The POS Software Blog

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

Categorypoint of sale software

Small business retailers appreciate support in making the locally made pitch

April 13, 2015

1 Min read

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The free marketing collateral we released for small business retailers is being appreciated. Retailers love that the collateral is available without strings, is free and is unbranded.

We are thrilled with the feedback and are working on adding to the suite of free collateral available from our website.

We are grateful to be in a position to give back to small business retailers.

Covering a range of themes, the example included with this post is most popular as it promoted LOCALLY MADE – a very strong message in any retail situation.

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Sunday retail management advice: success today is important for tomorrow

April 12, 2015

2 Min read

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Too often we see small business retailers running their businesses thinking that they will make their money when they sell. Our experience working with thousands of retailers is that focusing on today, on the right now, will ensure the best outcome for the future of the business.

Our strategy – Make every day your pay day – is simple and effective. It’s made up of basic points:

Run with the leanest roster possibl Just about every newsagency business I review has capacity to lower labour costs.
Have your best people working the floor, helping customers spend more.
Stock what sells.
Get rid of stock which is not selling.
Have stunning displays that attract people from outside the shop.
Have compelling displays in-store that encourage people to browse beyond their destination purchase.
Always have impulse offers at high traffic locations.
Charge more every time you can. Review your prices for products people come to yoo because of convenience.
Buy as best you can.
Grab settlement discounts every time you are able.
Use your business data to guide your decisions.
Promote outside your store.

Be responsible for the profitability of your business. Don’t blame your suppliers, your landlord, your employees or some other external factor … it all comes down to you – the decisions you make and the actions you take.

If you relentlessly pursue profit with a clear focus you’re likely to see profit grow. That’s better than waiting to make money when you sell because that’s less likely to happen in this market.

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Expanded POS software beta program to help small business retailers

April 10, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has overhauled its POS software beta release program, with an open call to all customers to apply to be considered for the beta program.

Retailers in the program will receive early releases of software enhancements in return for feedback on changes delivered.

Through the open call to all customers Tower Systems is ensuring a wide pool of participants. This is important as diversity in the test community helps ensure diversity in the software testing and this results in better software.

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POS Solutions makes inaccurate claims about discount vouchers

April 9, 2015

3 Min read

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Not all discount voucher facilities in POS software programs are the same it would seem. The experience we have in our own retail shops and the experiences we hear about from our customers are different to what others report with whether call discount vouchers in their software.

POS Solutions, a competitor of Tower Systems in the newsagency space has made claims about loyalty and discount vouchers which we challenge here in the interests of accuracy and robust competition.

At their company blog, POS Solutions publishes this:

Firstly i actually do not like discount vouchers as they are an incredibly costly programs, see here for numbers.

They link to an article of theirs from a year ago where they use a report from our software to claim that discount vouchers are expensive. There is no evidence in the Tower report or elsewhere to support their claim.

Our experience in our own retail businesses and the experiences reported to us others using our discount vouchers facilities is that they are not costly. We say POS Solutions makes the claim in a marketing effort to divert attention from a successful loyalty program.

It is important to note that the Tower Systems discount vouchers approach is sophisticated and exclusive to us. The calculations in our software are secured and encrypted. While we have no copyright over the term discount vouchers, we do have copyright protection over our code and protect this with care for us and our softwares.

The POS Solutions website and blog publishes this statement:

Additionally what type of a person will you be attracting, those that like perpetual discounts. I have seen a report that people whose first purchase is induced by a price reduction are 50% less likely to want to make a second purchase. This I can believe as what your discount is doing is attracting consumers hunting for a bargain, this is scarcely prone to instil shop commitment.

The evidence is that discount vouchers attract a valuable shopper delivering bonus margin dollars at the high GPO end of the range offered in the business.

They refer to a report but no link – leaving the reader to question the source of the report.

POS also publishes this about discount vouchers:

Also it has no chance of reaching those people that do not buy in your store in the first place. If they have never ever purchased something in your store, just how will you provide them with a voucher?

This statement demonstrates that POS Solutions has not researched the marketing opportunities in the Tower Systems discount vouchers facilities.

POS has previously stated that it offers discount vouchers. This was published around the time we released our facilities. In recent times they have taken to criticising discount vouchers. In the meantime, our discount voucher offering delivers for newsagents using them commercial benefits which we say provide them a terrific commercial advantage.

In the Tower software there are several loyalty options which can be used separately or together. Our discount vouchers facilities are unique to our software. They are a key factor in driving double digit sales growth and double digit gross profit growth.

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New POS software update for small business retailers

April 7, 2015

1 Min read

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Retailers using POS software from Tower Systems have been briefed on the next update which will be in beta release this month. The company is releasing information about features in the update as part of its weekly customer communications.

Feedback from customers is terrific about this next update. Several new facilities are direct user suggestions.

Tower Systems operates a transparent approach to encouraging user suggestions and welcoming other users to comment on these suggestions. The process is unique to Tower and part of the Tower Advantage^TM program.

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POS software help desk Easter hours

April 2, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems offices will close this afternoon at usual time for a four-day Easter break. We will re-open at 7am on Tuesday April 7. During Easter our after hours numbers will be available for urgent calls. Our emergency numbers will also be available as a backup to the after hours numbers. Plus our Knowledge Base will remain open 24/7 as well as our video streaming library with more than 130 training videos. We’re here to help.

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33% of retail customers embrace reward me now opportunities in POS software loyalty offer

April 1, 2015

1 Min read

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A retail expert from Europe speaking at a high-profile retail conference in Sydney last week declared traditional loyalty is dead, people want instant gratification. In the Tower Systems POS software retailers have the opportunity for instant gratification.

Data from a range or retail businesses using the Discount Voucher facilities within the Tower Systems POS software report 33% engagement on the day of issue. Most often, these customers are not regulars, they are infrequent visitors who look for opportunities to leverage the value of the reward in that visit.

Tracking shopper behaviour we can see that those spending the reward tend to spend equal to or more than the initial purchase value. A further 20% spend on a third item or basket, further extending the value of the reward.

We are thrilled to see retailers enjoying double digit year on year growth as a result of their use of the Discount Voucher facilities. The voucher reports, sales data and business P&Ls we see show this approach is profitable and valuable for the longer term prospects of the business.

The Discount Voucher facilities fit with the model of loyalty promoted by the recent retail experts speaking in Sydney.

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POS software company helps small business retailers connect with the community

March 31, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has released additional marketing collateral for free use by any small business retailer. Available from the company’s website without the need for a log-in or password, this latest collateral reinforces the local community connection of independent small businesses.

Developed in hour by our own designer, this collateral is designed to offer retailers options through which they can better connect with their local community – through social media, online, in print and elsewhere.

The marketing collateral is offered without strings and for free.

This is another way POS software Tower Systems helps businesses and lives its motto: We’re here to help.

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POS software company helps retailers respect Easter

March 30, 2015

1 Min read

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Easter is an unusual season in retail in Australia. There are religious observances to respect, the fun for kids with which to engage and chocolate to sell for people who love Easter chocolate.

Thanks to terrific analysis tools, retailers using the Tower Systems POS software are able to serve a variety of needs. Messages on receipts can be tailored to customers based on the items being purchased. This allows for different messaging appropriate to products purchased.

Another assistance for retailers relating to Easter is the ability to easily compare Easter seasons year on year. Thanks to date flexibility in reporting it is easy to compare Easters even though the season occurs at different times in the year. Easter is one season where past behavior can guide planning for the next year. At Tower Systems we help with this analysis for any customer wanting us to.

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Sunday retail management advice: cut keystrokes, cut mistakes

March 29, 2015

1 Min read

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Every keystroke using POS software at the counter is a possible mistake. Eliminating keystrokes at the retail counter ought to be mission critical for retailers.

The fastest way to sell is to scan a barcode. If that is not appropriate for a product, you need alternatives appropriate to the product, the frequency of sale and the traffic flow of the business.

Our retail management software offers options via which you can sell for the fewest number of keystrokes possible. Whether the items are high end jewellery selling for tens of thousands of dollars, a collectible piece, a magazine or pet food, we have rapid and accurate sales recording options to suit.

In one case recently we showed a retailer how they could eliminate close to 1,000 keystrokes. That is 1,000 possible mistakes eliminated, time sale and business performance and efficiency approved.

Look at your keystrokes on any given day and consider whether you could benefit your business by eliminating keystrokes.

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POS software offers small business retailers choice on loyalty

March 28, 2015

1 Min read

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There is loyalty software and then there is loyalty software. The Tower Systems approach to loyalty software in its POS software for small business retailers is broad, flexible and shopper-focussed.

With options from the more traditional points based approach through to an immediate benefit engagement offer and the ability to blend the two, the Tower Systems software provides retailers with tools they can use appropriate to local needs.

Feedback from retailers using the Tower Systems loyalty facilities is thrilling. Stories of growth, shopper engagement and terrific bottom line results. This really excites us.

While many businesses like points based programs, evidence indicates the immediate benefit engagement offer is more valuable in many retail situations. The results on a P&L and elsewhere in business reporting are compelling.

Beyond the software, Tower Systems is engaged with its retail partners to help them choose the right mix of loyalty offers which work best in their circumstances.

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Using POS software to help small business retailers and their suppliers help each other

March 27, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has commenced another project to help a group of small business retailers to connect electronically with a supplier – through our POS software.

Building stronger ties between retailers and suppliers is a key objective for Tower Systems as through this it can help small business retailers save time and reduce inventory investment. Suppliers benefit through reduced labour costs for serving their retailers.

The Tower technology plays several roles. These roles are tailored to the needs of partnering suppliers and retailers. The detail is usually quite unique as experience has shown that connecting suppliers and retailers is not a one size fits all approach.

We have been able to draw on experiences from one particularly engaged retail channel to help in others. Having the runs on the board helps us to show what can be achieved for all stakeholders.

We are not being specific about this latest project here for commercial reasons.

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POS software helps small business retailers with cloud backup option

March 26, 2015

1 Min read

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The cloud backup service launched last year by small business retail management software company Tower Systems is proving to be popular with retailers. The backup process is seamless, not taking any noticeable time thanks to the smart technology engaged. The result is double protection offering peace of mind to small business retailers.

While Tower Systems has supported external and automated backup services for years, this new even more hands-off cloud-based backup service that offers excellent protection to participating small retail businesses 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.

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Free roster software for small business retailers

March 26, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has launched free roster cloud-based roster software developed specifically for small business retailers.

This easy to use platform is serves single location and multi location retailers. It offers a variety of tools and helps retailers with budgeting to drive a better labour cost outcome.

The new employee roster software for retailers is another enhancement from Tower Systems, delivered at no cost to its customers – demonstrating innovation in a practical and no cost way.

This is another way we live up to our motto: We’re here to help.

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Why retailers replace VEND with POS software from Tower Systems

March 26, 2015

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We love replacing the VEND software in a retail business with our POS software. While people make the switch for a range of reasons, the key benefits we offer are a depth of engagement with selected specific retail channels, the ability to deal direct deeply within our business, excellent mature reporting and a lower total cost of ownership.

While we see a place for VEND in some retail businesses, in our specialist retail markets there is no substitute for channel specific software backed with channel specific knowledgable support.

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The difference between small business POS software companies

March 24, 2015

2 Min read

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POS software companies which focus on the small and independent retail sector are different in many ways. From the software itself through to customer service, differences abound.

Retailers considering POS software need to compare carefully, they need to compare for themselves. Don’t believe what you are told – ask for proof, especially if it a claim about a competitor.

One POS software company recently made a claim which was not true and had the retailer not sought out information for themselves they could have made a purchase decision based on a lie.

Here at Tower Systems we are transparent and open business. We prove our customer service commitment through these touchpoint which we have offered and supported for years:

An online library of more than 130 training videos.
A searchable knowledge base with hundreds of articles.
Weekly free training workshops.
Free one on one training.
Regional user meetings.
Saturday office-based support.
Local capital city phone number support.
A documented escalation process.
Easy access to senior management.
Everyday help for independent small business retail.

We love opportunities to show what we can do on the table next to any other software. Such a function by function comparison is valuable to all concerned.

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Sunday retail management advice: don’t pay too much for POS software support

March 22, 2015

1 Min read

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Here at Tower Systems, paying annual software support is optional. We want our POS software customers to pay to access support because they value it rather than because it is a tax imposed which must be paid for them to access the software.

Our support fees are transparent and consistent.

If you use other POS software, before you pay your bill check what others are paying. In one case recently one business was paying around $1,000 while another nearby using exactly the same software purchased at the same time was paying over $3,000. The second business was being grossly overcharged.

One way you can save money on POS software support is by shopping around.

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POS Software customer: I couldn’t have done it without you

March 21, 2015

1 Min read

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A retailer on winning a major award in their retail channel called out to Tower Systems people at the event when receiving the award saying:

I couldn’t have done it without you.

Then, to the room they said:

When I needed help, Tower was there. When I need to understand my business Tower was there.

We take helping our customers seriously. from providing useful and valued software to wonderful and practical support to business advice and guidance. We’re more than your average software company because we’re here to help.

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POS software drives retail sales

March 21, 2015

1 Min read

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One of our POS software team members this week saw first hand the value of the latest loyalty facilities in ur software in a business which switched from MYOB to us and from a points based loyalty system to our $$$ based front end loyalty solution. Here is their story:

I popped in to see a client who swapped to our software late last year from MYOB, they were doing a points based loyalty system before, and changed to our discount vouchers on launch of our software. The result is excellent sales growth. This is a good report to show you can still get engagement of vouchers, even at low customer numbers and low values. Average voucher issued was $2.06.

We love hearing stories like this as they reflect on our value proposition of helping our customers. While we help in many ways, it is through the loyalty offer where we see excellent business growth results.

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Sunday retail management advice: inspiration retail management success stories

March 15, 2015

4 Min read

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While some retailers gravitate to stories of doom and gloom, others are chase and enjoy success large and small.

Through our work with our POS software we get to meet with plenty of retailers and look at many businesses.

We are certain that success is not an accident.

Success is planned for and chased. It is the goal reflected in every business decision. It comes from refusing to let the business run you.

We’d like to share three real-world stories with you.

The small shop turning over $380,000 a year and growing 28%

Talking with a gift shop owner about their 28% increase in sales in the financial year just ended.

Yes, you read right, a 28% lift in sales in the 2012/13 year. This is on the back of a 17% increase the year before. This is a business that is more than ten years old.

This is no accident. They planned for it by carefully looking at their business data and shedding products that were not working. They adjusted opening hours too as they discovered business later in the day that they had not realised was there. This knowledge opened them to opportunities for last minute shoppers.

The owner of the business decided to chase success because the turnover was barely enough to cover rent, wages and the loan taken out to fund the business. It was grow or bust.

They planned for success by using their business data. The first year – 17% up from a low turnover base – was encouraging. The 28% increase this past financial year proves value of paying attention to business data.

Sales data guided them as to the suppliers of the best to focus on. One employee was eased out of the business for failing to achieve minimum sales targets.

The owner spent more time on the shop floor selling to achieve minimum margin dollars per sale rather than just chatting with shoppers.

The result shows what can happen when you focus on being a retailer, the owner said to me with a huge smile.

A gift shop reengineers and saves itself

Another gift shop we have been working with was in trouble. Shops nearby were closing and the small shopping strip had a dark feeling. For a while they were sucked into the cloud of doom and gloom.

Checking their data we saw that several special interest items sold well and provided an above-average margin. They used this knowledge as the basis for small expansion.

Over six months they increased their range of the special interest items and they connected with community groups to share knowledge.

Over six months sales grew, not into double-digit growth but they were happy to have at least stopped the decline.

In the second six months sales grew further. Now they were into double digit growth territory. Shoppers happy with their specialisation were telling others. Word of mouth was driving extra traffic.

That was a year ago. Today, this business is very different. People travel for up to two hours to see their range. The average sale value has more than doubled, margins are up 15% and customer traffic is up 25%. Combine these three and you can see why the owner is very happy.

They did not plan to become a product specialist. The survival of their business demanded it.

How a product category drove sales and profit

This gift shop owner came to us because they were in trouble. Sales were falling. Together, we took an in-depth look at their data.

The category performing best in terms of return on investment and return on floor-space was plush, teddy bears and some soft toys. That can’t be right, said the owner, it’s stuck in the back of the shop.

Data does not lie. It revealed that their small selection of plush was selling well despite the owner and the employees not being all that interested in it.

Fast forward six months and this business has turned around. They are now a plush shop at the front with other gifts. Sales are up 65% and climbing. They have increased their margin too – because they have products others nearby don’t have.

Turning this business around was easy as the data offered the guide. The changes took a week to complete and initially required only a $5,000 capital investment in additional stock.

Own your success

Small and independent retail businesses can achieve growth in any economic situation.

People don’t stop shopping in tough times – they just change what they buy.

By taking a fresh look at business data gift shop owners can change focus, attract new shoppers and get existing shoppers spending more.

We’re happy to help.

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Happy stories from the POS software help desk

March 13, 2015

1 Min read

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For years now we have ended our help desk team meetings with everyone sharing a good story – something good which has happened in a call or visit with a customer. We did it again today.

It’s a thrill hearing positive stories about our customers and their interaction with the software. This is a well-established tradition we will continue as it reminds us of why we do what we do.

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New software for small business retailers from Tower Systems

March 13, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has quietly launched a new cloud based service to help small business retailers in the area of employer / roster management.

This elegant new software helps retailers to more effectively manage rosters in single and multiple location businesses – from anywhere. It guides rostering based on a budget and provides a visual representation of the roster to enable easy views and manipulation to the ideal scenario for the business.

This new software is part of a series of launches from Tower Systems in 2015.

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POS software installation video helps small business retailers

March 11, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has released a professionally produced video of a recent ten-store installation of our POS software.

The goal of the video was to demonstrate the professional approach by the company and its people to installations. The video shows a calm, structured and professional approach to training that small business retailers can trust.

This latest video is another helpful resource from the team at Tower Systems. we are grateful to all who participated including our customers and their employees.

Tower Systems is sharing the video with sales prospects and others as part of a different approach to guiding people to make the right choice for their business when selecting a POS software company with which to partner.

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Help for small business retailers doing it tough

March 10, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has published a special report for small business retailers on tactics and strategies they can use to help navigate tough times. This report draws on years of experience working with small business retailers across a range of retail channels. The advice is ready to use, often without the need for POS software technology.

While developed as part of the Tower Advantage^TM suite of services, Tower Systems has made the advice widely available to all retailers.

We appreciate the feedback from retailers which has guided further development of this small business assistance advice.

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