How do you choose a point of sale program?

How do you choose a point of sale partner?

Over the years I have seen companies make very wise decisions and very foolish decisions when it comes to the selection of this critical piece of software.  The intent of this article is to help anyone who may be making this decision. 

The proper selection of your point of sale program and partner is a major decision with any retailer. The improper selection process can have an negative effect on your business that is almost impossible to communicate. This topic is quite large, so it will be broken up into sections.

 Section 1 - Why do we need a Point of Sale system?

 Ok, I am not a salesperson , I am a consultant. This means that I don't make my money by selling you the solution , but by formulating the criteria of the system you need. It can be a very freeing to come to the conclusion that you do not need a system! Thats right , not everyone needs a Point of Sale system.

If you are looking at getting a point of sale system , here are some of the questions that you really need to ask yourself.

1) What process(es) do I want this system to improve?

2)  How much is my budget? How much will this system save me per year? What do I need for my ROI?

3) Who will manage the selection process? The implementation process? The management process?

4) Do I intend to sell this business? If so , in how many years?

5)  Do I really know enough about my business , technology and retail to proceed?

 There are so many more questions , but the previous five will usually cause enough pause to make a retailer think.  In my experience , I have seen most retailers come to the point that they realize that they need a system , but lack the intent and focus to implement it. A point of sale system will improve your inventory management and should give you better reporting. It will also put in place systems that have never existed before , and introduce a new layer of skill in your business. I cannot count the number of times a retailer has purchsed a point of sale system , trusted a manager to be the only one to learn it ( Either due to lack of interest , time , or focus) ,  and then have that manager quit!

 I really do believe that a properly implemented point of sale system can improve a retail business , but it must be undertaken with serious and detailed approach. Retail consultants can sometimes help in this process, byt often they are more focused on reports and the data that the point of sale system provides to them. I would strongly recommend that you either contact a retail IT conultant who will work with your retail consultant , or engage the services of a reputable point of sale company.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

 Next section: The point of sale selection process - Clarifying my needs.