The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

CategoryPOS Software

How smart Point of Sale software helps small business retailers compete with big business

September 26, 2015
3 Min read
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Small business retailers often feel overwhelmed y the sheer size of big business competitors, that they are national, on TV, on billboards and embedded in the habits of shoppers.

You can feel unprepared for the competition, unable to cut through and gain the attention necessary to build a viable business.

Indeed, worrying about the competition can be debilitating to small business retailers.

Our advice to small business retailers is to focus on how you can compete, on how you can show the value of shopping in your independent small business and how you better serve your shoppers – in a way that pitches your competitiveness against big business retailers.

Smart POS software helps independent retailers achieve this. It does this in a range of ways that empower small business retailers and encourages them to focus on the optimism within their businesses rather than being drawn to what is happening in and for a big business competition.

Here are the practical everyday ways small business retailers can compete with big businesses using smart POS software to maximum advantage. These ideas work for any type of specialty small business retailer in any situation:

  1. Professional and accurate selling at the sales counter.
  2. No out of stocks of popular lines.
  3. Identifying growth green shoots so the business management and owners can concentrate on these good news points.
  4. Offering shopper loyalty options that resonate with your shoppers. having a choice of loyalty options can help you better serve customers. Options such as:
    1. Points based on purchases.
    2. Discount vouchers offering $$$ off the next purchase in a set period of time.
    3. Buy X get Y FREE to drive volume purchasing over a target period of time.
  5. Offering LayBy or LayAway with professionalism and consistency.
  6. Offering value-add information, care instructions and product advice on receipts with purchases.
  7. Professional management of refund requests.
  8. Tracking sales associate performance with the ability to reward based on performance.
  9. Tracking supplier product performance so you can focus more on suppliers who drive success for the business and less on suppliers who do not drive success for the business.
  10. Tracking shopper purchases and thereby better understanding the value of a shopper over time.
  11. Theft management at the employee and shopper levels – top mitigate the impact of theft on the business.

Small business retailers can compete with big business by using good tools in their businesses, tools that are fine tuned for their type of business.

This is what Tower Systems offers speciality retailers in a range of retail channels.

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New ink and toner site launched by Tower Systems

September 24, 2015
1 Min read
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Tower Systems earlier this month re-launched Inkfast, an online ink and toner business serving small businesses and indoivuals in the efficient and cost effective supply of ink and toner to anywhere in Australia.

Developed as part of a broader e-commerce strategy, this new version of Inkfast leverages the latest e-commerce platform tools as well as automated supplier integration, secure payment processing and fraud mitigation resources.

The learnings developed in-house by Tower Systems in developing Inkfast play into the e-commerce strategies used by Tower Systems in its work with small business retail customers. Inkfast is Tower Systems walking in the shoes of its own customers. When we advise someone about an e-commerce website, we draw on our own experiences from Inkfast and other sites we have developed and that we operate.

Too often software companies develop in a lab without real world experience. Tower Systems is different. Online and offline we use our software ourselves, driving it to the end and developing the software to go beyond the edge and serve in unique and valuable ways.

 

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Tower Systems launches website development for #smallbusiness retailers

September 22, 2015
1 Min read
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Small business POS software company has launched a POS software integrated web developer service, bringing online and offline together in a common technology platform.

Built around leading e-commerce technologies, the Tower solution enables high street retailers to setup online stores populated with some or all inventory from the high street store.

Developed using best practice techniques, the Tower solution offers small business retailers a fast, easy and appealing route to market for an online store that is desktop, tablet and mobile friendly.

With several e-commerce sites already live, the online retail team at Tower Systems has personal experience they can point to to reference their capabilities as well as business learnings that will be useful to small business retailers.

The seamless and live link between the Tower POS software and the e-commerce site is a winner.

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Loyalty software for #smallbusiness retailers offers flexibility

September 21, 2015
2 Min read
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Flexibility is the key to success of the small business loyalty software for retailers from Tower Systems. refined over many years in close consultation with small business owners and managers, the loyalty facilities in the Tower software are proven from the traditional points based facility to the lucrative discount vouchers to the buy X get Y FREE tools. Flexibility is the key here.

In addition to the valuable suite of loyalty facilities for retailers, Tower Systems links to external services such as FlyBys and other loyalty solutions used by groups and others for connecting stores and making loyalty more valuable than only for one store.

But wait there’s more as they say. There is more quality thanks to the links in the Tower software for connecting small business retailers with their suppliers, often the businesses funding the loyalty offerings.

Flexibility, maturity and and commercial value sit at the heart of the loyalty facilities included in the Tower software. Small business retailers who want to purchase a POS software package and not have to rely on other partners to run loyalty facilities can achieve this by partnering with software company Tower Systems. They can rely on Tower to not only delivery excellent loyalty facilities today but to enhance them tomorrow, next year and beyond as the company maintains its software as a best practice solution for small business retailers in a range of specialist retail fields.

This is what Tower does – serving specialist retailers with exceptional software on which they can rely to grow their businesses thanks to loyalty facilities and more.

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Whole food store software helps small business retail whole foods stores drive growth

September 20, 2015
2 Min read
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The whole food store software released by Tower System is proving to be popular in helping whole food stores across multiple parts of their businesses. Our latest whole food store customer was installed last week in Tasmania – a beautiful part of the country.

Whole food stores use our software in many ways including traditional point of sale functions such as scanned based selling, tacking customers, reordering product, loyalty programs and more.

In particular, however, whole food  stores use the software for these areas:

  1. Scale integration for selling produce.
  2. Flexibility in handling multiple package sizes for each product.
  3. Splitting items purchased in bulk dow to retail packs of your choosing.
  4. Packaging several items together to create a pack – and reversing this process, which is most important.
  5. Multi-buy pricing.
  6. Including product nutrition and or instructions on shopper receipts.
  7. Multiple loyalty program options.
  8. Creating your own barcodes for items you ‘make’ for sale.

Whole food stores of all sizes and in a variety of situations use the software to improve efficiency, consistency and enjoyment. What is even more important is that the software will continue to evolve to meet the evolving needs of whole foods retailers. This is important. It is where locally developed software works well – evolving to the needs of local retailers.

Tower Systems currently serves in excess of 3,000 small business retailers in a number of retail niches. We are a specialist software company developing and selling specialist software. The software we sell to whole food stores is software tailored to their needs, to serve needs specific to that retail channel.

This focus on specialisation is something we do with care and attention – it comes from decades of service to multiple retail channels.

The software we sell we develop ourselves. It is fresh, and current – completely different to what we sold years ago thanks to the advice and guidance from our engaged customers who make suggestions for new areas we can serve in the software. We release updates several times a year – keeping your software up to date and ready to serve your current needs.

Sometimes, our software is not the right fit. We respect this and do not pressure people to purchase software that is not right for them. Our reputation is too important to strong-arm people into buying something that is not right for them.

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Small business retail advice: Navigating to the New Paradigm in Retail guided by your POS software

September 19, 2015
3 Min read
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Everywhere retailers look today they are confronted with a new paradigm, a new approach to doing business, regardless of their area of specialisation.

Over recent years the fundamentals of retail have changed and some retailers are yet to notice and embrace the change.

The new paradigm, while impacting all retailers, is not universal. There are nuances by channel and there is where specialist Point of Sale software can help a retailer navigate to the change in circumstances.

The customer is at the heart of retail today, more so than ever before. Thanks to universal access to pricing, product and other information, the customer is more informed and powerful than ever before.

Whereas in the past a retailer knew of their key competitors based on their geographic location and could therefore research and understand them, today’s competitors could be anywhere in the world. Indeed, many shoppers are spending time with a competitor of a retail business while actually in the business… such is the power for the customer thanks to smartphones and easy access to the online world.

Many retailers have made them mistake of thinking that the new paradigm is merely about bricks and mortar retail versus online. That is barely the beginning of the new paradigm. Indeed, it goes way beyond such a basic comparison.

The only way to compete in this new world of retail is to genuinely and wholeheartedly place the customer at the centre of everything you do. From the moment they step near, physically or virtually, your business you need to embrace them with an embrace unlike ever before. No, not a hug, nothing physical.

The customer embrace in this new world of retail is about value, from as soon as a customer is nearby. Value in service, advice as well as price. This is where bricks and mortar businesses can win against online… if they understand how to demonstrate value through a range of touch points in their business.

Central to delivering value is the core efficiency of the business itself. Retail businesses need to operate at a level of efficiency which enables them to compete on price. At the same time they need to ensure that all sales associates are able to transact with shoppers wherever they are in the store. They need to be able to be the most knowledgeable people in the store without necessarily having the most experience.

This is where good Point of Sale software, ideal software for the type of retail business, can provide a retailer with a point of difference and a structure through which to embrace the new customer-centric paradigm.

It is not enough to operate a basic cash register type system as that will deliver only basic results and basic will not cut it today with competitors around the globe. Retail businesses which specialize need specialist software. The result is a stronger, smarter and more nimble retail business.

Good specialist Point of Sale software will, if used well, enable a bricks and mortar business to not only compete but grow in this world. This is an opportunity for retailers, an opportunity to embrace change and to thrive against what may seem to some like insurmountable odds.

Drive your relevance, use your software, chase change.

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#smallbusiness retailers embrace cloud based data backup service

September 18, 2015
1 Min read
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The automated cloud based backup service offered by Tower Systems is popular with retailers keep for the ultimate in protection. Thanks to best-practice infrastructure in-store and a secure data storage location in a remote server farm, Tower Systems is able to offer its customers the type of data protection usually only seen in big businesses.

Accessed through a cloud based platform developed by Tower Systems, retailers partnering with Tower are able to leverage a peace of mind not usually offered at the small business level. They are able to tap into this for a low that is considerable less than the cost of daily labour they save.

The Tower Systems cloud based backup service is cash-flow positive for any retail business. It is part of the Tower AdvantageTM service.

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Loyalty software helps #smallbusiness retailers

September 17, 2015
1 Min read
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The small business loyalty software in our POS software is helping more and more specialist retailers such as jewellers, bike retailers, garden centres, pet shops, newsagents, gift shops and homewares shops to compete with big business.

Indeed, smart loyalty facilities in small business software are crucial to helping independent and small retail businesses to win against ferocious national competitors.

The small business loyalty facilities in our software are flexible and powerful, offering:

  1. Points based loyalty.
  2. $$$ off the next purchase.
  3. Buy X, Get Y.
  4. Preferential pricing.
  5. And, a mixture of the above configurable to the needs of a business.

The flexibility and options embedded in our small business loyalty software win us ne customers and help existing customers derive better outcomes from their own customer relationships.

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More free POS Software training for #smallbusiness #retail

September 16, 2015
1 Min read
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In five minutes Tower Systems kicks off another free live online training session for small businesses using its POS software. Today’s session us Using Targeted Marketing.

Consistency is everything in software, especially small business POS software. Tower Systems demonstrates its consistency in offering these weekly free online training sessions years after they first started.

We are committed to helping our small business retail customers derive greater value from their IT investment and training is one key to achieving this.

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Being local matters to our #smallbusiness POS software company

September 16, 2015
1 Min read
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Local small business retailers know this more than most.

Customers like supporting businesses that support their local community. Living and being local is a valuable point of difference for local small retail businesses.

The same is true for software companies serving small business retailers: being local matters.

Tower Systems is local. We develop POS software in Australia and New Zealand for specialist retailers:  jewellers, bike shops, garden centres, newsagents, pet shops, toy shops, adult shops, gift shops and firearms retailers.

We support local suppliers, local marketing groups, local industry associations and make our management and software teams available for local business interaction.

Our local relationships help us make better software and back this with better service.

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Australian #smallbusiness POS software on show at Sydney Gift Fair

September 15, 2015
1 Min read
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Screen Shot 2015-09-09 at 6.43.35 amTower Systems is proud to have its #smallbusiness POS software on show at the Sydney Gift Fair at Glebe Island from this weekend. We are bringing new software and new facilities to the show to share with attendees. It appears from the roster of suppliers that ours is the only Australian designed and developed POS software product on show.

Serving well over 3,000 retail businesses in Australia and New Zealand, Tower Systems is well resourced to serve specialist retail businesses in a range of niche retail channels.

We are on stand P61 at the Sydney Gift Fair.

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Repairs software helps improve customer service & workshop management

September 14, 2015
1 Min read
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Here at Tower Systems we serve a number of specialist retail channels with repairs management software tuned to the needs of businesses in those channels. It is a core part of our smart small business POS software for these retail channels:

Workshop management software, or repairs software as we call it, can be used for managing other parts of business where services are provided including where you may outsource services outside the business. We provide tracking, billing and other tools in facilities developed with several different types of businesses offering these services.

Serving a number of specialist retail channels as we do helps us provide more comprehensive and flexible software.

Using our software for your type of business you can systemise the promotion and management of repairs services and through this drive more business for your workshop.

A good workshop is a valuable point of difference – hence the importance of promoting this and bringing consistency to the use of the services.

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Is your #smallbusiness POS software help desk open on a Saturday?

September 12, 2015
1 Min read
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The Tower Systems small business POS software help desk opens for business in five minutes, like every Saturday. This live, office based, service has been a fixture of our customer service for many years. It is in addition to our 24/7 help desk service managed via mobile phones.

The office based POS software help desk service on a Saturday service helps us deliver a more complete service on a busy day of the week, logging into client businesses at their request and under their watch to resolve questions and issues. The service also includes providing personal training and business management assistance.

The Saturday help desk service provided by Tower Systems is another point of difference for us, a point of difference of which we are most proud.

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Helping small business retailers transact with structure and certainty

September 10, 2015
1 Min read
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IMG_9366Small business retailers can offer shoppers clear communication and certainty of Lay-By and trading rules by using smart receipts in the smart POS software from Tower Systems.

It is easy to include transaction rules on receipts for all manner of transactions. This is a core facility from the Tower software and has been for years.

What separates Tower Systems in the POS software space is the flexibility of these and other receipt presentation and management tools.

Ensuing customers receive terms and conditions, care instructions, offers and other communications appropriate to their purchase provides the Tower Systems community of 3,000+ small business retailers with certainty. Retailers, their employees and their customers love this.

This is another way smart POS software helps small business retailers compete with big businesses.

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Tower Systems is Platinum Sponsor for Pet Expo next month

September 9, 2015
1 Min read
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Screen Shot 2015-09-08 at 7.37.52 pmTower Systems is the proud Platinum Sponsor of the 2015 Pet Expo national Trade Show on the Gold Coast next month.

We appreciate the opportunity and the recognition for our industry standard pet shop software.

We will have new software on show and exciting announcements to share with pet shop owners and managers at the expo.

Tower Systems is grateful for another opportunity to demonstrate practice support for independent business operators in the pet products retail channel.

Pet shop owners looking for the best pet shop software respected across the country and backed by excellent support are welcome to reach out to us at the expo, online and in-store to see more of how Tower Systems can help.

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Helping small business retailers cut theft in their shops

September 8, 2015
1 Min read
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Small business POS software company Tower Systems is running training tomorrow for small business retailers on how to cut theft in a retail business. This specialist delivered training will cover strategies and tactics for cutting employee theft and shopper theft in any type of small retail business.

‘Drawing on considerable experience working with retailers and the police, this free training from Tower Systems will help retailers mitigate the cost of theft in their businesses.

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Sunday retail management advice: five tips to save any retailer time

September 6, 2015
1 Min read
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  1. Tell suppliers who do not provide you with an electronic invoice that you will cut them off – they are costing you time.
  2. Put barcode and price labels on fewer products. If they have a barcode, use it.
  3. Stop ordering replenishment stock manually.
  4. Stop entering sales data into a spreadsheet for analysis.
  5. Run your business with processes as well as checks and balances that enable it to open and close without you.
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Aussie POS software helps specialist retailers improve customer service

September 5, 2015
1 Min read
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The POS software developed by Australian POS software company helps retailers pursue better customer service experiences.

From fast and accurate processing of sales to easier reordering to easy handling of customer queries, retailers are able to use the software to drive outcomes that focus on the customer experience.

With customer service being a key differentiator for retail businesses, having access to customer experience centric tools can be a competitive advantage.

Tower Systems goes beyond providing access to excellent customer service tools. It provides training and personal business integration assistance to help retailers themselves leverage the benefits Tower promotes as being in its software.

Owning and operation retail businesses ourselves, we understand the demands for better customer experiences and the commercial value to a retail business.

Every week we offer free training opportunities, access to useful articles and access to training videos all designed to help retailers improve the customer experience in their shops.

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Kudos for Tower Systems POS software – Xero interface

August 31, 2015
1 Min read
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Screen Shot 2015-08-20 at 5.01.22 pmRetail 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.

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Helping retailers manage cash flow with monthly support coverage

August 27, 2015
1 Min read
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For many years Tower Systems have offered the option to its customers to pay for software support on a monthly basis. This offer continues today. We see it as respectful good customer service.

Our support fees are transparent with the same price for all customers using a software package. This transparency builds trust and trust is important to us.

 

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New free small business POS software training opportunities launched by Tower Systems

August 26, 2015
1 Min read
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Screen Shot 2015-08-26 at 11.14.43 amSmall 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.

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The human POS software help desk

August 26, 2015
1 Min read
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We won a customer last week on the back of them calling our help desk and posing as a customer. They were thrilled a human answered the phone and wanted to hear from them about their query regarding our software. Their experience with another software company has been struggling with a computerised phone system to log a call and wait for someone to call back who runs through a script from which they cannot deviate to find out what the question is about.

We refuse to do this at Tower Systems.

Since retail is personal, so to should a retail software help desk experience be personal. We do this well and enjoy our personal contact with our customers.

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Buy X get Y facility sets Tower POS software apart

August 25, 2015
1 Min read
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The smart POS software from Tower Systems offers small business retailers choice when it comes to loyalty options. Our customers can choose from:

  1. Points accrual based on purchases.
  2. Linking to one of several external loyalty programs.
  3. Linking to FlyBys.
  4. Discount vouchers offering $$$ off next purchase Buy X get Y free.

Our customers can choose the loyalty options that best serve their needs. We do not presume to dictate which of the loyalty options is best as they all have a place.

That Tower Systems offers these options is of itself a point of difference for us.

We are grateful to our customers who have helped us finesse these loyalty facilities making them best practice and through this helping us win more business.

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