We are grateful to be able to share this …
People are at the heart of local retail
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Is Arielle Executive right when it promotes 7 Best POS Systems In Australia For 2023?
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Arielle Executive claims to list 7 Best POS Systems In Australia For 2023.
We think what they actually promote is software companies that pay them to be on the list. We think theirs is an ad platform.
Why do we say this? Because they’ve not assessed our software. Okay, we’re a small company. But we do have 3,500+ local Aussie business customers.
We think that if you are going to pay Google to rank well for listing the best POS systems in Australia you should have at the very lease actually looked at POS systems made for retailers in Australia. Like, you should have done the work to enable you to make the claim.
Oh, and by looking at POS systems we mean looking at the actual software, comparing functions, getting into the total cost of ownership and understanding each product before making an assessment leading to the claim you promote.
We are suspicious about comparison websites like that offered by Arielle Executive because in our experience they are ad platforms you pay to list your product to be considered ‘best’, when really the ranking comes down to an amount of money you spend.
Arielle Executive is a commercial business that offers a range of services. None of the services listed at the Arielle Executive claim expertise in assessing the best software of any kind.
We get that Arielle Executive is running a business and has to make money. We wish they were clearer about what they were doing with the ads they are running on Google claiming to list the 7 Best POS Systems In Australia For 2023. And while they products they list are well known and loved by many, whether they are the best comes down to much more than whether they have paid money to be on the marketing list promoted by by Arielle Executive.
Here at Tower Systems we are a transparent company, clear in what we offer. People considering us can see demonstrations of our software on our website and on our Google channel. We’re not pushy either. Folks who enquire about our software are respected. We are keen to understand their needs. If we think we are good fit we will say so, and show how.
If you are considering POS software for your business, take your time, do your homework, trust what you discover and not a marketing lost others have paid to be on.
Advice for small business retailers on dealing with increasing retail theft
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We know from the news that retail theft has increased. Shoplifting, stealing, retail theft, call it what o=you like, has a financial cost as well as an emotional cost. It can debilitate business owners, managers and team members, multiplying the total cost to the business.
Employee theft is easier to uncover, track and address than shopper theft.
Good POS software will offer proven tools for indicating potential employee theft and do this in a way that empowers business owners to act before the cost to the business is out of control.
The challenge is that many small business retail owners and managers do not use theft discovery and mitigation tools in POS software. We know because our Tower Systems POS software is well resourced in theft detection and mitigation and too often in talking with customers it is discovered later rather than earlier.
Our advice for retailers on employee theft is to use your software, check regularly, act on the indicators to see if there is something concerning there. In our case here at Tower systems – call or email – one of our senior theft mitigation specialists will help. These are people who have worked with the police and insurance companies on such situations. They will Bring that experience to the table for you.
Shopper theft, shoplifting, stealing of products is best discovered by a regular process of what we call spot stock takes. Choose several high interest product categories and every week check stock on hand. This will indicate if there is an issue. If there is not, choose another.
Having a consistent approach to spot stock takes if key to the discovery point of shoplifting.
The best deterrent is your action. Here is our advice to be known as a shop not worth stealing from:
- Greet people when they enter the shop. Them seeing you see them, eye to eye, will deter some people planning to steal.
- Have systems to collect evidence: CCTV and, when appropriate, matching POS software data.
- Always report people caught to the police.
- Write about reporting it to the police on social media.
- If you have camera evidence of theft but no knowledge of the name, use the photo to try and figure out the identity.
If the problem in your shop is serious and at a point where it is distressing you, consider bringing in a uniformed security guard for a week or two. While there is a cost with that, it makes a physical statement about your approach to the security of your space.
Complaining about theft is not action.
Catching someone and getting your goods back is inadequate action.
Not acting on a hunch because of a fear for what you might discover is not action.
Theft requires action. Typically in local small business retail it is costing the business somewhere between 3% and 5% of turnover. In our experience, retailers trend to not act because they are not sure where to start.
Here at Tower Systems we offer guidance to retail business owners on what to do, actions to take, processes to establish to at least get a handle on what might be happening. That is the best place to start if the business has not been acting consistently up to that point.
POS software for op. shops and community enterprises
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Some thoughts on news of Lightspeed charging small business retailers a ‘penalty’ if they choose to NOT use Lightspeed Payments
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Advice for any local small business retailer who thinks closing their shop may be the only option
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As small business retailers, we understand the overwhelming obstacles and uncertainty that can cloud our vision of the future. When faced with the prospect that closing our doors may be the only option, it’s essential to pause, gather data, and separate fact from emotion. In this article, we offer a beacon of hope by exploring the opportunities hidden within the evidence and guide you towards finding a path forward for your business.
Let’s start with pause. While the situation may feel hopeless, go for a walk outside, regardless of the weather. Walk, walk and walk. Look around. Breathe. Sit. Take a moment. Clear your head.
Unveiling the Opportunities Data as a Compass: Amidst the chaos, it’s crucial to gather and analyse data—the backbone of informed decision-making. Dive into your sales records, financial situation, and local economic circumstances. Focus on the facts, not the emotions or hearsay. Within the evidence lies potential opportunities obscured by obstacles and uncertainty.
Breaking free from the “end is near” mindset requires a strategic shift. Instead, concentrate on four key areas that can turn the tide:
- Attracting new shoppers
- Increasing the purchasing power of existing shoppers
- Maximising revenue from your current offerings
- Reducing costs without compromising quality
Seizing the Opportunities Attracting New Shoppers: In the realm of local retail, attracting new customers can be challenging. However, introducing a completely new product category can be a game-changer. Choose something captivating and unique that aligns with your interests and appeals to the local community. To succeed, position the new category well in-store and leverage social media to create buzz. Look beyond your existing network for advice and be the local expert in your chosen category.
Encouraging Increased Spending: To encourage existing customers to spend more, implement a smart loyalty program and create a welcoming store environment. By offering incentives and personalised experiences, you can build stronger relationships with your customers, boosting their loyalty and spending. Our discount vouchers are fast and easy to implement. Customers love them.
Optimising Profitability: Increasing your profit margins can have a significant impact on your bottom line. Explore opportunities to charge slightly higher prices or find ways to improve your sourcing and procurement processes. Even small improvements in gross profit percentage can yield substantial benefits.
Navigating the Journey Embracing Proactive Planning: The key to a successful turnaround lies in early action. Instead of waiting for obstacles and uncertainty to block your path, anticipate change and cultivate assets that can be deployed when needed. Look beyond the immediate horizon and be proactive in your planning, ensuring you’re prepared to adapt and thrive.
Cost Reduction as a Piece of the Puzzle: While reducing costs can be a viable strategy, it’s rarely the sole solution. In well-managed businesses, costs are often already optimised. Although cost reduction can play a role in the overall strategy, it’s important to focus on holistic approaches that address revenue growth and customer engagement.
Reaching Out for Support: If the thought of closing your shop becomes overwhelming, remember that you are not alone. Reach out to fellow retailers retailers who are willing to listen and offer advice. Reach out to us. Together, we can navigate these challenging times and discover new avenues for success.
In local small business retail, challenges and uncertainty are inevitable.
By approaching these obstacles with data-driven decision-making, a proactive mindset, and a focus on attracting new shoppers, maximising customer spending, and optimising profitability, a brighter path forward can emerge.
Remember, you have a community of fellow retailers ready to lend a helping hand. Together, let’s build resilient and thriving businesses.
As school holidays come to an end …
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It’s easy to spot AI bland in marketing and blog posts from companies
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Have you read a blog post or article from a company recently and thought about how generic and bland it was. It’s happening more thanks too AI. AI bland we call it.
AI tech is grinding out content fast and doing do by regurgitating what others have written and trying to make it sound new and from the voice of the person giving the AI machine the prompts. The blandness is one of several AI tells. You can see it in the words, the formatting and more. Ho-hum.
It’s okay, businesses can use AI for their posts if they want. But, here at Tower Systems, we prefer the real, the human, the emotional, the reality with feelings, because, after all, local indie retail is all about feelings. You know what we mean 0- you walk into a local shop and there’s a warm smile from a local, locally relevant conversation, useful local knowledge and engagement with the local community that locals understand.
AI doesn’t get any of this, because it has no feelings, no local roots. It can only fake it so far.
In our POS software we reflect the humanity of what we do by bringing to life enhancements our customers ask us for. Every enhancement we deliver in response to a customer requests, and votes from their colleagues, enhances the humanity of our software, the connection our software delivers to our customers, to0 its users.
Here at Tower Systems, our knowledge base articles are written by humans, our videos are made by humans, our software is written by humans. We do all this in service of local indie specialty retail – a very human local retail endeavour. Locals feel the heartbeat and that’s something that AI cannot give you.
So, next time you read something from a company and it feels bland or middle of the road, wonder to yourself if it is AI bland, wonder if the company cared about the reader in a way that they used an AI bot to write for you rather than having a human from their team write it.
What are we in small business if we are not ourselves, real, human, authentic, and in the moment? Sure, AI can provide useful tools, but when it comes to communication abut who we are, what we do and why it matters to customers and prospective customers, being human is our difference.
Anzac Day
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Happy Easter
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We’re on Easter break, returning April 11. Our after hours numbers are available for urgent queries. Our self-serve online resources, including videos, advice sheets and our awesome knowledge base are available all through.
If you’re on a break too, have an awesome time. If you’re working, we’ll be available for urgent matters.
Happy Easter!
Here’s an easy local small business retailers can better connect with their community
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Community connection is vital in local small business retail, authentic community connection at a level that is loved by folks in the community.
Back in the day, sponsoring a local sports club, donating prizes for a raffle or helping the local Rotary or Lions were the go to ideas for retailers. And while those ideas continue today, there are another local small business retailers can engage in providing community support that is funded buy the community itself.
Through our loyalty tools and, in particular the discount voucher tech we offer, local small business retailers can reward shoppers and they can offer in store a way for these shoppers to pay it forward, to support a local charity or community group organisation.
The Grill’d burger chain was an early adopter of something similar with their bottle caps and giving customers the caps to vote for one of three local charities the store would donate cash to.
Our suggestion is to invite shoppers to donate their discount voucher to one of several local charities in your business, which you could have every month or so, accruing the value of the vouchers for a gift card donation to the charity, or you making a cash donation of a portion of the voucher value to the charity.
It pitched well this could see people who support the local charity shopping with you so that funds are raised for the charity.
We know form years of data that around 20% of all vouchers handed out to shoppers are used by those shoppers within 28 days. This means there are other vouchers that expire unused. A nuanced campaign in-store connected with loved local charities and community groups could drive engagement, do good in the community and show the business as community connected in a fresh and loved way. That is the goal here.
Of course, the execution will be different in each location. Our job as a tech company is to provide opportunity. Our job as retailers ourselves is to share what we have seen work well, and what we have learned.
Your job as a local small business retailer is to make decisions that are right for you and your situation.
Using the discount vouchers generated by the software in this way, to support loved local community groups and charities, could be the reset you want, the engagement driver the business needs. The beauty of it is that it is low cost, self funding and truly community focussed.
We are grateful to the feedback from our customers and this has guided our own activity in this space of local community group connection.
Our POS software helps local retailers help those they care about
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AI can’t compete with what sets small businesses and local retail apart – being personal
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ChatGPT is being talked-up everywhere, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook and more. It and AI more broadly are being pitched as time-savers, new tools for business owners and leaders.
While, for sure, ChatGPT and other AI offer tools of interest, they cannot compete with what matters most in small businesses and local retail keen to differentiate.
People are what matter most. People are our difference. The in the moment experience based on human to human connection are what can make a business shine.
Big businesses see people as a cost, a burden. This is why they obsess more about AI. Profits matter more than people and if they can cut costs it’s the win.
So, yeah, I have played with ChatGPT since late 2022, and will continue to play, but the most important investment I make in my tech company and in my retail shops is in people. People are our difference.
Beware comparison website www.compareposquotes.com.au since they have not compared anything
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The folks are at it again today, if you do a Google search for Tower Systems, an ad comes up for www.compareposquotes.com.au.
They are encouraging those searching for Tower Systems by name to look at comparisons. But, the www.compareposquotes.com.au business does no such comparison. You have to do that work.
Theirs is an ad platform that other businesses pay to be part of to be found when people are looking for a business, like Tower Systems.
We think it is lazy advertising to directly target us and to use our name or part of our name in their advertising.
The best way to research POS software is to do your own research, and not use a faux comparison website, like www.compareposquotes.com.au. Since it costs money to list with them, the businesses that do list with them have an advertising cost that they would surely want to recoup somehow. Businesses that do not pay to list with a comparison website may not have these costs.
One of the main drawbacks of using comparison websites like www.compareposquotes.com.au from Comparison Advantage is that they often only display a limited number of options. This means that shoppers may not be aware of all the options available to them, and they may not be able to find the best deal for their needs. Additionally, some comparison websites may only display options from certain companies or providers, which can bias the results in favor of those companies.
Another issue with comparison websites is that the information they provide may not always be up-to-date or accurate. Since the websites rely on the companies themselves to provide information about their products and services, there is a potential for bias or even misinformation. Additionally, prices and other details can change rapidly, so the information on a comparison website may not always reflect the most current situation.
Furthermore, using comparison websites can also be time-consuming and confusing. Consumers may have to sift through a lot of information and compare different features and prices in order to make a decision. This can be overwhelming, especially for people who are not familiar with the products or services being compared.
If you click on their ad it costs them money, which is something we suppose.
If you are looking for POS software for your retail business, take your time, figure out exactly what you want, search for yourselves for the software that serves your needs.
Obstacles and goals
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As teachers prepare for the new school year …
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Compare POS quotes is at it again, seeking to trade off the good name of Tower Systems
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If you go to Google and search for us, for Tower Systems, you are likely to see an ad from Compare POS quotes, a website run by a company called Comparison Advantage.
Comparison Advantage is paying Google to run an as with our name, Tower Systems, in the headline.
To a small business owner, this could look like a link to a website about Tower Systems.
We are concerned that the Comparison Advantage www.compareposquotes.com.au Google ad appears to pass itself off as related to us. It is not.
This situation sucks in that here we have a company, Comparison Advantage, paying to get their ad in front of people looking for us, for Tower Systems.
Their website claims to offer comparisons of POS systems, for business owners looking for POS systems. The thing is, you are only listed at www.comparisonadvantage.com.auy if you pay Comparison Advantage to list with them. There is no assessment by them, no value add, other than them paying Google to list their Tower Systems related ad.
Good businesses win customers on their own merits, not by jumping the queue and paying to come up as a search result when someone is searching for something else. This is what sucks about this. Of course there will be people with deep pockets who want to trade off the good name and success of others. It’s what the world is like.
All we can do is to continue to build and support POS software that local small business retailers like and use. we are grateful to our thousands of customers for their support.
As for Comparison Advantage and their www.compareposquotes.com..au website, we hope click on the ad and then not choose any of the products they offer. Eventually advertisers will withdraw and the company will have to find another way to make money. Making money on the back of the hard work of others is poor form in our opinion.
One of the main drawbacks of using comparison websites like www.compareposquotes.com.au from Comparison Advantage is that they often only display a limited number of options. This means that shoppers may not be aware of all the options available to them, and they may not be able to find the best deal for their needs. Additionally, some comparison websites may only display options from certain companies or providers, which can bias the results in favor of those companies.
If you found us by looking for us, thank you, welcome, we hope we can help.
Happy New Year, may 2023 fulfil your dreams
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We are grateful for the support and loyalty of our customers.
We are grateful for the opportunity to serve you and are committed to providing the best possible products and services in the coming year.
We are excited to see what 2023 will bring and are eager to continue working with all of you to create a better future together. We hope that the coming year will be filled with success, happiness, and prosperity for everyone.
Most of all, we hope your dreams for 2023 are fulfilled
From all of us at Tower Systems, we wish you a happy and healthy new year. Thank you for being a part of our journey and we look forward to continuing to serve you in the future.
Merry Christmas
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Participating in a work from home university study
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We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in a study buy a leading university in Australia into work from home and how it is playing out for businesses and employees. The questions are thoughtful, and encouraging insights of our own as we contemplate aspects of what is the new normal that we had not considered before.
When Covid began we immediately moved to a work from home model for all employees who wanted it. As an essential business’s we could keep the office open, and we did with a skeleton team.
Now, almost three years on, the office based team remains small, with only those who want to be here. Everyone else, the majority of our Tower Systems team, works from home in situations they prefer in terms of commute time, time management and local community connections.
We are careful to not encroach on non-work time and have a number of processes in place to ensure this does not happen.
With some colleagues saving three hours a day commute time, the family benefits as well as the individual. It’s terrific.
We have invested more in tech infrastructure to facilitate a good work from home experience. Cloud based applications make it easy for our colleagues to collaborate, which, as a software development business, is important. This investment will continue as new tech support platforms emerge.
At the office things have changed too. We have re-purposed space to create hot desks for those who do want to come in for a few days. Plus, we have created purpose-built broadcast facilities to serve the easier production of the digital content we publish, as well and for the video calls we use for team meetings, POS software demonstrations and more.
The university study is looking at a range of interesting topics related to work from home, from the business and individual perspectives. It’s an interesting study in that it is being undertaken without any commercial connection or agenda. we think this matters because much of the noise about work from home until now has been shrill ‘news’ from landlords and other property connected spokespeople.
We are just one of many businesses participating, and we are sincerely grateful for the opportunity.
Comparison Advantage at their www.compareposquotes.com.au website is seeking to trade off our name, again
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Do a Google search for Tower Systems and the top result is an ad for Comparison Advantage and their www.compareposquotes.com.au website. Take a look:
This sucks because they are paying Google to trade off people searching for our company.
We had a sales prospect tell us recently that they used the Comparison Advantage www.compareposquotes.com.au website, entered their details and was hit with a torrent of calls, emails and text messages from some companies listed by Comparison Advantage all before they even understood if the software may be useful.
Tower Systems does not do this. We do not use Comparison advantage and their website www.compareposquotes.com.au.
Many consumers and business owners turn to comparison websites to help them make informed decisions about purchasing products or services. However, it is important to note that these websites may not always provide an accurate or complete picture of the options available.
One of the main drawbacks of using comparison websites like www.compareposquotes.com.au from Comparison Advantage is that they often only display a limited number of options. This means that shoppers may not be aware of all the options available to them, and they may not be able to find the best deal for their needs. Additionally, some comparison websites may only display options from certain companies or providers, which can bias the results in favor of those companies.
Another issue with comparison websites is that the information they provide may not always be up-to-date or accurate. Since the websites rely on the companies themselves to provide information about their products and services, there is a potential for bias or even misinformation. Additionally, prices and other details can change rapidly, so the information on a comparison website may not always reflect the most current situation.
Furthermore, using comparison websites can also be time-consuming and confusing. Consumers may have to sift through a lot of information and compare different features and prices in order to make a decision. This can be overwhelming, especially for people who are not familiar with the products or services being compared.
In conclusion, while comparison websites can be a useful tool for consumers, it is important to be aware of their limitations. They may not always provide a complete or accurate picture of the options available, and the information they provide may not be up-to-date. It is always a good idea to do your own research and compare multiple sources before making a decision.
As for www.compareposquotes.com.au from Comparison Advantage, in our opinion, steer clear of them.
We are grateful to support this Christmas initiative
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In our POS software used by retailers in the newsXpress newsagency marketing group we help nurture the giving away of this awesome Christmas card:
We will not tolerate racist slurs
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Recently, a customer referred to a colleague using a racist term.
We calmly invited them to withdraw and apologise, explaining consequences of their behaviour for our workplace.
They refused to withdraw the slur. They refused to apologise.
We suggested they look elsewhere for software, which they have now done.
We would rather the situation had not occurred at all. We would rather they had not used a racist slur.
An important role for any business leader is to provide a safe and healthy workplace, one where people are respected, one where they experience support.
Tower Systems is proud to have a diverse mix of people on the team. We are grateful for their professional skills, their passion for local small business retail and their genuine interest in helping people achieve good things by using our POS software.
We are grateful for the 3,000+ local business business retailers using our POS software, for their support and for the wonderful interactions with them.
Thankfully, the incident to which we refer in this post is isolated, rare. We mention it today to place on the record our approach.
OPINION: Why we think you cannot rely on www.compareposquotes.com.au from Comparison Advantage Pty Ltd to offer a complete comparison service
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Comparison Advantage runs www.compareposquotes.com.au. Their pitch is “compare POS quotes. All major brands”
The thing is, this statement is not backed by the evidence.
We did a search this morning, December 5, 2022, for Tower Systems, our own POS software company, and the top result is an ad from Comparison Advantage with our business name in the ad. But we don’t advertise with Comparison Advantage. We don’t pay them to list our Tower Systems POS software on their www.compareposquotes.com.au website. because we don’t pay them, they do not include us. It seems to be considered a major brand by Comparison Advantage you have to pay them. That doesn’t make sense.
www.compareposquotes.com.au is not, in our opinion, an authentic comparison website. rather, it is an advertising platform. Businesses pay to have their software listed. Comparison Advantage Pty Ltd does not undertake any comparison itself. being listed on their website is a result of what you pay them, and not as a result of any assessment they have made as to the abilities of the POS software.
As the www.compareposquotes.com.au website notes, it is an introduction service:
- INTRODUCTION SERVICES
CAF is a medium that facilitates the introduction of Users and Providers, in order for those Providers to provide Quotes, offers goods and services to Users. CAF simply acts as an introduction service to Users and Providers, and does not have any obligations or liabilities to, and is not a party to any contract between, Users and Providers in relation to such offers, goods or services, or otherwise resulting from the introduction. You agree and acknowledge that:- . any terms and conditions relating to Quotes, offers, goods and services are solely between you and the Provider and do not involve CAF in any way, except that they must not be inconsistent with your obligations under this agreement;
- as part of the Services, we provide links and introductions between third party Providers that are not under the control of CAF;
- any Quotes and subsequent follow-ups are not under the control of CAF, and any queries or complaints about the Quotes should be directed to the Provider;
- our provision of introductions between Providers and Users through the Website does not imply any endorsement or recommendation by CAF of any Provider;
- we do not constantly examine, determine or warrant the legality of any Provider, or of the offers, goods and services listed by a Provider on the Website. In the event that you wish to use a Provider, you are solely responsible for making your own enquiries;
- we make no guarantee of any cost savings or any other financial outcome by facilitating introductions between you and Providers;
- any terms and conditions agreed relating to an offer, a good or a service, or Quote provided via the Website, constitute a contract between a User and a Provider and do not involve CAF in any way; and
- all Quotes provided by a Provider are subject to change by the Provider without notice.
We’d go further and note that they only introduce you to businesses that pay them for the service. It looks and feels like an ad platform. we think it is an ad platform.
We don’t think that www.compareposquotes.com.au by Comparison Advantage Pty Ltd is accurate in its claims of representing major brands.
We also don’t think it is fair that they pay to use the names of businesses like ours to attract traffic. if someone is searching Google for Tower Systems, that is their goal, not to be presented an ad platform that lists nothing about Tower Systems.
We share our opinion about this here today because we are frustrated that this ad platform is seeking to trade off the good reputation and market depth we have achieved.
Local POS software support matters to local retailers
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