5 Tips for Choosing Right Point of Sale Software

- By Jeff Haefner

Tip #1 - Choose Software First

I can't tell you how many times I've heard a retailer say, "I just bought new computers and printers and I have everything ready to go. Now I need to find POS software."

These retailers could have saved a lot of time and money by selecting POS software first!

Why?

Your POS software will have hardware and operating system requirements. For example, most software will require a certain version of Windows, Unix or Linux. In addition, each program may only function with certain types of printers, scanners, cash drawers and card readers.
If you install your computer system first, you will limit your POS software choices. The POS system that you choose is very important. It will have the huge impact on the efficiency of your business! The perfect fit for your business might run on UNIX but you already bought a Windows 2003 Server! You might also find that the printers and scanners you just bought aren't compatible either.

You can avoid frustration and save money if you choose the POS software first. Then you can ask the software company about their recommended hardware and operating systems.

Tip #2 - Buy From One Source

If you buy hardware and software from different companies you could run into some frustrating situations.

For example, when you have a problem and call for support, the 'blame game' could begin. The software company will blame the hardware company, the hardware company will blame the computer company, and the computer company will blame the software company.

I've seen this happen too many times. It's usually best to buy your hardware and software from one source. You might pay a little more overall, but it's worth it if you have a problem. Plus they can pre-configure the computer system and save you time!

Tip #3 - Look for Industry Specific Software

If you learn one thing from this article, I hope you learn how important it is to look for software that's tailored for your industry. Why?

Every retailer has different needs. For example...

An apparel store needs a special "matrixing" feature so they can track various colors and sizes. Not all POS systems have this feature and it saves an unbelievable amount of time. This is a MUST have feature for clothing stores.
A motorcycle parts & service retailer needs in depth work order features, integration to Parts Catalog systems and much more. These industry specific features can literally save 1 to 50 hours a day, depending on the size of business.
Some retailers have specific eCommerce / website needs. This can be a big time saver.
A building materials retailer needs to receive inventory by the "board foot". Their POS could not run efficiently with out this.
And the list goes on and on...

Another problem is that some POS software companies claim to work for almost any business. They're probably right. The software will work. But you'll probably miss out on a lot of "time saving" and "profit generating" features.

The trick is to find POS systems that are actually designed for your vertical market. You can start by looking at trade shows, trade magazines and the internet. If you'd like to save time, you can use a tool that I created called the POS Quick Search. It includes a list of over 300 top POS systems sorted by industry. You can see how it works here...

POS Quick Search

Tip #4 - Buy Name Brand

Many computers will have a 1 - 3 year warranty and possibly on-site service. Your POS hardware (receipt printers, cash drawers, etc) typically have a 1 year warranty.

To avoid issues with your warranty, it's best to buy everything name brand. If the company you bought from goes out of business, you still have full support from the manufacturers.

Tip #5 - Don't Forget the Miscellaneous Items

When you're reviewing and comparing price quotes you need to consider the miscellaneous items. They can quickly add up! Some POS companies will include everything and others will leave certain items out of their quote.

Here's a checklist of items that you'll need to consider:

Training fees
Support fees
Software update / maintenance fees
Data conversion fees
Receipt printers
Barcode scanners
Reports printers
Cash drawers
Surge protectors
Battery backups (UPS)
Tape backup system
Cables for printers, computers, and your network
Network hubs
Internet access routers for shared internet access
Paper - Thermal paper, pre-preprinted invoices, plain paper, etc.

To Your Success.

Jeff Haefner

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