The POS Software Blog

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

CategoryPOS Software

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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Sunday retail management advice: being optimistic about small business retail

March 8, 2015

2 Min read

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In almost all data we get from small business retailers we can find reasons to be optimistic. It could be shopper traffic, basket depth, unit sales for a product category, comparative supplier performance or any number of other data points, researching business performance data provides us with insights which can encourage optimism.

Optimism matters in small business retail. However, it is not something to fake. We look for truth in the data and more times than not we can find reasons for hope and excitement for a business.

In one case recently we were asked to help a business doing it tough. In their data we found information about a segment of the business around which they were able to build a series of positive steps for further improving the business.

One step is all it takes to move a business forward and often in your POS software managed data you can discover what that next step could be.

Our job as a POS software company is to help uncover these opportunities, to show you small steps you could take to build optimism and for your business.

We often find optimism where business owners are not looking and even the faintest glint can be like wind in your sails.

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Free POS software training helps retailers improve productivity

March 4, 2015

1 Min read

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The weekly free POS software training opportunities offered by Tower Systems continue to attract retaill business owners and their employees who want to get more from their software investment.

Our outcome-focussed training is proving to be a hit with retailers as it offers practical advice without tech-jargon.

This session on productivity helps retailers where it matters: at the counter.

Tower Systems is grateful to wonderful customer support in participating in these sessions.

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Smart POS software helps retailers connect to web stores

March 4, 2015

1 Min read

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Retail is everywhere and smart retail management software helps retailers to embrace trading everywhere.

The Tower Systems POS software has a flexible webstore interface which allows for a common inventory file between online and high street presences of a retail business, linking two types of retail operations into a single and more easily managed single data view. This is important in helping retailers operating online and offline to efficiently manage their businesses and the inventory they hold.

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Sunday retail management advice: embrace being small in retail

March 1, 2015

1 Min read

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We’re a small software company compared to the size of software companies around the world. Sure, we serve close to 3,000 small business retailers, but we are small. We like it that way. Small is good. Small of focussed. Small is human and not a number. Small is enjoyably.

Too often we see businesses owners chasing growth, chasing big businesses. We don’t want to be impersonal or disconnected. As a small business we are closer to our customers and more aligned with their needs.

We think a small specialist software company like ours is more likely to be able to fully and usefully serve the needs of small business retailers.

Sure, we are growing. However, there is a difference between growing and being so big you can’t pick up the phone and speak with the owner about anything at any time – like you can here at Tower Systems.

Our retail management tip today: embrace small, it’s a good place.

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The new loyalty POS software loyalty paradigm is a game-changer

February 28, 2015

2 Min read

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Small and independent retailers love the new approach to loyalty on the Tower Systems POS software. At the Gift Fair in Sydney this week retailer after retailer was thrilled to see such a different yet highly manageable opportunity.

While our discount voucher shopper loyalty facilities are not new to our POS software, they are new to many retailers who have only ever heard about points based systems as the way to approach loyalty.

What is unique and valuable about the Tower Systems discount vouchers is the multiple data points at which the retailer can control the value of the voucher printed. The layering approach allows the retailer more control over value and redemption – thereby providing the business with more mechanisms through which to drive business performance.

One retailer told us that they attribute their 10% year on year growth to our discount vouchers and that to achieve this they have given away just over 1% of GP. What makes the facilities even more valuable is the reporting showing shopper behaviour in detail. This helps guide data point tweaking to drive outcomes.

Thanks to the trademarked Tower Advantage^TM, Tower Systems is delivering to retailers and unique and business valuable facility. Exclusivity has its own rewards.

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Smart POS software helps small retailers plan for Christmas 2015

February 26, 2015

1 Min read

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Small and independent retailers are using technology to plan now for a terrific Christmas 2015.

Retailers using the Tower Systems POS software have been busy planning for Christmas 2015, using their software to order for Christmas which is nine months away using data from Christmas which was not even three months ago.

At trade shows, supplier showrooms and conferences, smart reporting tools and computer tablet based real time access helps newsagents to use accurate data for business planning. This results in more accurate purchasing which, in turn, delivers more valuable financial benefits to the businesses.

Tower Systems backs the tools in its software with free training and advice which helps retailers have easy access to the performance data they need. The result is a better outcome for those engaged businesses.

This is another Tower Advantage^TM.

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New POS software stock files for retailers

February 25, 2015

1 Min read

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Tower Systems has tested and loaded the following stock files for retailers using its POS software:

Artwrap February 2015
Pandora Spring Summer 2015
Chocolatier February 2015 stock file

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What does the weekend look like for the POS software company

February 21, 2015

1 Min read

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Like many of our retail business customers, here at Tower Systems weekends are busy as we’re open for business and helping retailers to get the most out of our POS software. Take today, here’s what we are up to in our business today serving our customers:

Several of our team members are working at the Reed Gift Fair in Sydney
Staff are working in our retail businesses – using our software ourselves … walking in the shoes of our customers
Our help desk is open in our head office offering an personal office based service.
Our knowledge base is accessible for plain English searches.
Our online video training library is accessible for training you can access from anywhere.
Our after hours help desk numbers are live for 274/7 service from our expert team.
Our senior management escalation team is on hand to handle any escalation issues.

The help we will provide today, if it is like other Saturdays will include help with using the software, business advice, business performance analysis assistance and being a shoulder to lean on.

Saturdays are busy. We like it that way.

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POS software helps retailers hold suppliers to account

February 20, 2015

1 Min read

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Small and independent retailers can achieve better outcomes from suppliers by holding them to account for the performance of the products they supply.

Using the facilities in the smart POS software from Tower Systems, independent retailers can know for certain about supplier performance when meeting with a rep in-store.

If a rep says hey this is selling well you can in a few seconds have accurate data with which to be certain. Too often, sales reps use puffery to talk up their products with little evidentiary backing. Thanks to our nurturing of accurate data for independent retailers we empower them to focus on facts and not puffery when purchasing from a supplier.

Tower Systems backs the facilities in its software with advice and help for independent retailers – help way beyond the software itself.

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POS software company helps retailers compete with big competitors

February 18, 2015

1 Min read

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Small and independent retailers often feel overwhelmed by the size and power of big national retailers with which they compete. They feel they cannot match the might and power of their big competitors.

Here at Tower Systems we help small and independent retailers to take a structured approach to competition.

Thanks to facilities in our software, small retail business owners can show they businesses as competitive at key touch points without having to invest in expensive infrastructure. They can deliver personal service, add value and enhance relationships in ways that present their business as more connected and engaged than big competitors.

The best way to approach feeling overwhelmed by anything is to take small steps to confront the challenge or challenges. This is where Tower Systems can help, even outside what is traditional software company. Through our years in business including years owning retail businesses, we have experiences on which to draw to help independent retailers to position themselves differently to competitors and thereby to grow.

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POS software company offers help to retailers impacted by theft

February 17, 2015

1 Min read

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POS software company by Tower Systems helps retailers who have been hit by theft with investigative services that meet the needs of police and prosecutors.

Developed over years of work with law enforcement, our evidence gathering work can help provide certainty about theft perpetrator(s) and the possibility of conviction.

Better still, our work helps retailers prevent theft by employees and customers. This is where real savings can be made by retailers – in reducing theft.

People can be clever in their approach to stealing from retailers. Techniques used change. This is where our specialist services can and do help.

Tower Systems helps retailers in many ways. Our theft reduction work is particularly valuable.

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POS software company delivers on customer service

February 16, 2015

1 Min read

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POS software company Tower Systems delivers free learning opportunities to retailers and retail business employees using its Point of Sale software with a continuous program of free online live training workshops – covering topics often suggested by customers.

The regular availability of quality and interactive training is a genuine point of difference for Tower Systems. It is the company delivering on its promises and living up to its sales pitch.

When we promise something to our customers we deliver said Tower Systems Managing Director Mark Fletcher. We see companies saying they offer regular training yet you can’t find it listed anywhere, not even their customers know about it. Here at Tower, we know that actions speak louder than words.

The company’s online live training workshop schedule is listed on its website and regularly promoted to customers. Access is 100% free is Tower funding the platform including the phone call for voice access.

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Sunday retail business management tip: small steps matter

February 15, 2015

1 Min read

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We often see small business retailers focus on grand plans, big moves they intend to make to lift their business. Our experience is that many small steps deliver a better result to a retail business and for a lower cost.

Using our retail management software, retailers are able to uncover and nurture small steps to growth in their business.

Every retail business has small steps they can take to drive traffic, achieve a better margin from products, get shoppers purchasing more, reducing wastage, reducing theft and more. Each of these alone done in a step step strategic way will compound on the other and deliver a greater than the sum of the parts benefit to the business.

Beyond its terrific POS software, Tower Systems helps retailers to see what they may be missing, to understand the opportunities for growth through a small steps strategy.

Leveraging our own retail experience and our intimate knowledge of what our software cal do, we can help retailers to lift their businesses through co-operative partnership.

Not all POS software companies are the sale. We’re here to help.

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If you are comparing POS software for your business…

February 13, 2015

1 Min read

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If you are comparing POS software for your business, ask the companies you are considering to agree for each of the software packages to be compared in the same room at the same time function by function. There is no better way to see which system is faster easier to use and more suited to your specific needs than such a comparison.

Companies that are confident in their software will welcome such a comparison.

Companies with something to hide will say no. They will claim they don;t want to risk a competitor seeing what they do but that would be a smokescreen to divert you from the real issue.

here at Tower systems we welcome head to head comparison. We are proud of our software.

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Sunday retail management advice: cut employee theft in your shop

February 8, 2015

1 Min read

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Through its Point of Sale software and retail business support services, Tower Systems helps small and independent retailers cut employee theft. In the last week, the company has helped with another free training workshop offered to retail business owners. We showed how employees steal, when and explored why. This information will help cut theft in businesses.

Our advice today is for retailers: use your POS software to cut employee theft. If you are not sure what tools are available to you – ask. Such advice should be free and confidential.

Employee theft can cost between 3% and 5% of sales. Tower Systems has a track record of helping retailers to cut theft using extensive and valuable tools in its POS software.

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