The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

CategorySocial Responsibility

We need to talk about mental health in small business

May 22, 2015
2 Min read
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The importance of talking about mental health in small business newsagencies is an article by me, Mark Fletcher owner of Tower Systems, at my Newsagency Blog – a place where he write about small business retail. This is an important article dealing with personal and often unspoken off challenges dot small business owners and their employees.

Owning and running a small business can be tough – on families, relationships, finances and your mental health. The ABC published a terrific report about mental illness and small business. I urge you to read this and share it. At the bottom of the ABC article is an excellent list of resources including:

  • Lifeline – 13 1114
  • Kids Help Line – 1800 55 1800 – Provides counselling and support for young people aged 5-25.
  • Men’s Line Australia – 1300 78 99 78 – Provides counselling and support services for men – especially those involved in the breakdown of relationships.
  • Suicide Call Back service – 1300 659 467 – Provides free nationwide professional telephone or online counseling.

Other national information and support services contacts available during business hours:

  • beyondblue information line – 1300 22 4636
  • SANE Helpline – 1800 18 SANE (1800 18 7263)
  • Telstra directory assistance – 1223 Call this number for contact details to the nearest public hospital, which can provide information on local services.

 

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Sunday retail management advice: helping small business retailers love their businesses

May 17, 2015
3 Min read
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I hate going into work. These words from a friend reflected a long-held feeling, a feeling held with some shame.

Here was a retail business owner who hated going into his own business.  He had fallen out of love with what he had created. The bitterness he felt towards his business had soured to hatred.

Why do some retailers hate going to work? It is an interesting question which needs exploration before we look at strategies for countering this.

There is usually a trigger – supplier fatigue, tough economic conditions, personal challenges away from the business, a partner dispute, tiredness… there could be any combination of reasons.

If you have reached the point where you hate going into work each day it is important to take time away from the business for an honest assessment as to why you hate the business. Until you can answer the question – why do you hate going into work? – you cannot begin to work on resolution.

Once you know the reasons, think about a series of small and achievable steps you could take to turn the situation around. No matter how challenging the situation, there are always steps you could take. Focus on these, start work on them and in some instances that alone will be enough to move you through the fog of anger and ill-feeling toward the business.

If finding small steps to take does not work, get together with a trusted friend and tell them how you feel toward the business. Ask them to talk with you about the business. Reminisce about why you started or purchased the newsagency. Remember your dreams and hopes. Use the conversation to explore your emotion at the moment you decided to open or purchase the retail business.

The best advice to to get professional help from a psychologist or professionally qualified counsellor to explore your feelings for the business. Your doctor could help you access a government funded mental health plan.

Understanding your hatred for your retail business is the first step. This will usually, of itself, reveal the first steps you can take to turn the hatred around. Be open to that. Take small steps and see where they lead. The change in feeling toward the business may not be immediate so do not expect too much too soon.

If you do nothing, the hatred will be more and more reflected in the business and in your own person. Neither benefits from this.

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Aussie POS software helps small business retailers grow

April 18, 2015
1 Min read
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Small business retailers want to grow, who doesn’t? With rent and labour costs increasing each year, growth is mission critical. POS software company Tower Systems helps its customers grow by providing advice on how to use the software to grow.

As retailers ourselves we can provide practical advice on how to use the software to more than transact sales, we can help retailers use the software to grow their businesses. We do this every day on our help desk, through our consulting services, through our knowledge base and through our business mentoring assistance.

We encourage, guide, educate and support our small business retailer customers in their desire to grow their businesses. it’s something we take serviceably.

Even on the weekend. Take today, Saturday … we have been helping one business owner understand opportunities in their slow selling inventory pool to unlock cash and space for more productive use.

We are serious in our commitment to small business retailers from our software through to the practical advice and support we provide.

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Small business retailers appreciate support in making the locally made pitch

April 13, 2015
1 Min read
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Screen Shot 2015-04-12 at 3.57.45 amThe 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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POS software company supports local retailers and local communities

March 23, 2015
1 Min read
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TOWERShopLocal_Page_6-1POS software company Tower Systems is releasing a range of promotional collateral for use by any small local retail business in promoting the shop local message. This collateral has been created for any type of retail situation where local connection with the local community is important to the business and the community.

This artwork is available at no cost to any retailer. The company has not included it’s logo on the artwork so as to not pull focus.

What does this have to do with POS software? Plenty. Tower Systems believes in helping in any way it can to encourage, guide and facilitate stronger and more valuable locally owned retail businesses.

While Tower Systems invests in enhancing its POS software for its customers and in its support team to provide timely and professional advice, it also invests outside the squall to help its customers in a more whole of business way.

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Supporting World’s Greatest Shave

March 5, 2015
1 Min read
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wgs-logoWhen an employee supports a respected and independent charity we sponsor them as measure of support of their commitment as well as support for the charity itself. This is why we are supporting the World’s Greatest Shave fundraising drive. We have a team member here at Tower Systems who we are hoping to see with a shaved head real soon.

We are proud to support the Leukaemia Foundation.

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Helping newsagent suppliers help newsagents

March 4, 2015
1 Min read
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newssessTower Systems is funding an opportunity for newsagent suppliers to meet in three states to discuss and work on the health of the newsagency channel and explore how they can help newsagents grow their businesses.

The Newsagent Supplier Forum has been in development for some months and is open to all suppliers to participate. Our hospitality extends to our software company competitors – we want the sessions to as broadly based as possible.

Newsagents think they are doing it tough and while some are for others it is a mindset thing. We hope the focus can help navigate a path ahead which benefits newsagents, their employees and newsagent suppliers.

Click here to book.

Funding these sessions is another way we can give back to our customers.

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