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.
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.
This video showcases how the Tower Systems POS software empowers small business retailers with valuable insights into their business performance. Through a weekly or monthly email, retailers receive a comprehensive overview of key metrics such as gross profit, revenue, average basket value, year-on-year trends, day-by-day performance, customer foot traffic, busiest times, top-selling departments, and product trends. This user-friendly approach eliminates the need for manual report generation and provides retailers with actionable information to make informed decisions and improve their businesses.
The email is all about data, represented visually, to guide better business decisions.
Where You Stand Today: Get a quick overview of your current sales and liabilities.
Identifying Underperformers: Easily see which products aren’t selling well (dead stock). This empowers you to make strategic decisions, such as discounts or stock reductions, to free up tied-up capital.
Missed Opportunities: Pinpoint instances where popular items have sold out, potentially leading to lost sales.Restocking strategies based on these insights can ensure you capture future revenue.
Unlocking Upsell Potential: Gain valuable insights into customer basket analysis. See which products frequently sell together, allowing you to develop targeted upsell strategies, co-location opportunities, and promotions.
Addressing Theft Concerns: The dashboard provides a visual overview of staff audit logs, helping you identify potential theft or training issues that require attention.
Optimise Your Staffing: Understand your busiest and quietest times with visual data displayed by hour and week.This allows for optimised staff scheduling to ensure you’re adequately prepared for customer influxes.
The Tower Systems insights from this weekly and monthly email is a game-changer for local small business retailers. It has been built with real local retailers, to ensure it is of service to them and all who rely on their business.
In addition to the email sent automatically, Tower POS software customers can access these and more insights from the Insights Dash card in the software as well as from the cloud based Visual Deck product includes with access to the POS software.
This is Tower Systems delivering to retailers tools and facilities in its software for no extra cost, making the Tower solution cost competitive for many local specialty retailers.
Here at Tower Systems, we’re proud to support hundreds of thriving garden centres and local plant nurseries across Australia with POS software built specifically for their needs.
We understand that garden centres and nurseries aren’t your everyday retail businesses. You have unique requirements that go beyond standard Garden Centre POS systems. That’s why we’ve worked closely with our valued garden centre customers to develop a suite of features that will make your life easier and your business more successful.
Here’s a taste of what Tower Systems Garden Centre POS Software can offer your garden centre or nursery:
Evergreen Connect integration.
International Barcode Lookup.
Streamlined Dispatch Management: Manage multiple trucks and deliveries efficiently with our dispatch tools.Integrate with Allotrac for next-level dispatch control.
Loyalty Programs Made Easy: Implement a loyalty program that truly rewards your customers and keeps them coming back for more.
Bulk Buying and Customised Products: Track raw materials you buy in bulk and manage the creation of your own unique plant mixes.
Local Plant Care Tips: Offer valuable plant care information right on your receipts, adding an extra touch and promoting your expertise.
Flexible Sales Options: Sell by weight, length, fractions, colour, size, and style – all catered for in our system.
Durable Product Labels: Our labels can handle the elements, so your product information stays clear and crisp.
Seasonal Sales Forecasting: Easily plan your stock based on past seasonal performance and ensure you have the right plants in stock at the right time.
Sell Anywhere: Take your business mobile with our integrated tablet-based platform.
Dynamic Pricing: Easily report on and adjust plant prices as needed.
Integrated Rostering: Simplify staff scheduling with seamless integration with Deputy, Tanda, or Planday.
Digital Receipts: Offer eco-friendly digital receipts through Slyp.
Quote and Invoice Management: Generate and manage quotes and invoices with ease.
And that’s not all! We’ve recently added even more features to make your life easier:
Effortless Product Descriptions: Generate compelling product descriptions with the help of our ChatGPT integration.
Faster Product Setup: Add new products quickly and accurately with our international barcode database lookup tool.
Professional Product Images: Enhance your website and online presence with automatic background removal for uploaded photos (perfect for linking to Shopify, BigCommerce, and other platforms).
Local Customer Reach: Get listed for free on FindIt.com.au and attract customers searching for local garden centres in their area.
Self-Checkout for Customers: Offer a faster and more convenient checkout experience with our self-checkout option.
Portable Selling: Take your sales on the go with our portable solution – perfect for large properties, local markets,and pop-up shops.
Self checkout.
Remote pop-up sales.
Business Intelligence insights.
At Tower Systems, we understand the importance of having POS software that caters to your specific business needs. Our system is designed and developed with Australian garden centres and nurseries in mind, helping you thrive in the competitive retail landscape.
We believe in the power of local businesses, especially those with a unique and specialised offering. When you choose Tower Systems, you’re not just getting software – you’re partnering with a team who understands and values your business.
Local small business retailers are often time poor and struggle to wade through reports looking for data needed to guide business decisions. Tower Systems has made it much easier for them.
The Visual Deck with our POS software sends an email weekly and monthly outlining business performance across a range of key performance indicators for the business. The visual representation of performance makes understand the health of the business easy and the decision opportunities even easier.
We have dramatically cut the time needed by retailers to access data, understand it and make decisions based on it. The emails weekly and monthly is another way our Tower Systems POS software is helping small business retailers run more enjoyable and valuable local retail businesses.
We were asked recently How is Australian made POS software better for Australian retail businesses than overseas POS software? Here’s our answer.
Australian made means local and local matters to local small retail businesses. The software is more likely to serve local business needs, to use terminology that is local, handle local regulatory requirements and have a local aesthetic. Offshore businesses can’t be local no matter how much money they spend trying to look, feel and sound local. Each of these points matter for ease of use, relevance and enjoyment in using the POS software.
Australian made means local access. You are more likely able to talk to someone local about the software any queries you may have about its use in your business. Offshore software companies push you to a call centre tens of thousands of kms from your business. In these call centres they follow a rigid script. Calling a local Aussie call centre means you are likely to start with a conversation. Small business retailers understand conversations.
Australian made means more competitive. A small local competitor will be more agile, smarter and capable than a large and maybe bloated offshore software company where you are barely noticed. You will be far more important to a local POS software company. Pick up the phone and ask to speak to someone from the senior management team and see for yourself. Offshore, you will struggle to get a human to answer. Locally, you can get to someone immediately. (0418 321 338 by the way)
Australian made means local economic benefit. All of us in local Aussie businesses rely on the local economy and the local economy benefits when more money is spent locally – in our businesses and local businesses like ours. Sure, a business can donate to a local charity to feel local. A local business itself, however, hires local and contributes local and this is what makes for better education, health care and infrastructure locally.
The software you choose for your retail business should be the software that best serves your specific business needs. Take your time. Consider not only functionality, consider support, ability to engage with software enhancements and how the software company helps you achieve with the software in and for your retail business.
In local small retail businesses every day local matters. Locally made and supported POS software has this advantage over offshoot POS software. It’s an easy win for the retailers.
Disclaimer: Of course we are biased. We are an Australian POS software company serving retailers in Australia and nearby.
Tower Systems, www.towersystems.com.au, offers Australian based website development for local small business retailers based in Australia.
Being Australian based matters because our web developers understand Australian retail, local retail, we understand the Australian language and style. We get you and you’ll get us. This matters in the all important client / web developer relationship.
We know retailers love that they can call us. Since we are local we work on local time. They ask our advice and since we live and shop locally we can provide advice and feedback that makes sense to local business retailers. Since we develop POS software we can make the connection smooth, easy.
With our website development done on a fixed price basis with a comprehensive list of inclusions, our customers can go into this knowing exactly what is included and that they an expect a beautiful and useful website connected to their POS software. This is what we have done for hundreds with delight and joy. We have many reference websites we can provide, including some for our own retail shops that we run.
Our local Aussie made websites come with all this and plenty more:
Homepage. Including text and images (which you are to provide), and site navigation. We would also recommend including a business location map as this is important so local people can find your store (Google account needed).
Navigation. Creation of the menus that drive your site.This is as important as the look and feel and should be carefully considered.
Social media links to your: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
About page. Your text, describing you and your business: 150 – 350 words. Well written, clear as to what you and your business are about.
Shipping, returns and other policies. We can use yours or you can edit ours and use it.
Contact us page showing your contact details as well as an enquiry form.
Configured Product Pages. Creation of up to 2 different product template pages, these pages show the images and details about products. If additional product templates are required, then these are charge at $440 per page. Examples of template pages are
Pre Order Product Pages.
Enquiry Only Product pages.
Messaging on Delivery or Pickup only products
Shopify Inbox setup, if you want chat turned on.
Blog feed. A blog allows you to publish your own news.
Flat Rate shipping based on Shopify’s inbuilt shipping profiles and your advice after consultation.
The setup of loading of products into the site via a live link to the Retailer software. We would need you to have this data in Retailer ready for export.
Interfacing to standard gateways: Shopify Payments and Paypal. In addition to credit card payments, Shopify Payments can also connect to Shop Pay, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Please note that depending on required site functionality it may not be possible to use the express checkout options. We will advise if this is the case.
Interfacing to Humm, Zip and Afterpay and other Shopify supported payment methods incur an additional fee of $220 per payment method.
Training: so you can get live and maintain the website.
There is much more to the opportunity, so much more we do to help retailers bring their websites to life.
You can import EDI invoice files from Evergreen Connect. To access the EDI file contact Evergreen Connect and advise them you are using Retailer. The EDI file will be emailed to you.
Setting up the supplier
From the main screen of Retailer, click on Stock > Suppliers and departments.
Click on the Suppliers tab.
Click on Search at the bottom and find Evergreen Connect. NOTE: If they do not exist, add them as a new supplier
Click on the EDI tab.
On the option When arriving EDI invoices this supplier arrives by, change the option to Supplier stock code.
Then click Save and Close.
Saving the CSV File
Log into your e-mail account.
Open the message where the electronic invoice is attached.
Click on Desktop on the left and click Save.
DO NOT open the file under any circumstance. This corrupts any barcode and/or supplier stock code information.
Importing the CSV Invoice
From the main screen of Retailer, click on Stock -> Invoice Arrivals.
Click on Open Invoice.
Click on Desktop on the left and double-click on the file. The Import Supplier Invoice File screen will appear. Select the supplier from the drop-down box.
Click on the drop-down arrow next to tools and click on Change Template File Settings.
Select the supplier again from the drop-down box and click OK. If the supplier is not visible, click on Cancel to access the Invoice File Template Setup screen.
Configuring the Invoice File Template
The settings will need to be configured from the bottom-up. The settings on this screen will direct Retailer to use the appropriate information from the file.
In the Invoice File Layout section, click on the yellow file icon.
Navigate to the file’s location and double-click on the file.
This will provide a preview of the file’s contents at the bottom.
In the Validation Settings section:
Set the Date Format to DD/MM/YYYY.
Tick Field Enclosed With Quote.
The the top of the screen, tick This File is Comma Delimited.
Enter the appropriate Column and/or Row values according to the file preview screen below. If you click on any field in the preview, it will show you it’s position in the Cell Value box.
Click Save and Close.
Importing and Arriving the Invoice
Back in the Import Supplier Invoice File screen, click on Import.
The screen will flash and you can then click on Close.
The Select Invoices to Import screen will appear.
Click on the invoice to import and:
Click on View to see a preview of the invoice to check the information.
Local small business retailers are spoilt for choice when it comes to POS software. There are many software packages out there from which to choose. Plenty of these software packages are from overseas companies, companies with massive customer bases, companies with staff located in low labour cost countries.
Tower Systems is an Australian POS software company. Of course we pitch shop local. Shop local is good for the local Australian economy, it is good for us and our families. It is good for the families of those who work in local Australian retail.
If there is Aussie made and supported POS software that suits your type of business, go with that ahead of any software from an offshore company. The Aussie economy will thank you.
There are other reasons to choose software from a local POS software company:
Local support. They understand your situation better than someone in a cubicle in a low labour cost country given a couple of Aussie keywords to put about.
Local software. Local Aussie retail businesses do have local needs. A local Aussie POS software company is more likely to serve these in their software than an offshore software company with many times more customers.
Local understanding. Local real business is local. If being local is an important point of difference you will want to use software that understands the value of local and can help you leverage local.
Local connections. Local retail does not live in a vacuum. You have banking, supplier, community group and other connections. Local POS software is more likely to help you with these important local connections that software from offshore.
Tax. We suspect a local Aussie POS software company will pay more from every dollar they make in tax in Australia than any offshore POS software company. Tax paid in Australia to Australian governments funds local Aussie schools, hospitals, roads and education. It matters to us.
Australian made and supported POS software is more useful for Australian retailers than software from an overseas company because it serves the Australian community better and that should matter to anyone in local retail. It is what being local is all a bout after all.
The Insights Dashboard in our Tower Systems POS software for small business retailers instantly displays business performance insights and retailer will find valuable.
There is no report to run. No work to collate and interpret data. The insights are there, immediately, answering 6 key business questions:
1. What’s working?
2. What’s not working?
3. What am I missing out on?
4. Is theft an issue?
5. What sells with what?
6. When am I busiest?
This new video is a discussion between our CEO, COO and a senior customer service specialist. It’s a training video we made for our customers and shared free.
Seeing where you are making money, losing money, missing opportunities, experiencing theft and more can be easy money in the bank for any retailer. Packaging these insights in this way help time-poor retailers have better control over their business.
We also talk about EFTPOS surcharges in retail and show how any retailer can apply an EFTPOS surcharge in their POS software for immediate effect. Importantly, we go into the why, explaining the decision making of some retailers.
In our POS software, retailers can apply an EFTPOS surcharge as a percentage, a fixed amount or auto-calculated based on the specific card presented by the customer. Best of all, the calculations are done quickly and seamlessly at the sales processing time.
Using our POS software, charging and EFTPOS surcharge is easy. We are proud to not charge our POS software customers based on transactions they do in their business.
By providing retailers with flexibility on EFTPOS surcharging we give retailers complete control. It’s their business after all.
These two topics – charging an EFTPOS surcharges and using the Insights dashboard are part of another in our series of customer service videos through which we seek to add value to our relationship with our small business retailer customers.
The two topics in this one video speak to our focus as a POS software company: helping small business retailers make better business decisions sooner and helping them run more valuable and reliable retail businesses.
Tower Systems is a small business focussed POS software company developing, and supporting POS software for niche specialty retailers. Jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, toy shops, produce businesses, farm supply businesses, fishing shops, pet shops, charity businesses, landscape gardening businesses, antique shops, sewing shops, haberdashery businesses, newsagents and more benefit from this software.
Running a local retail business can feel isolating at times. It’s easy to get bogged down in daily tasks without a clear view of the bigger picture.
At Tower Systems, we understand this. That’s why we developed the Insights Dashboard, a powerful tool within our POS software designed specifically for independent retailers like you.
Actionable Insights, Delivered Simply
The Insights Dashboard caters to all levels of business experience. Regardless of your background in financial or management skills, the dashboard presents insights in a clear, visual format. We’ve done the hard work of extracting valuable data, so you can focus on making informed decisions.
Uncover What Matters Most
The dashboard provides a snapshot of key performance indicators (KPIs) critical to your business success, including:
Where You Stand Today: Get a quick overview of your current sales and liabilities.
Identifying Underperformers: Easily see which products aren’t selling well (dead stock). This empowers you to make strategic decisions, such as discounts or stock reductions, to free up tied-up capital.
Missed Opportunities: Pinpoint instances where popular items have sold out, potentially leading to lost sales.Restocking strategies based on these insights can ensure you capture future revenue.
Unlocking Upsell Potential: Gain valuable insights into customer basket analysis. See which products frequently sell together, allowing you to develop targeted upsell strategies, co-location opportunities, and promotions.
Addressing Theft Concerns: The dashboard provides a visual overview of staff audit logs, helping you identify potential theft or training issues that require attention.
Optimise Your Staffing: Understand your busiest and quietest times with visual data displayed by hour and week.This allows for optimised staff scheduling to ensure you’re adequately prepared for customer influxes.
Knowledge is Power: Unlocking Your Business Potential
The Tower Systems Insights Dashboard is proving to be a game-changer for local retailers. We consistently receive positive feedback, with users surprised by the depth of insights revealed. Our goal is to empower you with knowledge you may not have known existed, ultimately propelling your business forward.
Ready to take control and unlock the hidden gems within your business? Contact Tower Systems today to learn more about our innovative POS software solutions.
Running a small business is tough hard work every day. Someone stealing from the business can be heartbreaking. Employee theft is a problem for Australian small business retailers, costing them around 75% more than shoplifting!
That’s where the Tower Systems POS (point-of-sale) system comes in. It’s not just about ringing up sales – it can be a powerful tool to catch sneaky staff. While much of what our POS system does is hidden and not discussed publicly, here’s how our system helped Harry and June, who run a local shop:
Something fishy was going on
Harry and June’s accountant noticed their business wasn’t making the money it should. They called us thinking there was a problem with the software, but a deeper look revealed something shocking. Our system has hidden, encrypted records that helped us track unusual sales patterns. The data pointed straight to their niece, a trusted employee!
A difficult truth
We met Harry and June for coffee, but they were convinced it was a mistake. It took a whole year before they finally installed hidden cameras and confirmed the theft. Sadly, they never got their money back and the family rift was too big to pursue charges.
Don’t let this happen to you!
Here our advice on how to stop employee theft before it starts:
Track everything: Make sure all your stock is logged in the system and every sale is scanned. Don’t use department keys – they make stealing easier.
Employee ID: Give each employee a unique code to track their sales. Change these codes regularly.
Cash control: Regularly check your cash register and reconcile it with your POS data. Spot checks can catch small-time thieves.
Schedule shuffle: Change up your roster to make it harder for people to work together and steal.
Theft policy: Have a clear policy against theft and make sure all staff read and understand it.
Keep it clean: A tidy workspace makes it harder for people to steal and easier to spot suspicious activity.
No staff bags: This eliminates a hiding place for stolen cash.
Beware of notepads: Some staff use these to track “unrung-up” cash.
Police checks: Consider requiring police checks for new hires. It shows you take security seriously.
Lead by example: Don’t take cash out of the register in front of staff – it might seem tempting to them.
We can help!
At the start of each year, review your POS data to see if anything looks suspicious. Our team of retail experts can help you put these tips into action and keep your business safe. Don’t let employee theft eat away at your profits!
Tower Systems is committed to helping local small business retailers reduce the impact of employee theft on their business.
Tired of the same old points programs that leave your customers confused? No wonder. The major supermarkets and other retailers have all od us confused as to the real cash value of a point.
At Tower Systems, we know Aussie retailers need a loyalty strategy that packs a punch, that is loved by local shoppers. That’s why our discount voucher program is a favourite among our thousands of small business retail POS software users.
Forget fancy names, you call them what you 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!
Discount vouchers are sales superstars! We saw a whopping 12% sales growth during Christmas and New Year for businesses using our vouchers actively.
Blokes vs. Girls? It’s 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:
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:
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 in a flash.
Ready to win the hearts (and wallets) of Aussie shoppers? Let Tower Systems’ discount vouchers be your secret weapon!
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.
In our busy and always connected online world, it’s easy to forget the amazing stores we have right on our doorstep. But shopping local isn’t just about convenience, it’s about supporting the heart and soul of our communities.
That’s where FindIt comes in, a free online marketplace created by Tower Systems. FindIt shines a light on our amazing local, independent retailers. We have been serving Aussie communities for decades and are grateful to work with over 3,500 local retail businesses!
FindIt bridges the gap between local shoppers and local retailers. It brings local stores to local devices. It’s like a treasure chest filled with goodies from independent retailers across Australia. Whether you’re looking for the perfect birthday gift, a one-of-a-kind homeware piece, or a treat for yourself, FindIt lets you browse and discover hidden gems from local businesses – all from the comfort of your couch!
What makes FindIt special? It’s all about ease!
Here’s what makes FindIt great for both shoppers and shopkeepers:
For the shopper:
Support local legends! FindIt makes it easy to find and support businesses in your neighbourhood. You’ll be putting money back into your community and helping it thrive.
Discover unique finds! Unearth a world of special products you won’t find on big online stores. From handcrafted jewellery to locally-grown produce, there’s something for everyone on FindIt.
Shop in your PJs! Shop from the comfort of your home and choose between picking up your goodies in-store or getting them delivered (depending on the shop).
Know who you’re buying from! FindIt gives you clear information about 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, 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, making sales a breeze and saving you 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.
Getting your product info (text and images) onto FindIt is a breeze thanks to the Tower Systems POS software integration.Tower even helps retailers with advice, training, and support to get connected.
The ultimate goal? To get more people like you walking through the front doors of our fantastic local shops! So, what are you waiting for? Discover the hidden gems at FindIt.com.au today!
Our Tower Systems Garden Centre software continues to evolve, delivering more facilities and benefits to garden centres with the latest release delivering enhanced solutions in association with Evergreen Connect.
This year, we introduced subscription facilities for garden centres, significantly expanded quote and invoice management tools and more dispatch options, including integrations garden centre owners love.
We help local independent garden centre owners run valuable and enjoyable businesses. Our software helps you evolve your customer mix and grow business performance.
Our software handles so much: linking to Evergreen Connect, tracking inventory in a garden centre specific way, managing price changes as you repot plants, weatherproof product stickers, importing supplier invoices, sell by fractions, sell by weight and / or length, track product variants, special customer orders, tracking customers purchase history, reducing employee and customer theft and more.
We are grateful to our hundreds of garden centre customers who have helped us with a swag of enhancements for garden centre and nursery businesses.
Allotrac integration for next-level dispatch management.
Loyalty marketing that works a treat for garden centres.
Tracking buying raw materials in bulk, mixing for your own products.
Offering local plant care information on receipts – selling you.
Sell by weight or length, and, yes, by fractions too.
Selling by colour, size and style.
Weatherproof product labels.
Integrated roster options: Deputy, Tanda and Planday.
Digital receipts through Slyp.
Evergreen connect link.
Dispatch management tools, managing multiple trucks, multiple deliveries per truck.
Comprehensive quote and invoice management solutions.
Rental includes: software for unlimited computers in the location, help desk support Monday to Saturday, knowledge base access, integrations with: Shopify, Big Commerce, Xero, Deputy, Tanda, Planday, Slyp, Tyro, major banks, SmartPay and access to our awesome supplier invoice import tools.
We help you target market to customers based on past purchases.
We have released other changes that are getting cheers from our customers:
A further enhanced ChatGPT integration that generates product descriptions for your consideration. This can help create more compelling descriptions.
An international barcode database lookup integration that makes adding new products faster and more accurate.
Auto background removal of photos you load, making them more useful for links to websites: Shopify, Big Commerce and others.
Free integration with the FindIt.com.au marketplace, designed to help drive local shopper traffic.
Shopper self-checkout version.
A portable sell from anywhere / anytime solution for large properties, local markets and pop-up retail.
There is so much ab9out this Garden Centre software that is calibrated to help local Aussie garden centres thrive.
The best advice on choosing the right POS software for your retail business is that you do it yourself. This is not something to outsource, not something to use one of the comparison (marketing) websites for. Do your own research.
Choosing POS software is an important decision, a decision for the long term, a decision directly connected to the financial viability of your retail business.
Take your time.
Start with what you want and what you need. These are different things. Write lists. yes, write them down for the more organised you are the more likely you are to make the best decision for your retail business.
Choosing POS software is not something to rush. Beware of the POS software companies that put limited time deals in front of you. Those companies likely offer POS software that is not ideal and they try and make your choice about price so as to distract you from your lists of needs and wants.
The decision is about what you need and want and each of the POS software companies that you consider. It’s not about what representatives of those companies think about software from other companies. Asking them to comment on competition is not ideal. If you do ask though and if they bag a competitor, ask them how they know this, ask them for evidence.
Be sure to gather evidence in writing. If a representative of a POS software company makes a claim that they will do this or that or that their software does a specific thing you need be sure to describe your need fully and to get their response to this in writing – it could be you rely on this later.
If being local is an important part of what you pitch for your business, think about the local situation of POS software companies you consider. Find out how local a company you are considering is, how local their people are, think about whether their answers factor into your decision making.
See, don’t hear or read. See the software for yourself. Come to the demonstration with unique sales scenarios you see play out in your shop. See how the software handles these. Ask for a recoding of the demonstration so you can share it with others in your business who will use the software for if they feel they are part of your decision making they are more likely to support the decision you ultimately make.
No marketing company, so software comparison website, no consultant can substitute for what you invest in considering POS software for your retail business. Invest the time, your time, and it will reward you with the best decision for your business, you, people who work in the business and the customers of the business.
No software is perfect, and doubt anyone who claims it is. Software that is the best will not be perfect. best is good though. This is why controlling the consideration process yourself is vital, it helps you find what you decide is best.
Plenty of AI generated content online is junk put there to try and drive the position of a website. Often, it offers little genuine value. It’s text written for the tech bots, and not for humans.
You can see it on plenty of company blogs: boring content with the same bubbly emotions, similar lists and the ever present use of bold text.
There is a sameness to AI generated content that shows it for what it is – filler put there as a marketing exercise.
Here at Tower Systems we serve local small business retailers, independent retailers. Their point of difference is their product knowledge, their local knowledge and their ability to share this. An AI engine is unlikely to capture the knowledge of those in the business and share it in a meaningful way.
Our advice to our customers is: the more you share your knowledge in ways that are genuinely useful to your customers the more they will trust you, the more your business will grow. Retail is human at its core. AI content is unlikely to add value to the human contact. While it will save time, it is unlikely to add appreciated value.
We get that local small business retailers are time-poor and looking for ways to do more in less time, using AI to generate content about your business and what you do is not the saving you think it might be for your AI generated content joins data centres full of AI generated content. It’s value is limited.
We think a local small business could get more value from one authentic and genuinely useful blog post than ten AI generated blog posts on the same topic for in that one human-generated blog post you can share genuinely new information or insights that add real value to what is know about the product or service of which you write.
AI cannot replace you, it cannot replace your innovation. This is your point of difference, it is what you need to share so people see the value of you and your business. It’s what helps you stand out.
With the advent of more tools available for identifying AI generated text and image content, it is easier to rank content, to determine the authority of it. AI generated fodder will be seen for what it is, and we think this is a good thing. By all means use AI tools as a springboard or to treat a thought drought. For the content you publish in your name or the name of your business, give of yourself for that is what matters the most.
We sometimes play a game here at Tower Systems: spot the AI junk. It’s fun for a while and then it makes us sad that businesses feel it’s okay to publish what they publish, thinking that something is better than nothing, except that it’s not.
Our difference is us, each of us here in this business. We interact with our customers authentically, one-on-one. What we publish here reflects that. Retail is human after all.
We’re a POS (Point of Sale) software company, and we run retail shops. We do this to walk in the shoes of our customers … not completely but as much as we can.
We learn so much doing this.
Recently, we came across a couple of retailers stuck getting websites live for their businesses. So, we decided to create one for one of our shops to revisit the advice we provide others.
This video shows the results we saw for the website we created for our own shop after 24 hours of time invested and a week of trading.
We followed exactly the advice we provide to others, relying on data from our POS software to populate the website. It was vital for us and for our customers for us to experience what our customers experience.
Websites evolve based on your experience with them. This is one reason launching early is critical – get the experience and adjust.
Here at Tower Systems we are all about understanding our customers to ensure that the advice we provide is useful, valuable. This is why projects like this matter. We ned to test our advice, and to adjust it if our own experience is not up to what we hope for in working with our customers.
When it comes to websites for retail businesses, too often we see websites that are a monument to the web developer and of little value to the retail business for which they have been built. This is wasted money, something the retailer discovers long after the web developer has moved on.
Investing in a website is emotionally and financially considerable. For small business retailers it is vital that you achieve a commercially satisfactory outcome. That’s why we ensure the advice we provide and the work we do serves the needs of local small business retailers.
Tower Systems is a small business focussed POS software company developing, and supporting POS software for niche specialty retailers.
Jewellers, garden centres, bike shops, toy shops, produce businesses, farm supply businesses, fishing shops, pet shops, charity businesses, landscape gardening businesses, antique shops, sewing shops, haberdashery businesses, newsagents and more benefit from this software.
Find out more at www.towersystems.com.au
Call 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au
In today’s world of online shopping giants, it’s easy to forget about the fantastic array of shops right on our doorstep.Supporting local businesses is about more than just convenience; it’s about investing in the lifeblood of our communities.That’s where FindIt, a free online marketplace from Tower Systems, steps in.
Only serving local independent retailers, Tower Systems has a track record of shining a light on this most vital of retail sectors. It’s work on FindIt drawn on decades of service and a community of 3,500+ retailers served.
FindIt bridges the gap between local stores and shoppers like. It’s a platform offering products from a wide range of independent retailers across Australia. Whether you’re after that perfect birthday gift, a unique piece of homeware, or something special for yourself, FindIt allows you to browse and discover hidden gems from local businesses, all from the comfort of your couch.
But what makes FindIt special is its focus on ease and accessibility. Here are some of the key benefits for both shoppers and retailers:
For Shoppers:
Support Local: FindIt makes it easy to find and support businesses in your area. You’ll be putting money back into your community and helping to create a vibrant local economy.
Diverse Range: Discover a treasure trove of unique products you won’t find on mainstream online retailers.From handcrafted jewellery to locally-sourced produce, FindIt offers something for everyone.
Convenience: Shop from the comfort of your home and choose between in-store pickup or home delivery (depending on the retailer).
Transparency: FindIt provides clear information about each retailer, including their location and contact details.
For Retailers:
Free Listing: Tower Systems POS software users can sign up for FindIt for absolutely no cost. This eliminates the need for expensive individual online stores, making it easier for smaller businesses to compete in the digital marketplace.
Wider Reach: FindIt exposes your products to a broader audience of potential customers who are actively seeking out local businesses.
Simplified Sales: The platform integrates seamlessly with Tower Systems POS, streamlining the sales process and reducing administrative headaches.
FindIt is a win-win situation for everyone involved. Shoppers get access to fantastic local products, while retailers gain a valuable platform to showcase their offerings and reach new customers. It’s a fantastic initiative that fosters a sense of community and strengthens the backbone of Aussie commerce – our independent retailers.
To have product data – text and images – flow to FindIt is easy thanks to the integration with the Tower Systems POS software. Tower helps retailers with advices training and support to get connected.
The goal really is to encourage more local shoppers to want through the front door of local retail businesses.
For years, Tower Systems, through its POS software, has helped retailers who do duty free sales and tax free sales to easily manage them at the sales counter with good record keeping, streamlined workflow and sound business management practices guided for the employees of the retail business. Let’s break that down:
Streamlined Workflow: This POS software from Tower Systems automates tasks and calculations associated with duty free and tax free transactions, reducing the time it takes to complete a sale. This minimises wait times for customers and frees up employee time to focus on other tasks or provide better customer service.
Easy Record Keeping: Tower Systems’ POS software ensures accurate and efficient record keeping for all duty free and tax free sales. This can include capturing customer information, flight details, and itemised receipts that meet customs regulations. Having this information readily available simplifies reporting and audits.
Sound Business Practices: The POS software from Tower Systems guides employees through the duty free and tax free sales process, ensuring they follow all the relevant regulations and procedures. This can help to minimise errors and ensure that the retailer remains compliant with all the requirements.
Improved Customer Service: By streamlining the sales counter processes for duty free and tax free sales, employees can focus on providing excellent customer service. This can mean spending more time with customers to answer questions, recommend products, and create a positive shopping experience.
Tower Systems has offered POS software for managing duty free and tax free sales for many years. Retailers are able to identify products that have the tax free status if they have products that do and do not have tax applied to them.
The best way to see if this POS software may suit your needs in magazine duty free and / or tax free sales is to see the software for yourself. This can be done via a personal and one-on-one demonstration where you outline what your business needs and the software functions in those areas can be shown. If the software is not right for the needs you have outlined, we will say so. It’s not in our interests to promote our software where we know it will not suit your needs.
If you do duty free sales and / or tax free sales, take a look at the POS software Tower Systems offers.
The Tower Systems POS software can handle multiple suppliers per stock item. This offers retailers flexibility and transparency. There are several real channels where this has been used: jewellers, bike shops, pet shops, garden centres, toy shops and newsagents.
By supporting multiple suppliers for each stock item, the POS software from Tower Systems offers a function of differentiation that plenty of retailers like, and use.
With traditional POS systems, you might be stuck scrambling to find a new source for an item that is out of stock, potentially delaying sales and frustrating customers. With the POS software from Tower Systems this data can be at your fingertips. You can link one stock item to multiple suppliers. This creates a win-win for you and your business.
Flexibility: If your primary supplier is out of stock, the system shows alternatives, allowing you to fulfill customer requests promptly. No more scrambling to find a new source or informing customers of delays.
Transparency: You can compare pricing and terms from different vendors within the same system. This empowers you to negotiate better deals and optimize your profit margins.
Data: You can track data by supplier per item.
By providing this level of flexibility and control, Tower Systems POS software empowers retailers to be more responsive and competitive. It’s a feature that many retailers appreciate and use to stay ahead of the curve.
This is another facility of specialisation in the specialty retail POS software from Tower Systems, somewhat makes our POS software more than ordinary, more than average.
If you have a moment, here’s our pitch:
Australian Made and Focused: We are an Australian company with a deep understanding of local retail. We serve retailers in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, The Cook Islands and Fiji.
Human Touch Support: We offer personal customer service. Our dedicated training and support staff are readily available to answer your questions and ensure you get the most out of their software.
Focus on User Experience: Our POS software is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, allowing you to take advantage of the multi-supplier function quickly and easily.
If you think our software may suit your needs, organise a personal demonstration. There is no obligation. We’d love to hear about your needs, answer your questions and show you what our Tower Systems POS software can do.
Knowing what a product weighs is key to accurate calculation of freight costs for online businesses. It’s not been so important for brick and mortar businesses. But online, product weight is key. It can also inform the choice of the method of shipping an online order as some freight businesses may offer better services based on product weight parameters.
The Tower Systems POS software allows retailers to record product weight by product and it shares this information with the retail business website thanks to its integrations with Shopify, Big Commerce, Woo Commerce and Magento.
The recording of weight by product has been covered in the POS software from Tower Systems for years.
Unlike brick-and-mortar stores where customers handle products themselves, online businesses rely on freight services to deliver their goods. This is where product weight becomes a crucial factor, something that can have considerable financial benefits for a retail business.
Tracking weight in the POS software has a range of benefits for a retail business including:
Accurate Shipping Costs: Imagine a customer adding a seemingly lightweight product to their cart, only to be surprised by a hefty shipping fee at checkout. This can lead to cart abandonment and lost sales. By knowing the exact weight of your products, you can calculate accurate shipping costs upfront, setting clear expectations for your customers and avoiding unpleasant surprises.
Competitive Shipping Options: Some freight companies offer tiered pricing based on weight. Knowing your product weights allows you to explore different shipping options and choose the most cost-effective service for each item.
Informed Shipping Decisions: Weight isn’t just about cost; it can also influence the shipping method you choose. For delicate or heavy items, you might prioritize slower but more secure shipping options. Lighter items might be suitable for faster, budget-friendly methods.
Tower Systems offers weight-aware POS software for retailers selling online and where freight is a factor on managing cost-effective online sales. Our point-of-sale software allows retailers to record the weight of each product directly within the system.
Tower Systems POS doesn’t operate in a silo. Thanks to its built-in integrations with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Magento, the product weight information you enter in the POS automatically syncs with your online store. This eliminates the need for manual data entry I the online side of the business, saving you valuable time and minimizing errors. Your customers will always see accurate shipping costs displayed at checkout, fostering a smooth and transparent buying experience.
By leveraging Tower Systems POS, online businesses can gain a significant edge in today’s competitive landscape. Accurate weight data translates to accurate shipping costs, informed shipping decisions, and ultimately, happier customers.
The POS software from Tower Systems manages and simplifies handling insurance claims for retailers in various industries, including jewellery, bicycles, gardening supplies, and homewares. These insurance claim relates sales management facilities were developed with retailers with years of experience fulfilling insurance claim related sales.
Here is some of what the Tower Systems POS software offers in managing insurance clim related product sales:
Dedicated Insurance Features: Tower Systems POS offers built-in functionalities specifically designed to manage insurance sales. This eliminates the need for manual processes or external integrations, saving time and reducing errors.
Streamlined Claims Processing: The software facilitates a smooth workflow for processing insurance replacements and manages appropriate record keeping. Retailers can efficiently handle customer claims, receive payments directly from insurers, and ensure accurate record-keeping.
Improved Customer Satisfaction: By efficiently processing claims, retailers can provide a faster and more positive experience for customers dealing with insurance replacements.
With years of experience in this space, Tower Systems and its POS software can help retailers win more insurance clim business.
Insurance companies benefit too from this work. Tower Systems empowers insurance companies to leverage a broader network of small and independent retailers for claim fulfillment. This expands options for customers and potentially reduces claim processing times. We ensure retailers have the necessary tools and training to handle insurance claims accurately and efficiently. This reduces the risk of errors and streamlines the overall claims process for insurance companies.
We are committed to enhancing the insurance claim facilities in our POS software as needs evolve in retail businesses and from the insurance companies with which they partner.
If your retail business handles sales related to insurance claims, our POS software is worth considering. We’d be happy to arrange an obligation free demonstration so you can assess the software for yourself. Be sure to have a list of must-have requirements so that we can show how the software may handle these. If the software does not handle any, we will tell you.
Our POS software has been made for a range of specialty retail settings. The insurance claim product sales management facilities in the POS software are available in any marketplace.
Tower Systems’ commitment to ongoing improvement through customer feedback ensures the insurance claims functionalities stay current. This benefits both retailers, who can adapt to evolving insurance processes, and insurance companies, who receive a future-proof solution.
We are grateful to our local independent retail business customers for their support.
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