The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

News from Tower Systems about locally made POS software for specialty local retailers.

Latest stories

POS software AI integration helps small business retailers see their businesses more successfully

October 16, 2024
2 Min read
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Tower Systems first released its POS software AI ChatGPT integration in late 2022. The integration has been enhanced several times since, as ChatGPT itself has been enhanced and as the tech links have permitted deeper integration.

Today, thanks to terrific development by the Tower Systems POS software development team, the AI integration via ChatGPT in the Tower Systems POS software small business retailers are benefiting in plenty of ways from visual insights to data generation to plenty more.

The POS software ChatGPT AI integration is leading edge, local retail business beneficial.

Imagine the value for a small business retailer being told things about their business that they had missed and cations they could take to address those things. Imagine being delivered this without having to look at a report seeking out data and making sense of that data. Imagine someone tapping you on your shoulder to say hey, have you realised this about your business?

The ChatGPT AI integration with our POS software helps retailers save time, reduce business mistakes and make commercially valuable decisions. It’s about making money for our customers and helping them enjoy their businesses more. There are so many examples of these benefits flowing already. We are so grateful for the feedback.

The latest AI enhancements flowing from the ChatGPT POS software integration will be in the hands of our customers in a few days in our next update. It’s a  suite of enhancements that are commercially valuable – we know because we have been testing them with live retail data already.

There is no replacement for smart retail management. We understand that. What our POS software AI integration delivers is a wonderful assist for the smart retailer, faster access to insights, the ability to see further with less time, the benefit of evidence based certainty in a split second. This is the difference of this new smart POS technology.

Thanks to the variety of retailers in our POS software user community we are able to test these advances widely, to ensure their usefulness ion many settings.

The Tower Systems ChatGPT POS software integration is coming up for two years old and this latest release takes us to a whole new world.

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POS software knowledge base expanded in service of local retailers

October 15, 2024
2 Min read
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Every week we enhance our POS software knowledge base, one of the online resources available to our customers. Through a commitment to writing new content, thorough peer review and engaging with customer feedback, we deliver access to a terrific training resource that is available 24 hours a day.

This knowledge base is in addition to our extensive video training library, which is also enhanced regularly.

In the last few days we have delivered more enhancements and announced these to our customers:

  • Product Level Blocking: https://help.towersystems.com.au/portal/en/kb/articles/product-level-blocking-plb-weblink
  • Change staff initials on sale:  https://help.towersystems.com.au/portal/en/kb/articles/change-staff-initials-on-a-sale
  • Changing details on Stock items:  https://help.towersystems.com.au/portal/en/kb/articles/changing-details-on-stock-items
  • Why are emails not sending:
    https://help.towersystems.com.au/portal/en/kb/articles/why-are-my-emails-not-sending
  • Help with epay issues: https://help.towersystems.com.au/portal/en/kb/articles/common-epay-issues
  • How to change various parts of Stock item details: https://help.towersystems.com.au/portal/en/kb/articles/changing-details-on-stock-items

The Tower Systems knowledge base is a comprehensive online resource designed to help Tower Systems POS users get the most out of their software. It contains a vast collection of articles, tutorials, and FAQs covering a wide range of topics, from basic setup to advanced features. That it can be ac messed from anywhere at any time makes it useful for offline learning, away from the shop for those who find this useful.

The knowledge base is easily searchable and features categorised topics for easy navigation. Additionally, it provides step-by-step tutorials and answers to frequently asked questions.

To get the most out of the knowledge base, users can utilize the search function, explore categories, read related articles, and contact Tower Systems support if needed. By using the knowledge base, users can save time, learn at their own pace, and improve their understanding of Tower Systems POS software.

We invite POS software customers to suggest knowledge base article topics. We also review knowledge base search requests, looking for any that are not covered by current articles.

Our knowledge base is an evolving resource that our customers interact with daily. Enhancing it helps us and it helps our customers.

Tower Systems serves local independent small business retailers. As small businesses, efficient use of the software is key. The knowledge base and other training and support resources are key in helping these retailers leverage good value from their investment.

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Free POS software commented marketplace find.com.au helps local retailers attract local shoppers

October 14, 2024
3 Min read
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FindIt is a free marketplace made for local independent retailers. It helps then be found by local shoppers.

This free platform, made here in Australia by Tower Systems, seamlessly connects local businesses with consumers seeking a unique and personalised shopping experience. It links with the Tower Systems POS software for a data feed.

Already local retailers are grateful for new shoppers arriving in their shops thanks to a free listing of their products on FindIt.com.au.

  • Retailers can effortlessly showcase products to a wider audience through a user-friendly online platform.
  • No website development or management required – FindIt takes care of everything. Linking is easy and fast.
  • Leverage the power of SEO expertise to ensure your products rank prominently in Google searches.

Streamlined local shopping for local customers: 

  • FindIt acts as a comprehensive online catalogue, allowing customers to discover from their phone, tablet or computer a diverse range of products from local retailers.
  • Enjoy the convenience of adding items from multiple stores to a single basket for a seamless research.
  • FindIt facilitates a direct connection between customers and retailers, fostering a sense of community and personalised service.

A free and sweet fit for Tower Systems POS software customers:

  • Retailers who utilise the Tower Systems POS software, automatically gain access to FindIt, extending your reach at no cost.
  • FindIt seamlessly integrates with your existing Tower Systems POS solution, streamlining your operations.

Supporting local Aussie retail businesses:

  • FindIt is a proud advocate for independent Australian retailers, empowering them to compete in the digital landscape. It was built to serve this purpose.
  • Together, we champion the values of local businesses – community engagement, personalised service, and unique product offerings.

FindIt is unique in that it is not about making money for Tower. Retailers can list products at no cost whatsoever. The goal is to encourage shoppers to find shops near them that have products being sought out. This really is all about nurturing local in-store shopper traffic. We think we’re pretty unique in that regard.

Learn More:

  • Explore the capabilities of Tower Systems POS software at https://www.towersystems.com.au/.
  • See FindIt here: www.findit.com.au.
  • Witness the user-friendly interface and comprehensive features through readily available online demonstrations.
  • Tower Systems exclusively caters to local independent retailers in a range of specialty retail , fostering a strong partnership with the local business community.

FindIt is evidence of the practical support Tower systems offers local independent retailers in Australia and New Zealand. We are grateful to have the resources to deliver this for our customers.

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What’s the difference with Tower Systems POS software?

October 11, 2024
2 Min read
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There is a difference between the various POS systems in the market and a difference between the various POS software companies in the marketplace. Only someone who has used the various systems can truly know the difference.

We can’t speak for what our POS software does compared to another, just as they can’t for us.

What we can speak to is what we focus on for differentiation, what we offer and what we do to stand out, be talked about positively and to be loved. Here are some areas of differentiation we pursue:

Human service. Call us, and a human answers. For POS software customer service you can speak with a human, someone skilled in retail and skilled in using our POS software. They will chat with you to understand your questions. They will answer without following a script. It’s a conversation, between humans. Better still, you can. speak with the leadership team of the company for any escalation.

Your voice matters. You can promote software changes and have other users of the software vote on them. Suggestions on this transparent voting platform are considered and reviewed prior to finalising the content of each software update. Every update has some of the suggestions addressed – demonstrating that we listen.

Small business focussed. Not selling to big groups or chains means that each customer is equal, each voice as important as the other, none of our customers get lost in a crowd of monsters and ants. In our community everyone is equal, and respected as such.

Proactive change. Thanks to regular software updates the POS software itself evolves as the needs of retail evolve, sometimes faster – ensuring that the software is a commercially valuable solution in a rapidly, changing retail landscape.

No hidden fees or costs. Tower approaches pricing with transparency. We make our money from renting access to the software. There is no required payments platform, no fee per transaction in customer businesses.

Learn your way, in your time. Thanks to an awesome library of training videos that is regularly expanding and a wonderful library of knowledge base articles and that these are brought together through structured learning paths, staff in retail businesses using our POS software can easily learn, for themselves and the business they serve.

These are some of the ways we seek to differentiate at Tower Systems.

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POS software for cafes

October 10, 2024
1 Min read
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From kitchen printing to a host of other facilities, our POS software now serves the needs on many local cafes. Here is a new short video from us demonstrating some of these tools now in the latest release of our POS software.

Aussie made POS software and Aussie supported.

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Software for sewing shops helps these local specialty retail businesses thrive

October 9, 2024
3 Min read
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Tower Systems makes POS software for sewing shops. The needs of these shops vary from the needs of traditional retail.

This sewing shop software is packed with facilities to serve these needs and more.

Here are some of the ways our Tower Systems POS software for sewing shops helps sewing shops leverage their uniqueness:

  1. Rare visit loyalty.  We are told that customers visit a sewing shop infrequently. Our software offers subtle loyalty tools that encourage more value from each visit.
  2. Pre-orders. Easily manage selling products before you have them in-stock. Collectors love these facilities.
  3. Repairs management. If you do repairs, track them from the moment they arrive – for repairs done in-house and externally. Track parts and labour and easily advise customers when the repair is complete.
  4. Club / collector marketing and support. Leverage clubs and collectors with offers and pricing. Nurture the love of home sewing and connecting to this community, and growing the size of the community.
  5. Special orders. With some items ordered in for a customer request, managing these types of orders helps the business to manage opportunities and to capture revenue in advance.
  6. Serial number tracking.  Tracking serial numbers for items can help with warranty and insurance claims.
  7. Sell by length. This may seem basic. It’s not available in some software. In the Tower software, you can sell by length, including fractions.
  8. Rent. If you rent our machines, easily track with our software.
  9. Track the untrackable. Using our software you can track even small items that cannot support a barcode. We have an easy and certain way you can do this.
  10. Manage product variants. Plenty of products in a sewing shop come in different colours and sizes. Managing these variations is easy with our software.
  11. Remind shoppers for servicing. If you sell sewing machines, bring shoppers back for servicing visits easily with notifications.

Our Australian made and supported sewing shop software does much more than this. Be sure to see it for yourself, live and obligation free, to see if it could serve you and your business.

We are grateful to serve plant of locally owned and run sewing shops with our POS software and with websites we have built that are connected to our POS software.

We understand the importance and value of local specialty retail …

  • Local matters. Local sewing shops make a vital contribution to local communities and families. Our software helps you leverage your localness.
  • You are a key asset. Only your business has you and your people. You can leverage you through facilities in our sewing shop software.
  • You can bank on loyalty. Points don’t reward loyalty. What is a point worth anyway? In our software, you have fresh loyalty tools you can bank on.
  • The unseen can reveal opportunities. Data, good data, is evidence on which you can expect to make better business decisions.
  • Not every shopper will walk past your door. A seamless connection between your software and a beautiful website can reach them.

Our Sewing Shop Software is rich in features, robust in service and backed by a team of specialists ready with training and support for local sewing businesses.

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Software made for local trophy shops

October 8, 2024
2 Min read
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Running a trophy shop can be demanding, juggling inventory, engraving requests, and diverse orders. Tower Systems’ Australian-developed POS software is here to help, streamlining your operations and allowing you to focus on what you do best – creating champions.

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Here are some off the benefits of Tower Systems POS for Trophy Shops:

  • Team pricing: Easily manage team-based discounts to encourage business and support local teams.
  • Pre-configured packages: Offer pre-set trophy packages by sport or event for faster ordering.
  • Bundle: making buying easier and more appealing.
  • Inventory management: Say goodbye to stock shortages! Track inventory levels and reorder supplies before you run low.
  • Component management: Our software can handle orders with multiple components, ensuring smooth order creation.
  • Engraving management: Efficiently manage engraving requests. Input details directly into the system, track progress, and guarantee accurate inscriptions.
  • Order tracking: Keep track of everything from initial quotes to final pickups. Eliminate misplaced orders and keep customers happy. Identify regular clients for targeted marketing.
  • Customer notification: Inform customers about order completion via SMS or email with our POS software.
  • Data-driven decisions: Gain valuable insights with detailed sales reports. Track sales by category to understand business performance and optimise stock levels for future purchases.
  • Sell online: Connect your POS to Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, or Magento for a seamless online sales solution.
  • Loyalty: with shopper traffic not your usual daily or weekly shop, the Tower loyalty solution can help infrequent shoppers spend more with you.

Why Tower Systems is could be a good fit:

  • Experience: We only serve local small business retailers in specialty retail channels. We understand uniqueness. We offer features like “manufactured goods” to manage multi-component products and repair management tools for customisation tasks.
  • Investment in your business: POS software is a long-term investment. Streamlined operations, improved customer service, and valuable data will propel your trophy business to success.

Local Support, Local Success: Tower Systems is dedicated to supporting local businesses in Australia, New Zealand and nearby. We offer human-based support, understanding your needs and providing one-on-one demonstrations to ensure our software meets your specific requirements. Our commitment to transparency means we’ll always tell you if our software doesn’t fit your needs.

Together, let’s see how our POS software can elevate your trophy shop. Call 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

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POS software for pop-up shops helps local retailers thrive

October 8, 2024
3 Min read
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Pop-up shops give retail businesses an opportunity chance to connect with customers in a temporary setting, often for a limited time. They are somewhere you can experiment, to explore new opportunities.

Tower Systems offers an easy-to-use POS software solution specifically built for pop-up shops. Our Retailer Roam solution is made for retail on the go: from a pop-up shop to selling at a local market to selling from the back of a truck. Its is an ideal pop-up shop POS solution.

Here’s what our Tower Systems team considered when designing our pop-up POS software:

Flexible and Scalable: Pop-up shops are all about being adaptable, and what you sell can change too. Tower Systems’ POS software is built to handle these changing needs. It’s easy to add or remove products, adjust prices, and manage stock levels on the go.

Spot-on Stock Management: Keeping track of your stock is crucial for pop-up shops to avoid running out or having too much. Tower Systems gives you strong inventory management tools, including barcode scanning, stocktakes, and live inventory updates. This means you always know exactly what you have in stock and can make smart decisions about ordering more.

Happy Customers, Loyal Customers: Building a base of loyal customers is important for any business, including pop-up shops. Tower Systems helps retailers capture important customer data for making good decisions.

All the Payment Options: Making it easy for customers to pay is key to a smooth experience. Tower Systems supports a wide range of payment methods, including cash, card, and digital wallets. This flexibility means you can take whatever your customers prefer and make checkout a breeze.

See Your Results Clearly: To make decisions based on data and get the most out of your pop-up, you need good reporting and analytics. Tower Systems offers tools and insights to help you do just that.

Cloud-Based Convenience: The pop-up shop POS software solution from Tower Systems is cloud-based, so you can access it from anywhere with an internet connection. This is perfect for pop-up shops that might be in different locations or have staff working remotely.

Aussie Support at Your Back: Tower Systems offers local support and expertise, so you know you’ll get help whenever you need it.

Picking the right POS software is key to pop-up retail success. Tower Systems would love to chat with you about your needs and see if they might be the perfect fit. Get started here: sales@towersystems.com.au or call 1300 662 957.

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Bookshop software serves local independent bookshops

October 7, 2024
3 Min read
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This software made for local independent bookshops, to help them thrive instore as well as online. It has facilities specifically to serve the needs of bookshops.

  • TitlePage integration.
  • PacStream integration.
  • Club pricing for book clubs and other local groups.
  • Search products by title or author Easy and accurate selling.
  • Tracking and managing special orders for customers.
  • Club / group pricing to win more sales.
  • Free integration with FindIt local marketplace.
  • Easy online selling.
  • Locally made software.
  • Local help desk support.
  • Awesome training resources.

Our Tower Systems bookshop POS software has been fine-tuned to serve the needs of local independent bookshops. It is software for bookshops developed and supported in Australia.

Using our bookshop POS software / bookstore POS software local bookshops can leverage a range of facilities designed to help the run efficient and enjoyable businesses. Facilities in the POS software made for bookshops include:

  • Book Club support – rewarding members, fundraising for the club and more.
  • Structured handling of special orders for customers. Place the order and have it tracked when it comes into the store with the customer easily notified of arrival.
  • TitlePage integration for easy lookup.
  • Easy searching by book inventory by author name or part of author name.
  • International barcode direct connect for easy lookup.
  • ChatGPT integration for smart product descriptions designed to help with customer searching.
  • Returns management. Returning unsold books can be time consuming. Using our bookshop software, booksellers can identify titles that can be returned based on arrival in-store, sales and current quantity on hand. We provide the insight and the structured approach for handling the return, in a publisher friendly way. The approach in our software has been tested with booksellers, to ensure it is genuinely useful and in line with what is required from suppliers.
  • PacStream connectivity. From within our bookshop software you have access to Pacstream integration. Ask us to demonstrate this to you, so you can see how it works live and in person. The PacStream platform is robust and commercially beneficial to retailers. Indeed, PacStream access is critical for book retailers.
  • Easy searching of book inventory by title or part of a title.

We serve local independent booksellers with bookshop software made to help them win new business.

This bookshop POS software is made for independent retailers. You can run it in the cloud or on your desktop – you decide what’s right for you.

We support book retailers with specialty training and support too. We make it easy for bookshop owners and staff to learn the software so that they can help the business get the most from the software.

Independent book retailers are the lifeblood of the community, often at the heart of discussion, gathering and learning. Our bookshop software supports this role for bookshops in a range of ways, helping bookshop owners to serve community groups while strengthening their businesses.

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A website for your retail business could be a perfect plan b

October 4, 2024
3 Min read
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Too often retailers think a website connected with their shop needs to reflect what they sell in the shop. While this can often work, it is not essential.

There are plenty of retailers, including local small business retailers, who run websites from the back of their shop, using the resources of the shop without additional overheads.

There are retailers who started this way, with a website as a completely different business, who then discovered that the products sold through this other business could also sell in their shop.

We know of one retailer who stumbled across the opportunity when unpacking goods for the website they ran from the back office. A customer noticed the items being unpacked, items you’d never expect to see even in an innovative retail business. Soon enough this retailer had a section for these products in the shop and attracted a whole new range of shoppers as a result.

We know of another retailer who let a friend use spare space at the back of the shop to run a new online business. Soon enough the two were working together offering the online products in the shop once they discovered that something they never considered would work worked a treat.

A website connected with your retail business could be a perfect way to explore what you could sell. That a website can easily reach many more times the people your shop reaches, it is easier to experiment. That it is new means you can experiment outside any boundaries you impose upon yourself in your shop.

This approach of experimenting completely outside what you do in your shop today is what we call a plan b., It’s you experimenting in pursuit of fresh traffic and revenue for your business, through which you might find a financially rewarding path beyond what the physical shop currently offers.

Websites are easy to setup and run, they can evolve too, as you learn more of what can sell.

By all means offer what you have in your shop online. Think, too, about the opportunities of playing completely outside what you do today and through this attracting revenue from shoppers you will never see and from products you thought you would never carry.

Connecting your website to your retail business software is easy, offering one place for managing all inventory and all sales. This is time and labour efficient. It also protects against theft.

Tower Systems creates beautiful POS software connected websites for retailers in all sorts of local retail situations.

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Tower Systems helps small business retailers leverage lower EFTPOS fees

October 3, 2024
2 Min read
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When choosing an EFTPOS provider, retailers should make an informed decision based on their specific needs. They need to choose based on the financial and operational needs of their business.

Good POS software seamlessly integrates with a range of EFTPOS solutions, making it easy for retailers to select the best option. This flexibility allows retailers to choose an EFTPOS payments processor that aligns with their business requirements.

Tower Systems does not require retailers using its POS software to deal with any specific bank or EFTPOS payments processor. Tower Systems customers can freely choose the bank for EFTPOS that best suits their needs. There are no additional charges levied against customers for business transactions.

Processing EFTPOS payments through CBA, NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Suncorp, Tyro, and other providers is straightforward with the integrated EFTPOS solution available to retailers using Tower Systems POS software.

The integrated EFTPOS solution from Tower Systems offers a range of benefits:

  • Few keystrokes = fast, fewer mistakes.
  • Simplified accounting and transaction reconciliation.
  • Retailers choose what’s right for their business.

When selecting POS software for your business, it’s crucial to inquire about integrated EFTPOS capabilities and whether there are any associated fees. It’s important that your POS software company generates revenue from the software itself,rather than from transaction fees. This ensures that your business growth and success are yours to enjoy.

When choosing an EFTPOS payments processor, consider the following factors:

  • Specific needs and budget of your business.
  • Business size and transaction volume.
  • POS software compatibility.

Tower Systems offers excellent compatibility with its POS software when it comes to EFTPOS payments processing.

Tower Systems provides local small business retailers with many benefits including:

  • Easy surcharging. Easily and accurately pass on EFTPOS costs to your customers.
  • Fast checkout: Eliminates manual data entry, streamlining transactions and reducing queues.
  • Reduced errors: No manual keying, minimizing human error and ensuring accurate transactions.
  • Improved staff productivity: Staff can focus on customer service rather than manual payment entry.
  • Seamless payment experience: Customers can tap, swipe, or insert their card directly at the EFTPOS terminal,providing a smooth and intuitive experience.
  • Reduced contact: Minimizes physical contact between customers and staff, enhancing hygiene and potentially aiding social distancing efforts.
  • Enhanced security: Data transfers directly between POS and EFTPOS, reducing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access.

Tower Systems is committed to offering retailers choice and flexibility when it comes to EFTPOS payments processing,without any additional costs.

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Kitchen docket printing now available in Tower Systems POS software for small business retailers

October 1, 2024
1 Min read
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With more retailers moving into hospitality in one form or another, Tower Systems is making the change easy thanks to the release of support for kitchen docket printing from within its well-established POS software for local small business retailers.

Here’s a new video from our COO on how retailers can engage with this:

Cafes, garden centres, produce / farm supply businesses, bike shops and plenty of other retailers have a business case for this kitchen docket printing solution as it enables printing the dockets in a place other than or in addition to the usual sales counter.

Developed with retailers already using our POS softwares the kitchen docket printing tools are another enhancement delivered by our awesome POS software development team.

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Small business retail marketing advice: discount vouchers help local small business retailers

September 30, 2024
3 Min read
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Loyalty points have different values in different businesses. They are an old-school approach to shopper loyalty. Tired. Out of date. Of questionable value.

Everyone understands the value of cash and cash is at the heart of the discount vouchers offered through POS software from Tower Systems for local small business retailers. Supermarkets have ruined the understanding of value of loyalty points for sure.

Here at Tower Systems, we know years serving thousands of local independent retailers that a good loyalty program is key to business success. We see it in our work every day. In our software we serve the need with our Discount Voucher tools.

Discount vouchers can be setup in a minute or two. No additional tech is needed. No plastic cards are needed. No customer sign up is needed. This makes Discount Vouchers an easy, low cost, low overhead loyalty solution.

The Discount Voucher settings can be changed easily too, making this loyalty solution for small business retailers a breeze.

Retailers can call Discount Vouchers  what they want! We’ve got customers calling them “Thank You Gifts,” “Bonus Bucks,” or even “Customer Rewards.” The beauty is, it’s your program, your name!

One retailer saw a whopping 20% sales lift in the first quarter in which they offered vouchers, especially driving impulse near the sales counter purchases. Even years after implementation Discount Vouchers deliver bankable results for retailers.

Through the settings you can ensure that using the vouchers is P&L positive for the retail business.

Discount Vouchers are all about instant gratification for guys – they tend to use their vouchers straight away, while girls tend to save them for a later treat (but before they expire, of course!). Oh, and retailers control when these vouchers expire.

Setting up your voucher program is a breeze! Our retail-experienced support team can have you up and running in minutes, and making changes is just as easy. Plus, you get fantastic control over your program and clear reports to see how your customers are engaging.

Here’s why discount vouchers are a game-changer in our experience:

  • You’re the boss! Name your vouchers anything you like, and change it whenever you fancy.
  • Set the rules! Decide how much the voucher’s worth, what it can be used on, and when it expires.
  • Transparency is key! Unlike confusing points systems, customers see the voucher as cash-in-hand. They love the simplicity and feel valued with a direct reward.

We’ve seen it work firsthand! In our own shops. Customers tell us they love the vouchers. We have seen them used. We see the impact in the business, the happiness experienced by customers.

With Tower Systems’ discount vouchers, you can:

  • Get one time shoppers spending more in their one and only visit.
  • Boost spending per visit – Customers love a good deal, and vouchers encourage them to splurge a little more.
  • Bring back those loyal customers – Vouchers are a great way to entice customers to return sooner and keep them coming back for more.
  • Attract new faces – Stand out from the crowd and grab the attention of new shoppers with enticing voucher offers.
  • Spark impulse buys – Vouchers at the counter can turn a browse into a purchase easily.

Our discount voucher solution is exclusive to us, the settings opportunities, the control levers you have, the benefits you can leverage in your business.

Discount vouchers are one of the most recommended facilities in our small business retail POS software.

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Shops near me: Tower Systems helps local retailers attract people looking for local shops

September 28, 2024
3 Min read
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FindIt.com.au, the free marketplace from Tower Systems, shines a light on amazing local, independent retailers. We built FindIt as a free platform for our local retail business community that uses our POS software. They have free access to FindIt for listing what they have in their shops. As we note at the FindIt website:

FindIt is a marketplace platform created by Tower Systems for the thousands of local small business retailers using its POS software.

It’s a place where you can find a broad range of items from many different retailers, all local, all keen to serve local shoppers.

Some retailers will use FindIt to list products that they sell in-store while others will use FindIt to sell directly online.

What’s unique about FindIt is that it only lists products from local retailers, small business retailers, and it shows products in-stock. You can be confident as to availability.

FindIt is new and as such we will learn over time, and adjust accordingly.

Thank you for stopping by.

Think of FindIt as a treasure chest overflowing with goodies from independent retailers across Australia. It’s a marketplace offering anything and everything.

For the Shopper:

  • Support Local! FindIt makes it easy to find and support businesses in your neighbourhood. You’ll be pumpin’ money back into your community and helpin’ it thrive.
  • Discover Unique Finds! Unearth a world of special products you won’t find on the big online stores. From handcrafted jewellery to locally-grown produce, there’s somethin’ for everyone on FindIt.
  • Know who you’re buying from! FindIt gives you the details on each shop, including their location and contact details.

For Local Retailers:

  • Free to join! If you use Tower Systems POS software, you can sign up for FindIt at no cost. This saves you the hassle (and expense) of setting up your own online store if you want, making it easier to compete in the digital world.
  • Reach new customers! FindIt exposes your products to a wider audience of people who are looking to shop local.
  • Sell smarter, not harder! The platform works seamlessly with Tower Systems POS, makin’ sales a breeze and saving time on admin.

FindIt’s a win-win for everyone!

You get fantastic local products, and retailers gain a platform to showcase their goodies and reach new customers. It’s a brilliant initiative that strengthens Aussie communities and supports the backbone of our commerce – our amazing independent retailers.

Gettin’ your product info (text and images) onto FindIt is a walk in the park thanks to the Tower Systems POS software integration. Tower even helps retailers with advice, training, and support to get connected.

The ultimate goal of FindIt is to make it easy for local to shop locally, to get more people like you walking through the front doors of our fantastic local shops!

This is an exclusive marketing benefit provided by Tower Systems for its local retail business community.

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Yes, it’s AFL Grand Final public holiday!

September 27, 2024
1 Min read
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It’s a public holiday here in Melbourne today, where our head office is based. No matter, our help desk is open today 8:30am through 5pm for those not having the day to prep for tomorrow’s AFL Grand Final.

No matter what you’re up to today, we hope it’s wonderful, and may the best team … win!

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Empowering Retail Team Members: Seamless POS Software Training with Tower Systems

September 27, 2024
2 Min read
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At Tower Systems, we understand the importance of a skilled and confident retail team. That’s why we’ve designed our POS software with user-friendliness at its core, complemented by a comprehensive and easy-to-access training resources. This empowers local small business retail staff to become POS software experts quickly, maximising its potential to streamline your retail operations.

It also helps retail staff remind themselves of parts of the POS software easily.

Our training resources offer flexible learning options tailored to individual needs and preferences. Staff can access a library of up-to-date video tutorials covering a wide range of topics, from core functionalities to advanced features. This allows them to learn at their own pace, regardless of prior experience and regardless of their situation.

This easy access to POS software training for retail staff is vital for any retail business, especially so in local independent small retail businesses where staff have to multi-task, where they need to help the business be efficient so the it may compete with bigger and better resourced retailers.

For those seeking a structured approach, we offer a subject-matter focussed curriculum that guides them through the software functionalities step-by-step. Alternatively, staff can dive right into specific topics by choosing individual video tutorials or in-depth articles from our extensive and up to date POS software knowledge base.

All these resources from Tower Systems are freely available and accessible 24/7, making them a valuable addition to your existing training regime. Additionally, they seamlessly integrate with our POS software help desk service, which provides further support for any questions or challenges your staff might encounter.

Helping local retailers thrive is core to what we offer at Tower Systems, through our POS software, and through the training resources provided with our POS software. The training assets are enhanced regularly, to ensure genuine value for our small business retail customers.

With Tower Systems, you can rest assured that your retail team is equipped with the necessary skills to leverage the full potential of our POS software. This translates to increased efficiency, improved customer service, and ultimately, a competitive edge for your business.

To learn more about Tower Systems’ POS software and our comprehensive training resources, visit our website at www.towersystems.com.au.

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Retail business advice: not all website traffic is useful traffic

September 26, 2024
3 Min read
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Oh wow, look at the huge traffic to my website, aren’t we amazing to achieve this!

We see too many small business retailers fall into the trap of chasing website traffic to achieve a big number. They think traffic is what matters. Okay, it may make one feel good. You can’t bank traffic though. All you can bank is business transacted.

The internet is a transparent place. Plenty of us can see the traffic websites get if we pay to access the price professional data access services. This access to data helps us understand traffic value, not only for our website but for others … for clients for whom we build websites, for competitors, for any website we like.

Business owners should analyse their website traffic carefully, to understand what brings visitors to their website. They need to track the traffic through to transactions for the business as it is these transactions that matter.

A website we were looking at recently achieved a significant spike in traffic. 30% of their traffic is now coming from outside Australia. They only sell to Australia. 66% of their Australian traffic is for keywords they have targeted solely for traffic, keywords that have nothing to do with what they sell.

The first keyword relates to their business accounts for 3% of their total Australian online search traffic. The traffic count itself has not changed in a year.

The website traffic growth they have chased and won appears to have no actual commercial value for the business.

Our advice to local small business retailers is to chase valuable traffic over volume every day. Five visitors spending moment with you is far more important that five hundreds visitors and only one spending with you. While the five hundred may give you bragging rights to anyone who cares to listen, those five hundred visitors do not put food on the table.

Understand what brings people to your website and tune the content of your website to achieve what you want for your business. Tune is a good word here since you can tune your website to achieve what you want.l Anyone can.

Online, slow and steady wins the race when it comes to content curation in pursuit of commercially valuable website traffic. You can bank on it.

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Tower Systems builds beautiful websites, Shopify websites, Big Commerce Websites, connected to POS software, for local small business retailers. Here are some we have delivered recently:

We have built hundreds of live websites for many different retailers. This experience, and the experience with our own websites helps us create there advice we provide in blog posts like this.

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Half price POS software for op. shops. charity shops and community enterprises

September 26, 2024
3 Min read
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Op. shops, charity shops and community run shops benefit from software made for their needs and software priced in a way that reflects the good they do in the community.

Tower Systems is grateful to serve these not for profit retail; businesses with a 50% discount off our usual pricing while providing access to the software and full kit of support service.

Op. shops, charity shops and other community run retail businesses have unique needs such as easy to learn for volunteers, the ability to track and sell items that are not barcoded, the opportunity to price by different categories and the ability to serve community members with discounted or free product while still tracking product movement.

Our charity shop softwares op. shop software and community enterprise software manage this for these organisations. Plus, the software can connect to deputy and others for rostering, Xero and others for accounting and many different banks for easy to use and manage EFTPOS.

It also offers the opportunity of different pricing for members of the community group as well as offering fund raising opportunities from within the software.

Here at Tower Systems we are grateful to serve many charity related businesses with our op. shop and related POS software.

Our offer of a half price solution is genuine, it’s part of our giving back commitment.

Here is some of what our charity shop, op. shop and community enterprise software offers:

  1. Easy shopper loyalty.  While the software offers a loyalty points system, we have found the cash-off approach in our loyalty tools works better in local retail. People understand money. A receipt showing an amount they can save on their next purchase gets, usually, at least 20% of people spending more that visit.
  2. Manage inventory your way. You can sell by barcode, products code, department, category within department, price point. You can sell, measure and report at the level point appropriate to your needs.
  3. Easy to learn. We have found that in community enterprises easy to learn / easy to use really does matter. Volunteer turnover makes this essential. We can record training specific to your needs and make these videos available for future volunteers.
  4. Secure. You can lock down parts of the software to secure them for management access only.
  5. Check and balances. This software guides processes. It also provides hidden tracking so you can investigate should the need arise.
  6. Club / group marketing and support. Leverage clubs and community groups with offers and pricing just for them.

Let us know about your needs. We’ll be sure to let you know if we are not a good fit.

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See our Tower Systems POS software for produce and rural supply businesses

September 25, 2024
3 Min read
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The needs of produce and rural supply businesses are not the same needs of many traditional retailers. Traditional POS software is unlikely to suit their needs.

The Tower Systems POS software for rural supply and produce businesses is widely used in these types of businesses. This considerable customer base helps to continue to evolve the software to meet the ever emerging needs of the channel.

We have collaborated closely with many businesses like yours, who have helped us refine and enhance our software. Here is some of what we have developed based on their valuable feedback:

1. Dispatch management tools: Effectively manage multiple trucks and deliveries per truck, ensuring smooth logistics for your business. Integration with Allotrac takes dispatch management to the next level.

2. Loyalty marketing: Engage and retain customers with a loyalty program that helps you build lasting relationships and increase sales.

3. Bulk material tracking: Easily track purchasing raw materials in bulk and the mixing and packaging of your own end products.

4. Local produce use and care information: Enhance customer experience by providing care information.

5. Flexible selling options: Sell products by weight, length, and even fractions, accommodating the diverse needs of your customers.

6. Weatherproof product labels: Ensure your product labels withstand outdoor conditions, providing clear and legible details for customers.

7. Integrated roster options: Seamlessly integrate with Deputy, Tanda, and Planday, simplifying employee scheduling and management.

8. Digital receipts: Offer your customers the convenience of digital receipts through Slyp, reducing paper waste and enhancing the experience.

9. Comprehensive quote and invoice management (refreshed in January 2024): Streamline quote processes and nurture accuracy and efficiency.

Using the Tower Systems POS software, AIRR members need never enter an invoice again. Our POS software accepts AIRR and other major supplier electronic invoices. We offer plenty of other time saving integrations too.

Thanks to support from close to 200 produce / farm supply / stockfeed businesses using our software, we have released a major update with significant enhancements in the quotation area of business.

This is on the back of a huge update months ago in dispatch management.

Our software handles so much: tracking inventory in ways unique to produce / farm supply businesses, managing delivery within the software or integrated with Allotrac, importing supplier invoices, repairs management for those that organise this, sell by fractions, sell by length or weight, track product variants, special customer orders, tracking customers purchase history, reducing employee and customer theft and more.

We help you target market to customers based on past purchases.

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Aussie made and supported POS software for fabric and haberdashery shops enhanced

September 24, 2024
3 Min read
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Fabric shops are more than just retail spaces; they’re havens for those who love to sew. Whether you’re crafting beautiful clothes for family and friends or building a thriving business, a well-equipped fabric shop can provide the tools and inspiration you need.

Our Tower Systems POS software for fabric and haberdashery shops is designed specifically for fabric and sewing shops, offering features that cater to the unique needs of these businesses. From managing fabric sales by length or weight to tracking customer loyalty, our software helps you streamline operations and grow your customer base.

These businesses are local, often small and typically family owned. This describes our customer base – we specialise on local family owned and run businesses. We are grateful to 3,500+ of these businesses for being our customers. Our localness and their localness combine to be of mutual service.

Here are some of the features of our software for sewing, fabric and haberdashery shops:

  • Accurate and Efficient Sales: Sell fabric by length, track inventory, and ensure accurate pricing to avoid errors.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable insights into your business performance, identify trends, and make informed decisions.
  • Customer Loyalty: Encourage repeat business with subtle loyalty programs and personalised offers.
  • Online Sales: Expand your reach by integrating your POS with a Shopify website and selling fabric online. We have excellent examples of delivering this.
  • Pre-Orders and Layby: Offer flexible payment options to accommodate customer preferences.
  • Repair Management: Track and manage repairs to ensure customer satisfaction. Whether you repair in-house or externally.
  • Community Engagement: Foster a sense of community by supporting clubs and collectors.
  • Special Orders: Handle special requests efficiently and capture revenue in advance.
  • Fabric Care Information: Provide customers with essential fabric care details on receipts.
  • Serial number tracking – useful if you sell sewing magazines.

Inventory is a significant investment for fabric shops. Our software helps you manage it effectively by tracking products from the moment they arrive to the time they’re sold. With detailed inventory reports, you can monitor stock levels, identify slow-moving items, and optimise your purchasing decisions.

Here at Tower Systems, we’re committed to providing tailored solutions for fabric and sewing shops. Our software is designed to enhance your business operations, increase efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction.

We’re proud to support local businesses and appreciate the valuable feedback we’ve received from our customers. If you’re looking for a POS system that understands the unique needs of your fabric or sewing shop, we invite you to learn more about Tower Systems.

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New features in major POS software release from Tower Systems

September 23, 2024
2 Min read
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We are grateful to our customers for their support through the beta release of a major software update that is out now. here are some of the many features in this awesome update:

Tagged/Kitchen Dockets

We’ve introduced new dockets that can be printed to designated printers for specific items, perfect for specialized areas like Kitchens, Baristas or bulk landscape supplies. Additionally, you now have the option to require an order number for each sale, which will then be printed on all receipts. To Setup the Tagged docket printing please follow the advice.

POS Picking Slips

This new feature allows you to generate Picking Slips directly from the POS screen for sales. This enhancement simplifies the order fulfillment process, streamlining your operations.  Once a sale is completed, using the previous sales screen simply click the Pick Slip Button.  To enable this feature you will need to update your mapping.

POS Notes per line item

You can now add specific notes to individual line items in the POS screen. Whether it’s a reason for a discount or details of an alteration, these notes will appear in the POS grid and on customer receipts, providing better clarity and documentation. This new functionality works brilliantly with the new tagged dockets/kitchen printing allowing you to record an alteration to a item, like removing beetroot from a burger.  To add notes to items please follow instruction in our knowledge base.

Quote & Invoice Management – Proforma Payments

Proforma Invoices: We’ve enhanced the Proforma Invoices to provide detailed itemisation of customer payments. The report now includes the current outstanding balance at the time of printing, giving you a clearer view of payment status.

Rich Text Web Descriptions

Introducing an easy-to-use visual editor for your web descriptions! Now, you can effortlessly add bold text, underlines, numbering, bullet points, colours, and even insert tables. All your formatting choices will seamlessly translate to your web platform, giving you greater control over how your content is presented online.

Visual Deck

We’re thrilled to introduce a new near real-time sales reporting platform! With Visual Deck, you can monitor your store’s sales data from anywhere, without needing to remote into your store. Customize your dashboard tiles to focus on the key metrics that matter most to your business. Additionally, you can now generate weekly and monthly review reports, ensuring you’re always up-to-date on your business performance.

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Tower Systems supports Australian music instrument retailers and repairers

September 20, 2024
3 Min read
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At Tower Systems, we understand the unique needs of Australian music shops thank to the insights from existing customer sin this space. Their expertise has been a terrific help.

Our music shop POS software is designed to streamline operations and help retailers grow their business. Whether you sell instruments, sheet music, or offer lessons we have the tools to support your success.

Here are some of the features of our music shop POS software:

  • Easy to use and capable stock management: Track instruments, accessories, and sheet music with ease. Manage serial numbers, secondhand goods, and special orders.
  • Customer Relationship Management: Nurture customer loyalty with features like loyalty programs, service reminders, and personalised communications. You can capture details to make targeted marketing easier.
  • Point of Sale (POS) Solutions: Streamline sales processes with our user-friendly POS system, including integrated EFTPOS and Xero integration.
  • Online Sales Integration: Sell your products online through Shopify integration, expanding your reach to a wider customer base.
  • Repair and Service Management: Efficiently manage instrument repairs and servicing, including quotes, tracking,and customer communications.
  • Flexible Deployment Options: Choose between cloud-based or on-premise solutions to suit your business needs.

Here’s why we think we are worth considering:

  • Our software is developed and supported locally, ensuring a deep understanding of your business needs.
  • Our dedicated support team is available to assist you with any questions or issues.
  • We only serve local small businesses. No one big business dominates us.
  • Customise your software to match your specific workflows and preferences.

Now, here are some questions we get asked about us and our music shop POS software:

  • How do I contact your support team? You can reach our Australian-based support team by phone or email. Call us and a human answers.
  • Can I run the software in the cloud or on my desktop? Yes, we offer both cloud-based and on-premise options.
  • Is there a lock-in contract? No, you can cancel your rental at any time with no long-term commitment.
  • Can I offer discounts to specific groups or customers? Yes, our software allows you to create custom discounts and promotions.
  • Can I track sales for fundraising purposes? Absolutely, you can track sales to specific groups or organisations to support fundraising initiatives.

Join the many Australian music shops that trust Tower Systems. Contact us today to learn more about how our software can help you streamline your operations and grow your business. We’re on 1300 662 957 or sales@towersystems.com.au.

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