Do you need a new POS software in your company?
Did you already decide for your company to implement a new POS software including future payments? – If so, excellent. Now it is time to find a suitable software for your special requirements. But do you know already, what are the future key facts for your decision? In this blog, we share our experiences.
7 reasons for future pos software in retail
Why should we change the POS software?
We and our customers are sure, that the POS (customer checkout) is the main contact point in your retail store. At this point, you and your employee enter all relevant business data as for example orders and payments. And due to the fact that there is a connection to the central article database, you are able to synchronise prices and article information for you individual discount campaigns.
1. signature capture with integrated payment terminals
Are you able to integrate your payment terminals into your POS software so that the POS software initiates the credit card payment? As it is important in retail sector, especially on the high frequency daytimes, all customers should served quickly and financially correct at the checkout process. Many purchases, different payment methods, and in the end satisfied customers. An integrated payment terminal makes sure, that every terminal transaction is captured digitally and assigned to the correct receipt of the customer. Even the signature can be captured digitally on the payment termina. On top, the error rate of manual input mistakes is solved.
2. companywide redemption with central voucher database
As we all try to have a central database with the so called „golden record“, the same topic appears considering a central voucher database, which should be integrated as well and you can sell vouchers online and offline – companywide. A central voucher database also helps within the franchise world – at the end of the month, you as a franchisee know exactly how many redeemed vouchers you have to invoice to your franchisor for a correct accounting. All documents in the digital world, so no extra copies of vouchers are needed for the accounting department, even when the customer loses its voucher, you are able to check centrally the exact amount left on his personal voucher account.
3. tax conform and legal certainty – GoBD
Take the legal certainty as a key fact into your consideration as this is the topic which the government involved. Your new POS software should be state of the art with the principles and regulations of the finance authorities (GoBD + GDPdU). To make sure that your future POS software is within those standards, adress this topic directly and ask for the future plans and possible pricing strategy for regular updates.
4. helpful support and recurring software improvements
Talk to your potential supplier about telephone hotline and other communication channels, i.e. Chatrooms, Q&A, Community. Question yourself and your senior staff about the importance of an 24/7 telephone hotline. Do you need support at the weekends and bank holidays? Does the supplier have a special emergency hotline for critical downtimes? Ask for a transparent overview from your potential supplier considering support topics and recurring future software improvements.
5. test system for keyusers and enduser training
Test systems and trainings are important, especially if there is temporary staff in the retail store. Take this topic to your potential seller and ask them to show test systems and training possibilities. Make sure within your company that keyusers have the option to test new features and settings and get in touch with new functions or processes respectively. (Please note: Don’t forget at the end of the day the standard daily cashdesk closing, because there could occur unwanted deviations in your cash amount.
6. export and plugin extensibility
A lean start with an agile project management (i.e. Scrum) is state of the art. But make sure that you have access to your relevant finance data and you are able to export it (Germany: DATEV). Also important is the future extensibility, so you should make sure in your decision process that a lean start does not limit the future plugin extensibility. In the future you should be able to integrate an ERP software to improve your business or access customer data for personalized sales.
7. software usability – simple to use for new employees
Your future POS software should improve your daily business processes and certainly be an „Easy-To-Use-Object“ within your selling process, especially new cashiers should gain easy access through an intuitive usability and transparent overview. It is important that you involve your employees from the start, so they dont get frustrated in their daily business (i.e. payment of invoices, check inventory, process return delivery, etc.). Question the team and yourself about the hardware and its core purpose: Should the credit card terminal be fixed on the cashiers side or mobile heading in the direction of the customer? Do you really need an external keyboard or could you use modern touch screens for quicker „touch-selling“? Is the scanner range and angle sufficient for your purpose? Does the cashdrawer opens into your belly or does it pop up?
Contact details for POS questions
Feel free to contact us via phone or write an email to POS expert Julian Wehmann respectively with your urgent questions or general statements to a future topic.