Retail businesses connecting with the Xero cloud based accounting software through our POS software are growing in number as word spreads about the time saved as a result of the seamless link.
As users of Xero and our software in retail ourselves we are able to speak to the difference and share practical insights into the time saved and the mistakes eliminated through the elimination of what would otherwise be manual processes.
Being approved by Xero is not a simple process – as it should hot be. Their approval process is one reason some POS software companies don’t get to the point of partnership.
The Tower Systems POS software – Xero link has featured in a Xero approved promotion this month to retailers in the specialist retail channels in which we serve.
Running for three days, this fair is the preeminent jeweller trade show in Australia.
Serving more than 300 jewellers already, Tower Systems is market leader in numbers. Thanks to continuous development and guidance from its customers, Tower will today and for the next three days show technical leadership with new facilities released including cloud based told that will help in Jeweller business management.
The photo shows our trade show stand – already setup and ready for the show opening at 9:30am today. The stand itself speaks to the professionalism and consistency we bring to our service of jewellers.
Our work with jewellers in developing our specialist jeweller software helps our other marketplaces as they do jewellers. Trade shows are important as they providing us opportunities to expand our knowledge as well as make new friends.
Small business POS software company Tower Systems is proud to have launched a new series of free online POS software training for retailers using its specialist POS software.
The latest training continues our commitment free weekly training opportunities for small business retailers. It is actions speaking loader than words.
We launched the training early this week. We are writing about it here after the launch to our customers.
Anyone can announce training. It takes commitment to deliver it week in week out.
We are grateful to our customers for their support.
Have your staff members record sales by using their staff card barcode or some other unique code and report weekly on the sales achieved. Sharing this simple data point will encourage competition and this is good for all involved in the business including customers.
In one business where we guided this implementation revenue growth can be tracked back to the implementation.
Tower Systems is thrilled to issue certificates to retail business employees who complete the structured curriculum based training in the use of our POS software.
Across several curricula developed y retail channel and retail business task areas, the training offers an opportunity to develop valuable knowledge not only in the practical use of our software but also in the business application of the software.
POS software training achievement certificates give retail employees a marker of their learning achievement, something of which they can be proud.
The image is of a certificate issued last week to another successful candidate in a business using our pet shop software.
The shop local movement has a good profile. Locals do tend to prefer to shop local. Retailers need to actively and consistently leverage this through a regular reminder but such a reminder is hollow unless you offer local benefits such as community engagement, hiring locally and sourcing locally made products. Actively engaging in the business through locally focussed decisions helps any retailer bring power and strength to their calls for people to shop local.
This is our advice today – if you pitch shop local, live in in your shop every day and show you yourselves believe in it.
Tower Systems helps retailers actively pitch and live the shop local mantra through its POS software and through the business support the company provides in its training and on its website.
Tower Systems has released comprehensive new reporting facilities in its Jeweller Software as a result of user community consultation – taking the software into deeper levels of personalisation and customisation to serve the needs of specialist jewellers.
The best way a specialist POS software company can serve its specialist retail customers is through its software by delivering enhancements that uphold the specialisation of the retailers.
This is what we do at Tower Systems not only for jewllers but for each marketplace in which we serve. Were engage in active consultation bringing retailers to the table to guide our enhancements and developments to ensure our software is relevant beyond expectation.
We think too many software companies get bogged down with being software companies by remaining at a distance from their customers. We know that the best ideas for software enhancement come from the shop floor. This is a place where we are comfortable and where we are actively listen.
The latest jeweller software is receiving good kudos.
Tower Systems has been using its time at the Melbourne Gift Fairs, at the Showgrounds and the MCEC to strengthen supplier relationships. Over the last three days we have visited with many suppliers discussing even stronger links between them and the retail businesses we serve. The result will time saves for suppliers and retailers, improved business data accuracy and greater mutual support.
Trade shows provide a valuable platform for exploring supplier relationships through which we can better serve our customers. While we are happy to be the leader here, we are surprised other software companies are not participating.
More and more retailers are switching from the old school points based loyalty programs to our discount vouchers. They are finding the vouchers are driving more immediate and more valuable outcomes for retailers – they are driving a better bottom line. We are hearing new success stories daily.
It is thrilling hearing success stories of how businesses have switched from points to $$ loyalty offers. It’s exciting and invigorating hearing of small and independent retailers achieving excellent outcomes for their businesses and knowing that we have played a role in this.
This is our retail management tip today – chase a point of difference, leverage new age discount vouchers and stop using the old points based loyalty offers.
Retailers can call the vouchers what they like. They can also choose how the value on a voucher is calculated and what it can be redeemed for.
We have partnered with a jeweller magazine to pitch the latest release of our specialists jeweller software ahead of presentations to the marketplace. With more jewellers joining our user community thanks to wonderful referrals, we are thrilled to be growing in this important marketplace.
We are thrilled with the feedback on a new report we are trialling in our POS software. Developed with a senior business consultant for a group of retailers in the high ticket price item space, this report provides an alternative view on inventory performance, a view we think many of our customers will find useful as they look to extract more value from their businesses.
This latest report reflects further enhancement of the Tower Systems software along a path of continuous improvement and in response to customer requests.
Engaging our development team direct with customers is a most useful exercise for any software company.
We have launched another training video for retailers using our POS software. This new video is not your usual training – no, it highlights a new feature of the software, something fresh for all users. It provides a high level introduction from one of the architects of the new facility. All customers have been provided free access to the video and plenty have viewed it already. We are thrilled for such terrific engagement.
Tower Systems has kicked off the New Financial Year with the launch of fresh POS software user training opportunities for retailers who partner with us.
The free online new training is genuinely new: fresh, new topics … designed to help retailers get more from their Tower Systems relationship.
Our customers can book in for the free training now from our website. We send an email with instructions on how to get online.
This advice is about the best business approach to undertaking a stocktake. Please refer to other Knowledge base articles on how to actually use the software. All retailers using our POS software have access to our knowledge base.
Please ensure you have the latest version of the Tower Systems Retailer POS software installed prior to undertaking a stocktake.
For the process to be as easy as possible you will need a wireless network – vital for OH&S reasons.
The best way to do a stocktake in your business is by using a laptop (or laptops) or tablet computer with a scanner attached. This enables you to do the stocktake live with no impact on sales and absolute integrity of your stock on hand data.
While using a laptop (or laptops) or tablet computer may seem cumbersome, it is our best practice advice for speed, data integrity and the ability to address data issues you may encounter on the shop floor. It enables you to do management work to ensure completely accurate data.
The alternative is to use a PDE. The challenges with this are the many different PDEs and it is challenging to be expert in all plus the PDE counts at that time and you load the data at a later time – meaning a gap in time in which sales could have been done. While PDE software is available for live to data updates, we have seen this be problematic and so we do not use it.
Given the advances in technology, our best practice recommendation is either a laptop of tablet computer as either offers a better solution than a PDE.
We suggest you setup a Laptop or tablet and use Team Viewer or the like to connect in and count this way. This approach means you do not need to purchase an additional software licence for the laptop. Team Viewer is easy to setup.
For the physical stocktake, we suggest you approach the business aisle by aisle, counting and rearranging stock as you go.
Once you have completed your first full stocktake, our advice is you engage in a rolling stocktake, doing parts of the business, through the year. The Tax Office does not require businesses with full sock control implemented to do a stocktake at the end of the financial year. They will accept data from your system if you manage stock through the year.
This advice seems simple, obvious – yet it is advice that must good POS software companies repeat daily. Here at Tower Systems we take this seriously we offer advice on how to use the software well, how to run a better business with the support of the software
Going beyond what is traditional in POS software support, Tower Systems helps its customers get more. Here are some of the ways retailers can use their POS software well:
To track everything sold by item detail.
To track all products returned.
To manage gift vouchers.
To run your Lay-By program.
To create order for replenishment stock.
To manage the employee roster.
To track inventory theft.
To track all sales.
To stop employee theft.
This list is just a start on how to use your POS software well. Too many retailers use their software as a glorified cash register and we don’t like that. There are plenty more ways retailers can use their POS software to run more efficient and valuable businesses.
The cloud backup service launched last year by Tower Systems is popular with retailers using our POS software. Backups are seamless, not taking any noticeable time thanks to the smart technology. The result is welcome double protection.
While Tower Systems has supported external and automated backup services for years, this new cloud-based service that offers excellent protection to users of our POS software.
Run on a subscription basis and backing up to the cloud real-time through the day, this is a comprehensive replacement of the old end of shift backup approach for small and independent retailers.
Cloud accounting software company Xero features Tower Systems and its retail management software on the Xero website. This privilege is for software companies which have met compliance requirements set by Xero. Tower Systems achieved this status last year. Since then, we have worked with Xero on communication with small business retailers about the benefits of our Xero integrated POS software solution.
We have plenty of retailers using our software and our automated link to Xero … saving them time and money in the management of their financial records.
We use the Xero live and automated link for our own retail businesses and can speak to the benefits ourselves.
Thank you for helping us switch to your software. I had no idea we could do what we are already doing with your software. For years I thought I had a good software program. The time saving alone pays for itself. Thank you.
We love feedback from retailers who switch to us as it encourages us to work even harder at leveraging our point of difference. This latest retailer to switch provided us with comprehensive insights into the weaknesses of the software they have switched from, insights we can leverage in our communication with other retailers in the channel.
Making good POS software is one thing. Guiding retailers to get the maximum commercial value from the software is something else. This is where Tower Systems excels.
Independent retail businesses often seek local shopper support. This Lismore easily achieved if these businesses themselves act locally and love locally. Here are some of the many act local suggestions we have developed over years of supporting local small and independent retail businesses:
Support local community groups through raising awareness and funds.
Use your retail space to attract locals on local issues.
Leverage your communication channels to support local issues and groups.
Offer practical help to local school.
Be engaged in local representation on councils and committees.
Preference hiring local people.
Seek out local suppliers.
Offer local training opportunities to local school students.
If appropriate to your business, seek out local artists.
Participate in local markets.
Welcome local groups to raise funds from out the front of your shop.
Get your business name on local sports team clothing.
Learn and tell local stories.
We have many other suggestions to help independent local retailers to better connect with their local community … helping our customers way beyond our software.
Tower Systems serves close to 3,000 retailers using our smart POS software.
Getting a shopper to return to your independent retail business can be difficult, you need to embrace every opportunity possible. This is where POS software company Tower Systems can help – using our smart POS software you can include on the receipt a coupon or voucher for a variety of purposes including marketing, information, direct discounts or other promotional activity.
The voucher based marketing facilities in our software are being actively used in all specialist channels in which we serve.
It could be a simple discount on return, a promotion of a new service, a discount based what is in this purchase or an offer based on a future bulk buy.
The beauty of the voucher serving technology embedded in the Tower software is that it is flexible and available for use in the business without cost. This ensures that the independent retailers using it are not having to share costs with others. The benefits are as considerable as the flexibility of the service.
And how can I use that information in the business?
This is a question that can stump someone working on the help desk as a POS software company as it goes beyond the what andhow and delves into the why. The answer to this question is a chink of gold that can be mined using smart POS software.
This is a questions the Tower Systems help desk team members can answer because the understand the why: why the software matters, why the data harvested is valuable, why a business owner wanting to grow the business will want to use the data.
This information is vital in small business as it is information that unlocks the real value of POS software for these small independent business users.
We can help small business owners understand data on reports as they relate to their specific businesses. Context is everything as they say and we know POS software cannot be one size fits all. A datapoint could be used by three different businesses in different ways depending on other metrics and KPIs. This is where our help desk team is smart and engaged.
Beyond the shat and how, our POS software help desk team loves to delve into the why.
Here is another fresh and free training video for employees of retail businesses using our POS software. This video explains how to se.. We have plenty more on this topic at our website including videos, advice sheets and more.
Small business retailers could have thousands of dollars of stock sitting on their shelves taking up space. If stock is not selling, it’s costing you. Once you have identified stock that is not selling you can begin to quit this stock, by putting the stock on clearance and continually reducing pricing until it’s sold out. Even if this means selling it below cost, it will save you money in the long run.
Tip: You can work out how much your shop space is worth by dividing the rent by how many square meters of space you have.
If a product hasn’t sold for six months then it’s costing you money to warehouse it. Quitting the stock will stop the cost from building up further and allow you to replace it with stock that will sell. Here is advice on quitting dead stock using our smart POS software.
NOTE: To effectively use this advice you need accurate stock on hand levels. Poor stock management will mean the results here can’t be used. You need to be able to trust your QOH figure is correct for this advice to be useful.
Finding The Stock
Use the ranked sales report with the following settings to work out what isn’t selling and put that stock on clearance.
Go to Reports > Sales Reports > Ranked Sales Report.
Set your Start date back six months from today and the end date to today’s date. Set the rest of the report settings as below.
When the report runs you will see the following:
Here you can see when the last time an item was sold (if at all) and the last time it was arrived.
Note: Items can show up that have only recently been arrived.
Ignore these items unless they haven’t sold in 4 to 5 months, then you may want to look into them.
The bottom of the report will give you a total cost of stock Inc and Ex GST. Consider this figure the value of dead stock in your store. You need to reduce this as much as possible.
Once you have the report print it out and start working through the list.
Set up a clearance table or bin somewhere in store and put product there with a clearance price. Simply advertise the area as Clearance Stock, Prices as Marked.
Keep discounting the product until it sells. Set a goal to get rid of the stock within say two weeks, if stock is still there after one week, discount further.
Now you can start filling that empty space with stock that is selling well. Use the Ranked Sales Report to show you top selling items and begin to build up those lines.
We keen addicting additional free live training sessions for our POS software customers and they keep filling up. So, guess what, we are adding more.
These sessions are more about leveraging the software in the business than how to do this or that. They contain considerable retail business management and operational advice.
We are thrilled with the support from ur customers and grateful to be in a position to offer this training by our skilled training team.
This is POS software customer service at its best. This is the Tower AdvantageTM
Disaster planning is vital for any retail business. Too often, the need for good disaster planning is realised after a disaster has hit the business. This advice from our POS software company 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 which you cannot sell by the due date.
Glass. 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. Our cloud based backup service is ideal.
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.
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
Disaster Planning
Here are some general suggestions on planning for a disaster.
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.
Maintain a register of all employees in the business at any time.
Prepare and place in a prominent place an evacuation plan.
Maintain a professional grade OH&S compliant first aid kit.
Regularly maintain all fire extinguishers.
Ensure that the business premises is safe and maintained to the local building codes and OH&S regulations.
Retail businesses connecting with the Xero cloud based accounting software through our POS software are growing in number as word spreads about the time saved as a result of the seamless link.
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