The POS Software Blog

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

Categorygift shop software

Aussie made POS software for local gift shops helps them leverage their uniqueness

May 5, 2021

3 Min read

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If you own a gift shop, let’s talk …

What’s unique about your business? Why should people shop with you over an online store, a department store or some other local or nearby gift shop? What sets you apart? What is memorable about your business? How consistent is the shopping experience in your shop? How efficient in your business? Does your gift shop make you happy?

So many questions, so much to unpack. And, maybe, you are wondering why a POS software company even wonders about these questions. Like, seriously, what does this have to with gift shop POS software? Why are nerds asking these questions.

We care.

Seriously, we care. Okay, we are nerds too, but we do care and have cared for many may years.

Our business relies on thriving local gift shops, small business gift shops, independent gift shops. We need you to be successful as much as you need your business to be successful.

This is why we have built and continue to build into our gift shop POS software facilities, tools and nuggets on which you can rely to bank better results.

If you are thinking of turning off because this reads as too salesy, too glib, please don’t. We are trying to show that we do care about local gift shops, businesses like yours.

In our Aussie made and supported specialty gift shop POS software you have access to cool and useful tools that can help:

Encourage shoppers to spend more each visit.
Take away the guessing of what to stock.
Strengthen your negotiating position with suppliers.
Streamline the shopper experience.
Eliminate manual processes in the shop.
Help you offer a more personalised service.
Reduce the cost of theft.

This is smart gift shop POS software made solely for local independent gift shops. It has been made to help that channel of businesses compete with much bigger businesses. It does this by helping to leverage you and your people and your knowledge, by helping to consistently pitch local without shouting and by giving you tools that match and, in our view, pass what the big end of town retailers use to chase customers.

So, yes, we are nerds. But … we are nerds who understand retail, especially local retail, independent retail, gift shop retail.

We help you shine a light on what is unique. We help you sell in-store and online. We help you compete with big business. We help you shine a light on what sets you apart. We help you provide a memorable experience. We nurture consistency. We guide efficiency. We help you and those who work in your business enjoy it more.

This is locally made gift shop POS software we are proud to offer.

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Catch a glimpse of what makes our gift shop POS software valuable

May 4, 2021

2 Min read

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Good POS software is valuable for a retail business, especially a small local business like a gift shop. Our gift shop POS software has been made to nurture value for any business using it. By value, we mean bankable results in terms of sales, margin and, ultimately, the valuation of the business itself.

Our gift shop POS software is made to focus on guiding you to nurture value from the business. It does this through facilities built into the software to help you on this path.

if you have a spare 22 minutes, here is a video in which we look at several of the facilities included in this gift shop POS software, facilities that differentiate it from other more generic POS software. We shot this video in August 2020. While the software continues to evolve, what we discuss in the video is in the software today.

This video is designed to briefly overview this gift shop POS software. Any of the Tower Systems sales team can show you more of the software, in as much detail as you would like. However, before they do that, they will want to know about your business needs as your software choice is 100% about you and what you need for your business.

We are grateful for the many hundreds of gift shop owners, managers and retail team members who have contributed and continue to contribute ideas and feedback on the software for it is their engagement that guides where we take this software.

Each year we release several gift shop POS software updates, bring new facilities and enhancements to the software to ensure its service to our customers grows … as you’d expect from any business.

This is specialty POS software made for gift shops, specific to their business needs. Too often we win business where a gift shop wen with a generic software product only to find that it does not serve their specialty retail needs.

If you think your retail business is unique in any ways, look for software that serves your uniqueness. This is important. Software sits at the heart of any retail business. It is critical to how you see your business that you match your view with tools up to the task.

Our gift shop POS software has been make for local specialty retail gift shops.

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Gift shop software: Australian made for Australian businesses

May 3, 2021

3 Min read

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Tower Systems is grateful to offer local gift shops locally made and supported POS software for their niche retail businesses.

The needs of gift shops when it comes to gift shops POS software are unique. Too often, gift shop owners are told that any software can serve their needs.

The thing is, software can only do what it can do. A specialty retail business does not want to be limited in what it can do by the limits of the software it selects.

There is where the Tower Systems specialty gift shop POS software plays. It has been made for gift shops and is used by gift shops to serve unique and specialty needs of these specialty retail, businesses. It does this for physical businesses as well as online businesses thanks to a seamless integration with platforms like Shopify.

This gift shop POS software does not stand still. It is regularly enhanced to serve evolving marketplace needs. Gift shop owners often find ways to evolve their businesses thanks to opportunities in the software.

being locally made and supported helps local small business gift shops to serve their local communities. This is software made for your situation. It’s not from an overseas software chop shop that uses different lingo or from nerds who expect you to meet them on their nerd platform.

The Tower Systems gift shop POS software is make for local gift shops. But what does this mean? Fair question. It sounds like marketing spin. How is this gift shop software made for gift shops.

Okay, let’s explore that, let’s consider how this gift shop POS software is made specifically for gift shops. here are a couple of examples.

Special customer orders. A good local gift shop will offer to get in items for specific customer needs. Often, the details are written in a book, starting a manual process. Using our software and the special customer orders facilities in our software, handling these is structured in a way to save a business time, better serve the customer and cultivate data that can inform business decisions to leverage customer requests and needs beyond the one sale. Plus, you are set up to encourage that customer to return through several operation embedded in the gift shop POS software.
Infrequent shopper loyalty. Local gift shops tend to not have the daily or weekly visits from shoppers. Yes, shopper visits are usually less frequent. This challenges traditional loyalty offerings. In our gift shop POS software we offer a unique and easy to setup and run loyalty solution that targets these infrequent shoppers, to maximise the opportunity of their infrequent visit.

These are two of the many gift shop specific facilities in our POS software on which local small business gift shop owners can rely to leverage their businesses for greater local success.

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Marketing tips for small business retailers

May 1, 2021

2 Min read

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Here at Tower Systems, through our work with our specialsist retail POS software, we get to see many different types and sizes of retail businesses. we are grateful for the insights they share and the inspiration they provide.

We have put together this collection of local small business retail every day marketing tips. These are tips that could work in almost any business situation. We hope you find it useful.

Always unpack and price products on the shop floor and not in the back room or outside of shopper view.
Always have a value-proposition offer just inside the entrance to the business. This should be a double-sided offer, one they see as they enter and as they leave. Ensure it is:
1. Easily understood.
2. Easily purchased.
3. Broadly appealing.
4. Something people will talk about.
5. Fun, ideally.
Always have an appealing impulse purchase offer at the counter. Change this weekly. Use the opportunity to learn more about what your customers will purchase on impulse.
Always know your top selling items in the store and always place products next to the top selling item thoughtfully, to leverage the eyeballs looking for and at the top selling product.
Run a generous loyalty program where the value is understood. This probably means not using points, because points have a questionable value thanks to the trashing of loyalty programs by big retailers.
Create stunning window displays people would not expect to see in your type of business.
Offer multi-buy opportunities unlocking savings for people purchasing more than would be usual in a single visit.
Be brief in talking to customers about your products on social media: a single product per post. Two sentences. Short sentences. Make the post appealing beyond you trying to promote your business. Entertain them.
Send customers a card for special occasions, a personal card to reinforce the personal relationship you have with them.
Change the front two metres of your shop weekly, keep it fresh for your customers and your staff.

Our goal with this list is to give you ideas you can use right away as well as ideas that will get you thinking of your own ideas.

Go for it. Remember, if you do next week what you did this week you cannot expect any growth. Growth only comes from change.

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Small business retail advice: beware web developers and consultants offering to create a website for your retail business

April 30, 2021

3 Min read

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We urge small business retailers to take care when selecting an individual or business to undertake Shopify web development. Inside the Shopify web developer ecosystem there are people who take the money, do the bare minimum and run – failing the retail businesses that paid them.

How do you spot a Shopify web developer who is not likely to serve the needs of your retail business? Here is our advice …

Look at their quote. Is it professionally laid out? Is it well written? Is it understandable? Is it complete? If it is none or only some of these things they may not be the developer for you for if they take this approach representing themselves what approach will they take representing you?! we say … be particularly concerned about text based quotes.

Look for understanding. In their words there should be indicators that they understand your needs and that they want to understand your needs. The website is all about you and your business after all.

Speak to them. We have seen shonky web developers void this at all costs. Speak to them. Talk with them. Engage in conversation. You are looking for someone you can trust your business with. Speak to them.

Look at them. Ask for a Zoom meeting, so you can meet face to face. Ask them to show you sample Shopify sites in this meeting and to explain why each is a good sample site for you to consider. Sometimes we see web developers avoid Zoom meetings so they can hide behind typed words. face to face can be revealing.

Say you don’t understand. Tell them you don’t understand some or all of their pitch. Test their patience. See if they meet you at a tech jargon level that you are comfortable with. Challenge them. test them. It is vital they use words and terms you understand. They have to meet you, not you them.

Be in control. You are the customer. You choose the web developer you go with. Decide whether you accept their quote and their terms. You do these things when it suits you. Do not succumb to pressure as anyone pressuring you on timing may be serving their needs and not yours.

Website development right now is like the 1800s gold rush – fast, unregulated with a lot of people being negatively impacted along the way and only a few finding gold.

Take your time. Be sure of what matters to you. Choose the business you want to work with, they business you think can hell you achieve what you want.

Know that you get what you pay for. by that we mean … some web developers under quote as a business model either because they will cut corners or because they know they can charge extra for what they did not know at the start. Again, take your time, be sure of your needs, and remember the carpenter adage: measure twice, cut once. Time spent before you make a decision on your Shopify web developer could ensure that the outcome is better for you and your business.

If you are looking for a Shopify website for your retail business: Email sales@towersystems.com.au or call us on 1300 662 957.

Recently released websites we have developed for Tower Systems customers.

www.backobourkecollective.com.au
www.inspiretasmania.com.au
www.brindabellastockfeed.com.au
www.heavensabove.com.au
www.loavesrobe.com.au
www.masterjewellersonline.com.au
www.chitchatgifts.com.au
www.eidsvoldrural.com.au
www.forevergiftsandmore.com.au
www.funporium.com.au
www.goulburnstationery.com.au
www.rehfisch.com.au
www.merimbulaextra.com.au
www.morganpark.com.au
www.nextragiftsorange.com.au
www.northsideproduceagency.com.au
www.pamperedpetz.com.au
www.www.paperplayonline.com.au
www.parkesnewsandgifts.com.au
www.rivercitypets.com.au
www.smithstreettraders.com.au
www.sprengersruraltraders.com.au
www.hefeedshop.com.au
www.shop.newcastle.edu.au
www.toyworldcanberra.com.au
www.toyworldwauchope.com.au
www.reasureboxgifts.com.au
www.uncletomspps.com.au
www.warragulpetemporium.com.au
www.welbygardencentre.com.au
www.wollongongbikehub.com.au

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Competing with Vend POS software with a $99 a month POS software solution

April 26, 2021

2 Min read

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Plenty of local retailers consider the VEND POS software when looking for as POS software solution. here at Tower Systems we have an alternative the VEND POS software, a POS software alternative that is available to be rented for $99.00 a month.

Using this software, retailers can have tools like they would have with VEND POS software and more, including the ability to…

Get rid of manual books at the counter for LayBys, special orders, stock you need to order and more.
Cut dead stock and re-order based on data facts.
Cut theft by knowing what is being stolen.
Eliminate LayBy and get you paid sooner with buy now pay later.
Make price comparison harder with bundled packs.
Easily and consistently pitch locally sourced products.
Drive community group member engagement with group pricing.
Get one-time-only shoppers spending more with loyalty tools.
Bring customers back with reminders on dates important to them.
Save money on bookkeeping by integrating with Xero.
Leverage your knowledge on receipts and elsewhere. Sell you.
Reach beyond your four walls with a directly linked Shopify store.

These are some of the benefits available in our POS software, which competes with the VEBD POS software. Included with the software rental and embedded with software access is:

Specialty Gift shop POS software developed in Australia.
Software updates as we release them.
Unlimited licences for your retail location. If you need an extra computer, there is no extra software cost.
Shopify / Magento / Woo link. Easily sell online from your POS software.
Xero link. Easing bookkeeping costs and streamlining accounting.
Our OzBiz link – connect to MYOB and Quicken through OzBiz.
Tyro link – safe, fast and easy EFTPOS link for streamlined sales.
PC Eftpos link – easy EFTPOS processing for the major banks.
Easy buy now pay later thanks to Zip Pay and Humm – that Boomers, Gen Y, Gen X and others are using more and more.
Support – help desk access, unlimited training, updates and more.
User documentation. Access to our searchable knowledge base.

We are local. Tower Systems serves 3,500+ specialty businesses. If you think we could help you, please call 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

The software continues to evolve, too. With updates released every eight weeks or so. The enhancements in these updates are guided by suggestions from customers, for which we are sincerely grateful.

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Gift shop POS software helps local gift shops to more easily connect with local and online shoppers

April 16, 2021

2 Min read

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The Tower Systems gift shop software offers many benefits from time saving to shoppe engaging to team member enjoyment. Delivering tangible benefits through our POS software is important to us, especially benefits beyond the traditional, beyond what people expect.

The top benefits from using the Tower Systems Gift shop software, as told to us by our customers.

Get one-time-only shoppers spending more thanks to an easy to pitch loyalty system embedded in the software. This is a genuinely unique, engaging and valuable loyalty platform.
Leverage you. If you believe your knowledge is a differentiator, offer it through structured opportunities in the software. We often see knowledge within the b business as a key differentiator for the business.
Encourage customer happiness by serving product care info. on receipts. That extra piece of information can make all the difference.
Easily handle special customer orders. Bring product in for a specific customer and have them notified automatically by email or text when the goods are in and ready.
Easily sell online with a direct to Shopify / Magento or WooCommerce link from your POS software – including image flow.
Go cashless if that is your goal – we make it easy and affordable. Frictionless.
Save time with electronic invoices from suppliers.
Use tags to get a fresh perspective, side-view, on stock performance.
Bundle items together to make price comparisons harder and thereby increase sales.
Business differentiating loyalty. Stand out from the crowd. Have customers coming back to you for this.
Trade and club pricing profiles. Set pricing rules based on customer type.
Make money from pre-orders – Easily pre-sell a delivery so that when the stock arrives you can manage distribution and billing efficiently.
Differentiate with informative receipts. These can include product care, use and safety information based on what customers buy.
Track who sold what.
Say goodbye to LayBy – with integrated buy now pay later options.
Market to customers based on past purchases.
Save time by importing electronic invoices.
Sell more with a direct connect to buy now pay later services.
Cut mistakes with integrated EFTPOS.
Cut accounting and bookkeeping fees with integration to Xero and others.

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Proud to launch more Shopify websites for small business retailers

April 15, 2021

2 Min read

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We are grateful to have launched more POS software connected Shopify websites for small business retailers in our community. These sites, all developed by us here in Australia, deliver terrific new customer acquisition opportunities for our shoppers, helping them to sell 24/7 and sell as far afield as they would like.

Here are some of the recently made live websites from our web team:

www.backobourkecollective.com.au
www.inspiretasmania.com.au
www.brindabellastockfeed.com.au
www.heavensabove.com.au
www.loavesrobe.com.au
www.masterjewellersonline.com.au
www.chitchatgifts.com.au
www.eidsvoldrural.com.au
www.forevergiftsandmore.com.au
www.funporium.com.au
www.goulburnstationery.com.au
www.rehfisch.com.au
www.merimbulaextra.com.au
www.morganpark.com.au
www.nextragiftsorange.com.au
www.northsideproduceagency.com.au
www.pamperedpetz.com.au
www.www.paperplayonline.com.au
www.parkesnewsandgifts.com.au
www.rivercitypets.com.au
www.smithstreettraders.com.au
www.sprengersruraltraders.com.au
www.hefeedshop.com.au
www.shop.newcastle.edu.au
www.toyworldcanberra.com.au
www.toyworldwauchope.com.au
www.reasureboxgifts.com.au
www.uncletomspps.com.au
www.warragulpetemporium.com.au
www.welbygardencentre.com.au
www.wollongongbikehub.com.au

If you are interested in a POS software connected website, please reach out to our sales team: sales@towersystems.com.au.

USEFUL, EVERYDAY WEBSITE ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS.
Regardless of who you choose to create your website, here are tips we offer to help make setting up a Shopify site successful for you.

Know why. Knowing why you want the website can answer plenty of other questions. For some it is to win new customers, for others it is revenue growth, while for ithers it is better service of existing customers.
Know your narrator. Every website has a narrator, the person behind the scenes writing the text, responding to queries. Think about that person, how they speak, words they use, their manner. Think of this person as a character you create.
Look at competitor sites online locally and overseas as it is beneficial to see what someone else is doing and learn from that.
Only use unique images. If you use supplier supplied images, they may be on other sites and Google will know this. Google likes fresh content.
Write your own product name / title. Use search keyworks in the name – that is, what people are searching for. Google likes fresh content.
Write your own product description and think about what shoppers search for.
Do not load everything. Too much stock makes a site hard to navigate.
Consider using a website name that is different to your business name. Online can benefit from a different brand to your in-store situation.
Be open to additional sites. You may make more money from having multiple.
Support the site with active social media engagement.
Promote the site with an email monthly at least, through MailChimp or similar.

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Grateful …

April 10, 2021

1 Min read

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Retail business advice on POS software integrated websites

March 26, 2021

3 Min read

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We make POS software integrated Shopify websites for a fixed price: $6,600.00 (inc. GST).

Too often we see small business retailers pay a web consultant anything between $5,000 and $15,000 for an awful website, one not connected to your POS software.

A retailer called us just recently in tears about money wasted on a site that looks like it is from the 1990s … thousands down the drain.

We are seeing too many WooCommerce / WordPress websites that businesses want to switch from. Web developers recommend WooCommerce as it guarantees income for them. In our experience, this is an expensive platform to maintain, a platform we moved from ourselves for e-commerce years ago.

If you want a website for your business, please ask us. You have nothing to lose and much to gain by getting us to quote.

See some of the beautiful websites we have created: www.towersystems.com.au/Websites-we-have-created

Before we start creating a beautiful website for your business, we want to know about what you need from the site, your competitors and how you’d like to handle things like shipping, payment methods and more.

We also share details of our experiences with the consumer facing websites we run ourselves as well as experiences from the websites we have developed for others.

Here’s where to start: contact one of our sales people, please call 1300 662 957 or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

Australian made.
We make websites for our customers ourselves. We do not outsource this work offshore. There is something to be said for locally made websites for local retail businesses that, themselves, want local people to shop locally.

At the core of what we do, we create websites that we would want if we owned your business. Each website is a calling card, something we want to show off to win business for you and to win business for us.

Website Q&A.
Can I run multiple Shopify websites from the one business? Yes
Can Retailer POS software connect to a website? Yes.
Where is the best place to manage stock description and price data? Retailer.
Can I have a different price online to in my shop? Yes.
Can I have a different description online to in my shop? Yes.
Does Retailer store photos for what I sell? Yes.
Can these flow to the website? Yes.
Do I have to put everything I sell in my shop online? No.
Where do I start? Do our online questionnaire.
After I do the questionnaire, what’s next? Sign up with us and we will guide through a structured process designed to get the best website possible for your business.
Money is tight. I can get a website cheaper elsewhere. You should go with the web developer that best suits your business. Remember, you get what you pay for.
Let us show you what we can do in creating a website for your business.

We’d love to show some of the beautiful, functional and flexible websites we have created for our customers. Let’s talk …

A website of itself will not drive success. What’s needed is a beautiful website with the right tech and connections to help you reach more customers than you do now.

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What are the benefits of using the gift shop POS software from Tower Systems in your gift shop?

March 23, 2021

2 Min read

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The gift shop POS software from Tower Systems provides access to plenty of benefits … financial, operational and personal. The gift shop POS software is packed with opportunities for local small business gift shops to engage with to make the business for successful, and enjoyable for those working in the business.

here are some of the benefits of the gift shop POS software from Tower Systems.

Know more about the business. There is solid evidence that data based decisions are more likely to be the right decisions compared to emotional or gut based decisions.
Back yourself with facts. Be stronger when dealing with suppliers by relying on evidence from your shop.
Easily handle special customer orders and get known for this personal service. Bring product in for a specific customer and have them notified automatically by email or text when the goods are in and ready.
Get one-time-only shoppers spending more thanks to an easy to pitch loyalty system embedded in the software.
Make the business more able to run under management, without you having to be there all the time.
Leverage you. If you believe your knowledge is a differentiator, offer it through structured opportunities in the software.
Encourage customer happiness by serving product care info. on receipts.
Easily sell online with a direct to Shopify / Magento or WooCommerce link from your POS software – including image flow.
Go cashless if that is your goal – we make it easy and affordable.
Save time with electronic invoices from suppliers.
Use tags to get a fresh perspective, side-view, on stock performance.
Bundle items together to make price comparisons harder and thereby increase sales.
Business differentiating loyalty. Stand out from the crowd. Have customers coming back to you for this.
Trade and club pricing profiles. Set pricing rules based on customer type.
Make money from pre-orders – Easily pre-sell a delivery so that when the stock arrives you can manage distribution and billing efficiently.
Differentiate with informative receipts. These can include product care, use and safety information based on what customers buy.
Track who sold what.
Say goodbye to LayBy – with integrated buy now pay later options.
Market to customers based on past purchases.
Save time by importing electronic invoices.
Sell more with a direct connect to buy now pay later services.
Cut mistakes with integrated EFTPOS.
Cut accounting and bookkeeping fees with integration to Xero and others.

This gift shop POS software is packed with opportunities.

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Web development for small business retailers

March 19, 2021

2 Min read

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Local small business retailers are benefiting from the local web development that we offer here at Tower Systems. Our POS software connected web development is tuned to the needs of local retail businesses in Australia and New Zealand.

By doing our web development locally and within our own POS software develop0ment community, we are able to deliver a more whole of business solution, something tuned to the needs of the physical and online businesses.

Our web development work is done in Shopify, magenta or WooCommerce. Our customers can choose, which is often done based on the types of needs they have.

Here is a list of what we deliver in our fixed price web development solution for local small business retailers:

Pre development consultation. This will cover what is needed from you, the data, decisions and more. This is thorough and very much driven by your needs.
A live Shopify site as per the facilities and functionality outlined in this document – see below, including pre-development consultation. As the site evolves, there will be discussions by email and phone to ensure that the site is meeting the expectations you laid out at the start. The development, previewing and further enhancement of this is an interactive process involving you and following your needs.
Shopify theme choice. Included in the price is the selection of a paid-for theme up to the cost of US$250.00.
Shopify link. The Tower Systems Retailer POS software to link with Shopify. This link transfers to the Shopify site the following data points for each inventory item:
1. SKU
2. Name
3. Qty
4. Web Description
5. Web Price
6. Department
7. Category
8. Images
Up to 2 hours of personally tailored hand-over training once the site is live, so you can be confident administering the site yourself.
Three months of phone-based assistance (but not software changes) following delivery of the site.
A comprehensive pre-prep / handover document that provides support, written training and guidance on your next steps. This is the same for all our Shopify site customers. i.e. it is not document written especially for you.

Developing beautiful websites is something we are proud to offer here at Tower Systems. Helping local small business retailers transact online is wonderful and fulfilling. The joy they experience from their first sales is a thrill for them and for us, too.

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Small business retailers beware POS software comparison websites

March 17, 2021

2 Min read

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Do a Google search for POS software and most likely ad from several POS software comparison websites will list first.

Do a search for Tower Systems in Australia and, again, most likely ad from several POS software comparison websites will list first.

These Marketing companies are paying for the POS software and for the Tower Systems keywords.

There is no law against it. But … and it’s a big but … there is a law against misrepresentation.

If a software comparison website claims they have done the research for you, if they claim to offer to suggest to you the best businesses, if they pitch anything indicating any research into the products they list, ask for the evidence, ask for proof of the research they undertook not only of the companies they recommend but the companies they do not recommend.

Tower Systems has not been evaluated by any POS software comparison website. They have not seen or used our software, they have not experienced our training. They have not experienced our support services.

No POS software comparison website can speak with authority as to how Tower Systems may compare with any other POS software company in the marketplaces in which we offer our specialty retail POS software:

Bike shops.
Jewellers.
Pet shops.
Gift shops.
Toy shops.
Newsagents.
Garden centres.
Produce businesses.
Farm supply businesses.
Homewares businesses.
Fishing and Outdoors businesses.
Firearms dealers.
Music shops.
Bookshops.
Fabric businesses.

… and more.

Having looked at POS software comparison websites, we can’t see any we recommend, any we would trust to provide valuable help or guidance as to this software or that.

In our opinion, the comparison websites are merely marketping platforms paid by software companies to effectively advertise their businesses.

We suspect this is why some POS software comparison websites pay for keywords that match the names of successful POS software companies.

Our advice: be curious, ask questions, ensure that any claim as to research undertaken has actually be undertaken.

Tower Systems is a local POS software company making POS software for specialty retailers in New Zealand and Australia. We research each retail channel in which we operate thoroughly to ensure that our specialty retail POS software is specialty in function.

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Retail business advice: disaster planning today can save you tomorrow

March 12, 2021

5 Min read

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No one wants to plan for disaster. It’s a negative activity, easily put off for more happy and optimistic pursuits. The reality is that most business owners will confront some form of disaster at some point in their business life. This advice is far-reaching, designed to act as a broad list of steps you can undertake to be prepared. Do it all or some, but do something … otherwise when you need good planning you will not have a plan on which to fall back.

Too often, the need for good disaster planning is realised after a disaster has hit the business. Our retail business advice here offers business and computer related advice which is designed to mitigate the impact of a disaster on your business.

Insurance Protection

Insurance coverage is vital to helping a retail business overcome any type of disaster. In addition to ensuring that your insurance policy covers all disaster situations of concern to you, including flood, theft, water inundation, fire, earthquake, riot—be sure to carefully read the policy, ensure that your insurance policy / policies cover payouts for the following:

‪Business interruption. The amount should equal your anticipated gross profit for whatever period you choose to be covered.
Data recovery. Including the hiring of experts to recover data from backup sources or the manual entry of data which cannot be automatically recovered. It needs to ensure that you are covered to the point of recovered data being useable in transacting business.
Lost stock. This is stock stolen, lost from the business.
Damaged and unsaleable stock. This is stock which is water damaged, scuffed or dented and which will not attract full price.
Dated stock. This is stock that you cannot sell by the due date.
Many policies require explicit statement of glass coverage.
Temporary trading premises. Business interruption may cover this. Ensure that it is explicitly stated.
Key person injury and/or death. This will usually be a separate policy. Depending on the disaster, coverage may also be available through the overall business policy.

Ensure that the value of stock, fixtures and fittings covered by your policy is an accurate reflection of the real value of these items. Talk with your insurance company about the best approach to track this on an ongoing basis.

Insurance brokers can provide access to assessors who can advise on the appropriate level of insurance for your situation.

Use your Point of Sale system to track all stock movements in and out. The stock on hand in your software should be your coverage.

Ensure that your insurance policy protects for the seasonal nature of your business

Data Protection

Business data is one of the most valuable assets of the business. Like insurance, the value is often not understood until you need what you do not have. Retailers who are serious about protecting their business data in the event of any disaster follow these steps:

‪Backup your business data every day, at the end of the day, without fail.
1. RECOMMENDATION: use a cloud based backup service that undertakes the backup as the day unfolds without you having to every do anything to cause a backup to be taken.
Maintain a separate backup for each day of the week. Consider a separate backup for the last day of each month.
Remove the backup medium, usually a USB stick, from the business premises each day – outside the business property.
Store the backup in a safe, dry place.
Check the usefulness of the backup by restoring and checking the data.
Store original business software in a safe off-site location.
Check the backup every three to six months – to make sure the backup is actually backing us current data and can be read. A backup you cannot read is a waste of time and money.
Change your passwords regularly.
Do not share passwords widely.

Disaster Planning

Here are broader suggestions on planning for a disaster in your business property.

‪Keep off-site copies of: Business contracts and agreements; employee contact details, business account and other passwords, insurance details, recent photographs of fixtures, fittings and stock.
For records you cannot easily copy or that may change as the trading day unfurls, consider having a go bag ready for you to grab if there is a risk to the premises such as a bushfire.
Maintain a register of all employees in the business premises at any time.
Prepare and place in a prominent place an evacuation plan.
Maintain a professional grade OH&S compliant first aid kit. Have this checked regularly.
Regularly maintain all fire extinguishers – check with your local fire brigade about this.
Ensure that the business premises is safe and maintained to the local building codes and OH&S regulations.
Have a trained first aid officer in staff. Your local St Johns or similar will be able to provide training.
Use government resources such as the emergency planning kit at the federal government website: http://www.business.gov.au/business-topics/templates-and-downloads/emergency-management-template-and-guide/Pages/default.aspx

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Retail business advice: choosing the POS software that’s best for your business

March 8, 2021

2 Min read

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How do you choose the POS software that is best for your retail business? Here is our advice based on years helping small business retailers.

Note, while we are a POS software company, our advice here is not specific to our product. rather, it is general and couple apply to any retail business considering POS software.

There is no short-cut or easy way to choose POS software for your retail business for if you do take a short-cut it is likely to hurt you. It’s kinda like the carpenter mantra, measure twice, cut once. For choosing POS software for your retail business, research, research again before you decide.

This is not something to outsource. It is your business, you need to own the decision.

Technology knowlkdge is not required. If a POS software company representative speaks in tech speak tell them to stop. It is likely they would do this to dazzle you into a possibly wrong decision.

But let’s take a step back. before you can start the process of choosing the right POS software for you business you need to know what you want and what all those in your business who will use the software will want from the POS software. Get your requirements right first and your process of selection from there will be easier for you and better for the business.

So, let’s get is a list of what we think you need to do to choose the right POS software for your retail business …

Own the process of choosing the right POS software for your retail business yourself.,
Know what you want.
Be sure of what you need.
Prioritise these list. And, yes, they are two lists.
Keep conversations away from tech jargon.
Take your time.
Look at the software.
Talk to others using the software.
Get claims made by any POS software company in writing or recorded – so you have a record. A good POS software company will want to do this for you.
Make a decision when you are ready.
Don’t be pressured by a pricing deal.

Choosing the right POS software for your retail business is something to approach seriously, in a structured way and with the needs and wants of you and your business paramount at all times.

Remember, you are choosing a relationship with tech ology and not the person selling it to you.

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Web development for small business retailers in Australia

March 3, 2021

2 Min read

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Tower Systems offers local professional POS software connected web development services for small business retailers in Australia.

Our web development work is done locally, by people you can speak with, people who will understand your business and its needs. This matters because too often web development work is sent offshore and that’s not good for the local narrative or for local IT jobs.

Our web development work is done primarily for small business retailers using our POS software and through this and our web development services connecting to Shopify, Woo Commerce or Magento websites.

Finding the right web developer for your retail business can be a challenge. Our advice is …

Do your homework.
Ask plenty of questions.
Speak to those doing the development.
Understand how and when you pay.
Look at recent developed sites.
Be sure to understand how the proposed website would connect to your POS software
Get everything agreed in writing.

All of our web development work is done on the basis of an agreed quote. This quote is prepared following a consultation with your about the needs of your business.

Our fixed price quote includes an outline of the work to be done and the outcome delivered for the quoted price.

Key to successful POS software connected web development for a retail business is having a complete understanding of everything that is expected to be delivered with the resulting website. It is essential this is known from the outset.

Since all of our website work from sales through to development and support is done out of our Australian based offices, we provide a local perspective and context for all we do. This delivers better outcomes for locally focussed businesses.

Our web development work is done from scratch, for each specific business. This takes care and time and is built on a thorough understanding of the business needs.

We are grateful to the many different retail businesses that we have helped already to bring them online. Every new site we develop adds to our experience and that helps us to continue tis evolve our approach and the outcomes we can deliver. This is a fascinating part of our work, something we love.

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Beware POS software comparison websites as they are unlikely to have compared the software they pitch to you

February 11, 2021

3 Min read

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There are websites that claim to be software comparison websites. They claim to have done the work for you, comparing software. They offer to suggest several vetted software companies for your consideration.

In our experience it is unlikely the comparison websites will have compared the software they pitch to you.

It’s our opinion that software comparison websites are purely an ad platform for the businesses that pay to have their software pitched as worthy of consideration by prospective customers.

There is no comparison. We say this based on our own first-hand experience. Our software was not looked or assessed. They wanted money from us per lead. That was it. This makes the comparison website an ad platform plain and simple.

Online they pitch as offering a service, something of value, to the software shopper. The reality is the comparison website businesses offer a commercial service to the software companies – the software companies are their customer.

We dug deeper, presenting as a business looking for software. Sure, they pitched us to three software companies. There was little in the way of filtering. Knowing what we know from when we assessed them as a software business, they charge 3 businesses $100 each for the leads. That’s an easy $300 made for having a slick website that looks like they have done the assessment fork for you when they have not.

Our advice, based on our experience is do not use a comparison website to consider software.

It’s worse than this though and here’s why …

Having considered a comparison website, trying them for a couple of weeks and then saying no thanks, they started paying Google for our business name as an ad keyword. You search for us and their ad comes up. They then contacted us and said he you should do business with us because we have leads for you. These are leads they got by paying Google money to run ads when people type Tower Systems into Google.

Our company lists first in the natural results. The software comparison company and several other similar companies come up ahead us, with ads.

Software comparison website ads claim to offer quotes from leading companies, trusted companies, the most reliable companies. How can they make these claims when they have not themselves assessed the companies? They cannot.

One company claims we compare all the big brands and more. No, they do not.

One company claims that by using them they can provide access to 20-40% saving. No, they cannot as they do not negotiate on price.

One company claims that they let you compare the best-suited products. No, they do not. They don’t look at the software. They have no experience to make an assessment as to what is best.

The only service the comparison website businesses offer from our experience and research is to advertise on Google and provide their partner software companies with leads if a query falls into an area directly or vaguely covered by the software company.

Buyer beware. Comparison websites we have looked at do not compare. They act as a front for ad dollars, being paid for leads they give to partner software companies, that may not offer the best software in their field.

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Retail business advice: If you are considering new POS software for your business

February 10, 2021

2 Min read

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Here is some advice for your consideration if you are thinking about new POS software for your retail business.

For any demonstration of potential POS software, come to the demonstration fully prepared.

Make a list of what you want to see. Remember, you are in charge.
Have the right people there from your business. The decision makes. Those most knowledgable. Anyone who will have a say in the decision you make.
Make sure you are not interrupted. We know retail can be busy. If it works better for you, we can schedule the demonstration outside trading hours.
Please speak up during the demonstration if anything said does not make sense.
Ask questions. Keep asking questions. Ask questions until you have no more questions.
Ask for another demonstration for any follow-ups.

Ask for the demonstration to be recorded and for a copy to be provided . We will happily do this for you here at Tower Systems.

Once you have had a demonstration, if you have questions or are not sure of anything, ask for another demonstration. Take your time. be sure. Look at the software as much as you want.

This is an important decision, a big decision, one you want and need to get right.

Remember, you are in control. The moment you no longer feel in control of the decision or its timing is the moment you need to pause.

Take your time.

Choosing POS software and a POS software company for your business is an important decision. It can have a significant impact on business performance and your enjoyment, and the enjoyment of others, of the business.

The right POS software is a valuable tool for any retail business. The right POS software company is a valuable partner for any business. We understand these things.

Thank you for considering Tower Systems, we sincerely appreciate it.

We won’t pressure you. Nor, will we offer an inflated price so we can discount.

You are welcome to see our software as much as you want as you evaluate it and us.

Let us know your timing needs and we will do our best to respect these.

Thank you for considering Tower Systems.

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How to choose the right POS Systems for your retail business

February 9, 2021

3 Min read

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Choosing the right POS System for your retail business takes time. There is no short cut, no easy way to do it. Take your time and get it right.

Choosing the right POS System for your business is 100% up to you. It’s your business. You will use this tool every day. it needs to feel comfortable and be genuinely useful., Relying on someonee not in the business to tell you what is right could lead to a wrong choice being made.

Choosing the right POS System for your business needs to be based on your experience not only with the software but with the people who work for the business that makes the software. That’s right, buy from them, buy direct as they are the folks responsible for supporting and enhancing this software on which you will rely.

Choosing the right POS System for your business starts first with your needs. Any system you look at that does not serve your needs may not be a good solution for your business. This really is your decision. You have to choose what is right for your business and for you. Take your time. be sure of your needs. test, test and test – until you feel comfortable.

Choosing the right POS System for your business is also about understanding the cost of the system. The cost can be in the software costs, support costs, training costs and transactional costs. Weigh them all up to see if they are right for you and your needs.

There are plenty of POS Systems out there claiming to be the best. here at Tower Systems we know that only you can know what is best for your business, because it really does start with you, what you need, what you want. We rely on you knowing these things and being focussed on them as you consider POS Systems to work in serving your needs. We would be grateful to show you what our POS System can do. However, in terms of decision making, that is 100% your choice. We will not pressure you or push … we will answer all your questions and let you play as much as you like, so you can assess whether our POS System fits as comfortably as you hope for.

Choosing the right POS System for your business is an important decision. Take your time. It’s a long-term relationship worth getting right.

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Beyond the POS software, here is how Tower Systems helps small business retailers

January 29, 2021

2 Min read

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Good POS software is key in any retail business. A good POS software company is even more important is it is the people in the POS software company who help bring the POS software to life for any retail business. Their training, advice and support can make or break the POS software experience.

So, thinking about beyond the POS software, here are some of the ways Tower Systems serves its small business retailer community:

We are local. Local matters in local communities. The Tower Systems software is locally developed to local needs. This facilitates the local narrative of small business retail in local communities.
Our POS software training is personal, for your business. We think people learn better from personal training.
Unlimited free training. Long after you install the software, ask for free top-up training and all we will organise it.
Help beyond the software. With tracking and dealing with theft, engaging =with suppliers and more. Our business management experience is there to help when you want.
New customer care. All new customers have a separate specialist team with which they connect, to ease settling-in. They are intuitive, offering help often ahead of when you are in key need, helping you to be prepared.
Customers guide our software enhancement. We offer a transparent, democratic, process for guiding software update content.
Pet shop business specific.This software is developed for your type of business.
In the cloud or in-store. You choose where the software runs.
Rent or buy. While most rent our software, you choose how to acquire and fund the software.
We help with business performance analysis and theft checks, services where we take a deep dive into your data and provide confidential insights.
Easy contact when you need / want. Every customer has the direct contact details for our leadership team for easy and safe escalation of any query.
No pressure. You buy when you are ready.
Retail group engagement. Groups and members of groups have opportunities for group level customisation website sales and more.
It’s personal. Retail is personal. This is why we prefer to train you in your shop. Yes, we said this above. We say it again as it is a differentiator.

Tower Systems is a personally engages POS software company. We don’t hide behind walls. Our customers know us by name, from the first contact because, like in retail, it is personal.

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Our team here at Tower Systems is proud to offer locally made POS software

January 28, 2021

1 Min read

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POS software training for people buying a retail business with existing POS software

January 20, 2021

3 Min read

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When you buy a retail business that has POS software already running in the business you will often rely on the existing owner of the business to train you in how to use the POS software

Sometimes, the existing owner of the retail business is too busy with working in the business and the final days prior to the sale to properly train you prior to exiting the retail business.

Most existing business owners have not been trained themselves in how to professionally and thoroughly train someone in how to use POS software. This is a specialist need. It takes specialist skills.

All this leads to the new owner of a retail business coming into the retail business under trained, under skilled and inadequately prepared too drive the tool that sits at the heart of business success or failure, the POS software.

You don’t know what you don’t know. This sounds cliché, but it is true.

Imagine a situation where a problem has occurred because of the incorrect use of the software, a problem costing money, which you do not discover for weeks or months. The cost could be considerable.

Professional POS software training for anyone buying a business already using POS software is a perfect way to avoid mistakes and to know what to watch out for from others using the software.

Professional POS software training by your POS software company is a perfect way for people buying a retail business with existing POS software to reduce the cost of employee theft.

In one case last year, the new owner of a retail business already using POS software could have saved $50,000 had they been trained by the POSsoftware co., and not by the outgoing owner of the retail business.

In another case, the new owner of a retail business already using POS software was under charging for a raft of products. A simple check could have been undertaken but the new owner had not been trained in how to do this.

There is no substitute for professional training in the use of POS software, by the software company representatives.

This is why Tower Systems offers a complete new owner POS software training solution for retailers buying a business in which our POS software is already in use. This help we provide as we would deliver to a new owner, to help them get the best outcomes possible form the software already in use in the business.

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Zippay merchant POS software connection helps small business retail

January 5, 2021

2 Min read

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The thousands of small business retailers using the POS software from Tower Systems have access to Zippay merchant facilities embedded in the POS software. Using these the retailers are able to offer access to the Zip buy now pay later facilities across the counter.

Using the Zippay merchant facilities in the Tower POS software, retailers able able to enjoy a commercially valuable alternative to LayBy. It is better for them and better for their customers. indeed, customers love Zip.

Thanks to a thoughtful and compliant integration, Zippay merchant facilities in the Tower Systems software are proven, valuable and commercially enjoyable in retail businesses of many different types. Tower Systems did the integration early in with Zip, bringing the Zip opportunity to life for the first time in many retail niches.

Using the Zippay merchant facilities, retailers have reporting and other tools for the accurate and prper management of their businesses.

Give your customers the power to pay later, interest free and watch your sales grow. Tower Systems and Zip have teamed up two years ago to provide a seamless, interest free payment solution for your customer, allowing your business to benefit from:

Increased sales volume
Increased average order values
Increased customer repurchases
Now, with a seamless integration with Tower Systems, you can accept Zip payments as soon as you are accredited. Simply enter your credentials.

Get started!

Our Zippay merchant facilities are robust, best practice, useful and enjoyable act the counter and in the back offer. They are true total solution for a business wanting to bring to life a buy now pay later option.

Tower Systems is grateful to the folks at Zip for their engagement and encouragement. It’s a partnership relationship that we value and have learned from.

The Zippay merchant facilities integrated with our POS software bring to life opportunities thanks to the way Zip promotes their retail business partners. The Zip community is strong and growing. Zip shoppers love their service and this can help small business retailers to find shoppers they may otherwise not have found. It’s an example of a valuable mutual relationship.

Tower Systems is grateful to offer Zip as part of a quite of integration solutions with its POS software. This suite of integrations is growing in 2021, which is terrific news. More soon…

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Using POS software to make 2021 the year of shop local

January 4, 2021

2 Min read

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In 2020, out of necessity, many Aussies rediscovered the value of shopping local.

2021 is our opportunity as local retailers to build off that, to make this the year shopping local is the preference, the year shopping local comes into its own.

We say our opportunity since we are retailers too. In addition to owning the Tower Systems POS software company, we own and run six retail businesses.

We have experienced first-hand the new love of shopping local.

In our POS software you can easily leverage local in ways that can guide deeper baskets and encourage shoppers back sooner.

We have built into our POS software these opportunities and more, to help you shine lights on what makes your business more appealing in today’s circumstances.

You can easily identify and tag locally sourced products.

You can easily share local knowledge and insights.

You can easily ‘make’ your own local products to differentiate from others.

You can easily support and leverage local community group members.

You can easily take your local pitch to the world through a Shopify website.

Our POS software is a start. Our local retail business experience can help you make the most of the POS software opportunities.

May your 2021 be healthy, happy and filled with profitable.

We are a POS software company 100% focussed on serving local small business retailers. Our software is developed to serve niche specialty retailers in selected retail channels. It is make to be fit for purpose for each of these retail channels.

Our specialty approach sets us apart from many other POS software companies. In each of our marketplace specific products you will find facilities, connections and tools that connect us with each in a deep, meaningful and commercially valuable way. This is what being specialty POS softwares is all about.

On top of marketplace specific facilities in our POS software there is our local focus, our local tools and opportunities through with our retail business partners are able to leverage shop local, buy local and support local opportunities.

Beyond the traditional POS software we go deeper into business opportunities, providing platforms from which local businesses can leverage their differentiators to shoppers, to get them spending more and to bring them back more often.

This is smart retail POS software in 2021 … a complete solution backed by training and support to bring shoppers in and guide their connection for the long term.

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Comprehensive approach to POS software onboarding helps small business retailers

January 4, 2021

2 Min read

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Aussie POS software company Tower Systems offers a structured, comprehensive approach to POS software onboarding.

Onboarding is the process of bringing on new POS software customers. It involves software installation, setup, tuning and training.

The Tower Systems onboarding approach is whole, complete and solely focussed on helping each small business retailer to achieve their goals for use of the POS software.

Onboarding is the process of installation, training and advice related to getting our new customers up and running with the Tower Systems POS software in your business.

With many new customers joining our POS software community each month, it makes sense that we have a structured process through which we deliver personal and consistent service in pursuit of you happily using our software.

Onboarding includes software installation and training experts at Tower working with you to help you achieve this goal of you happily using our software. It also includes a scheduling expert to be with you at each step of the way.

Our approach to POS software onboarding includes a team of transition experts who will help once the software is setup and the training done. These folks help you transition from high contact training to everyday help desk support access.

As an off-the-shelf software product, the Tower Systems POS software is what it is. By this we mean, it is not bespoke, not written specifically for you. However, there are many options in the software where selections can be made that determine how the software works for you. This is another reason structured onboarding matters.

The pathway we follow to guide you to be live is based on years of experience with thousands of small business retailers like you.

We follow a pathway that works. We understand some of what we suggest may frustrate, especially if you are moving from other software. Please be patient. We are grateful for your joining our community.

While our approach is structured for each specialty retail channel, it is also flexible to ensure we have time to address queries unique to each business. We understand the importance of personal service and seek to deliver a personal and appreciated experience to our customers each time.

The Tower Systems approach to onboarding of new POS software customers is comprehensive, mature and loved by customers. It continues to evolve, too.

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