The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Categorygift shop software

How can you tell if POS software is right for your business?

February 19, 2019
2 Min read
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There are simple steps to take to determine if POS software you are considering is right for your business. These steps are:

  1. Be sure of your needs. Without doubt. Without confusion. Noter down your must haves.
  2. Make sure the software runs in your type of business. Specialty retail runs best with specialty POS software. Using generic POS software that all sorts of businesses use will give you generic results.
  3. Look at software in your shop. Before you sign anything, before you pay anything, get someone from the POS software company to your shop to show you the software. But first, please clear on outlining your needs.
  4. Make sure you know the POS software company. Often people sell POS software that they don’t control. This can weaken your situation. Make sure they control what they sell as it is only through this that they can serve evolving needs.
  5. Only proceed if sure. If you have any doubt, pause. If you have unanswered questions, pause.

Do your homework. Communicate clearly. research well. Decide when you are confident.

It works every time.

We are grateful to our many POS software customers for confirming that this process of clarity around searching fort the right POS software for any specialty business works.

Tower Systems will visit your store, listen to your needs, show you what we do and put an offer to you – if we think our two businesses are a good fit. If we do not think they are good fit we will wish you all the very best, shake your hand and maybe suggest another company to speak with. Life is too short to have any retailer have our software if were know it is not a good fit.

Our evaluation and assessment proceeds as as thorough as we suggest to prospective customers. It is about our choices as much as theirs. We want happy customers and we want happy people working for our POS software business. That happens when good relationships are formed.

This may seem like common sense. sadly, in there POS software world it is not. People can be ripped. Follow our advice and it is less likely to happen to your, regardless of the software company you choose.

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Awesome Valentine’s Day results for small business retailers

February 15, 2019
2 Min read
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We are grateful for the opportunity to get a sneak peek at Valentine’s Day 2019 results for several retail businesses … and the results are good.

On a same store year on year comparative basis we are seeing good for Valentine’s Day. As usual, the bulk of the sales were achieved in the last week … actually, in the last five days to be precise.

Valentine’s Day remains an important season in card and gift focussed businesses. However, this year we have seen some nice growth outside of these traditional businesses as more retailers take a more creative approach and play outside of what has been traditional for the season.

In our POS software customer community we have a diverse group of indie retailers. Whereas in the past, Valentine’s Day was narrow in engagement in retail channels, 2019 has seen greater diversity in engagement. This reflects the changing nature of retail, something that is especially evident in small and indie retail businesses.

Tower Systems only sells to small and indie retailers. We have no interest in large retail groups as we prefer to serve and rely on many rather than be dominated by one or two.

Already, the focus is on the next season, Mother’s Day. This is another opportunity to play outside what has been traditional.

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Tower Systems helps small business retailers deal with cashflow challenges

February 12, 2019
7 Min read
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Two weeks ago we published comprehensive advice for small business retailers on dealing with a cashflow challenge. It was not the first time we have provided business advice on cashflow management and it won’t be the last.

What makes us experts on cashflow management in small business retail?

This is a good question. We are retailers ourselves. We have 3,000+ retail businesses as customers. These points and our decades of service to small business retail position us to be able to help in this area.

Our advice was thoughtfully prepared, reviewed and edited, to ensure it spoke to the needs of local small business retailers, to help them in practical and genuinely useful ways.

We are grateful for the engagement of our small business retailer community, the follow-up questions, their engagement seeking help beyond our written advice.

Helping small business retailers beyond our POS software and with ready to use advice on managing a cashflow challenge is something we are proud of offering as part of our service at Tower Systems.

HERE IS OUR CASHFLOW ADVICE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. 

In it’s simplest form, cashflow management is about ensuring a business has the cash necessary to meet its obligations and, hopefully, build reserves for the owners.

Good cashflow management starts with the understanding that this is your business. You sign the lease. You sign up for any loans. You hire, train, motivate, manage and, maybe, fire the staff. You choose what you sell. You set your prices for most of what you sell. You control how the shop looks. You manage the promotion of the business outside the business. Yes, this is your business.

The cashflow of the business is a product of your choices.

It is critical for every business owner to own their business cashflow performance. Blaming others or external factors is a cop out. harsh as it is, that’s the truth.

MANAGING CASHFLOW.

This list is ordered by priority.

  1. Budget. Have one. Until you do, do nothing. This is priority #1. The budget should include an inventory spend allowance, so you know what you can spend. Plan the budget for the business to be profitable / viable without the need for agency to support it. Business budgeting should involve provision to grow savings / emergency funds without having to borrow / lifestyle choices / exit strategy if you cannot sell the business.
  2. Funding. Before you borrow from any source, get advice as to the appropriateness of this funding. Too often we see expensive, unsecured, loans taken out at ridiculous interest, to the significant cost and harm to the business.
  3. Shop lease. Only sign a lease you are happy with. Be prepared to walk away at the end of the current lease if the new one offered is not good. Run your business through the life of the lease as if you will not take up a new lease in the same location.
  4. Labour costs. Run a lean roster. $25.00 a day saved in labour costs is like $50 to $75 in retail sales. That is, $15,600 to $23,400 in revenue for a six day week over a year.
    1. Ensure every team member has a role description.
    2. Set business performance targets:daily revenue / revenue per labour hour or similar. It is critical everyone working in the business understands the goals and that they support them.
  5. Price for margin. Understand retail price psychology. For example, $13.50 is seen to be the same as $14.99. So, price at $14.99. By pricing to a higher price point you can discount back or fund a loyalty program that discounts for loyalty. Also, choose .99 over .90 or .95.
  6. Loyalty. Run a loyalty program that focusses on people shopping more often with you. Be consistent in your pitch. Do not waver over the offer. It rewards loyalty, not laziness. The focus on loyalty needs to be whole of business, whole of team in pitch and management.
  7. LayBy. Stop it. Instead, offer Oxipay, ZipPay or AfterPay.
  8. Basket depth. Maximise every touchpoint.
    1. Counter. Always have multiple offers at your counter, offers that are easily purchased on impulse, offers that deepen the basket and make a shopper visit more efficient for you.
    2. Top selling items. Look at what is on either side. Make sure the products are relevant and easily purchased with the popular item.
    3. Exit pitch. Make sure you have a compelling and regularly changed pitch to shoppers as they leave the business.
  9. Inventory.
    1. You control your buying. Not a rep of a supplier ordering on your behalf.
    2. A full shop is not necessarily a good shop. A smart shop is better. This is, one that people love to browse, love to shop. Often in retail less is more.
    3. Consider establishing a buying approval process where more than one person participates in buying decision. The goal is to slow impulse purchases. This could be someone outside the business.
    4. If you doubt your ability ton pay, don’t buy.
    5. Move, move and move. Every day there should be movement of products in the sore to keep it feeling fresh.
    6. If products don’t work, quit them as they are worthless if you put them in storage for later.
    7. Work with suppliers, exploring delayed terms or consignment opportunities.

DEALING WITH A CASHFLOW CRISIS.

A cashflow crisis is when you can’t pay your bills on time or a sustained period of dissatisfaction with the cash reserves in the business.Too often, small business retailers ignore a cashflow crisis, leaving action until it is too late.

Here is our advice on how to deal with a cashflow crisis.

  1. Own the problem. Fixing this is on you.
  2. Bring in outside help. This could be a friend, a financial counsellor. The best person will be someone who understands your type of business who can help you see what you don’t see and support you in tough decisions to be made.
  3. Understand the problem. Know if it is short term or long term. Be certain about the role you have played.
  4. If you run customer accounts, collect with urgency.
  5. Ask the landlord for immediate rent relief. The more transparent you are with them the better. Document your case. Be prepared to show your P&L in support of your request.
  6. Cut your roster to bare bones.
  7. If you have stock on sale or return and it is not selling, return for credit.
  8. Immediately start a sale.
    1. Give it a cool, non scary, name.
    2. Price items to sell, especially items for which you have already paid. Even selling below cost frees cash to the business.
    3. Get everything on the shop floor.
    4. Display to clear. i.e. not pretty displays for sale items.
  9. For inventory that you cannot sell, consider eBay.
  10. Consider selling assets. If you have equipment in the business that you no longer use, sell it.
  11. Talk to all your creditors, apologise, outline your plan, ask for help.
  12. When making progress payments on creditors, respect all with payments. NOTE: small regular payments could be key to you not facing debt collection action.
  13. Act. Every decision, every action you take must work to addressing the cashflow challenge. If you have created a plan act on it immediately. This is not a time to overthink things.
  14. Invest. If your cashflow challenge is because of a decline in traffic, not spending money chasing traffic will only make the problem worse. Spend carefully.
  15. Plan for the end point. This will be either coming out on top or closing the business.

The cashflow achieved by a business is a product of your decisions. Be thoughtful in each decision and single-minded in your focus on a better cashflow outcome.

Thanks for reading. We hope 2019 is awesome for you.

Mark Fletcher
Managing Director
Tower Systems International (Aust.) Pty Ltd
E | mark@towersystems.com.au.

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Shopify connected POS software helps retailers make money online

February 11, 2019
2 Min read
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The Shopify connected POS software from Tower Systems helps small business retailers get online more easily and make money more seamlessly.

First released years ago and enhanced regularly since the Shopify POS software link offered by Tower Systems is good for small businesses as it makes getting online structured and straightforward. 

Tower uses the link itself in retail businesses it owns and runs, offering the company personal and valuable experience on which it can draw to provide practical and useable solutions to its small business retail customers.

Thanks to the link, retailers can easily feed inventory data to their Shopify store, track online sales and easily facilitate order fulfilment.

Being a direct link offers a better solution for retailers who want to access to extraordinarily successful, Shopify platform. The data flow is immediate, safe, secure and valuable. Two-way, too.

The Shopify link is one of several e-commerce links offered through the Tower oysters POS software. The company supports multiple platforms to provide its customers choice. each e-commerce platform is widely used locally and internationally.

Our customers can link with sites they rate for themselves or have created by a web developer. Tower Systems also develops websites. We are happy to work in any situation people want. We make linking to sites easy with access to documentation on data flow and connection.

We welcome the opportunity to quote on stand-alone web development, where our sole service of your business is the development of a website.

Our POS software integrated websites serve a single inventory database between physical store and online store.

The Tower Systems web development team is skilled in WooCommerce, Magento and Shopify. The company has plenty of sites it can show in a live portfolio of successful e-commerce sites, serving shoppers in Australia and internationally.

Small business retailers can benefit from the retail management experience at Tower Systems experience that helps deliver a more retail focussed solution, integrated with POS software.

The Tower web development team is also skilled at SEO and SEM services that help raise the website rankings in key search engines, ensuring the site is found ahead of others.

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The new POS software help desk service that customers love

February 5, 2019
2 Min read
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Late last year we launched a new free service for our customers that involves us doing some business performance analysis work for them through our POS software and delivering our assessment to them.

Our customers are loving this service. They love the insights, the fresh eyes view of their business performance, the respect we show for accurate business data and the deeper understanding they get from the work we are doing.

In each case the interaction is personal, specific to the business. We deliver valuable outcomes on which our customers can rely.

This new service was tested first, honed, buffed and then pitched, a couple of months ago. This week, we have reminded customers as we are keen to help as many customers as possible to get more from their investment with us.

This is a unique service that leverages our own retail knowledge and experiences. It enables us to deliver to our customers practical business outcome focussed data they can use to make better quality business decisions without having to harvest data themselves.

What we are doing is outside the usual scope for a POS software help desk. It is a point of difference delivered by Tower Systems.

Giving our customers insights is a terrific way to demonstrate real value from proper use of our software and engagement with the data analytics and reporting tools available through and allied to our software.

From unit count data to basket size, shopper visit efficiency gross profit and other data point analyses, we are delivering to small business retailers insights of genuine and understood value.

Privacy is respected through the process.  Educational opportunities are embraced where we see opportunities to help our customers nurture better business data for their own insights. We are thoughtful and careful in how we approach this, ensuring we are dealing with business owners.

Seeing a business make good business decisions based on their own business data is terrific and then seeing them nurture even more valuable business data in pursuit of growth is wonderful. that is what this free service from us guides for our small business retailer customers. It is a point of difference that is 100% is support of small business retail.

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How to find Australian developed POS software for small business retailers

January 30, 2019
2 Min read
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Not all POS software sold in Australia is made is Australia. Plenty are not supported in Australia.

While we are biased on this, Australian designed and supported POS software is best for Australian business needs.

But how can you tell if your software is from Australia? Easy, call the company, call their local office and ask. Better still, if possible, visit their local office and see for yourself.

Small business retailers more than most in business understand the importance of shopping local – for local communities, local employment and local funding of infrastructure.

If this is you, if you pitch shop local in your business, shop local for your own POS software. That positions you better to influence the software and to benefit from the local Aussie connection.

Do your homework. Look at the terminology used in the software, the design aesthetic, the accessibility of support, the tuning of training to your business, the opportunity for face to face in-store training. Do all this research and we think you will soon see the value of shopping local for POS software for your small or independent retail business.

Here Are reasons why Australian designed and supported POS software is better for Australian retail businesses.

  1. Local business knowledge is vital.
  2. Accessible support is essential.
  3. Specialty retail channels are different elsewhere.
  4. It is made for you and not a global market.
  5. You are close to the company and therefore more able to influence product direction.
  6. It is more likely to work with your suppliers.
  7. It is good for the country, good for your local community.

In looking for software, we suggest you start with your needs. Be clear and concise. Know what is not negotiable for you and stick to that.

We suggest you don’t get suckered into a free trial as that is how some companies get you, thinking you will become invested and not want to switch. Do your research and make a better decision to start with, a researched decision based on your needs.

Australian POS software has an excellent reputation. You can rely on having terrific options available to you.

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New POS software advice sheets help small business retailers

January 29, 2019
1 Min read
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Our help desk team have been busy these past fe weeks writing, editing, peer-reviewing and publishing new advice sheets for retailers using our POS software. Here are some of the new articles already published following thorough peer review…

  1. Processing a Sale using Zip Pay/Zip Money
  2. Processing Sales and Refunds Using Oxipay
  3. Troubleshooting Report Mapping
  4. Setting Up Report Mapping
  5. Woo Commerce Integration Information
  6. Shopify Integration Information
  7. Magento Integration Information
  8. Magento 2 Link Installation / Configuration
  9. Zip Pay/Zip Money setup guide
  10. Sales by Time
  11. Daily GST Cash Accounting report
  12. Weekly GST Cash Accounting report
  13. Monthly GST Cash Accounting report
  14. Supplier Sales Analysis Report
  15. Supplier Stock Listing
  16. General Stock Listing
  17. Valuations

These advice sheets reinforce our personal in-store training, our over the phone one on one training and our group training workshops.

By providing multiple, fresh, POS software use touchpoint we make learning easy for existing and new customers, especially retailers who buy businesses with our software installed.

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POS software update expands buy now pay later for small business retailers

January 25, 2019
2 Min read
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The latest update to our POS software for jewellers, garden centres, bike shops newsagents, firearms retailers, toy shops, produce stores, fishing stores, outdoors businesses and rural supply businesses has delivered an expansion of shopper payment options.

The Tower Systems POS software is integrated with more buy now pay later services, enabling our small business retail partners to directly link from their POS software to these services for easy over the counter purchase, fast payment and no hassles with storing the items.

This latest update, the first for 2019, has been developed to meet the standards of our latest buy now pay later finance provider. It further showcases the integration strength of our POS software and the wonderful team of POS software developers who work for our company – evolving wonderful software through partnerships with strong and respected service providers.

Like our Xero accounting software integration, Tower Systems has ensured that this latest integration is seamless, accessible from within the software and completed to best practice standards.

With the buy now pay later options we support, our POS software customers can sell without risk as the finance companies manage that, they take this on as their responsibility. It has completely changed how LayBy operates, especially in the indie retail space in which we are so well established.

Transactions at the counter are easy and fast. Retail shoppers using any of the services with which we integrate can purchase, ‘pay’ and leave in a short time. The retailer can be confident of being paid. The shopper understands the terms. The finance company manages risk. It really is a win win win.

In delivering this latest update, Tower Systems has undertaken lab testing, field testing, a beta release and then commercial release. Our customers love the structured process updates are put through. They also love that they can choose when an update is installed for them. They like that there are no surprises. We could force updates on them. They prefer we not do that.

Buy now pay later is big in many retail channels. Tower Systems is proud to have launched this in each of its marketplaces for over the counter over a year ago. Now, with more financiers on board, the options for retailers and consumers are considerable.

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Aussie designed and supported POS software for local gift shops

January 24, 2019
3 Min read
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Gift retail has changed.  What people buy, why they buy, how they buy and when they buy … has all changed.

It is hard to know what we gift retailers don’t know.

Independent, locally owned, gift shops help people express themselves. The challenge is to be there, at the right time and with the right gifts to leverage the what,why, howand when.

We own and operate three retail shops in the gift space. They are live test sites for us. We play in the intersection of technology, in-store retail and online retail … for us and for our POS software customers.

We share with our gift shop POS software customers what we learn, in addition to enhancing the software. We also actively embrace ideas from our 3,000+ small business retail customers.

This month, some of our team were in Atlanta for the AmericasMart – a large and truly unique gift trade show experience. We are there as part of our supplier engagement commitment, to spot trends and to learn from US gift and homewares retailers.

Through our software, through our own retail experiences and through retail study tours overseas, we are committed to helping our customers…

  1. Make their businesses more valuable today and when they sell.
  2. Enjoy working and working on their businesses more.

More than POS software, we offer help designed for your type of business.

We do all the regular POS stuff you’d expect, and we serve gift and homewares specialist opportunities, like…

  1. Green shoots. Our reporting and business intelligence tools help you see opportunities you can nurture for more success.
  2. Remote management. We offer tools through which you can run the business away from the business.
  3. Collectors. We help you manage people who collect.
  4. Stock Notes. Show product care info on receipts, based on product.
  5. Market to Your Customers. Keep in touch with customers based on their purchase history, interests, club membership, birthday, & more.
  6. Customer Loyalty for 2019. From points to vouchers – we offer loyalty flexibility designed to help you bring shoppers back sooner.
  7. Receipt Coupons. Offer further discounts when certain products are sold or advertise services when purchasing in specific departments
  8. Automated Reordering. Reorder on min/max levels or seasonal.
  9. Stock Images. Images loaded against products can appear at point of sale to assist in the process, and can flow through to your website.
  10. Special orders.Track special orders and print a label with the customers details and sms them when it comes in
  11. Staff Tracking. Track all suspicious transactions, cancelled sales, discounted sales, deleted sales, quantity changes and more.
  12. Gift Cards & VIP Cards. Our scanable cards enhance professionalism.
  13. Website Integration. We connect with Shopify, Magento & Woo.
  14. Accounting Integration. We integrate with Xero, MYOB & Reckon.

Our training is one-on-one, in your business. Our help desk support is personal, based out of Melbourne, and personal too – because we know personal service matters in small business retail.

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2019 New Year resolutions for small business POS software users

January 15, 2019
3 Min read
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2019 is two weeks in and already there is plenty happening in retail, especially small business retail.

As a service to POS software customers in our user community, Tower Systems offers a selection of small business retail new year resolutions from which retailers can choose business goals for the year.

Naturally, these resolutions are POS software related, as encouragement to our customers to get more from their investment. We don’t expect people to select any more the  one or two from this list. However, do something, have a goal that is POS software related, your business will benefit, you will benefit, for sure.

TWENTY-FIVE 2019 POS SOFTWARE RELATED SMALL BUSINESS RETAIL NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS.

  1. Maintain better quality business data.
  2. Order based on actual sales data rather than gut feel.
  3. Spend more time away from the shop by managing remotely.
  4. Eliminate manual processes.
  5. Take action on employee theft.
  6. take action on customer theft.
  7. Reduce dead stock.
  8. Eliminate more paperwork.
  9. Engage in more data based business planning.
  10. Declutter my business data.
  11. Declutter the shop based on the business data.
  12. Delegate more.
  13. Set KPI goals, measure, track and engage.
  14. Learn more about the software.
  15. Learn something new from the software every week.
  16. Start believing the business performance data.
  17. Only sell products with a barcode.
  18. Establish new rules designed to protect data integrity.
  19. Deal more with suppliers that make doing business easier and less with suppliers that don’t.
  20. Leverage more control over the business.
  21. Manage staff performance more.
  22. Engage in more free training from Tower Systems.
  23. Ask Tower to tell me what they see about my business in my business data.
  24. Get more from the software.
  25. Treat data as an asset and not as a chore.

We hope that this list inspires, encourages, motivates and nurtures better business outcomes from the use of our POS software in your business.

More than an average software company, Tower Systems cares, deeply, about how our POS software is used and the outcomes it can achieve for your business. Our goal is to every day help our customers to achieve real benefits from the POS software.

Software is like any business tool. What you get out of it is determined by what you invest in the tool and how you use it. No, not a money investment, but a management investment. Respect, trust and use the tool and it will deliver for you. Treat it as a glorified cash register and that is what it will be for you.

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Why gift shop owners and managers love our POS software for gift shops

January 11, 2019
4 Min read
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Tower Systems has been developing, selling and supporting POS software for gift shops for years. There are many hundreds of retailers using this retail channel specific POS software.

Using our specialist POS software, gift retailers can be confident that we offer software that is fit for purpose, software that is deal for the need and packed with facilities beneficial to the unique needs of gift shops, especially gift shops serving local needs, local communities.

Here are some notes from a Q&A we did with gift retailers on our software.

What facilities do gift shop owners and staff  like are in your software?

  1. Easy to use yet structured and professional Lay-By.
  2. Customer special orders with TXT message when stock arrives.
  3. Professional gift cards with your logo and proper management of balance.
  4. Easy to produce gift vouchers.
  5. Gift receipts that can be wrapped with a gift (no pricing).
  6. Intelligent receipts with product care information.
  7. Easy handling of hampers and bundled offers.
  8. Supplier performance comparison.
  9. Employee performance management and rewards.
  10. Importing electronic invoices from gift shop suppliers. We work with for you.
  11. Linking to your website to manage a common stock file.
  12. Loyalty options including traditional points as well as front end loyalty to drive infrequent shopper engagement.
  13. Inventory management to guide you to a more efficient inventory level.
  14. Theft reduction tools to reduce the opportunity of employee theft.
  15. It’s easy to use.
  16. It’s regularly updated based on user suggestions.

What do you think makes your gift shop software different to others?

We develop the software ourselves here in Australia in close consultation with gift shop owners and employees – as well as with gift shop suppliers. This is truly specialist software created for your type of business.

What makes Tower Systems different as a supplier of gift shop software?

Our service is personal, professional and accessible. You have access to the entire Tower Systems team to not only learn how to use our software but also to how to make more money in your business by using the software.

How do you handle nervous computer users?

Gently, with respect.

What training is provided with the system?

When it is installed the training is one on one in your shop. Following the installation you can access more than 130 training videos and 626 plain English step-by-step articles in our online knowledge base.

Why would I use this and not a cash register?

Using the Tower Systems Gift Shop software would help you:

  1. Guide shoppers to spend more in a visit.
  2. Attract shoppers to return to the business more often.
  3. Reduce dead stock.
  4. Reduce theft.
  5. Streamline selling.
  6. Reduce mistakes in sales processing by eliminating double handling.
  7. Better manage employee time.
  8. Better manage supplier relationships through buying based on facts and not emotion.
  9. More effectively plan for the future of the business thanks to access to accurate data.
  10. See things in your business that you may miss today.
  11. Offer a professional experience with personalised attractive receipts, personalised attractive gift certificates, structured Lay-By and a data driven approach to ordering.
  12. We bring structure and ease to the end of shift balancing process.
  13. You can easily manage catalogue and promotional pricing as well as bundled deals and through this drive sales.
  14. There are 100+ reports on which you can rely to assess the business. However, the reality is you will fall in love with two or three reports and rely on these.

Is it possible to transfer an existing database?

Yes, our technical experts are very good at this. We have converted data from Retail Express, Lightspeed, Retail Edge and MYOB for gift retailers switching to us.

What kind of after-sales support is available?

Our Australian based help desk is available Monday through Friday from 7am AEST to 6pm AEST and on Saturday from 7:30am AEST through 3pm AEST.  We also offer 24/7 after hours support at no additional cost.

Our help desk services (office hours and after hours) are backed up by escalation to senior management of the business. Every customer is given the direct mobile phone numbers of our national management team including the owner of the company – as a measure of transparency and commitment to service.

Each week we host a live online training workshop covering a part of the software. This includes a Q&A session. Access to this online workshop is free.

Via our website we provide access to a comprehensive and constantly evolving knowledge base of articles and documentation. This is accessible 24/7 and can be searched using regular English terms. It is 100% non-technical, user friendly and designed for self service.

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Small business POS software website integration helps small business retailers

January 10, 2019
3 Min read
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Tower Systems makes it easy for small business retailers to connect their shops online, directly through their POS software, to websites in Shopify, Magento or Woo Commerce. Using the POS software as the owner and manager of the inventory data and images, loading items on a website is easy as is tracking sales and managing fulfilment.

In addition to develop0ing POS software, we develop websites for our small business customers. We have terrific experience and skills i8n this area.

Our POS software integrated websites serve a single inventory database between physical store and online store.

The Tower Systems web development team is skilled in WooCommerce, Magento and Shopify. The company has plenty of sites it can show in a live portfolio of successful e-commerce sites, serving shoppers in Australia and internationally.

Small business retailers can benefit from the retail management experience at Tower Systems experience that helps deliver a more retail focussed solution.

The Tower web team is also skilled at SEO and SEM services that help raise the website rankings in key search engines, ensuring the site is found ahead of others.

But best of all, Tower Systems provides professional advice and guidance to small business retailers keen to build their online presence. Our commitment is honest transparent advice on which any small business retailer can rely.

The Tower Systems web development team is Australian based, working out of the company’s head office in Hawthorn. This is important as many web development businesses are overseas. While you might have a locally based contact person development too often is done overseas, leading to challenges with delivery and usefulness.

Tower Systems is committed to local development for local businesses. Our developers understand retail in Australia and New Zealand. We leverage that to deliver practical and valuable business outcomes.

From simple websites to complex multi business solutions, the Tower Systems web development team for retailers is skilled and capable of delivering valuable solutions.

To find our more about our web development services, speak with a local Tower Systems sales person. They can point you to successful sites from us that are live and transacting today.

Here are just some of the many store POS software linked websites that we have developed:

  1. www.beanieboosaustralia.com
  2. www.popvinylsinaustralia.com
  3. www.willowbears.com.au
  4. www.willowbearsworldwide.com
  5. www.ittybittysinaustralia.com
  6. www.charliebearsinaustralia.com
  7. www.ezitask.com
  8. www.sendmytask.com

This is a selection of sites created by Tower Systems. Our web development skills are diverse. Our SEO and SEM skills are fine-tuned, to help you get the notice for your website.

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This Gift shop POS software helps independent retailers sell more and grow more successful businesses

January 9, 2019
3 Min read
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Tower Systems is proud to offer Australian designed, developed and supported POS software for gift shops. Our gift shop software is current, valuable, easy to use and able to grow with the business. In fact, our POS software for gift shops helps gift shops grow through terrific marketing and management tools, though intuitive guidance and with the backing and support of a wonderful team of retailers, skilled training and help desk team members in the Tower family.

The gift shops that we serve with our POS software are locally owned and run gift shops, the quintessential small business, usually a family business. Competition is tough for these small businesses. We understand that and have ensured that our software helps these businesses meet and deal with competition.

Tower Systems helps small business gift shops through its constantly evolving gift shop software. Using our Point of Sale software, gift shop owners and gift shop managers are able to trade more efficiently and successfully, they are able to trade with confidence and accuracy. They are able to build a stronger and more valuable business.

Here are some of the practical and beneficial ways the Tower Systems gift shop software can help any independent gift and homewares shop:

  1. Accurate selling.
  2. Easier selling.
  3. Faster selling.
  4. Selling on the shop floor, over the phone or online.
  5. Click and collect is easy as well as in buy now pay later.
  6. Less mistakes thanks to fewer steps in the sales process.
  7. Automatic handling of EFT processing thanks it integrated EFTPOS.
  8. Easy to run LayBys including managing the terms and conditions, collecting payment and locating lay-bys.
  9. Easy handling of sales over a date and time range.
  10. Structure around product returns.
  11. Easy finding previous sales.
  12. Easier management of staff rosters.
  13. Visibility of business performance when you are not in the shop.
  14. Access to a range of shopper loyalty options from points based to a cash amount off the next sale.
  15. Easy bundling of products into a package deal offer – this makes price comparison harder.
  16. Easier selling online through a connected website.
  17. Tracking sales by staff member.
  18. Tracking business performance by supplier – driving suppliers to facilitate your business success.
  19. Tracking business performance by key seasons.
  20. Easy management of special orders for customers.
  21. Creating orders for suppliers.
  22. Easily loading electronic invoices from suppliers.
  23. Comparing trading periods for quick spotting of business performance trends.
  24. Selling by measure.
  25. Selling by weight.
  26. Managing the repairs process if you offer that type of service.
  27. Running customer accounts and managing the collection of these accounts.
  28. managing sopper gift cards including tracking balances.
  29. Managing multiple retail outlets.

The Tower Systems gift shop software helps small and independent gift shops in many ways. This list here is just some of the ways. This software has been developed with and for gift shop owners and their employees. It is already widely used.

As specialty retail software designed and developed in Australia, this is software fit for purpose for small and independent gift shops. 

Tower systems continues to evolve the software to ensure it meets the evolving needs of gift retailers in Australia.

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POS software helps independent retailers pitch shop local

January 8, 2019
3 Min read
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In the Australian designed, developed and supported Tower Systems POS software, independent retailers  can easily to pitch that you are locally connected business.

This is a key mission of the Tower Systems POS software company. It is something on which we have focussed for years and something we deliver in our POS software, customer service, train ing, management advice and more as we go about business every day.

being local, serving local, engaging local matters. It is what Tower Systems helps retailers do through its POS software regularly, systematically and in a structured way. We are proud to offer this local focus and support.

For example, you can serve, on receipts, local information relevant in your area:

  1. A garden centre could provide advice on plants for local conditions.
  2. A fishing business could provide advice on local fishing spots that are hot.
  3. A pet store could include information about local dog parks and events.
  4. A toy shop could list local collector and game clubs to foster community.

We can help you do this, we can help you show through the software how your business is better for the local community than any big business competitor.

BEING LOCAL BEYOND THE SOFTWARE.

Here are four ideas you could consider to show off a local connection. This collection of ideas is all about things you could do that are newsworthy for the local media:

  1. Tell the town’s story. Invite a school class to create a diorama telling some history of the down in your shop window.  This will be educational, topical, newsworthy and something that gets people connected with those involved to your shop to see the window.
  2. Famous and infamous people. Get your customers to nominate famous people form the area from back since when the area was first settled. Again, educational and newsworthy.
  3. Sports heroes. Invite all schools and clubs in your area to submit a photo and a brief description of their sporting winners from this year. The display could be your way of holding the winners up for another moment of glory.
  4. Where we come from. get a school class to create a map of the word for your window and get your shoppers to place a flag showing where they come from. Maybe the could have a place to note a story of how they got there.

While none of these ideas is about you selling product, each does better connect your shop with your local community and that is vital.

Here are other tips on boosting the local connection:

  1. Be knowledgeable about local activities, events, issues and places.
  2. Talk about local matters on your social media outlets. Help publish local news.
  3. Support local groups with knowledge, prizes and attention.
  4. Encourage local groups to use your business.
  5. Serve your community in practical ways such as volunteering.
  6. Help even the groups you cannot help financially – with an events noticeboard and supporting them on your Facebook page etc.
  7. Talk local across the counter.
  8. Be visible at local events and activities.
  9. Encourage your employees to be visible at local events and activities.
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Xero POS software link from Tower Systems helps small business retailers

January 7, 2019
2 Min read
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Tower Systems helps small business retailers benefit through its direct POS software Xero link.

First released years ago and regularly enhanced, the POS software Xero link helps small business retailers…

  1. Save time.
  2. Cut mistakes.
  3. make better decisions.
  4. make faster decisions.
  5. Have more control over their businesses.
  6. Stress less.
  7. Sell their businesses.

We use Xero ourselves in our own retail businesses, where we also use our POS software. nWe have practical and personal experience on which we can draw to serve our customers, to provide them a better Xero POS software integrated experience.

When we provide training and help on this, we do so from years of personal experience. It is one thing to know what to do, it is another entirely to actually have done it yourself. This is where our story is unique in the POS software space, where we are able to best serve our small business retailers on an efficient and useful Xero POS software link.

Here is what is transferred to Xero through our POS software Xero link.

  1. Sales – End of Shift based Department level sales are transferred to Xero via a sales invoice.  Each department can be assigned its own Xero account.
  2. Stock Arrivals – Invoices that are received into Retailer are transferred over to Xero as department level purchase invoice. No individual stock items are transferred.
  3. Stock Returns – Returns are transferred as credits in Xero at the department level. No individual stock items are transferred.
  4. Write Off’s and No Sales – These are both transferred to individual expense accounts, depending on what reason was chosen when the transaction was performed.
  5. Cost Of Sales – An option on sales exporting is to export Cost of Sales.  While not a full implementation of COGS it does transfer over the cost price of items sold each day to reduce the value of Stock On Hand in Xero.  If you use this option you will export Write offs, not as expenses, but as adjustment to your Stock on Hand.   This makes processing adjustments for the End Of Month much easier.

We developed the link is association with xero, as a development partner.

While we have an integration with Quicken and MYOB, we love Xero as it is easy, well maintained and well supported … and we use it ourselves in our own shops having tried other accounting software solutions.

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Small business POS software helps indie retail in 2019

January 3, 2019
2 Min read
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Retail changed in 2018 and it will change more in 2019. While some changes are obvious, l others are more subtle. Good POS software helps retail businesses to embrace change, to lean into evolving opportunities.

Through 0ur structured, fact-based, well-researched, thoroughly tested software update process, Tower Systems offer small business retail customers the opportunity to embrace change and place the business ahead of a curve of change.

The changes in our software are retail outcome led. That is, we bring to the software tools retailers want for their shop floor, online, in their back offices and on the road. We deliver tools and facilities retailers love because they are retailers more so that they are tech-heads. This matters as retail is unique.

Being retailers ourselves, owning and running three growing and engaged retail businesses in the gift, homewares and on-trend spaces, each with strong in-store and online sales, we leverage personal experience for spotting trends and testing the benefits of technology in delivering on those opportunities.

This is rare, a POS software company owning and operating retail stores. We are proud to have this opportunity, to leverage it for our customers and to use our shops as show places, testing labs and more on behalf of our POS software customer community.

Owning retail shops helps us produce old software, useful software, software fit for purpose in retail in 2019. This is a year of wonderful opportunity, of more change and of more opportunity for independent small business retailers. Were will deliver tools and benefits for our customers so they can leverage our software in 2019 for their own business benefit.

So, what does independent retail look like in 2019? We have some views on this and will share them without customers in our private communications. Our its are an amalgam of insights from study overseas, connection with retail experts and guidance received from retail groups to which we contribute and from which we learn.

Our goal this year is to help our retail business customers, to continue to grow their businesses, to be resilient and to benefit from change. Our hope is for 2019 of great achievement for our POS software user community. We will work diligently to help achieve this for our customers.

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POS software Xero integration helps small business retailers cut mistakes and costs

December 28, 2018
2 Min read
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The beautiful and seamless integration between the Tower Systems small business POS software and Xero cloud based accounting software is helping more and more small business retailers to cut mistakes and same time.

Mistakes can happen every time there is manual engage meant with data. Our Xero integration cuts man cal engagement. In fact, in many =businesses, implementing the link significantly costs bookkeeping fees, delivering a terrific financial benefit too.

The Tower Systems Point of sale software / Xero link offers multiple benefits on which small business owners can bank…

  1. Cut accounting costs.
  2. Cut bookkeeping time.
  3. Improve business data accuracy.
  4. Improve business retorting.
  5. Make the business more profitable.

Xero does not connect to all POS software. Qs the premier small business account ting software in the world it is selective.

Tower Systems is proud to be a Xero partner and proud to deliver a quality Xero integration between our POS software and Xero. It is an integration we use ourselves in our own retail businesses. This provides us with experience we leverage for our customers every day. When we provide support, we do so from our own personal experience and this makes a big difference to the nature of support.

We were the first in our retail niches to integrate with Xero. We did this years ago and have maintained it ever since, working with xero through enhancements to deliver an appreciated and evolving solution for retailers who want too cut data entry, cut mistakes, cut bookkeeping costs and increase practical and beneficial business outcomes.

In addition to the Xero integration, Tower Systems POS software integrates with Shopify, magento and WooCommerce – the three leading e-commerce platforms in the world. The web development team at Tower has enhanced these to offer a multi-store solution whereby independent retailers can trade under a single branded website rather than needing their own website.

The Xero integration is the back-office piece where real labour costs are reduced. We only sell to independent small business retailers in selected retail niches such as bike shops, jewellers and garden centres. Having the xero integration is vital as they are all competing with big business and every saving, no matter how small, is loved.

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Tower Systems: POS software for independent retail businesses

December 17, 2018
2 Min read
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Our company motto here at Tower Systems is we’re here to help. We take this seriously. Everyday, our motto challenges us to help our POS software customers in ways they do not expect, ways beyond the software itself.

Founded in 1981, Tower Systems has evolved as technology has evolved. The software we sell today is generations away from where we started. We are proud to have served some of our customers for decades.

More than 3,500 specialty small business retailers in Australia and New Zealand use our specialty POS software.

To us, a specialty retailer is one that offers services unique to the channel, services that define the business.  We embed in our software for each retail channel facilities that serve needs unique to that channel. We take pride in doing this and enhancing these channel-specific facilities as the needs evolve.

We appreciate software cannot stand still. Every year we release significant enhancements, serving the needs of our customers.

POS software RETAIL MARKETS

There are versions of the software serving the business specific needs of many specialty requirements including:

  1. Bike shops.
  2. Garden Centres.
  3. Book shops.
  4. Gift Shops.
  5. Homewares Shops.
  6. Farm supply businesses
  7. Produce businesses.
  8. Fishing and Outdoors shops.
  9. Toy Shops.
  10. Confectionery Retail.
  11. Stationery retail.
  12. Pet Shops.
  13. Pet Grooming.
  14. Whole Foods Grocers.
  15. Swimming Pool Supplies.
  16. Firearms Retail.
  17. Adult Shops.

Linking directly to Xero enhances the time-saving gained through the software as well as facilitating the accuracy of data managed by the software. Our Xero link provides for a data feed of sales as well as purchases.

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

INTEGRATIONS

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

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

December 12, 2018
2 Min read
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In the middle of the craziness of the Christmas retail season we retailers can sometimes lose sight of the year round needs of the business.

In our POS software and retail business management training, we guide retailers on leveraging the Christmas traffic and sales boost for year round gain… without slowing processing Christmas sales.

There are steps you can take through Christmas and other busy seasons to benefit the usually quiet periods of the year.

This is where retail channel specific POS software can make a difference.  We have software designed specifically for: gifts,  jewellers,  bikes,  toys,  fishing/outdoors, garden centres, pet shops, produce, firearms, adult shops and newsagents.

Discount vouchers, smart loyalty, are one tool retailers can use this time of the year to set themselves up for terrific return business in the new year.

Discount Vouchers don’t need a card – they print on sales receipts and offer an amount customers can spend right away. Our experience and the experience of hundreds of our customers is that Discount Vouchers drive faster and deeper engagement with the business – making a shopping visit more valuable right away.

In our own retail experience, which sees us competing against major retailers in a Westfield shopping centre, several shoppers have stated they prefer Discount Vouchers over the rewards programs of our competitors.

We are confident that Tower Systems’ Discount Voucher facilities can help you:

  1. Get customers spending more in a visit.
  2. Bring existing customers back sooner.
  3. Attract new shoppers to your business.
  4. Drive impulse purchases at the sales counter.

We are keen for relationships with small business retailers that go beyond POS software that manages fast and accurate transactions. We want to help our customers do much more, to achieve much more.

One of our retail experts can tell or show you more: Please call our sales team at 1300 662 957 or email them at sales@towersystems.com.au.

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Help for small business retailers to compete with big business

December 6, 2018
2 Min read
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Tower Systems is not your average POS software company. Our help for small business, local business, independent business retailers goes beyond what is traditional for a POS software company.

We help small business retailers compete with big business. We do this through advice, help and support. We do it every day, with many different types of retail businesses.

Our help can be POS software related as much as it can be business management related.

We are here to help out thousands of independently owned small business retailers in any way we can, every time they ask. We are here for them, as a backstop, as a support, as a listening ear.

This support and assistance is often personal too, engaging in discussions about business performance and the intersection with family life. We draw on considerable experience to be able to do this, to help our customers confront and resolve the challenges they face.

Our help for small business retailers in confronting bug business competition is engaging and supportive. We do this because we believe in small business and the role this sector plays in any economy. While we in small business can’t beat big business in terms of buying power and might, we can beat then on the ground, in terms of local engagement and through clever flexible offers pitched through our software.

Our POS software has built into it tools that help it compete and engage at the local street level that benefits small businesses, which gives them mechanisms through which they can be competitive.

On price, service, knowledge and more our POS software helps small business retailers swim in a different ocean to big business, we help our customers to significantly differentiate their businesses to big business competitors. This differentiation can make a significant difference. It can be what is needed to calm a small business and to give them the competitive advantage they are seeking to make a strand against a big business competitor.

Using smart POS software backed by genuinely engaged and helpful POS software support you can compete with a big business competitor, you can attract new shoppers and run your business at an efficiency level that is personally and financially rewarding.

This is a Tower Systems advantage.

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POS software advice for small business retailers

November 30, 2018
3 Min read
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Retail is tough. Small business is tough. In our POS software, small business retailers have tools that help them compete, tools through which they can differentiate their businesses and reach new opportunities and customers.

Sometimes, the best way to compete is to stop competing. That is what we want to talk abut here today.

What is competition anyway. Often, it is inn our head and there it swirls around and does bad things. Let’s take a moment to look at competition differently.

Too often we in small business see competition and get angry. We ignore the opportunity to change gears and stop competing

In our Tower Systems POS software our retail small business customers have facilities through which they can change gears, through which they can recast your offer so it cannot be compared to those from a competitor.

These gear changing competitive tools in your current software include:

  1. Discount Vouchers. This is the most effective form of immediate loyalty rewards we have ever seen, driving excellent sales results. Charge more for an item and reward shoppers with cash off their next purchase.
  2. Buy X get Y – Multibuy. This focuses people on a volume based offer rather than a direct simple purchase.
  3. Package multiple items together for a price you set. Done right you can get more than the total value of the items in the package.
  4. Special orders. Major retailers tend to prefer to sell what they have. Special orders are often considered too difficult. If you manage it well and make it easy, you can pitch your business competitively.
  5. Sell you. Include insights, knowledge and advice with purchases, on receipts, automatically. Show, through every sale, that buying from you is different to other retailers where they could have purchased the same item.

This small list is a taste of the game changing opportunities though which you can compete in non traditional and often more valuable ways. These are ways we can help – through the software and through business advice that helps you leverage the software for wonderful times and insights.

Next time you feel competitive pressure from a big business, ask what you could change gearsin your business to position you differently, to not look like you are competing.

The more you can do to block direct price comparison the better. But don’t block, change the playing field. That is what we like to do.

Here at Tower Systems we can help with these and other initiatives in this area of smart competition.

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How we see our POS software for small business retailers

November 28, 2018
2 Min read
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We did an exercise in the office this week, thinking about how we see our software and what we do for small business retailers. Using a single word to describe what we dock to make a statement about what we stand for, aspire to, deliver and achieve for our customers in their businesses and in their lives as a result of engaging with our small b business POS software.

Here it is. Here is the list. the single word., Each word is, of itself, a statement of aspiration and / or achievement. We share it here as this is a shared goal we have with our customers and businesses owners who would be our customers. Here is the list in no special order…

Useful.

Exciting.

Expanding.

Helpful.

Responsive.

Customers.

Helpful.

Simple.

Stable.

Strong.

Powerful.

Easy.

Fast.

Accurate.

Safe.

Reliable.

Evolving.

Happy.

Trustworthy.

Peaceful.

Helpful.

Growing.

Calming.

Enlightening.

Aussie.

Me.

Focussed.

Structured.

Empowering.

Partner.

Collaborator.

Protected.

Rainbow.

Happy.

Relaxing.

Local.

Small.

Planning.

Smooth.

Personal.

Cool.

Future.

Flexible.

Changes.

Insights.

Peaceful.

Sure, they are single words. They are part of what came out of a workshop we did looking at who we are, what we do and why we do it. We do this from time to time, checking in with each other and our goals and the goals of our customers. We think this is good practice for any POS software company, especially one that focusses on the needs of small business retailers.

We take what we do here seriously and thoughtfully. We take great care to get it right even time. Pursuing this means we need to understand the goal. These single word responses help define the goal and the diversity of the goal.

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