POS is a vital part of a company in this digital age. It helps you to manage your inventory and orders, best ways to promote your products/services, etc. with the help of POS System. Many companies use different types of software for managing their day-to-day operations but they must be having some common elements like Inventory Management, Order Management, Batch Invoicing and some other functions. Here we will discuss some important things which you should consider while choosing the best POS system for your business:
1: Type of Business - You must be clear about what type of business model your business is running like whether it is a wholesale or retail outlet or service company etc.
2: Monthly Sales Volume - While choosing a POS system you must have to keep in mind about your monthly sales volume. A good POS software should be flexible enough to handle high as well as low transaction volumes easily as per your budget and also as per the requirement of your business. And so you must consider which platform is best for your business, whether to go with cloud POS system or install POS software in your company network etc.
3: Pricing & Licensing Structure - Be sure about what type of payment options you are offering like Cash, Cheque, Credit Card, Debit Card etc. Also check the licensing structure which is necessary for your business according to your Sales Volume.
4: Customer Segmentation - Every business should have the plan to attract more customers and retain existing ones. One of the most effective ways is to use analytics for customer segmentation like what are their needs, where they come from, who are your best customers etc. So it will be better if you can find out a solution with analytics functionality.
5: POS System Functionality - It is important what functionalities are required by your business like Inventory Management, Product Catalog, Stock Management etc. So you must check the POS software whether it will fulfill your needs or not before buying/implementing it in your company. Also keep in mind about future requirements of your business.
6: Barcode Scanning - It is a best feature in today's advanced POS systems because of various benefits that we can get like we can manage our cashier/clerks easily, reduce cash and check handling times, track your inventory and create reports etc. So according to your business type you must consider whether the system should have barcode scanning or not. If possible then try to find out the type of barcodes that are supported by your system like 1D, 2D etc.
7: Payment Gateway - You must check with your POS provider about their payment gateway options so you will get more flexibility in choosing payment method for your business.
8: Flexibility and Scalability - The POS system which you choose should be flexible and scalable as per your business needs. It means that the software must contain all required functionalities which you can use now and also in future according to the growth of your business.
9: Customer Service - While choosing a POS system, make sure about what type of customer service you will get from the company or its resellers.
10: Future Requirements - During your initial days of business, there will be many changes in requirements for your POS software like additional features to manage your business better etc. So it is necessary that you should find out a solution which can fulfill all your needs after some time from the day you choose it. ATA POS System as a reliable and experienced Point of Sale software supplier, has been providing customized Point of Sale solutions to meet the growing needs for our clients across all business types with cloud POS system or on premise POS solution etc.,
11: Data Backup and Recovery - It is necessary that your data should be safe and secure. So find out with your Point of Sale software provider about what type of data backup and recovery options they are providing.
12: Data Transfer (Export/Import) - It is necessary that you can import or export your data from one system to another POS software easily without any technical knowledge.
13: Online Support - Find out whether your POS system support online mode of payment like Direct Debit, Credit Card etc. If possible then consider buying a solution with this feature otherwise you can manage without it.
14: Customization - If you are planning to customize the Point of Sale software for which you need technical help then make sure that your provider or reseller has skilled resources to do it.
15: Customer Satisfaction - Before buying any POS software, ask your current customers about their experience with the product. This will also help you to find out whether they are providing complete after sales support or not.
16: Installation & Training - If possible then try to find out whether the POS system comes with installation and training services or not. If they provide then it will cost you more money but if you can manage by your own then try to reduce the price of the product.
17: Vendor Support - Find out whether your software provider offers vendor support if yes, what type of support options are available for you like phone, online etc.,
18: Open Source Licensing - Some open source solutions provide free software but it will be better if you consider one which also offers support and other benefits.
19: Data Security - The database of POS system should be secured because it contains confidential data about your customers like credit card information etc., So find out how the company protect this data from hackers.
20: Payment Security - Also find out whether you will be able to use the same device for other business as well or not. This is necessary if you have more than one retail store. If possible ask your vendor to provide discount in this case.
21: Initial Cost - Of course your initial cost is important to buy any software but don't forget about the total cost of ownership which includes monthly support, updates etc.,
22: Special Features - If you have some special requirements for your Point of Sale software, then find out whether it can fulfill all those needs or not. For example, if you need to print barcodes or arrange employee schedule then find out whether it can fulfill your special needs.
23: Database - Look for the features like data storage, security and backup options of the Point of Sale software because this will help you to manage all information easily.
24: Ease of Use - While buying any software, try to make sure that the user interface is easy to use and customers should be able to deal with it easily.
25: Operating System Support - It's necessary that your Point of Sale software support all popular operating systems like Windows, iOS etc., because different devices are working on different operating systems.
26: Scalability - When you are planning to buy a Point of Sale software, try to find out whether it provides the option for future extensions without any technical knowledge required or not.
27: Technologies Supported - It is necessary that your Point of Sale system should support new technologies because technology changes very quickly. So you should check whether your Point of Sale system supports new technologies or not.
28: User Interface - Check the user interface of Point of Sale software because a good looking and easy to use interface will be more attractive for your customers.
29: Hardware Requirements - If possible find out about the hardware requirements which need to install the Point of Sale software because you should need certain types of hardware to run your POS system.
30: Communication Options - Find out the option required to communicate with the Point of Sale system like Ethernet, USB etc., This is necessary if you want to connect more than one device with your system at a same time.
These are important to consider before buying any Point of Sale software. If you want further information about POS system then you can ask your vendor because they are well aware about their own products.
