subject: The Best Way To Choose The Right Pos Software For Your Gift Shop [print this page] Specialist gift shop Point of Sale software is essential to the growth and sustainability of a gift shop.
While off the shelf POS software will take care of the basis, only specialist gift shop software will provide facilities necessary to delivering the best possible business outcomes.
Choosing the right gift shop POS software is easy if you follow some simple steps:
* be sure of your business needs;
* understand the value of these need;
* remain focused on the business outcomes which are important to you and the business.
The more work you do on your needs before you begin the more likely you will find that you make a choice which serves your needs for many years.
To determine the needs of your gift shop, take out a sheet of paper and note on the left side the key requirements of a computer system which you consider will be unique to your business. D not spend time on needs which will be common to all gift shops.
What is it you do which you feel no other Gift Shop would require? Do you have unique supplier requirements? Are your gift products packaged unusually? Do you operate off a non standard markup policy?
In creating this list of functions and facilities which are unique to your business consider these questions:
How do you handle Layaways?
What quality of receipts and other customer documents do you want?
Do you have a loyalty program and if so are the rules and processes unique?
How do you sell your product? Do you sell by weight or some unusual method?
Do you have specific suppliers who require electronic orders?
Do you want your software to help with marketing to customers?
Do you undertake unusual marketing?
Do you offer discounts based on volume sold in a purchase?
Do you run catalogues or other date and time based offers with a limited life?
Do you link back to an accounting system for back office functions?
Next to each of the requirements you have written down, note the amount of time you spend with the manual processes you follow. This could be the amount of time saved if you find a computer system to handle these requirements.
On the right hand side of the paper, note what is important in the software company you may buy from. What is it that is critical in their offer. Is it a certain level of customer service? Is it training and support? Think carefully about what you see as essential from your software provider.
Here are some suggestions of what could be important in a software company:
* Personal contact with senior management.
* When you buy the software you buy the software and not for a limited time.
* They have Gift shop customers who are happy.
* The software is regularly updated. There should be at least two major updates each year.
* The software is yours to keep. Some systems are licenced annually - meaning you MUST pay a fee to keen the software active.
* Easy support access. Make sure that genuine 24/7 software support is available.
* User meetings. You want a public forum where you can have a say on the future of the software.
* Training. Live, video and web based training are all useful.
Tower Systems, based out of Australia, serves all of these needs for gift shop owners.
Compare the websites of the companies you are considering. Check out the ease of navigation of the websites, the professionalism and speed.
Arrange a personal demonstration at your shop - so that the sales people can see your business. If they offer you a demonstration copy of the software say no as this is a lazy way to sell.
Set a time limit for the demonstration and always remain in control. This purchase is about you and NOT them. Some will use all sorts of tricks to try and get you to buy from them.
Ask for reference sites. Call them. But understand that you will only be given good reference sites so ask these folk if they know anyone else using the software.
If possible, visit the offices of the software company - see how they operate internally to assess whether you want to do business with them. Is it a happy and professional workplace? Do the people you would have most to do with seem to want your business?
While this focus on the actual software company may seem like a lot of work, the reality is that this is a long term business relationship. The more effort you put into the courting phase the more likely the relationship will survive and your Gift Shop will thrive.
Choosing good software can set a gift shop on a course for stellar growth. Take your time and make the decision which you feel is right for you.
