Choosing the appropriate POS for the business is not as simple as you might think. Something that works really great for one company does not necessarily work great for another. This is why you should always think about the following facts when you choose POS systems.
Define Business Needs
You want to be sure that you identify all the services, functions and features that the best POS system for your business needs to offer. It is normally a good idea to look at something that is created especially for the target market you want to reach. For instance, cannabis POS systems are designed around the needs of vendors of such products and will normally cover specific needs.
If a POS system is now in place, you need to see if there are features that do not exist and that are needed. You basically need to look for potential improvements, like having a simpler tracking system.
Learn About Required Hardware
The POS system needs hardware to work. There are many cases in which you will need to buy new hardware so the investment would be substantial. In others, the existing equipment is more than enough. In most cases you basically just need a laptop or an iPad but do not count on it. Itemize equipment necessary in the store. Include the number of required units for all hardware pieces.
Define Budgets
Costs will vary from one POS system to the next, usually based on required capabilities and business size. Generally, if you need just traditional software that is to be used on desktop computers, one single-user license tends to cost up to $2,500. When using the cloud-based systems, prices vary much more, from free to $200 per month.
The choice of using recurring SaaS models or one-time licenses depends on business finances and nature. Licensing fees sometimes free the business from the recurring payments but do usually require really long contracts. The subscription-based counterpart is one that is much more flexible. Also, scalability is higher with SaaS.
Compare And Audit POS Systems
Every single business manager needs to learn about the POS solutions available. Get industry feedback and focus on learning from the experience of retailers that already used the software you think about using.
The best approach is always to see what other retailers use and what they recommended. Then, conduct online searches and check sites of the various POS vendors. Even LinkedIn is a great source of information. There you can start discussions in relevant groups, allowing you to ask merchants about what POS systems are recommended.
Test The POS
No matter how much you read about POS systems, you need to actually see them in action in order to make the final decision. This is one of the simplest ways in which you can make a good choice. Request local references from POS vendors considered. Check out businesses using the POS and ask to see the way in which the POS works. You will surely find someone that will agree to help you out.