Point of Sale software has been around for thirty years or so and often as old and tired as some retail businesses using it.
Too often, retail (or POS) software businesses have remained focused on being purely technology driven companies rather being business growth enablers.
A good Point of Sale software company today spends more time on enabling its retail customers to understand and grow their business as they do their core software technology.
The old days of installing software which can scan a barcode, tote up a purchase, print a receipt and open a cash draw are over. Sure, there are businesses which will think this all that is needed. These retail businesses and their software companies are at risk.
Today?s retail reality is that the bets software company is a full service business partner, a service business which gets the new paradigm of retail and delivers a mix of products and services, based around the POS software, which enables a retail business to compete.
The services which are vital from today?s retail software company include:
- Business performance analysis.
- Respected channel-specific sales benchmarking.
- Marrying bricks and mortar with online.
- Tools for understanding and focusing on the customer.
- Easily connecting suppliers to the business electronically.
- Easily connecting the business to shoppers electronically.
- Arming retail associates with knowledge an tools which make them the very best in their field.
A software provider who does not connect with and address these needs is not in the game and appropriately serving today?s retailers. They have probably not realized that retail has changed.
Of course, there are more services a smart and committed software company will provide.
The suite of services offered by a software vendor, outside of their Point of Sale application itself, can be a guide as to their commitment to the growth of the retail businesses they serve.
Too many POS software vendors offer a cash register replacement. That is not enough today, it does not address the new retail paradigm.
There are even software businesses which are so committed to the needs of retailers that they have purchased retail businesses as test sites and from where they can show their software working in a real time. This is commitment which should be appreciated and encouraged, it separates these software companies out from their competitors.
This retail landscape demands creative approaches to help retailers compete and grow. A smart software company will help a retail business far more than an average software business. The choice as to the company you go with is vital.
Retailers should carefully assess the Point of Sale software businesses they are considering and especially look at the extra services they provide and the cost of these services.
The difference could be valuable business rewards.
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