | | With many traditional POS systems a back-office |
| will tell you that it is very important to buy from a solid | | | | computer is required to run your entire POS operation. |
| company. Taking the time to evaluate companies to | | | | It is your responsibility to maintain this computer. The |
| ensure that they are customer centric and are | | | | cost of maintaining and running this operating system |
| committed to great service for the entire lifetime of | | | | needs to be included when you are considering |
| your business is a smart move which will alleviate | | | | purchasing a traditional POS system. Conversely a |
| headaches now and in the future. | | | | web-based system would not have this additional cost. |
| Ask the Following Questions to Evaluate POS | | | | 4. How often do you provide updates? |
| companies | | | | You want the best software available. You can only |
| 1. How long have you been in business? | | | | stand to benefit from a company that is continually |
| Software develops over time. So the younger the | | | | upgrading and improving their product. |
| company, the greater potential for software bugs. With | | | | 5. Do you charge for updates? |
| an older, more established company, you can rest | | | | Some companies charge extra for updates. As a |
| assured that they have gone through the growing | | | | user, you deserve to use the most updated and |
| pains of new software and have a proven product. | | | | bug-free version of the software. Look for a company |
| 2. What is your growth rate? | | | | that includes upgrades for the full term of your |
| You want a company that is actively growing. The | | | | contract. |
| software industry is very competitive. Companies | | | | CALL REFERENCES |
| need to continually advance and improve their product | | | | Asking the salesperson for references gives you the |
| offerings to keep their competitive edge. Not having | | | | opportunity to speak with someone that has used the |
| significant growth indicates that the company may not | | | | product first hand. Taking the time to contact |
| be advancing their product as much as they should | | | | references and ask the right questions will help you |
| and could eventually be left behind. Stick with | | | | select the right system and avoid many problems. |
| innovative companies that are leading the way. | | | | In addition to asking for references from businesses |
| 3. How many customers do you have? | | | | that are similar to your own business, ask for |
| The number of customers is an indication of how | | | | references from businesses that have successfully |
| successful the company is. If the company only has a | | | | addressed issues that are similar to your own issues |
| handful of customers, it's either a) a new company, | | | | (opening a new restaurant, switching from a cash |
| which you probably should avoid, or b) the company | | | | register, addressing a specific cost issue). By speaking |
| has a bad product or poor service resulting in high | | | | with relevant references, you can find out if the POS |
| customer turnover and few new customers. | | | | company keeps their sales promise. |
| 4. How do you sell your products? | | | | Ask References the Following Questions |
| If the company sells direct, the company has more | | | | 1. Have you used other POS solutions? |
| control over price and support which means you get | | | | The reason you should ask this question is to |
| consistent service and prices. If the company uses a | | | | determine how valuable the reference will be. If the |
| reseller channel be prepared for increased costs and | | | | reference has only owned and operated one POS |
| inconsistent service. Selling through a middleman limits | | | | solution, they essentially have nothing to compare their |
| the company's ability to control service and price. | | | | experience to. They could be experiencing the worst |
| SPEND TIME EVALUATION SERVICE LEVELS | | | | service in the industry and not realize it. A reference |
| When you purchase POS software, you are entering | | | | that has used several POS solutions can provide a |
| into a long term relationship with a vendor. Let's face it, | | | | comparative context and therefore better information. |
| there's no such thing as fool-proof software. | | | | 2. Why did you purchase this POS solution? |
| Understanding that you will be in continual contact with | | | | If you can take away one thing from reading these |
| your chosen POS company for software updates, | | | | tips, it would be to find a POS system that is best |
| support, training, hardware and consulting should be an | | | | suited for you. You can definitely learn 'what not to do' |
| important consideration in your decision process. The | | | | from someone that purchased solely on price, but |
| company's level of support could be the difference | | | | there is more value in speaking with someone with |
| between a good experience and a bad one. Take the | | | | similar business issues to you, that found a system that |
| time to inquire about support service levels. If the | | | | best fits their needs. |
| company you are talking to cannot provide you with | | | | 3. Did the POS live up to its promises? |
| specific support measures, they likely don't take | | | | You want to find a company that stands by the |
| support seriously. | | | | promises that they make. |
| Ask the Following Questions to Evaluate service levels | | | | 4. What specifically do you like best about your POS? |
| 1. Do you offer 7 X 24 X 365 support? | | | | Features are great, but most POS systems have |
| You need support that works on your time. Why settle | | | | relatively the same features. What really counts is |
| for anything less? Find a company that you know will | | | | good service and support which is difficult to find in this |
| be there for you when you need assistance. | | | | industry. If service is what the reference likes most |
| 2. How do you diagnose issues? | | | | about their POS system, chances are you've found a |
| With web-based hosted solutions, support issues can | | | | good company. |
| be diagnosed immediately allowing the support team to | | | | 5. What specific issues have you had with your POS? |
| begin to solve your problem immediately. With on-site, | | | | As mentioned earlier, software is not infallible. There will |
| you have to wait for someone to come down to your | | | | be issues. It's important to find out if the issues were |
| location to first assess the problem and then take | | | | only minor or if the software had major faults that |
| measures to fix it. | | | | prevented the user from performing fundamental |
| 3. What is your average support wait time? | | | | tasks. |
| How long will the support phone ring before it's | | | | 6. How has the POS company addressed these |
| answered? Waiting anything more than 30 seconds is | | | | issues? |
| abysmal. A company that takes their time answering | | | | Responsiveness is key. A company that responds |
| support calls, indicates that they don't care about their | | | | quickly to issues is an indication of great service. Find |
| customers. | | | | out how quickly the company responded to the issue |
| 4. What is your 1st call pick up level? | | | | and took the necessary actions to solve the problem. |
| Companies may say that they pick up their support | | | | 7. Rank sales expectation setting out of 10. |
| phone in less than 30 seconds, but how long does it | | | | In any sales situation, sometimes promises are made |
| take to speak with an actual support person? Support | | | | to get the prospect to purchase the product. Did the |
| lines can be answered by an automated system that | | | | sales person oversell and leave the customer |
| places you in a call waiting pattern or they send you | | | | expecting more? You want to be able to trust the |
| directly to voicemail. This can be very frustrating and | | | | salesperson. Make sure the customer's expectations |
| time consuming when you want to speak to a 'real' | | | | were met when they started using the end product. |
| person. By asking this question, you can find how often | | | | 8. Rank the training experience out of 10. |
| you will speak to a 'real' person when you call the first | | | | How easy was the product to learn? Did the training |
| time. The higher the percentage, the greater the | | | | process run smoothly? If the reference rates the |
| chance you will speak with someone sooner. | | | | training experience highly, you can assume the training |
| 5. What is your system performance uptime? | | | | process will run seamlessly with little disruption for you |
| Your POS system needs to work 99.9% of the time. | | | | as well. |
| A 98% uptime promise may sound good initially but this | | | | 9. Rank the service experience out of 10. |
| actually means that the system can be down for 29 | | | | Service. Service. Service. Ask this question to get a |
| minutes a day or 14 hours a month and they've still | | | | quantitative score for highly important service levels. |
| met their obligation! | | | | 10. Rank your likely of recommending out of 10. |
| LOOK FOR A POS SYSTEM THAT'S DESIGNED | | | | If the reference would recommend this product it's a |
| FOR YOUR SPECIFIC BUSINESS TYPE | | | | good indication that they are happy with the product |
| Your business is unique. As such, you need software | | | | and it is a good fit for their business. |
| that meets your specific needs. A lot of POS | | | | 11. If you were going to buy a new POS solution, what |
| companies claim their system works for every | | | | questions would you ask a new vendor that you did |
| business type (retail, restaurant: fast food to fine | | | | not ask last time? |
| dinning). As a business owner, you are well aware that | | | | This is a great opportunity to learn from someone that |
| you can't be all things to all people. Why settle for | | | | has already gone through the process you are |
| something generic when you can get software that | | | | currently undergoing. Established POS users have a |
| was built with you in mind? Know what business | | | | different perspective and would probably approach |
| issues you need to address with your POS in advance | | | | things differently the second time around. Gaining |
| and then look for a POS that is catered to your needs. | | | | insight from the reference will help you avoid the |
| You will be much happier in the long run. | | | | mistakes of a first time buyer. |
| REQUEST A DEMO | | | | PLAN FOR THE FUTURE |
| You'd test drive a car before you buy it, wouldn't you? | | | | It's important to think about your future. You may have |
| Requesting a demo from a salesperson is a great | | | | one location now, but if you ever plan or dream of |
| way to see how the software works and if it's a | | | | having multiple locations you need to consider |
| potential fit for your business. Beware of the | | | | scalability. Ask the provider about the software's ability |
| salesperson who just launches into their product | | | | to incorporate additional locations. How are the |
| without first taking the time to understand your | | | | different locations integrated? How are menu items |
| business needs. Use the salesperson as a resource. | | | | and prices changed for all locations? What are the |
| The best salespeople are there to answer any | | | | costs associated with having additional locations? |
| questions you may have and to help you find the best | | | | Purchasing a POS system can be a scary and |
| solution for you - even if it's not their product. | | | | frustrating process, but with the right amount of |
| ASK SALESPEOPLE FOR QUOTES | | | | patience and perseverance you can find the POS that |
| By now, you should have a good understanding of | | | | best fits your needs and puts you on the track to |
| what your needs are and you can begin asking for | | | | success. |
| quotes. Please note that getting quotes from | | | | |