Michael's Blog

Thursday, September 21, 2023

How to choose the best Point of Sale in four easy stages.

As a business owner, you must have an endless list of tasks: managing collaborators, contacting suppliers, searching for new products, replenishing inventory, evaluating prices, and balancing the accounts. POS System are powerful tools that can help you simplify all of these tasks and make smart decisions.
When looking for the best POS system, it is important to understand the type of tools you need to run and grow your business. A point of sale allows you to process sales and carry out administrative tasks more efficiently; however, a good POS system does much more than process purchases; it helps you increase sales, save money, and be more efficient. A point of sale allows you to process sales and carry out administrative tasks more efficiently, and it helps you process data to obtain insights and drive decisions to grow your business.
For any business, cost, security, and ease of use are some of the factors that influence the choice of POS system; however, the type of sale and administrative tasks depend on the type of business. So, finding the right POS system for your business can be complicated if you don't know what you need. Below, we recommend four steps you can follow to choose the right POS system.
1. Identify the needs of your company
Not all POS systems are built the same; even the most complete systems have their limits. Therefore, to find the right system for your business, you need to identify your needs. Start by evaluating the procedure or system you currently operate with:
What features are missing? What tools would you like to have? What are your customers' needs? Do staff find the system too slow? Are customers waiting in long lines at the checkout? Are you having problems? to calculate when and how much inventory to order? Do you have problems calculating the work hours of collaborators?
Additionally, you must take into account that the needs of a dry cleaner are very different from those of a cafeteria, so a system that adapts to your operation or business will be easier to configure and use.
2. Know the hardware requirements
The POS system will not work alone; it must communicate with printers and scanners and connect to bank card processing services. You need a POS system that works seamlessly with other devices and services, so you should research which hardware devices are compatible with the software. Additionally, you should investigate the payment methods it accepts (cash, credit cards, mobile payments, etc.), whether it prints receipts, stores cash, or scans barcodes. If it is essential for your business, you must ensure that the system complies with it.
Some point-of-sale systems are compatible with the hardware you already use in business, while others already include the necessary equipment. It depends on your needs and budget; however, hardware-mounted POS systems are a better alternative and will save you some headaches.
3. Set a budget
Point-of-sale system costs vary depending on the size of the business and the capabilities you need. Look for a system that can grow with the needs of the business (scalability). If your budget is tight, look for software that allows you to start with a basic configuration. Do not think that, because it is the most expensive system, it will adapt without problems to the operation of your business or that it will not have errors, regardless of whether it is the cheapest. Never be guided by the price to choose the POS Reseller. Considers:
Initial cost of installation and necessary infrastructure
Payment processing costs (% of sale + transaction fee) 
Other processing fees (transaction non-compliance fees, chargeback fees)
Equipment cost (or rental fee)
Point of sale system rates
4. Compare
Having the option to choose between several providers gives you the advantage of selecting the one that best suits your business model.
4.1 Ask for references
Functionality
Ask about the quality of the system and how they rate their experience with the functionality of the system and with the company.
Ask about the implementation of the system in your company.
Visit and see the software in action.
Technical support
Even if multiple systems offer the same functionality, it is very likely that they do not offer the same level of service. As a business owner, you know that service is the most important factor in surviving in a competitive market, and you should ask no less from the POS system provider.
Ask about the level of service the company offers and any errors they have had. How often do problems occur? How quickly do they get technical support? How quickly does the company fix problems?
4.2 Request a demo
Once you have identified several providers that meet the needs that your business demands, ask if they can provide you with a live demo. If you are interested in the system, ask the company for a free trial for several weeks.
If selling products is the heart of your business, then a good point-of-sale system should be the backbone. Finding the right point of sale system requires research and understanding the needs of the business, as well as finding the balance between price and quality. In a well-run business, point-of-sale software is more than just where the money comes in; it becomes a strategic center that will help you grow your business and keep your clients.
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