The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

Categorynewsagent software

Sunday retail management advice: basket analysis helps you sell more

December 13, 2015
2 Min read
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Basket analysis is the analysis of products purchased by transaction – shopping basket. Such analysis typically compares two trading periods overall and by day of week. It also includes this analysis by supplier comparing trading periods and day of week.

Basket analysis shows you the efficiency of product categories (departments). For example, see how many baskets include one category of item and nothing else. You can also see the numbers of times sales are single item sales.

Basket analysis underscores the value to the business of newer categories such as gifts and toys.

Basket analysis at a supplier level is equally insightful, allowing you to compare the basket efficiency and value of suppliers between two tradition periods as well as across each day of the week between two trading periods.

It is at the basket analysis level that you can determine product efficiency. A product is more efficient for you if it is purchased with other items in our view. You can drive this by careful placement on the shop floor, promotion at the sales counter and working with customers on the shop floor to guide their purchases.

It’s an example of how you can use comprehensive business data to drive your in-store actions. For example, knowing what we know about pop vinyls, Saturday is the day we really focus on them with secondary locations to do even better from the Saturday opportunity.

Basket analysis can also help you with rostering. With some category sales requiring more staff time that others, you can consider the product mix sold by day and adjust your roster accordingly. Trimming wages is an important cost saving focus in business.

The goal has to be deeper baskets (more items per transaction) and a greater spread across product categories – but with a focus on higher margin items so that also lift the overall GP performance of the business.

In the Tower Systems software the report to use for this analysis is the Basket Analysis Report. It provides an extraordinary insight into baskets.

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Smart newsagency software helps newsagents cut returns processing time

December 8, 2015
1 Min read
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Tower Systems helped another newsagent switch to our newsagency software last week by showing how to process magazine returns compared to the software the newsagent had been using.

Comparing the process step by step between our software and the other company software they were using, the newsagent soon saw the time they would save and the mistakes they would eliminate with our more professional software. This newsagent will cut paid hours by between eight and ten man-hours a month. That is a saving of close to $300.00 a month.

There is no doubt that owning a newsagency makes it easier for us to ensure our software is best-practice, that it is a solution for newsagents rather than a solution for computer programmers.

Now more than ever the difference between newsagency software packages is extraordinary. We appreciate opportunities to show off what we do and how we supplier newsagents through our software and through our support

This is another POS software Tower AdvantageTM.

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POS software training heading in to Christmas

December 7, 2015
1 Min read
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Here is a list of POS software training available for small business retailers in the lead up to Christmas. Tower Systems is thrilled to be appropriately resourced and managed to be able to offer these free training opportunities that are a genuine point of difference for us:

  • Don’t miss a sale this Christmas! Use Gift Vouchers Wednesday, 09 December 2015 02:00pm
  • Free up cash in your business today Wednesday, 16 December 2015 02:00pm
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Helping newsagents engage in change

December 3, 2015
1 Min read
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IMG_2377Serving 1,850+ newsagents sees us regularly meet with publishers and other suppliers. Today, it was with News Corp. in Sydney for terrific discussions on newspaper publishing initiatives – keeping us informed so our newsagency software can continue to be best practice for Australian newsagents.

The News Corp. head office in Holt Street Surry Hills continue to change, reflecting the changes of the company itself.

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POS software Magento link to help more retailers online

December 2, 2015
1 Min read
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Magento is the world’s best online shopping cart, retail website tool in our view. We say this having worked with a host of platforms and gaining considerable experience ourselves and through people we work with.

Our POS software links to Magento through the Magento API, directly from our software into Magento for shared real-time data. We link from our software to Magento ourselves and have small business retail clients using it too.

Developed in addition to our well-established web-store link, the Magento link is deep, comprehensive and tremendously valuable.

High street retailers serious about an online presence will find it easier and faster to achieve through our Magento link, something we have been using ourselves for all this year and something with which we have excellent experience and knowledge.

Our web development team has developed multiple sites, providing us with excellent reference experiences for retailers contemplating an online presence connected to their high street POS software.

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Tower Systems helps small business retailers with employee management

November 27, 2015
1 Min read
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Managing staff can be a challenge for small business retailers as too many operate more on a friendship basis than through structured processes and using accurate business data to guide decisions.

Thanks to smart tools in the Tower Point of Sale software, our retail partners have at their disposal tools on which they can rely to  bring consistency, planning and comfort to employee management.

Here are four of the tools available to retailers for managing employees using the Tower software:

  1. Cloud based employee roster management.
  2. Sales tracking by employee.
  3. Keystroke tracking by employee.
  4. Employee engagement management reports.

Using these tools and other facilities in the smart Tower retail management software retail business owners and their managers can build strong outcomes for their business and provide better oversight and management of employees.

Knowing the economic value of an employee to a business can help the business manage good outcomes for the business and for the employee. This is where data plays a key role and where Tower systems can help retailers improve their situation.

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Tower Systems is helping Australian newsagents reinvent their small businesses

November 24, 2015
2 Min read
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Through a series of practical business development meetings throughout 2015 and one-on-one work Tower Systems is actively working with engaged newsagents on reinventing their businesses.

The days of the old newsagency relying on lotteries, newspapers, magazines and stationery are over. Engaged retailers are leveraging new product categories to attract new shoppers and to lift the overall gross profit of their businesses.

Tower Systems, through its close and direct contact with many in its 1,850+ strong newsagency software user community, is playing an active role in talking about business structure, product buying, marketing and overall strategy.

We believe in the newsagency channel, not as a channel as Australian shoppers currently view it but as a channel for the future of engaged, diverse and growing businesses. Many businesses that identify as newsagencies today will not be seen as newsagencies if you shop them next year or the year after. Yes, the transition is that dramatic.

Because of our work with other retail channels and our engagement overseas in retail strategy studies, Tower Systems is well positioned to help Australian newsagents navigate to a more profitable future.

The work we are doing in this area is beyond what is usual for a software company. We are proud to have the resourced and strategic thinking to be able to serve in this way.

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NEWS CORP. SUBS. DATA PROJECT UPDATE.

November 23, 2015
1 Min read
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Our industry standard newsagency software has been enhanced to serve the needs of the new News Corp. subscriber data project. The enhancements have been made to the News Corp. developed specifications The software has passed XchangeIT testing and will be released in the next update that is currently in our internal quality assurance prior to beta release. The timing of the update is on track for later this month. Newsagents will need to be supported to have access to this update. This is one of several projects we have been working on for News.

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Five ways small business retailers can compete with big retail businesses using smart POS software

November 21, 2015
1 Min read
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This is easy. Small business retailers can beat big businesses by consistently delivering a better service:

  1. Offer a real loyalty program and not some over-promoted program that promises a lot but does not deliver.
  2. Include helpful product use and care instructions on your customer receipts.
  3. Offer LayBy with a professional management approach. Many bigger retailers find LayBy too hard now.
  4. Show savings. On receipts. If your prices are lower than suggested retail, tell people.
  5. Keep in contact. Send a text message or email when a special order comes in – this reminds shoppers their sought-after items are now available for collection.

These tips are offered as part of a series from Tower Systems, a POS software company serving more than 3,500 small business retailers with specialist POS software for a range of retail niches.

Every day through our software, advice, support and training we provide help beyond the software, help to make a genuine difference to the small retail businesses we serve.

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Helping regional newspaper publishers navigate price changes

November 18, 2015
1 Min read
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Tower Systems is working with several regional newspaper publishers to ease the introduction of price changes through their retail network. As our newsagency software is the industry standard we work with these publishers as we do with other suppliers to help newsagents handle newspaper cover price changes with ease.

We are grateful to the publishers who share price change information long in advance so we can develop appropriate messaging to make the change simple.

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Five unexpected ways smart POS software backed by good support can help small business retailers

November 18, 2015
2 Min read
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Retailers think about POS software systems as all being the same. Usually, they look upon them as a cash register replacement. While that is true,, good POS software does considerably more than this. Good POS software delivers benefits deep within a retail business.

Specialist POS software for specialty retailers such as garden centres, bike shops, jewellers, pet shops, newsagents and others benefit from software tailored to their needs beyond the cash register function. Usually, such specialisation includes linking to suppliers and serving mutual needs.

Here are five of many unexpected ways the Tower Systems specialist retail channel software helps small business retailers:

  1. Cut theft. This usually happens by the software revealing situations retailers otherwise would miss.
  2. Easier to sell. A retail business using specialist POS software well is easier to sell because it is easier to operate.
  3. Freed up cash. Cash is too often wasted in small business retail. Following the recommended processes in our software will see you buy better and this will result in less stock purchasing failure.
  4. Power. Retailers using our software tell us they feel more powerful when negotiating with suppliers thanks to the data they have at their fingertips.
  5. Comfort. While many worry about stress that could come with installing a computer system, they often, unexpectedly find comfort from the structure, ease of use and value from the Tower software
  6. Expect more. Yes, this is a sixth way. From your software company, expect more. Seek their help and insights and these are sure to help you get more from your business.

These tips are offered as part of a series from Tower Systems, a POS software company serving more than 3,500 small business retailers with specialist POS software for a range of retail niches.

Every day through our software, advice, support and training we provide help beyond the software, help to make a genuine difference to the small retail businesses we serve.

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Tough love helps small business retailers fall in love with data from their POS software

November 2, 2015
2 Min read
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We owe our customers the truth.

This is a mantra in Tower Systems. Truth trumps spin every time, especially the truth you see in business data.

If we see something in the retail business data collected and managed by our software, we share it with the customer involved. We do so in the belief that data will better inform their business decisions than opinions. the sharing is navigated respectfully and not in a smart-alee way.

We encountered this recently when a customer made a statement about the performance of a product category in their business that was not supported by the data. We showed them their own data and their understanding of their business changed. Buying decisions were reversed. Floorspace allocations were changed. More important than anything, employee training was provided to even better leverage the insights we shared through the truth of their own business data.

The experience went to the core of their business. It raised their awareness of the value of the data our POS software cultivated and set them on a mission to change their use of data and their use of our software.

We were thrilled to see the people in this business get it, to get the value of data they have at their fingertips and to love the insights accurate data can provide.

This small retail business will grow as a result of their new respect of and love for data.

We are excited and they are excited.

We could have operated in an average way for a POS software company, answered their questions and moved on. Instead, we took a risk and shared insights beyond the traditional software help desk engagement. We are glad we did. We are grateful for the reaction. We are excited for the benefits unleashed.

Every day in our business we get to interact with passionate small business owners and employees. It is a thrill because each contact is personal. As we found with this data experience, the result can be heartwarming.

The work we do goes way beyond the software. The software is a tool for far more valuable work.

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POS software Xero integration loved by small business accountants

October 30, 2015
1 Min read
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With more accountants recommending the Xero cloud-based accounting software our POS software is reaching more people thanks to our xero approved integration.

Professional and thorough integration takes time to develop and have approved by Xero. We put in the work last year to achieve this and continue to maintain the integration today for our many retailers using Xero.

We are grateful to Xero for their support as well as to the many accountants who endorse what we do to ensure the usefulness of the Xero link in small retail business to facilitate accurate accounting data for little time investment.

We use Xero ourselves in-house and this helps us offer a more personal user experience.

Our Xero work helps us lead in our specialist retail channels.

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Five ways small business retailers can pitch local: Sunday small business retail management advice

October 25, 2015
1 Min read
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Being local matters to shoppers today. There is a big difference, however, in saying you are local and being authentically local.

From our work in the trenches with more than 3,000 small business retailers here is our top five advice on successfully pitching local in your business.

  1. Be seen. Engage in local activities, alongside locals.
  2. Buy locally. Have a sign in your shop welcoming pitches from local suppliers of goods you can sell in your business.
  3. Talk local. On your business social media pages talk about local matters. Sow you care too.
  4. Support local. When deciding on your charity engagement, preference local organisations and be clear about this.
  5. Educate local. Make sure customers purchasing locally made product understand it is local.

Local, of course, can be different things to different people. It may mead a geographic proximity to your business. It could also mean products made by a family in another state. Nuanced appropriately and personally, this is a local pitch you could make.

We urge all small business retailers to engage with local and to do so with care and authenticity.

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Amazing Tower Systems webstore integration a small business retailer first

October 23, 2015
1 Min read
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A Tower Systems exclusive multi independent retailer webstore integration is bringing small business retailers together in a fresh way, negating the need for small business stand along websites. In fact, this new approach is a game changer in several small business retail channels – delivering new traffic thanks to a high-profile national website than is achieving more than a local small business website might.

This is Tower Systems working for its small business customers in a fresh and exciting way.

Leadership.

No one has done what this site and the Tower Point of Sale software back end is achieving.

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9 ways #smallbusiness POS software from Tower Systems helps retailers

October 22, 2015
2 Min read
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The Tower Systems specialist retail POS software continues to evolve thanks to suggestions from retailers in a range of specialty retail channels in large, medium and small businesses, in shopping malls, on then high street and in rural towns.

The Tower Systems commitment is to provide POS software you can use to guide more profitable control over your business – without the need to hire a consultant or businesses advisor. Above all, the Tower POS software will empower small business retailers.

Here are 9 ways the Tower Systems Point of Sale software can help your business:

  1. Report smart. Our easy to read yet comprehensive reports help you better understand your business without having to hire an expensive consultant to do this for you.
  2. Receipts, invoices and other documents can be customised toreflect the taste and style of your business.
  3. From repairs to serial number tracking, we help you deliver consistently professional and personal service – in the specialty service area.
  4. Get customers spending more. Our loyalty facility tuned to the unique spending habits of customers improve the spend per visit.
  5. Easy LayBy. You can LayBy with certainty thanks to professional facilities backed by good documentation to your customers.
  6. Cut your bookkeeping and accounting fees. From GST reporting to having an up to date P&L, we can save time and money by linking to software like Xero.
  7. Connect your online with your shop. Our Web Store facility handles this.
  8. Cut theft. We you are not there, our software tracks behaviour. Our free Theft Check service has been successful to catching theft before it is too late.
  9. The Tower AdvantageTM. Our professional and friendly help from training to support to business advice. We are not your average software company.
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Positioning small business newsagents for greater success

October 21, 2015
1 Min read
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Major changes are occurring in the newsagency channel when it comes to technology and how it is used in these small locally owned businesses.

Tower Systems actively represents its newsagent customers when it comes to changes. We work with those bringing on change and seek fair engagement for our newsagent customers.

The changes coming bring new opportunities and new challenges to newsagents, challenges especially through smart newsagency software.

Thanks to our size, serving close to 1,900 newsagents, we are positioned to help our customers best leverage these changes.

This is our commitment – to help newsagents navigate change.

There is a difference in newsagency software companies and we are at a time in the life of the newsagency channel when size matters. Newsagents need to ask themselves whether the software they are using today is capable to helping them navigate major change in their business.

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Ten ways smart retailers use their receipts to drive sales – Sunday #smallbusiness retail management advice:

October 18, 2015
2 Min read
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Here are ten ways smart retailers use the POS software from Tower Systems to leverage receipts to act as more than a record of a transaction:

  1. Adding value with product knowledge – written by people in the business and designed to reinforce personal local knowledge that separates the business from other retailers of the same product.
  2. Pitching a discount for further engagement – with the discount value calculated carefully and thoughtfully and to guide shopper activity.
  3. Suggesting companion purchases – based specifically on what has been purchased.
  4. Guiding additional purchases with a BUY X GET Y deal – usually funded by a supplier.
  5. Including product care instructions.
  6. Advising of loyalty points accrued.
  7. Product warranty information.
  8. Promoting a forthcoming event in store.
  9. Supporting a local charity or community organisation.
  10. Driving business website engagement.

The more small business retailers use their receipts as a marketing tool the better for the business. It systemises shopper contact through existing transactions and through this can leverage greater engagement and success for the business and enhanced enjoyment for the shopper.

Tower Systems helps retailers across multiple channels to leverage receipts in this way – creatively using valuable tools embedded in the software.

Information on receipts can be text, QR code, barcode or visual through images. These choices make the Tower POS software useful in a broad range of retail situations.

We are confident that through proper engagement retailers of all sorts can drive better business value from receipts beyond being a record of a purchase.

This is another Tower AdvantageTM.

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POS software webstore integration helps #smallbusiness retailers

October 17, 2015
2 Min read
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When it comes to POS software there is web store integration and then there is web store integration. Smart web store integration, like retailers have access to using the Tower Systems POS software, offers flexibility and options to better serve the needs of speciality retailers in niche retail channels.

Maintaining current real-time stock on hand data for the webstore and physical store, the integration delivered through and by Tower Systems is valuable and appreciated in small business retail situations including gift shops, homewares shops, jewllers, bike retailers and plenty more.

Thanks to an engaged customer base, Tower Systems has been able to evolve its POS software web store integration to deliver a genuinely valuable and cost effective solutions for small business retailers.

There is a general version of webstore integration as well as a Magento specific deep and strong integration. Retailers can choose the approach that works best for their own situation. This is what Tower Systems does – providing options for retailers to choose according to their needs.

Using the web store facilities itself in its own businesses, Tower Systems also brings to the project a personal user perspective that is quite unique in POS software development circles. Indeed, this personal use of the software including web store integration elements enables the company to finesse the software and the training provided by the company to small business retailers using the software.

The Tower Systems POS software web store integration is in use today, helping many retailers in a range of specialty retail channels to make the most of technology to drive business efficiency and value.

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Expanding the POS software help desk

October 16, 2015
1 Min read
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Tower Systems has created a new role within our POS software help desk structure. We are advanced in considering candidates and hope to have a final decision by the end of next week. This new role will enable is to offer additional service beyond what we offer today, service beyond what retailers expect from their POS software company.

Innovating in a software company is not confined to innovating within the software. Since customer service is the means through which retailers can leverage their IT investment, innovating through our services is kay to our mission to evolve as a company.

We are excited for the change new people bring to the business.

UPDATE: (Oct. 17): We have signed on our new team member and set a start date for later this month.

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Sunday retail management advice: 5 ways retailers can use smart POS software to better connect with shoppers

October 11, 2015
2 Min read
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Smart POS software can help retailers better connect with shoppers, bringing them back more often, guiding them to purchase more and helping them bring friends to the business.

Based on years of experience helping small business retailers across several specialty retail niche channels, Australian software company Tower Systems has developed expertise and experience to enable it to list 5 ways retailers can use smart POS software to better connect with shoppers:

  1. Use smart receipts. Add value with product care information. Include a marketing pitch. Turn the receipt into far more than a receipt.
  2. Track and engage with life events. Record important events and write or email customers at these times in appreciation of their business.
  3. Make business easy. Customers love professional engagement in the sales process – streamlined and accurate sales processing from simple sales to comply lay-bys. Get this right and they will trust you more.
  4. Speak to customers based on interests. Offer your most loyal customers the ability to transact with you before everyone else around new products. You can do this with a well managed customer database.
  5. Leverage shopper behaviour. Use your POS software to track what sells with what and place these items together to get more people making the same moves. Your own customers can guide you to make shop floor moves that other customers will love.

Your POS software can help you run a more successful, engaged and enjoyable business. Tower Systems, through its success focus, helps small and independent retailers to leverage these opportunities and achieve better results and outcomes for its retail partners.

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