What to look for when buying a POS System
It has been said that a business is only as good as the equipment it runs on. No matter what type of business you run, you need a way to collect payments. A point-of-sale software package is a necessary ingredient in any successful retail business. This type of software makes it easy to keep track of inventory and to accept payments quickly and efficiently. No matter what type of retail business you run in South Africa, it will be a much more successful endeavor if it is based on quality equipment. Let's look at some of the common mistakes business owners make when purchasing POS software.
Buying the right POS software for your company is important. You cannot fully trust the vendor, so you need to know exactly how much software you need before you go out to buy the software. The vendor is in the business of making money, and may try to get you to purchase more software than you need. If the vendor is pushing you to purchase a feature you will not need, simply refuse the added expense. If you need the extra feature added at a later date, you can be sure the vendor will be just as happy to sell it to you then as he was before.
When you decide on a certain type of POS hardware system, you should confirm with the software vendor that the hardware you would like to purchase is compatible with their software. Just because a new hardware vendor claims his software will be compatible with the original software system you purchase, does not mean it will be so. You could compromise your entire POS system, which could result in major loss of income.
If you are in a certain industry and a software vendor tries to get you to use software created for a different industry, then you need to call another vendor. All too often South African businessmen have taken the word of a vendor claiming that two industries are easily supported by the same software. This simply is not true. Each industry has its own needs which must be addressed in the software system used. You cannot run a real estate agency based on an automotive POS system.
When choosing a POS system hardware system, be sure you go with a name brand item. Knock off point of sale systems are usually very poor in quality, and are very undependable. Most name brand systems have been around to establish a stable track record of providing both quality product and service. These are both important issues as your business is going to be running on this system. Don't try to save money on the backbone of your business or it will cost you in the long run.
The decision to purchase a point-of-sale system for your business is an important one which should not be left to the vendor, but instead it is the responsibility of the business owner. He alone knows what type of product he will need to keep his business running smoothly.
Further Reading:
1. Essential Features of a good POS Software System
2. Tips on Buying a POS Solution
* This article is the opinion of the Author and may not necessarily agree with the viewpoints of Regality Software. You should conduct your own research before making any financial decisions and should not rely on the information in this article.
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