The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

CategoryBike Shop

Bike shop POS software enhancements a game changer for indie bike retailers

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The bike specialist team at Tower Systems is well aware that the market they operate in is changing rapidly. The new Bike shop POS software from Tower systems was designed to meet their needs for functionality, ease-of use and design so it can be used by retailers across all levels of operation – not just those with large engineering teams at hand!

In addition each update after launch has come about thanks not only because owners wanted features added but also advice on how best present these updates within an increasingly competitive economic climate where consumer spending remains high but in which competition from online and gig type use is driving change.

The Australian-made bike shop software has been designed to streamline operations and make life easier for retailers. The robust features offered by the program ensure that managers can keep track of their part spending, labor hours spent on jobs like servicing or repairing bikes (without using external systems), as well as important information such serial number tracking tools which helps with insurance claims when needed!

Bike shops can now use their intellectual property to create a competitive advantage and develop new customer relationships, thanks to the Tower Systems bike shop software.

Tower Systems has created an innovative software system that gives them insight into how valuable each of their customers is, as well as facilities for leveraging this information through different channels like online platforms or email marketing lists so they are always in touch with potential buyers who may have been overlooked before now!

The Tower Systems Bike shop software costs $185.00 a month, for access on as many computers as a business runs in a location. The $185.00 capped pricing approach makes accessing the software cost effective for bike retailers.

There is no credit check and no long-term contract to sign.

Already in use in 350+ bike shops in Australia and New Zealand, the latest update is set to expand this.

Using this software, bike shop staff can also manage online sales, colour / size / style, insurance claims, warranty tracking, marketing, linking to Xero, links to suppliers and selling online and through Bike Exchange.

This software provides genuinely different loyalty tools that are tuned to the needs of bike shops and shopper engagement patterns in bike shops.

Bike retailers can share knowledge through the software, too, better connecting their business with local riders, demonstrating the value of shopping local.

Linked to Shopify and Magento, selling online is easy, too.

Ideal bike shop POS software for Trek and other bike retailers

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We were recently asked for information about our bike shop POS software and its suitability for Trek bike retailers. Here is our response:

Tower Systems serves in excess of 3,500 small business retailers across 9 specialty retail channels. We serve 300+ bike shops with software made for them. Our most recent bike shop software update was two months ago.

We are an Australian company providing Australian developed POS software, which is backed up with Australian based support.

Below, we answer your specific questions.

  • Pricing. Our software is available for rental. It’s $185.00 a month, as noted on our website. There is no locked-in contract.
  • Additional computers. The one $185.00 per month rental cost provides access from as many terminals as a business has in a location.
  • Setup and training. We charge $2,750.00 (inc. GST) for installation, training, setup and data conversion. This includes an allocation of 2 days dedicated to the site.
  • Lead time. This varies through the year. We are able to help with urgent installations. Usually, we are booking 3 to 4 weeks out.
  • Integrations. We have done more than 100 integrations across multiple specialty retail channels. The scope of integrations depend on the tech available at the supplier end. For bikes, we have the fully functional Specialized integration as one example and years of work with Sheppard Industries in NZ prior to that.
  • Payment processing. Yes, we directly integrate with Tyro and have 1,000 of our customers using this. We were the first Aussie POS software company to integrate with PayPal. We also integrate with Humm and Zip Pay. Plus, we integrate with PC Eftpos (linkly) among others.
  • Customer orders. We offer comprehensive tracking. To fully understand what we do, though, it is best to demonstrate this.
  • Text / email to customers. We offer this at various touchpoint in our software including for special orders as well as repairs and workshop jobs.
  • Foot traffic. We did work in the foot traffic space but have found retailers disinterest in this as other more important metrics are relevant today.

Our bike shop POS software is accessible on the road, through our Retailer RoamTM App. We also offer business performance insights through a cloud based data representation app.

We are grateful to bike retailers for their support of our bike shop software. This is an important and appreciated marketplace for us.

Bike shop software helps independent bike retailers grow their businesses

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The Tower Systems Bike shop POS software continues to evolve to meet chan ing needs of indie bike retailers. It is nimble, powerful and evolving to serve the future of bike retail in-store and online.

Here are some of the benefits of the Tower Systems Bike shop POS software:

  1. Save time with electronic invoices from bike suppliers.
  2. Easily and directly and safely sell online with a direct to Shopify / Magento or WooCommerce link from your POS software – including image flow.
  3. Like from the POS software to Bike Chaser and Bike Exchange.
  4. Offer personal customer service by tracking service and other dates by bike. Service like an auto text message when a bike is ready to be collected.
  5. Use tags to get a fresh perspective, side-view, on stock performance.
  6. Leverage you. If you believe your knowledge is a differentiator, offer it through structured opportunities in the software. This helps you stand out from other places people could shop with.
  7. Genuinely differentiating loyalty. Stand out from the crowd. Have customers coming back to you for this.
  8. Sell more with a direct connect and integrated with the POS buy now pay later services.
  9. Drive a deeper basket from one-time-only visiting shoppers.
  10. Offer differentiating personal bike care by tracking serial numbers and by service recommendations based on history of the bike.
  11. Easily handle special customer orders. Bring product in for a specific customer and have them notified by email or text when the goods are in.
  12. Trade and club pricing profiles. Set pricing rules based on customer type.
  13. Make money from pre-orders – Easily pre-sell a delivery so that when the stock arrives you can manage distribution and billing efficiently.
  14. Differentiate with informative receipts. These can include product care, use and safety information based on what customers buy. This can be specific to cycling situations in the local area.
  15. Differentiate with bundles. Selling items bundled together makes price comparison hard.
  16. Track who sold what.
  17. Say goodbye to LayBy (if you want) – with buy now pay later options.
  18. Market to customers based on past purchases.
  19. Cut mistakes with integrated EFTPOS.
  20. Cut accounting and bookkeeping fees with integration to Xero and others.

These are just some of the many benefits of the Bike shop POS software from Tower Systems.

POS software for bike shops that helps them compete locally and online

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Helping indie bike shops compete and make a local difference.

Tower Systems serves hundreds of bike retailers with its bike shop software. We have bike retailers in Australia and New Zealand.

Our software services shop needs, workshop needs, online sales and much more. Plus, it is accessible from anywhere, any time, through the cloud. Our bike shop customers can in a couple of m minutes be life in a pop-up retail situation, at an event or elsewhere, selling, servicing, using our bike shop software to reach shoppers when away from their shop.

This is flexible, easy to use and made for purpose software, designed to serve bike retailers, to help them compete and serve the customers on which they sincerely rely. Check out these customer stories…

Jake loves the reminder he gets for a service of his pride and joy bike. He loves that it’s personal from his local bike shop and that it comes with free advice.

We love that Jake comes in for the service and usually buys a couple of items while in the shop.

Angie was rapt with the local hard to find bike track advice included on the receipt we gave her. She was riding through town and unexpectedly needed some kit. She emailed us a couple of days later with appreciation for the advice on our receipt.

First time customer Geoff came in to buy a bike for his grandchild. He left buying three extra things thanks to the Thank Youcash off gift we included on his receipt. He assured us he will be back for more because of this.

Jules loves the text message we send when her special order is in. It saves her calling and shows her we are tracking things just for her.

Thanks to our work with Bike Chaser and Bike Exchange we offer access to new selling platforms as well as through our own awesome website.

How awesome is this, easily connect ti Bike Chase or Bile Exchange. You can connect to Specialized too. Plus, you can easily connect to websites through Magento, Shopify or Woo Commerce … easy, secure, time saving, face and mistake reducing.

Sell to more people with Afterpay, Zip Pay, zip Money or Humm (formerly Oxipay and from the Flexi group).

Plus, we can help you cut EFTPOS fees.

Our smart and engaging loyalty offer helps you leverage one-off and infrequent shoppers, to maximise their shopping visit. We have retailers reporting 10% and more revenue boosts from this loyalty tool big retailers cannot copy.

Our Bike Shop Software also offers:

  1. Catalogue management – making catalogue sales easy.
  2. Easy loading of electronic invoices from your suppliers.
  3. Linking to a website for online sales.
  4. Easily handling BOGO (buy 1 get 1 free) or other up-sell offers.
  5. Linking to Xero to cut bookkeeping and external accounting costs.
  6. Rewarding loyal shoppers with points, cash off next purchase or a mixture.
  7. Easy to use LayBy.

Bike retailers connect bike shop software to bike exchange and bike

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The Tower Systems specialty bike shop software helps bike retailers sell online through direct connected Shopify and Magento websites as well as bike trading exchanges such as Bike Chaser and Bike Exchange. We have customers live and trading, helping these small business retailer to find new shoppers.

Using our specialty bike shop software, Tower Systems customers can do much more than connect to Bike Chaser and Bike Exchange. Our full service POS software helps bike retailers transact sales, manage loyalty, manage repairs, track warranties and much more. In terms of business management, the software provides valuable insights, cuts paperwork, feeds into Xero, easily managed eftpos and, most important, offers access to buy now pay later payments options such as Afterpay, ZipPay and Oxipay.

The Tower Systems bike shop software is robust, regularly enhanced and customer facing. It helps bike shops provide personal and local service, efficiently, accurately and with a view to a long term relationship.

In addition to traditional inventory data points such as item name, description, barcode, supplier stock code, images etc, you can record service and other information that reflects your own intellectual property – that is shared with shoppers when they purchase.

For each item in inventory you are able to record a serial number. Serial number tracking provides a level of control essential for those items with unique serial numbers – for your records, for the customer documents and for supplier reference should this ever be needed.

A comprehensive Lay-by facility is integrated with the inventory management tools, ensuring complete management of inventory assets even those held in Lay-by. You can set your own Lay-by terms and have these printed on customer Lay-by documents.

With only a few genuinely specialty retail solutions around for bike retailers, Tower Systems is proud to serve hundreds already in this marketplace, helping them to transact efficiently and with a vie to business growth.

We are committed to serving the needs of bike retailers, to helping them achieve their goals and helping them to help their customers love cycling in whatever form it takes for them. The Tower software is a solid part of the local cycling community.

Our bike shop software helps local indie bike shops compete with online and mass retailers

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Jake loves the reminder he gets for a service of his pride and joy bike. He loves that it’s personal from his local bike shop and that it comes with free advice.

We love that Jake comes in for the service and usually buys a couple of items while in the shop.

Angie was rapt with the local hard to find bike track advice included on the receipt we gave her. She was riding through town and unexpectedly needed some kit. She emailed us a couple of days later with appreciation for the advice on our receipt.

First time customer Geoff came in to buy a bike for his grandchild. He left buying three extra things thanks to the Thank Youcash off gift we included on his receipt. He assured us he will be back for more because of this.

Jules loves the text message we send when her special order is in. It saves her calling and shows her we are tracking things just for her.

Every day, local indie bike shops in Australia serve customers like Jake, Angie, Geoff and Jules with personal local service.Specialist indie bike businesses need specialist software to serve these and other types of specialist needs.

Specialisation is what sets you apart.  It is what sets us apart too.

From managing seasonal sales to respecting product care instructions to offering easy sell packs with multiple items, our specialty bike shop software can help you serve in valuable and appreciated ways.

Thanks to our work with Bike Chaser and Bike Exchange we offer access to new selling platforms as well as through our own awesome website.

We help maximise sales with smart shopper engagement. Leverage customer data to reach out with personal reminders, bring customers back again and again.

Imagine easily reaching out to those who purchased a specific brand or type of bike and inviting them to come see or purchase a product they are sure to like.

Our front-end loyalty offer helps you leverage one-off and infrequent shoppers, to maximise their shopping visit. We have retailers reporting 10% and more revenue boosts from this loyalty tool big retailers cannot copy.

Another way to use the software is with Oxipay / ZipPay / AfterPay, a buy now pay later service that settles immediately to you. Integrated. Safe.

Our Bike Shop Software also offers:

  1. Catalogue management – making catalogue sales easy.
  2. Easy loading of electronic invoices from your suppliers.
  3. Linking to a website for online sales.
  4. Easily handling BOGO (buy 1 get 1 free) or other up-sell offers.
  5. Linking to Xero to cut bookkeeping and external accounting costs.
  6. Rewarding loyal shoppers with points, cash off next purchase or a mixture.
  7. Easy to use LayBy.

See the software live. For a free demo: please call our sales team on 1300 662 957 or email them at sales@towersystems.com.au. Check us out online: www.towersystems.com.au

This software is affordable. You can purchasethe software outright, leaseit or rentit. You can use it in your business loaded on local computersor in the cloud.

Supported by humans, in Australia. Our help desk is in Hawthorn, Victoria. No robots here. You can call, email, post a Facebook message Tweet or text us.

Training is personal. We come to your business and train you. The training is tailored to your needs. Plus, you have access to extra free one on one training.

Bike shop POS software helps bike retailers compete

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Tower Systems serves hundreds of specialty bike retailers with awesome bike shop specific POS software.

With each update, our bike shop POS software gets better and better as each update contains enhancements suggested by our customers. We are grateful to them for their support, encouragement and business. Indeed, it is our customers who make our bike shop software better, year on year.

Specialist indie bike businesses need specialist software to serve these and other types of specialist needs.

Specialisation is what sets youapart.  It is what sets usapart too.

From managing seasonal sales to respecting product care instructions to offering easy sell packs with multiple items, our specialty bike shop software can help you serve in valuable and appreciated ways.

We can help maximise sales with smart shopper engagement. This is where you easily leverage customer data to reach out with personal reminders, which can bring customers who shopped with you once back again and again.

Imagine easily reaching out to those who purchased a specific brand or type of bike and inviting them to come see or purchase a product they are sure to like.

Our front-end loyaltyoffer helps you leverage one-off and infrequent shoppers, to maximise their shopping visit. We have retailers reporting 10% and more revenue boosts from this loyalty tool big retailers cannot copy.

These are some examples of how Tower Systems leverages its bike shop specific software for you – with training and assistance specific to your type of business, to ensure that you maximise the benefits for your business.

Another way to use the software is with Oxipay, a buy now pay later service that settles immediately to you. It is integrated as a method of payment.

Our Bike Shop Software also offers:

  1. Catalogue management – making catalogue sales easy.
  2. Easy link to online sales platforms for bikes.
  3. Easy loading of electronic invoices from your suppliers.
  4. Linking to a website for online sales.
  5. Easily handling BOGO (buy 1 get 1 free) or other up-sell offers.
  6. Linking to Xero to cut bookkeeping and external accounting costs.
  7. Rewarding loyal shoppers with points, cash off next purchase or a mixture.
  8. Easy to use LayBy.

See the software live.For a free demo: Email: sales@towersystems.com.au. Check us out online: www.towersystems.com.au

This software is affordable. You can purchase the software outright, lease it or rent it. You can use it in your business loaded on local computersor in the cloud.

Supported by humans, in Australia. Our help desk is in Hawthorn, Victoria. No robots here. You can call, email, post a Facebook message Tweet or text us.

Training is personal.We come to your business and train you. The training is tailored to your needs. Plus, you have access to extra free one on one training.

Helping indie bike shops compete and make a local difference with best bike shop software for bike retailers in Australia and New Zealand

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Jake loves the reminder he gets for a service of his pride and joy bike. He loves that it’s personal and comes with free advice. We love that Jake comes in for the service and usually buys a couple of items while in the shop.

Rach was rapt with the local hard to find bike track advice included on the receipt we gave her. She was riding through town and unexpectedly needed some kit. She emailed us a couple of days later with appreciation for the advice on our receipt.

First time customer Geoff came in to buy a bike for his grandchild. He left buying three extra things thanks to the Thank You cash off gift we included on his receipt. He assured us he will be back for more because of this.

Jules loves the text message we send when her special order is in. It saves her calling and shows her we are tracking things just for her.

Every day, local indie bike shops in Australia serve customers like Jake, Rach, Geoff and Jules with personal local service. Specialist indie bike businesses need specialist software to serve these and other types of specialist needs.

Specialisation is what sets you apart.  It is what sets us apart too.

From managing seasonal sales to respecting product care instructions to offering easy sell packs with multiple items, our specialty bike shop software can help you serve in valuable and appreciated ways.

We can help maximise sales with smart shopper engagement. This is where you easily leverage customer data to reach out with personal reminders, which can bring customers who shopped with you once back again and again.

Imagine easily reaching out to those who purchased a specific brand or type of bike and inviting them to come see or purchase a product they are sure to like.

Our front-end loyalty offer in our bike shop software helps you leverage one-off and infrequent shoppers, to maximise their shopping visit. We have retailers reporting 10% and more revenue boosts from this loyalty tool big retailers cannot copy.

These are some examples of how Tower Systems leverages its bike shop specific software for you – with training and assistance specific to your type of business, to ensure that you maximise the benefits for your business.

Another way to use the software is with Oxipay, a buy now pay later service that settles immediately to you. It is integrated as a method of payment.

Our Bike Shop Software also offers:

  1. Catalogue management – making catalogue sales easy.
  2. Easy loading of electronic invoices from your suppliers.
  3. Linking to a website for online sales.
  4. Easily handling BOGO (buy 1 get 1 free) or other up-sell offers.
  5. Linking to Xero to cut bookkeeping and external accounting costs.
  6. Rewarding loyal shoppers with points, cash off next purchase or a mixture.
  7. Easy to use LayBy.

See the software live. Call toll free: toll free 1300 662 957. Check us out online: www.towersystems.com.au

This software is affordable. You can purchase the software outright, lease it or rent it. You can use it in your business loaded on local computers or in the cloud.

Supported by humans, in Australia. Our help desk is in Hawthorn, Victoria. No robots here. You can call, email, post a Facebook message Tweet or text us.

Training is personal. We come to your business and train you. The training is tailored to your needs. Plus, you have access to extra free one on one training.

Managing repairs in retail businesses using your POS software.

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Repairs services can be a differentiating service for small business retailers in a range of niche retail categories. jewellers, bike retailers, fishing and outdoors businesses, garden centres and firearms retailers are all niche or specialty retail businesses that offer repairs services.

The challenge is finding good repairs or workshop management services that are integrated seamlessly to POS software.

Australian POS software company Tower Systems offers repairs management facilities in its specialty retail POS software. These facilities offer job tracking, labour management, costing, accounting, party’s use and external service provider tracking tools.

From the moment an item is brought into the business for repair the software tracks the activity.

At the end of the project, when the repair is ready to be collected, the customer is notified by text or email.

The overarching goal of the repairs software if that it tracks progress at each step of the way. This ensures the business never loses sight of the repair, that it properly accounts for all work and that the customer can be informed at any point in time.

Developed initially for specialist jewellers and bike retailers for their workshops, the Tower Systems repairs management facilities have benefited from use by retailers across multiple retail channels. This has helped evolve valuable tools that help retailers using them to trust the management. And, this work is on-going.

Good repairs services can help a local business win local sales. Whereas products can be available in multiple retail outlets, making price the comparison, repairs services are unique to each business. Through the Tower Systems repairs management software retailers can play to their local strengths and pitch their repairs services as differentiating and locally valuable.

We love helping small business retailers grow their repairs service.

The POS software connected repairs management software from Tower Systems continues to evolve, ensuring it is a solution for today and tomorrow, thereby helping small business retailers to evolve their repairs services too.

Hereat Tower Systems we develop software for: gift shopsjewellers,  bike shopstoy shopsfishing/outdoors businessesgarden centres/nurseriespet shopsproduce storesfirearms businesses and newsagents. We serve customers in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and several other countries.

Tower Systems helps bike shop owners leverage their workshop services

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The workshop is often the most important part of any bike retail business as it is where their people can make a real difference to the experience of the cyclist.

Thanks to smart management tools in our bike shop software, our retail partners can provide a more complete workshop experience.

from the management of time and parts used through to professional communication with customers, the Tower System bike shop software helps bike retailers leverage their workshop services to provide professional, local and personal service … and to do this with efficiency, accuracy and timeliness.

We are proud to help independent bike retailers win in the customer service experience stakes through their workshop service.

Another way Tower Systems helps small business retailers

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On our website we offer free and open access to marketing collateral small business retailers can use to promote their businesses to the local community. This is another example of service beyond our POS software company.

We are proud to help small business retailers more successfully compete in their local community. Here is a screen shot of the free marketing tools page of our website.

Screen Shot 2016-11-19 at 9.13.49 AM

Bike shop software helps Australian bike retailers connect with local cyclists

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One of the benefits of bike shops choosing the Australian developed Tower Systems Bike Shop Software beyond the software being specific for bike shops is that the software helps bike shop retailers be more local.

Using our Bike Shop Software, bike shop owners can pitch local in a host of ways using our smart software. Some of the ways are:

  1. Sharing local riding tips, insights and safety notes on receipts.
  2. Marketing to local cyclists with highly targeted emails that share local insights.
  3. Promoting local services and service points through software engagement.
  4. Enabling easy online selling while retaining a local focus through the software and its beautiful links with Shopify and Magento.
  5. Since most bike shop owners are cyclists, we free their time for more riding with clubs and mates and this helps the local connection of their business.

Specialist Bike retail is tough, we get that.

We see the assaults from online as well as from retailers selling cheap products at prices that challenge.

We understand the passion for cycling of bike shop owners and offering the best service for customers.

Serving close to 200 bike shops with our specialist bike shop software, we have experience that can help. Here is why and how:

  1. Tower Systems is 100% Australian owned.
  2. Our bike shop software is regularly enhanced based on advice and feedback from Australian bike retailers.
  3. We will NEVER sell our software to a pure online business because we believe in the importance and community service of bricks and mortar bike shops.
  4. We put bike retailers first as you are our customer, not the company that makes the bikes you sell.
  5. We train you in your business, face to face.
  6. Our support is Australian based, 24/7 and specialist to your needs.
  7. We develop the software. We are not agents.
  8. Our software is developed for you. It is not US or Chinese software.
  9. You have access to more than 130 training videos.
  10. You have access to a comprehensive, self-serve knowledge base.

The Tower Systems small business Bike Shop Software is well established, well connected and locally focussed in helping bike retailers to grow the local connections within their businesses.

HELPING INDEPENDENT BIKE RETAILERS LEVERAGE THE BIKE WORKSHOP POINT OF DIFFERENCE

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Professional bike retailers usually offer terrific bike workshop facilities servicing and repairing bikes. These workshops are a personal and local point of difference for these businesses yet, too often, they are not marked by bike retailers as a valuable point of difference, as a local service through which the business can find new customers.

A well run and promoted bike workshop is an excellent way for a bike shop to grow their business. It is also an excellent way for the business to differentiate itself from online retailers and mass retailers that are focused solely on revenue and not the long term relationship.

Overseas, bike shops promote their workshops by making the facilities visible within the shop. Some even have the workshop located at the front of the business, in the window, so it can be seen from the street. This makes the provision of the services real and helps people walking past the business to understand the services offered. This builds trust. It also demonstrates that the service is local, conducted by people customers can speak with and that it is authentic.

Being authentic is important when running a business that competes with online because online can be from anywhere and to any level of quality.

A bike is an important purchase. Buying a bike from somewhere it can be serviced by a professional, working locally, will be important for people who rely on the bike for safety – whether it be their own or that of family members. This is why showing off local servicing is important.

Thanks to facilities in the Tower Systems Bike Shop Software, independent bike retailers are able to more effectively promote their workshop services to existing customers as well as to prospective new customers.

Here are some ways the Tower Systems Bike Shop Software helps bike retailers with workshops:

  1. Job management.
  2. Parts management.
  3. Labour management.
  4. Job tracking.
  5. Account customer integration.
  6. Customer contact on a bike being ready.
  7. Email targeting of workshop customers.
  8. Email targeting of customers with biked due for a service.
  9. Promotion of workshop services on all receipts.
  10. Bike care information from the expert bike engineer in-store – connected back to the workshop.

The Tower Systems Bike Shop Software helps in many other ways too. We are committed to the independent bike shop retail channel. This is evident through our personal service through the help desk and through our continual development of our software – based on customer feedback.

To find our more about our Bike Shop Software, speak with one of our retail experts: Contact: Please call our sales team at 1300 662 957 or email them at sales@towersystems.com.au.

Tower Systems has the best bike shop software for high street bike retailers and here is why

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Specialist Bike retail is tough, we get that.

We see the assaults from online as well as from retailers selling cheap products at prices that challenge.

We understand your passion for cycling and offering the best service for your customers.

Serving close to 200 bike shops with our specialist bike shop software, we have experience that can help. Here is why and how:

  • Tower Systems is 100% Australian owned.
  • Our bike shop software is regularly enhanced based on advice and feedback from Australian bike retailers.
  • We will NEVER sell our software to a pure online business because we believe in the importance and community service of bricks and mortar bike shops.
  • We put bike retailers first as you are our customer, not the company that makes the bikes you sell.
  • We train you in your business, face to face.
  • Our support is Australian based, 24/7 and specialist to your needs.
  • We develop the software. We are not agents.
  • Our software is developed for you. It is not US or Chinese software.
  • You have access to more than 130 training videos.
  • You have access to a comprehensive, self-serve knowledge base.

Facilities in our bike shop software include: sales, customer loyalty, integrated eftpos, repairs management, special orders, gift cards, employee tracking, inventory management, specials / catalogues / offers, web-store interface, Xero interface, product care instructions, customer follow-up marketing, performance reporting, theft management, second-hand goods management, bundling pricing, servicing assistance / management, employee rostering and plenty more.

Tower Systems helps independent bike shops compete with online bike discounters

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Tower Systems works closely with bike retailers, to help them compete with online bike retailers. Through our Bike Shop Software we help in a range of practical ways.

Here are five ways local bike shops can compete with online

  1. Track every contact. Treat every contact as a customer. Know who they are. Explain that it’s part of your service – to offer advice and keep in touch. This will qualify them as a customer from their very first question. While it may scare some off, better that you do it early before you give away your expert advice.
  2. Give them a gift for listening to you. Every customer who spends time taking in your advice should be given a voucher for them to spend in-store in a purchase above a certain value. This shows that you value their attention. Presented well it can better connect them with you for the longer term.
  3. Subtly share stories about the risks of online shopping. There are documented stories you can find about people being ripped off – what they ordered is not what they received, credit card fraud and the like. Arm your team with these stories … maybe a story about a customer who bought from you following an expensive rip off online.
  4. Reward loyalty with a front-end approach. Ensure that every purchase over, say, $10, comes with a voucher offering a discount off the next purchase. Factor this into your mark-up model. Cash rewards showing on a receipt can be a powerful lure to bringing a shopper back.
  5. Personalise your service. Arm all sales staff with personal business cards. Place follow up calls or emails to shoppers spending over, say, $100. Host networking events in-store. Connect with and support local clubs. Add value through personal contact at every possible opportunity. Structure regular, value-adding, contact with your customer base.

The difference between a bricks and mortar bike shop and an website selling bikes is that your business, the bricks and mortar business, is real, it can be visited, it’s personal. Everything you say and do needs to reinforce this and build trust based on this.

Be open about price

Don’t be afraid to say that online businesses can sell for less. That’s because they do less and care less. You could do this too but that’s probably not the business you want to run.

Competing on price really comes down to changing the game. This is where a properly structured and consistently run loyalty program offering an amount of cash off the next purchase based on the current purchase can make a difference for you.

Being consistent

Online businesses through the software behind their websites are consistent if nothing else. This is where good bike shop software can help a bike shop compete. It can drive consistency in the bricks and mortar business on pricing, loyalty rewards, customer marketing, buying, pricing and employee performance tracking and motivation.

Good bike shop software is designed specifically for bike shops to leverage the difference bike shops offer over online retailers. When used to the fullest, it can drive sales and bring customers back more often. It can play a key role on competing with online.

Why the Tower Systems bike shop POS software is unique

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The Bike shop POS software from Tower Systems is unique in that it is purpose-built for bike retailers, especially independent bike retailers.

  1. Our bike shop software is fit for purpose. It has been built for bike shops in close consultation with owners, managers and workers from bike shops. Changes to the software are developed in close consultation.
  2. We understand the value of a bike customer for life.
  3. We get the passion of cyclying.
  4. We appreciate cycling is part lifestyle, part sport, part business and part relaxation.
  5. We are a software company, not a consulting business using software as a mechanism for driving consulting fees.
  6. We are in your business. Not a contractor we hire, not over the phone, when we install the system we do it in your business, working with you.
  7. We support all bike suppliers. Our software can load electronic invoices from many suppliers – we do not link to just one supplier.
  8. Second-hand goods. These facilities have been developed with bike retailers and authorities so you have the right records on hand.
  9. These facilities have been developed to help you streamline workflow and keep in close contact with customers throughout.
  10. Manufactured goods. From concept to manufacture, you can manage and track what you make for whom and when. This is a billing and management asset.
  11. Lay-by. Our Lay-by facilities have been developed in close consultation with bike retailers, making them unique and comprehensive.
  12. We offer more facilities than any other system. These offer you flexibility for driving purchases in the current visit and for bringing shoppers back more often.
  13. You have access to extraordinary customisation through settings, enabling you to represent your business how you want.
  14. Embedded in our software are facilities for tracking how the software is used. This enables us to help you reduce employee theft.
  15. Retail focussed. A challenge of retail is to uncover opportunities early. Smart reports in the Tower software unlock information about opportunities in your business on which you can rely for business planning.

Tower Systems is engaged with bike retailers and cyclists to ensure the software serves the community in a way that is respectful and enjoyable.

Tower Systems: software for bike shops

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Bike shops have specialist needs when it comes to business management software and services. Specialist bike shop software company Tower Systems serves these services with fit for purpose best practice software – developed with bike retailers in Australia and New Zealand.

Check out a new brief introductory video we have made in house for bike retailers:

Independent bike retailers benefit from specialist bike shop software helping with repairs, shopper loyalty and supplier relationships

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The latest release of the Tower Systems bike shop software offers independent bike retailers even better tools for serving customers, nurturing loyalty and making the business more valuable.

As the largest specialist bike shop software supplier in Australia and armed with new stronger bike shop software Tower Systems is set to help even more bike retailers drive efficiency and compete through high street stores with aggressive online bike retailers.

We back our specialist bike shop software with specialist bike shop software training – developed specifically for this purpose to help bike retailers learn more from their software and to extract more value for their businesses. This is core to our service as a vertical software company – ensuring we deliver tools unique to the needs of our customers so they may, in turn, deliver services that are unique to their customers.

Our customers love that in dealing with us they are able to deal directly with the software development company. We develop our software. When we promise a change we deliver it. We are not relying on another company to deliver this. This is important as our customers can trust us to deliver tools that help them build trust with their customers.

To consider the Tower Bike Shop Software for your business, call one of our account managers and they will arrange a personal face-to-face demonstration where you can have your questions answered and where you can see the software for yourself in your own situation.

Bike retailers love the Tower Bike Shop Software for many reasons:

  1. It is software designed specifically for bike retailers.
  2. Includes bike workshop management facilities.
  3. Excellent shopper loyalty facilities with four different loyalty approaches available.
  4. Regularly updated software. You choose when you update – to suit your business.
  5. Software enhancements based on bike shop user suggestions.
  6. Live in-store face-to-face training.
  7. More than 130 training videos for refresher training.
  8. Live help desk support where you talk to a human on the phone. No faceless email type support here.
  9. Electronic invoice and stock file connections with bike shop suppliers.
  10. Free weekly online user workshops for bike shop owners and staff offering group training and networking opportunities.
  11. Large user community. More users = more value for you.
  12. Australian made.

No matter what size your bike shop, this software is certain to be ideal given that it’s already in use in large and small bike retail businesses.

Sharing insights from UK bike shops with bike retailers

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Screen Shot 2015-07-29 at 9.14.40 pmWe are proud to have shared a special report of insights from several UK bike shops with Australian bike retailers.

The insights have been well received.

Our report covered marketing, maintenance and community service aspects of a range of different bike retailers in Leeds and Manchester – sharing photos and information that could be put to practical use by bike retailers in Australia.

The report demonstrates a support for the bike retail channel that is unique to Tower Systems – the company behind excellent bike shop software.

We’re here to help.

Comparing Tower Systems Bike Shop software to Lightspeed

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Tower Systems has been recently asked to compare its bike shop software to the Lightspeed software also being promoted to bike retailers. here are headline differences from what we can see:

The Tower Systems bike shop software is:

  • Australian developed software.
  • Developed with Australian and New Zealand Bike retailers.
  • Offering direct supplier links with Australian and New Zealand suppliers.
  • The people installing the software are from the company that writes the software.
  • The people who support the software are from the company that writes the software.
  • Our Aussie based help desk is available 24/7.
  • You can run the software from your desktop or through the cloud.
  • Our users can speak directly with our software development team.
  • We have a transparent user forum for the suggestion and discussion of bike software enhancements.
  • Company management and owners are Australian based.

Tower systems serves close to 200 local bike shops today.

Anyone looking at software for their bike shop should thoroughly research the software and the company. This is best done in your business, starting with a discussion of your business needs. A good software company will work hard to ensure they meet your needs.

New bike shop software facilities embraced by bike retailers

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Bike shops participating in the beta release program of new Bike Shop Software are loving new facilities in our software. Their feedback has been helping us further tweak the latest release of the software to go beyond even what we had expected to achieve through the new facilities.

Having a professionally managed beta release program in partnership with engaged retailers helps us drive better outcomes for our retail partners. What has been happing over recent weeks with the beta release of our new bike shop software is evidence of this.

Using our industry standard Bike Shop Software, bike retailers have tools through which they can better serve customers, more efficiently manage repairs, resume the cost of inventory and have easy access to accurate data for business planning.

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