More and more retailers and discovering the value of Shopify connects POS software thanks to the work by Tower Systems in this area.

With plenty of Shopify sites already under its belt, the web team at Tower systems has proven skills in delivering commercially valuable Shopify sites. The bonus is the seamless POS software connection that enables easy delivery of data in both directions, helloing retailers achieve beneficial gains.

All Tower Systems Shopify e-commerce development is done out of the company’s Melbourne office. This is uncommon as many Aussie web companies offshore their work.

By being developed in Melbourne Australia, our small business retail customers have easy, same time zone access to skilled developers who genuinely understand local retail commerce needs. The Tower Systems web development team, our Shopify experts, are readily available for direct customer contact. There is no barrier to this. We think this is important as there is no filtering of customer needs to serve language or socio-economic differences.

Tower Systems has deployed POS software connected Shopify e-commerce sites for many different small business retailers including those in high volume consumer sales through to those keen to serve a local and discrete geographic area. Our specialists can provide live examples as inspiration as well as drawing on overseas experience, where foreign currency handling and shipping are two factors of interest to retailers.

Our process for considering the development of a Shopify connected POS software solution is comprehensive, structured, transparent and fixed price. We think these focus pints tick the boxes for our customers. In fact, they tell us they do. We deliver each time and fine tune based on real world experience.

Being a partner of Shopify of many years standing places us well in terms of knowledge and experience. It also provides our customers with an easy to use and trusted platform for their e-commerce business. We have runs on the board, and we are proud of this.

Small business retailers can rely on their Shopify connected POS software solution to help them find new shoppers for online as well as for in-store purchases. Tower systems is committees to facilitating these outcomes.

What is unique about your retail business? What sets you apart from your competitors? What makes you a specialty retailer rather than another shop with products similar to what you sell?

Tower Systems only develops, sells and supports software for specialty retailers in specific retail channels: garden centres, jewellers, bike shops, pet shops, fishing and outdoors shops, firearms businesses, produce and farm supply businesses, games shops, newsagents and adult shops. This is what is unique about us, and we are proud of it.

Now more than ever, specialisation matters.

Standing out from the crowd is what bets people through your door and back for repeat business. Embedded in our specialty retail POS software are opportunities that you can leverage to help you stand out, through which you can be your authentic self. Our POS software can help separate you from the crowd.

Does the software specialise?

Beyond safe, secure, fast and accurate selling, we help you trade efficiently with suppliers, be flexible with shoppers and, best of all, spot trends and opportunities for a brighter future. Our software does this in the context of your specific type of business. Whereas general POS software is general in function, our software is specialist, helping you be specialist at every touchpoint.

And beyond the software?

POS software should help you beyond the traditional, it should make your life easier and your decisions more confident. It should shine a light on opportunities. Through unlimited training, human support, real life retail knowledge and a commitment to your success, Tower Systems helps. We love helping indie retailers evolve their businesses.

What if I want to know more?

We could tell you to go to our website, to research us for yourself. What we prefer, however, is to talk with you. We want to know about your business, what you do, how you do it, what is unique, what matters to you. We always have many questions … because, our software is not always a good fit. We have retail experts who talk with you, listen and can, if you want, show you our software.

1. SA / WA / VIC. Tim Batt. 0401 833 917.
2. QLD / NT. Justin Randall. 0434 365 789.
3. NSW / ACT / TAS. Nathan Morrison. 0417 568 148.

And my business website?

Online is a vital part of retail today, especially indie retail. This is where you can find new customers, some of whom will never set foot in your shop. Through our Shopify / Magento / WooCommerce POS software integrations, our web development team can provide you with a beautifully integrated solution for your shop and for online.

About us.

We are an Australian owned POS software company serving ex excess of 3,000 small business retailers. We are well established and debt free. Investing in our current and future products is important to us as is listening to our customers to develop software to their needs. Our CEO is Mark Fletcher. His direct mobile is 0418 321 338. We share this as a demonstration of transparency and accessibility.

This is a million dollar question…

How do you get the most from your POS software?

Many POS software companies leave this up to you. They may offer training and support, but outcomes you achieve are left for you to gain for yourself.

Here at Tower Systems we offer to be as engaged as you would like. If you want guidance, support, encouragement, training, hand-holding to achieve the best from the Tower Systems POS software then all of those things, and more, are available to you.

We want 0ur customers to run successful retail businesses. We want them to enjoy using our software. We want their investment with us to deliver for them valuable rewards. We want them to enjoy their retail businesses.

As retailers ourselves and using our POS software in our retail businesses we know what can be achieved, we know first-hand the rewards available. So, when help retailers it is as a retailer first. This changes the conversation. Were think it helps our retail customers get more from the opportunity. It sets us apart from other POS software companies. We like it.

That every one of our POS software customers has access to unlimited training is an excellent and appreciated differentiator. That this training is personal, on–on-one is appreciated, is live is a bonus and is based on the data in the customer’s business is real gold. This is just one way we help our customers get more from their POS software, just one way we unlock potential that may not be unlocked if we left them to themselves without encouragement and nurturing.

Tower Systems is an actively engaged POS software company, delivering personal service, tuned encouragement and small business targeted education … to show what can be achieved, to help our customers reach their potential through good use of the software, to be more valuable beyond what they hoped for.

We take this seriously, delivering outcomes for our customers that are commercial as well as personal. We take it seriously because what our customers want for their businesses we want for them too. Our energy and focus are absolute and consistent.

This is another example of the Tower Advantage.

With the reports last week at Smart Company about Neto POS software, Tower Systems reminds small business indie retailers that it is a well-established, debt-free POS software company offering solutions in specific retail channels.

Software user frustration with Neto was expressed following a reported significant price increase for users of the software, imposed on them by Neto. In the same article, there is also information about the financial status of the company:

In an email sent to Neto clients on February 28, seen by SmartCompany, Neto chief executive Ryan Murtagh said the business needed the extra money.

“We have to balance our current costs while investing in our future,” he said.

Murtagh separately told Kofoed over social media that Neto, which is majority-owned by Telstra, could “no longer endure significant losses” associated with its legacy pricing model.

Three separate clients said they weren’t consulted about the change prior to the February 28 email informing them of the restructuring.

However, the company has been considering the move for several months.

Select clients were informed and asked for feedback on the prospective changes earlier this year, while clients informed last week have just a month to prepare for the hike if they are billed monthly.

Asked whether Telstra pressured Neto into changing its pricing structure, Murtagh said the telecommunications giant holds various board positions as the majority owner of the business and is “party to all decisions the company makes”.

Here at Tower Systems, our view on POS software companies that rely predominantly on a low-price subscription model is that the cashflow from such models will not be sufficient to fund the necessary and expensive software development and support infrastructure that retailers require in the proper and successful use of POS software.

The Tower Systems model is a mixture, where customers can choose what works best for them: purchase, lease or rent, or a mixture of all three if they wish.

Tower Systems invests heavily in its future. This is evident already in 2019 with a major software update already released, delivering access to new facilities along with the announcement of the imminent release of Retailer Roam, a new product for pop-up, outpost, mobile and queues-busting retail. Retailer Roam is already in preview and feedback has been terrific.

The result of long-term investment, Retailer Roam will be a valuable opportunity step for indie retailers who want to themselves evolve what retail means in their businesses.

In our work with a range of retail businesses across multiple channels, too often we see retailers get fixated on a competitor, often a big business competitor, not realising that they are their own most important competitor.

In our experience, the most important competitor a business has is themselves.

Comparing how you are currently trading against the same time a year ago is the best measure of the impact you are having on your business.

Comparing revenue, transaction count, average sale value, average items per sale – these are all good overall business measurements to compare.

Comparing unit sales by department and by category within department are good measures.

Comparing unit sales and revenue by suppliers within each department are also good measures.

The Monthly Sales Comparison Report in the smart Tower Systems small business POS software offers all of these comparisons in the one report. This is the best everyday business analysis report we think. Indeed, it is the primary report we go to for the retail businesses we own ourselves.

However, let’s first up dispel some myths:

1. The report does not have to be monthly. It c an be for any period.
2. The report can focus on revenue, GP or unit sales.
3. The report can focus on product categories or supported or both.
4. The report can cover any periods you want.
5. This report is rated the most valuable by almost everyone who uses it and speaks with us.
6. We rely on this repot in the retail businesses we have owned for decades.

We urge you to use this report to compete with yourself. Look at the last three months of this year compared to the same period last year. See how you are tacking. Look at the parts of the business where you have concentrated most and see if you are having a positive impact.

We urge you to not be fixated on competitors outside your shop. Rather, look inside, see how you are doing now compared to a year ago or how you are doing this quarter compared to last. The Monthly Sales Comparison Report measures data points anyone in the business can understand. It shows you where work is needed and it shows you where there is good news on which to build.

We can help you with this report.

The Tower Systems POS software link to Xero cloud based accounting software proves time and again to help small business retailers in myriad ways. From saving time to improving business planning to cutting expensive mistakes, the seamless integration delivers to small business retailers a whole of business benefit.

Tower Systems was an early partner of Xero, delivering access years ago, to its specialty retail customers using its POS software.

Without human intervention, sales data, incoming invoices and more is available from within Xero thanks to the integration between Xero and then Tower POS software. This lack of human intervention is key in that it delivers data to the accounting software without rekeying. When you consider that every keystroke is a potential mistake, eliminating these makes a huge difference.

In not going through a third party product, Tower is able to deliver seamless, better supported and more business suited solutions to its customers. The result is easy access to good and accurate data, the basis for better business decisions.

This is important in retail where there is pressure to be more competitive, leaner and more nimble. The POS software Xero integration facilitates these benefits and more for any retailer using the Tower Systems software.

Linking directly to Xero, as we do through our POS software, enhances the time-saving gained through the software as well as facilitating the accuracy of data managed by the software.

Our Xero link provides for a data feed of sales as well as purchases. This facilitates better management over creditors, which is crucial in and retail business.

With a CPA working full time in our business we are configured to provide a technical solution that has been overseen by our own Accountant, to ensure it is a viable solution for the small business retailers we serve.

INTEGRATIONS

Our Xero integration is one of many approved integrations provided by the software to serve the needs of retailers. Other integrations include:

1. Tyro broadband EFTPOS.
2. Links to all major banks through PC-EFTPOS.
3. Magento e-commerce. Magento is an excellent platform for website sales for small to medium businesses.
4. Shopify e-commerce. Shopify is an excellent entry-level solution for small to medium businesses.
5. FlyBys in New Zealand.
6. Transactor loyalty in New Zealand.
7. Scale integration for selling by weight.
8. Touch networks for vending event tickets, phone recharge, fishing licences and more.