The POS Software Blog

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

ArchiveMarch 2015

New software for small business retailers from Tower Systems

March 13, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has quietly launched a new cloud based service to help small business retailers in the area of employer / roster management.

This elegant new software helps retailers to more effectively manage rosters in single and multiple location businesses – from anywhere. It guides rostering based on a budget and provides a visual representation of the roster to enable easy views and manipulation to the ideal scenario for the business.

This new software is part of a series of launches from Tower Systems in 2015.

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Newsagents hurt by IT compliance failure

March 12, 2015

2 Min read

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Two weeks ago Tower Systems became aware of a problem for newsagents using software from another newsagency software company (not Tower) as a result of its handling of price correction advice from a specific magazine distributor.

Our understanding is that it is only users of this other software package (not Tower) affected. The result is newsagents using this other software fail part of the industry data standard compliance criteria which is assessed continuously.

With users of only one software company affected, it appears that software company needs to modify its software to behave as all other newsagency software products do.

On hearing of the problem we went back to the IT standard. We think we can see how our competitor may have not fully embraced the standard and if so this could explain the situation they find themselves in today.

Newsagents are asking questions about responsibility for the problem and how they can claw back failures which they say are no fault of their own. The compliance rules are such that gifting them compliance when they did not comply could create challenges for the suppliers involved.

All this matters for newsagents as compliance is a key factor in lucrative newsagency of the year awards. The compliance failure denies affected stores points and points are the currency of consideration for the awards.

Our approach to industry standards is to encourage suppliers and software companies to all meet at the same time in the same place to discuss and agree on a common goal. Unfortunately others don’t agree with this, they prefer to meet alone with supplier representatives. Their disagreement leads to situations whereby different software companies can have different take aways from these private discussions. This is not good for industry standards.

Update: since we published this post earlier today, another software company has written and published material which appears to be related to this topic, information which is, in our opinion, misleading.

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Exclusive Pet shop software showcase opportunities

March 12, 2015

1 Min read

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The Tower Systems pet shop software has benefited from being the only pet shop software on show at an exclusive pet retailer event.

This is the first of several such exclusive events for 2015 – where Tower Systems has been invited to be the only pet shop software supplier to participate and speak with delegates about how technology can help independent and local pet shops compete and grow.

Tower Systems is grateful to the support of pet retailers who endorse us and through this who help us serve more businesses with terrific software and backup services.

Using our pet shop software, pet retailers can expect to transact business more efficiently and accurately, reduce wastage of inventory and bring shoppers back more often – among other benefits.

Developed with pet retailers large and small and connected with plenty of suppliers, the Tower pet shop software delivers competitively advantageous benefits.

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POS software installation video helps small business retailers

March 11, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has released a professionally produced video of a recent ten-store installation of our POS software.

The goal of the video was to demonstrate the professional approach by the company and its people to installations. The video shows a calm, structured and professional approach to training that small business retailers can trust.

This latest video is another helpful resource from the team at Tower Systems. we are grateful to all who participated including our customers and their employees.

Tower Systems is sharing the video with sales prospects and others as part of a different approach to guiding people to make the right choice for their business when selecting a POS software company with which to partner.

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Help for small business retailers doing it tough

March 10, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has published a special report for small business retailers on tactics and strategies they can use to help navigate tough times. This report draws on years of experience working with small business retailers across a range of retail channels. The advice is ready to use, often without the need for POS software technology.

While developed as part of the Tower Advantage^TM suite of services, Tower Systems has made the advice widely available to all retailers.

We appreciate the feedback from retailers which has guided further development of this small business assistance advice.

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Public holiday POS software support

March 9, 2015

1 Min read

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With today a public holiday in VIC, TAS, SA and ACT, POS software company Tower Systems has support coverage for its customers operating through our usual lines. Our usual help desk service is backed up, as always, with our 24/7 all hours service. Plus our senior management escalation contact points are up and running.

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Sunday retail management advice: being optimistic about small business retail

March 8, 2015

2 Min read

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In almost all data we get from small business retailers we can find reasons to be optimistic. It could be shopper traffic, basket depth, unit sales for a product category, comparative supplier performance or any number of other data points, researching business performance data provides us with insights which can encourage optimism.

Optimism matters in small business retail. However, it is not something to fake. We look for truth in the data and more times than not we can find reasons for hope and excitement for a business.

In one case recently we were asked to help a business doing it tough. In their data we found information about a segment of the business around which they were able to build a series of positive steps for further improving the business.

One step is all it takes to move a business forward and often in your POS software managed data you can discover what that next step could be.

Our job as a POS software company is to help uncover these opportunities, to show you small steps you could take to build optimism and for your business.

We often find optimism where business owners are not looking and even the faintest glint can be like wind in your sails.

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POS software cloud backup service offers retailers better quality of life

March 7, 2015

1 Min read

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While retailers using the Tower Systems POS software have had access to cloud data backup services for years, it is the company’s recently released subscription service that retailers are embracing. It’s fast, easy to setup and seamless in approach.

Prior to the release of this new service last year we tested it in our own shops for months to establish the most appropriate settings. the result is a service retailers love.

Created as a self-serve option for our customers, this backup service is one of a range of backup options. Tower Systems customers can setup their own cloud backup service, then can even backup to drives and USB sticks. The options are broad and easily selected.

Using the new service is one customers love because it comes with double security. Plus it offers owners peace of mind as employees cannot change or tamper with the backup. It delivers security over data in a way that matters to small business.

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Specialised POS software helps adult shops trade within the law

March 7, 2015

1 Min read

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Adult shops have specialist business management needs. The Tower Systems adult shop software offers marketplace specific facilities for meeting these specialist needs.

From age checking to product care notes to special orders to return/credit tracking – the Tower Systems adult shop software offers the specialist facilities needed to properly serve the needs of these specialist businesses.

With plenty of adult shops using the software, Tower can provide reference sites, sites which have helped us fitness the software to its position in the marketplace today.

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Professional POS software hosting offers peace of mind for retailers

March 6, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has partnered with a respected off site server fame facility to offer retailers a secure and safe server access service. Eliminating the need for locally hosted services requiring local expertise and attention, this service leverages expert attention from a business which offers such facilities to major companies.

With best-practice up-time, speed, built in redundancy and other benefits, this approach to hosting is perfect for retailers who want to focus on retail and not be bothered by technology maintenance and support. It is ideally suited to businesses with multiple outlets and is available in a diverse mix of locations.

The service partnered through Tower Systems is up and running and serving businesses with time savings and other benefits. The company launched the service quite some time ago.

This is another Tower Advantage^TM.

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POS software loves the Microsoft Surface

March 6, 2015

1 Min read

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Our POS software loves the Microsoft Surface and retailers love our POS software on the Microsoft Surface. We have had the pair on show at five trade shows over the last two weeks covering gift shops, jewellers, toy retailers, pet shops and newsagents.

Retailers are choosing the Microsoft Surface for use on the shop floor, in a warehouse, at trade shows and from home. It’s portable, slim yet fully functional. It is an ideal solution for many business situations.

Having it at the various trade shows has enabled us to show off what we can do with the software beyond the traditional counter top register and how we can help retailers in a variety of mobile situations.

Flexibility is key to good POS software and Tower Systems has been demonstrating this at many events in recent weeks.

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How long should you wait for your POS software company to call back

March 5, 2015

1 Min read

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At the Toy Fair in Melbourne yesterday, where we are demonstrating our Toy Shop software, we heard from a user of other POS software that they usually wait two days for a help desk call to be returned. That is unacceptable customer service in our view.

The majority of calls to our POS software help desk are taken when a customer calls us. Our customers can set their own call priority and thereby their own call back parameters.

No calls are left unanswered for two days, not even one day. We understand retailers call when they need help and our goal is to deliver professional help in a timely manner.

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Gift tags help gift and jewellery retailers professionally represent product

March 5, 2015

1 Min read

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Thanks to flexible and smart gift tag facilities, the Tower Systems gift shop software helps retailers to present product tags of quality and professionalism which demonstrate a product care shoppers love. Developed in consultation with many retailers, these tags are loved.

The highly customisable tags offered through the Tower Systems software offer retailers more control and flexibility in how they represent what they sell.

A cheap price label or price tag can turn a shopper off a product whereas a professional and personal tag can make a product far more appealing.

This is another Tower Advantage^TM from Tower Systems.

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Free POS software training helps retailers improve productivity

March 4, 2015

1 Min read

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The weekly free POS software training opportunities offered by Tower Systems continue to attract retaill business owners and their employees who want to get more from their software investment.

Our outcome-focussed training is proving to be a hit with retailers as it offers practical advice without tech-jargon.

This session on productivity helps retailers where it matters: at the counter.

Tower Systems is grateful to wonderful customer support in participating in these sessions.

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Smart POS software helps retailers connect to web stores

March 4, 2015

1 Min read

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Retail is everywhere and smart retail management software helps retailers to embrace trading everywhere.

The Tower Systems POS software has a flexible webstore interface which allows for a common inventory file between online and high street presences of a retail business, linking two types of retail operations into a single and more easily managed single data view. This is important in helping retailers operating online and offline to efficiently manage their businesses and the inventory they hold.

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POS software on show at 2015 Melbourne Toy Fair

March 3, 2015

1 Min read

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The Tower Systems stand at the 2015 Melbourne toy Fair has been a hit this first day of the fair. Our Toy Shop Software is proving to be popular with toy shops and our POS software more generally is appealing to other retailers. As the only specialist software company integrated with Australian retailers and suppliers at the fair we are having a terrific time.

Toy retailers are loving what we have done already to serve channel specific needs.

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POS software helps retailers avoid out of stocks

March 3, 2015

1 Min read

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The Tower Systems POS software helps retailers in a range of specialist retail channels to avoid product sell outs with reordering assistance through reports and other active functions in the software.

The smart retail management software also issues warnings on the POS transaction screen when selling an item for which stock on hand has reached a trigger point of concern as setup by the business.

Providing multiple touch points advising of an impending or existing out of stock can help retailers to manage inventory for greater profit. This has to be a goal for using POS software in any retail business.

Here at Tower Systems we back the facility with practical advice on how to use these facilities.

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Tower Systems to retailers: we’re here to help

March 2, 2015

1 Min read

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In releasing the new corporate image – new logo, new website, new collateral – we have embraced a new tag line which describes our mission for small and independent retailers.

We’re here to help.

This is our mission – through our software and support services, we are here to help our customers enjoy their businesses more, make more money and make their businesses more valuable.

Our software and associated services are a mechanism through which retailers can experience genuine help. We are grateful to be able to do this.

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Jeweller software shines at JAA Gold Coast conference

March 1, 2015

1 Min read

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Our new jeweller software has been well received at the JAA trade show and conference on the Gold Coast.

With one more day to go we are looking forward to meeting with more colleagues and making new friends. Our stand is in an ideal location and from here we have been able to connect with existing customers as well as new prospects.

We are grateful to the JAA for this opportunity.

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Sunday retail management advice: embrace being small in retail

March 1, 2015

1 Min read

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We’re a small software company compared to the size of software companies around the world. Sure, we serve close to 3,000 small business retailers, but we are small. We like it that way. Small is good. Small of focussed. Small is human and not a number. Small is enjoyably.

Too often we see businesses owners chasing growth, chasing big businesses. We don’t want to be impersonal or disconnected. As a small business we are closer to our customers and more aligned with their needs.

We think a small specialist software company like ours is more likely to be able to fully and usefully serve the needs of small business retailers.

Sure, we are growing. However, there is a difference between growing and being so big you can’t pick up the phone and speak with the owner about anything at any time – like you can here at Tower Systems.

Our retail management tip today: embrace small, it’s a good place.

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