The POS Software Blog

The POS Software Blog

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

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SMALL BUSINESS RETAIL MANAGEMENT ADVICE: MAKE EVERY DAY YOUR PAY DAY

March 12, 2016
2 Min read
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There was a time when small business retailers could rely on selling their business for a handsome increase on the price they paid thereby providing a good pay day, when businesses sold for a good multiple of net earnings.

No more. Today, the best way to extract value from our businesses is to make every day your pay day, to not rely on your pay day being the day you sell the business.

The challenge is how do you do this?

Retailers need to look at their businesses differently. This starts with the mindset of every day being your pay day. Each decision needs to be considered in this context.

Focusing on profit today will give you a better result today and make your business more valuable tomorrow.

Here are some suggestions for making every day your pay day:

  1. Run with the leanest roster possibl Just about every retail business we review has capacity to lower labour costs.
  2. Have your best people working the floor, helping customers spend more.
  3. Have stunning displays that attract people from outside the shop.
  4. Have compelling displays in-store that encourage people to browse beyond their destination purchase.
  5. Always have impulse offers at high traffic locations.
  6. Charge more every time you can. Loyalty programs such as discount vouchers, bundling into hampers, multi buys such as 2 for 3 and other opportunities enable you to do this by blocking price comparison.
  7. Buy as best you can.
  8. Grab settlement discounts every time you are able.
  9. Promote outside your store using online and social media opportunities.
  10. Leverage adjacency information. Chase a deeper basket – people purchasing more each visit.

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

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

Doing all this relies on your measuring the performance of your business. The Tower software helps with this. It is easy.

This advice is an example of the small business management advice POS software company tower Systems offers its customers in its weekly business builder email.

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WHY WE THINK XERO IS THE BEST ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE FOR SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS

March 12, 2016
2 Min read
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We have used MYOB, Quick Books and xero in retail businesses we operate. It is this experience with all three from a bookkeeping through to a finalized accounts perspective that has helped us reach a view that xero is the best solution.

Each professional position in our company agrees from bookkeeper to management to our in-house CPA. xero is the best accounting solution for small business retailers.

There is an ease of use backed by excellent support as well as an easy and direct integration between our POS software and xero that helps us save time and money.

Retailers using xero can see this for themselves.

So this is how we came to our preference, our recommendation, through our own experience on a range of levels.

While our software supports MYOB, Quick Books and xero, our experience with xero is roe complete and our integration more direct. It is an integration tested and endorsed by xero, something the company gives out only after it is satisfied.

The above commentary from us aside, xero don’t just connect with any POS software company. They check out the business and their software. They research whether they want to partner with a business. I am aware they say no, that they reject proposals of integration. That we are integrated is a valuable point of difference for us.

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SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS IN SA LOVE POS SOFTWARE USER MEETING

March 11, 2016
1 Min read
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IMG_7500 (1)Retailers in Adelaide loved the POS software breakfast user meeting we hosted this morning. In addition to structured training, we engaged in an open ended Q&A session that was more about business management than a tech software discussion.

Customers participating love that they can guide the topics we explore interactively and co-operarively at these user meeting sessions. They are in control.

Our Adelaide session today rounded out a week of similar sessions in Launceston, Hobart, Melbourne and Brisbane. All free for any retailer using our software.

We have more sessions next week in Sydney, Canberra and Perth. After that we will be doing Geelong, Newcastle and central Victoria.

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TOWER SYSTEMS EXPANDS POS SOFTWARE KNOWLEDGE BASE ARTICLES

March 11, 2016
1 Min read
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2016 is barely to months old and already we have published many additional articles of advice, training and help to our knowledge base for our POS software customers. These new articles reflect us being true to our commitment to continue to evolve the support and assistance we provide the small business retailers using our POS software.

Each week in our customer email we list new articles and we can see from click activity flowing from those weekly emails the articles of most interest. We use that data to guide development of further articles supporting the timely and professional use of our software.

Our knowledge base is a living growing thing, something on which our customers can rely to get more from their partnership with Tower Systems. From comprehensive how-to and training articles to high level business management advice, the Tower knowledge base resources are valuable to small business retailers.

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BRISBANE POS SOFTWARE USER MEETING HELPS SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS

March 10, 2016
1 Min read
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IMG_7462Wow! We had a terrific meeting with Brisbane area customers using our POS software today. There were plenty of questions that drove some terrific business discussions. The networking between small business retailers is certainly a valuable part of these sessions.

Free for all our customers, these sessions are wonderfully educational for customers and for us. Out of today we have picked up some terrific ideas for further enhancing the software.

Tower Systems is proud to be connecting with customers in this way. We are grateful to our customers for their support.

Today’s Brisbane sessions one of several for Queensland users this round as well as a range of online sessions for those in remote locations.

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MELBOURNE RETAILERS EMBRACE POS SOFTWARE USER MEETING

March 10, 2016
1 Min read
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IMG_7450We were thrilled with the participation at our first Melbourne retailer POS software user meeting yesterday. This was day three of a tour that will cover every state and territory, capital cities and major regional centres, offering free training, small business retailer networking and open-ended Q&A sessions.

Every session is different thanks to the mix of attendees. We are loving it.

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SET YOUR POS SOFTWARE SECURITY BASED ON EMPLOYEE ROLE IN THE RETAIL BUSINESS

March 10, 2016
1 Min read
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For many years the Tower Systems POS software has permitted security settings based on the role of an employee in the business. This approach gives the retail business owners complete control over who has access to what function or report in the software. It allows retail business owners to be as open or as locked-down as they wish.

While we provide advice and guidance on appropriate security settings, what retailers establish and the passwords they use are ultimately their choice.

When it comes to password advice, for security, we only provide this to business owners.

Our software is like any tool: capable of being used well or poorly depending on the choices made by those using it.

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POS SOFTWARE USER MEETINGS KICK OFF

March 9, 2016
1 Min read
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IMG_7423 (1)We are thrilled with the start of our national tour of POS software user meetings and small business retailer networking sessions.

This photo is from launceston on Monday this week.

When was the last time your POS software company hosted a user meeting and consultation in Launceston? For too many POS software users in Launceston the answer would be never.

Tower Systems is proud to be offering these user meetings and immensely grateful to our customers for coming out to meet us.

Yesterday was Hobart. In a few minutes we kick off our first Melbourne session.

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TOWER SYSTEMS PROMOTING TOY SHOP SOFTWARE AT TOY FAIR IN MELBOURNE

March 9, 2016
1 Min read
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Tower Systems is thrilled to be preparing to participate in the Toy Fair in Melbourne later this month. A the only software company at this event, our Toy Shop Software is set to be seen by many toy retailers as they connect with opportunities for business growth and efficiency.

In addition to showing off new software, we will be demonstrating practical business tools small and independent toy retailers can rely on to improve their businesses.

With many retailers in the toy spare already partnering with Tower Systems, we have excellent success stories to share as well as supplier relationships to leverage. It is this multi-layered commitment that toy retailers love. Indeed, our work with suppliers is key to helping toy retailers leverage more value than they expect from their Tower Systems Toy Shop Software.

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AUTUMN IS AN IDEAL TIME TO INSTALL THE TOWER SYSTEMS GARDEN CENTRE SOFTWARE

March 8, 2016
1 Min read
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With the rush of summer over, garden centre and nursery business owners are ready to work more on their businesses, getting processes and practices setup so they can be more efficient and successful through the next major busy season.

Tower Systems has been busy preparing for the opportunity of Autumn by enhancing its garden centre software to deliver additional facilities garden centre and nursery retailers can rely on to drive better business outcomes.

Our loyalty tools are particularly loved with their fine tuning for the garden retail channel. Indeed, Tower Systems has many retailers already using the loyalty facilities in the software. Some of the loyalty tools retailers love the most has their early beginnings in garden centres. We are grateful for that early work as it has helped up deliver an exceptional suite of tools today.

We’re here to help is our motto and our latest garden centre software is an excellent reflection on our commitment to making the motto real for our customers.

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YOUR POS SOFTWARE SHOULD NOT STOP WORKING IF YOU CHOOSE TO NOT PAY AN ANNUAL SUPPORT FEE

March 7, 2016
1 Min read
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We have competitors who install software with a lock or barrier that blocks access to the software unless an annual software support fee is paid. There are instances of retailers not being told that such a fee is payable, thus surprising retailers when they have no choice but to pay so they can use the software.

When we first heard of this we thought it was ransomware as access to business data was denied until a fee as paid, a fee not previously disclosed to the small business retailer.

Tower Systems does not do this. We think such action by any software company is unethical.

If you are considering POS software, ask the question: will the software stop working or my access be impeded in any way if I do not pay support? Get the answer in writing, on letterhead, from a director.

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SUNDAY RETAIL MANAGEMENT ADVICE: EASY ACCESS POS SOFTWARE SERVICE

March 6, 2016
1 Min read
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Tower Systems makes it easy for small business retailers to contact us. Whether a sales prospect or a client, we provide easy access through our website and marketing collateral, consistent contact points people can trust. Our customers are provided a contact card as well as a wall poster. Here is that information:

HOW TO CONTACT TOWER SYSTEMS.

  • SUPPORT.
    • Help Desk Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm AEST and Saturday 7:30am to 3pm.
      • VIC (and national): 03 9524 8000.
      • NSW: 02 8556 1600.
      • QLD: 07 3136 6888.
      • SA: 08 8121 3366.
      • NZ: 0800 444 367.
    • After hours support for system down calls: 
      • 0418 554 963
      • 0419 842 334
    • Email: support@towersystems.com.au.
    • Self serve Knowledge Base (packed with advice and support: http://support.towersystems.com.au/hc/en-gb
    • Website home page: www.towersystems.com.au
  • ACCOUNTS.
    • Email: accounts@towersystems.com.au or call head office 03 9824 8000.
  • SALES. Please call our sales team at 1300 662 957 or email them at sales@towersystems.com.au.
  • MANAGEMENT.
    • CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER: csm@towersystems.com.au. We don’t put a name here as the role can be done by one of several people.
    • CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. Gavin Williams. 03 9524 8000. Email gavinw@towersystems.com.au.
    • MANAGING DIRECTOR: Mark Fletcher. 0418 321 338. Email: mark@towersystems.com.au.
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INVITING SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS TO POS SOFTWARE USER MEETINGS

March 5, 2016
3 Min read
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The best way to assess a POS software company is to see first-hand how they interact with their customers.

Starting next week, Tower System is hosting its first round of free face to face retail business user meetings for users of its POS software.

We invite you to attend – without obligation or cost – to check us out. CLICK HERE TO BOOK.

Come and see how we work with small business retailers from a  range of channels to help them drive more value from their technology investment. At these sessions we will talk about shopper loyalty, business intelligence reporting. webcore integration and retail trends we have seen overseas.

Launceston User Meeting
Date: 07/03/2016   Time: 8:00am
Venue: Quality Hotel Colonial Launceston
Address: 31 Elizabeth St Launceston TAS 7250
Breakfast: Coffee, Tea and Egg & Bacon Muffins on arrival
Parking: Limited Free onsite parking

Hobart User Meeting
Date: 08/03/2016   Time: 8:00am
Venue: Hotel Grand Chancellor
Address: 1 Davey St Hobart Hobart TAS 7000
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee and Swiss cheese and ham croissants on arrival

Melbourne User Meeting
Date: 09/03/2016  Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Hawthorn Art Centre, Mayor’s Room
Address: 360 Burwood Rd Hawthorn VIC 3122
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee and mini tomato and cheese croissants on arrival

Brisbane User Meeting
Date: 10/03/2016  Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Quality Inn Airport Heritage
Address: 620 Kingsford Smith Drive Hamilton QLD
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee, selection of biscuits, slices, cakes and muffins on arrival

Adelaide
Date: 11/03/2016  Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Rydges South Park
Address: 1 South Terrace Adelaide SA 5000
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee, egg and bacon muffin as well as fresh fruit served on arrival
Parking: Limited Free onsite parking as well as 2 to 3 hour free street parkingSydney User Meeting

Sydney
Date: 15/03/2016  Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Novotel Sydney Olympic Park
Address: Olympic boulevard Sydney Olympic Park NSW 212
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee and ham and cheese croissants on arrival
Parking: Hotel car park fees apply: All day rate $25.00, or $13.00 for 1 hour, every additional hour charged at $5.00.

Canberra
Date: 16/03/2016  Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Mercure Canberra
Address: Cnr Ainsille & Limestone Ave Braddon ACT 2612
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee and a chefs selection of breakfast items on arrival

Perth User Meeting
Date: 17/03/2016  Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Assured Ascot Quays Apartment Hotel, Marina Room
Address: 150 Great Eastern Highway Ascot WA 6104
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee, whole fruits and warm muffins served on arrival

Gold Coast User Meeting
Date: 05/04/2016  Note date change.
Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Mantra Twin Towns
Address: Wharf Street Tweed Heads NSW
Breakfast: Coffee, Tea, Mini ham and cheese croissants and mini Danish on arrival

Geelong User Meeting
Date: 06/04/2016
Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Mercure Geelong
Address: Cnr Gheringhap & Myers St
Breakfast: Coffee, Tea and Breakfast muffin on arrival

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TOWER SYSTEMS AT THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY SHOW

March 4, 2016
1 Min read
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IMG_7255We are grateful to be at the Hong Kong International Jewellery show this week.

Yesterday was fascinating seeing the range of products here and understanding the opportunities with and for retailers and jeweller suppliers.

This is an extraordinary event companies like ours benefit from in terms of how we can better serve our customers – through understanding more about their businesses.

The more time POS software companies look and work outside their businesses the more their customers benefit.

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TOWER SYSTEMS LAUNCHES NEW MAGENTO POS SOFTWARE LINK

March 4, 2016
3 Min read
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Several weeks ago Tower Systems launched a direct Magento e-commerce platform link, in addition to the excellent web-store link in our smart POS software.

The Retailer to Magento Link uses the Tower Advantage Link platform to allow Retailer to connect directly to Magento. The Tower Advantage Link platform is a subscription-based service that acts as an intermediary between Retailer and the Magento API.

What is Magento?
Magento is one of the world’s most popular e-commerce or webstore platforms. Being built on open source technology provides a flexible shopping cart system, giving you control over the look, feel, content and functionality of your online store. Magento offers powerful marketing, search engine optimization, and catalog-management tools. Find out about Magento at www.magento.com

How does the link work?
The link works by using the Magento API allowing the TALink platform to connect to Magento and synchronising on a periodic interval or request basis.

Stock
Retailer becomes your master stock database. You flag what stock items you want to appear on your web store. Descriptions and extended descriptions are added as your product names and descriptions in Magento.

Department and Categories
Your Retailer Departments and Categories become Categories and Sub-Categories in Magento. If you choose to link these, your existing structure will be mirrored and managed in Magento automatically. If, however, you decide not link your Department and Categories in Magento, you can allocate Categories manually to products once they are added.

Classifications
Retailers Classifications are treated as Attributes in Magento. If you choose to link these in Magento your existing Classifications will be mirrored and managed in Magento automatically. If, however, you do not want this to occur you can manually manage your own Magento Attributes.

Prices and Quantity On Hand
You have control over your webstore pricing from within the Retailer Stock Screen. Bulk updates of the webstore price can be performed in Stock Manager. Once new prices are set, your web store is updated automatically.

Quantity of hand is also managed automatically, when your sell or arrive an item into stock these adjustments are sent directly to Magento. If the quantity on hand of an items drops to 0, the item is marked as out of stock in Magento.

Images
The images you set against stock items in Retailer are automatically uploaded to your website. If images change, then old one is removed and the new one is added. You can upload as many images, as you like per stock item.

Customers
Customers that purchase off your webstore are added as customers in your Retailer database, allowing you to track what they buy and market to them if you desire. Existing customers with an email address will also be added to your web store to facilitate easy sales.

Sales
These are downloaded on a periodic basis and imported into Retailer. These are imported into our Customer Invoice Maintenance facility allowing you to place orders and print invoices. Once sales are imported it reduces your quantity on hand so you maintain accurate stock control. Sales can be allocated to a specific location or merged added to you main sales data, giving you excellent control over how you report on your webstore sales.

This is just some of the information we have to share about this exciting and leadership innovation from Tower Systems.

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HOW THE TOWER SYSTEMS GIFT SHOP SOFTWARE HELPS INCREASE SALES

March 3, 2016
2 Min read
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Everyone promises it to gift shop retailers – we can help you grow sales. Suppliers do it, business consultants, software companies – yes, everyone makes the promise. Too few who make the promise live up to the promise through their actions of assistance for gift shop owners.

Tower Systems is different. We serve hundreds of gift retailers with our gift shop software and with our business advisory services – these are free services available to every Tower Systems software customer, services designed to help small and independent retail businesses grow.

We help gift shop owners grow sales in a range of ways from structured business advice to professional training to one on one advice.

Being retailers ourselves in a range of different types of businesses and serving more than 3,500 retail businesses has provided us with a wealth of experience and knowledge on which to draw in assisting retail business owners. And we do draw on it in our assistance.

Here are some of the areas in which we have helped gift shop owners increase sales:

  1. Shop floor layout advice.
  2. Employee training advice.
  3. Online marketing training including comprehensive training in using Facebook to promote the business and attract new traffic.
  4. Supplier performance analysis. Growing sales depends on the right stock in the right location.
  5. Pricing advice.
  6. Passive shopper engagement strategies to increase average spend.
  7. Innovative shopper loyalty engagement to bring people back in ways they do not expect from a small independent business.
  8. Business planning.

These are more ways show how Tower Systems helps small business retailers, small business gift shop owners beyond the Gift Shop Software, beyond what is usual for a software company.

We do this because we want to work with strong retailers. We will help our customers become stronger and smarter. While this benefits us, it benefits the businesses and the communities in which they serve.

Growing sales in a gift shop happens as a result of chasing growth and managing the business for growth. This is where Tower Systems can and will help. Anyone keen for this should ask and we will engage.

Our help, beyond the software, is another way we demonstrate the Tower AdvantageTM.

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JEWELLER SOFTWARE HELPS JEWELLERS TO HELP CUSTOMERS REMEMBER IMPORTANT DATES

March 2, 2016
2 Min read
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The Tower Systems Jeweller Software helps independent jewellers increase business by bringing shoppers back for important life event purchases. It is easy to set this up, to remind shoppers to come shop with you. Date related reach-outs to customers are another way we help retail jewellers to personally invite shoppers back into the business. But don’t rely just on this as it is one of many ways you can use this software to personally connect with your customers and through which you can demonstrate a care and attention from your business that is heartfelt and useful.

The Tower Systems training, support and retail business management teams can help with implementing these and other retail business growth opportunities that are embedded in the Tower Systems Jeweller Software.

With hundreds of jewellers using this software, Tower Systems is able to draw on experiences gained from years of service in-store with jewellers to help others deepen shopper engagement with the result of increasing sales. This is vitally important in the competition with online businesses. Being personal matters yet it can have a high cost. By leveraging smart tools in the software, your jeweller business can appear personal without the labour cost of being personal. Helping you achieve this is part of what Tower Systems offers its customers every day.

Being personal matters in retail, especially small business local retail serving a local community. It matters in small business POS software companies too. This is why, when you speak with someone at Tower, you know who they are. It is also why you can connect with our leadership team, personally and on any business matter – beyond the software even. This retail business advice and management assistance is another differentiating service for Tower Systems. We take the assistance we provide beyond the usual help desk engagement seriously because we know that it is in this space where we can make the most positive impact on a jeweller business – using the software as a tool and layering this with smart business knowledge we can help in practical and valuable ways.

So what we do is about much more than helping you remember dates. We welcome opportunities to engage deeply and personally for the good of your business.

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POS SOFTWARE USER MEETINGS A POINT OF DIFFERENCE FOR TOWER SYSTEMS

March 1, 2016
3 Min read
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Tower Systems is not your average POS software company. One way we demonstrated this recently is when we announced capital city user meetings a couple of weeks ago. Included in the free sessions will be retail management advice. These are not sales events – rather the goal is to help small business retailers leverage their IT investment for even better outcomes. The start time is 8am so as to not interrupt too much of the day.

Any POS software company can host user meetings and help facilitate face to face contact between POS software users, developers and senior management. Sadly, few do.

Our leadership team will be at all sessions and would welcome an opportunity to catch up with anyone on any topic.

FYI here are the details:

Launceston User Meeting
Date: 07/03/2016 Time: 8:00am
Venue: Quality Hotel Colonial Launceston
Address: 31 Elizabeth St Launceston TAS 7250
Breakfast: Coffee, Tea and Egg & Bacon Muffins on arrival
Parking: Limited Free onsite parking

Hobart User Meeting
Date: 08/03/2016 Time: 8:00am
Venue: Hotel Grand Chancellor
Address: 1 Davey St Hobart Hobart TAS 7000
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee and Swiss cheese and ham croissants on arrival
Parking: Onsite Parking available charges may apply, let the parking assistant know you are attending a meeting. Marketplace Car Park is open 24 hours and there is metered parking within close proximity to the hotel.

Melbourne User Meeting
Date: 09/03/2016 Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Hawthorn Art Centre, Mayor’s Room
Address: 360 Burwood Rd Hawthorn VIC 3122
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee and mini tomato and cheese croissants on arrival
Parking: Free onsite parking – enter via Kent Street

Brisbane User Meeting
Date: 10/03/2016 Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Quality Inn Airport Heritage
Address: 620 Kingsford Smith Drive Hamilton QLD
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee, selection of biscuits, slices, cakes and muffins on arrival
Parking: Limited free onsite parking and free street parking

Adelaide User Meeting
Date: 11/03/2016 Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Rydges South Park
Address: 1 South Terrace Adelaide SA 5000
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee, egg and bacon muffin as well as fresh fruit served on arrival
Parking: Limited Free onsite parking as well as 2 to 3 hour free street parking

Sydney User Meeting
Date: 15/03/2016 Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Novotel Sydney Olympic Park
Address: Olympic boulevard Sydney Olympic Park NSW 212
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee and ham and cheese croissants on arrival
Parking: Hotel car park fees apply: All day rate $25.00, or $13.00 for 1 hour, every additional hour charged at $5.00. Additional parking is available in P3, accessible from Sarah Durack Ave or P8 accessible from Herb Elliot Ave at a rate of $5.00 per hour

Canberra User Meeting
Date: 16/03/2016 Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Mercure Canberra
Address: Cnr Ainsille & Limestone Ave Braddon ACT 2612
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee and a chefs selection of breakfast items on arrival
Parking: Free onsite parking at the front and back of hotel

Perth User Meeting
Date: 17/03/2016 Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Assured Ascot Quays Apartment Hotel, Marina Room
Address: 150 Great Eastern Highway Ascot WA 6104
Breakfast: Tea, Coffee, whole fruits and warm muffins served on arrival
Parking: Free onsite parking available

Gold Coast User Meeting
Date: 05/04/2016
Time: 8:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Mantra Twin Towns
Address: Wharf Street Tweed Heads NSW
Breakfast: Coffee, Tea, Mini ham and cheese croissants and mini Danish on arrival
Parking: Free Parking available across the road from the conference centre at Mantra Twin Towns, there is a walk away connecting the hotel to the conference centre as well as a lift

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USING SMART BIKE SHOP SOFTWARE TO INCREASE SERVICES REVENUE

March 1, 2016
2 Min read
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Services are important to bike retailers, especially local independent small business bike retailers. Services such as repairs, preventative maintenance, fitting components and upgrades can help a local bike shop stand out, especially in this marketplace of tough competition from online retailers that tend to care less about face to face service.

Using tools embedded in the Tower Systems Bike Shop Software, retailers are able to better pitch and manage in-store services. They are able to more easily encourage people to return to the business for the services and every visit is an opportunity to remind shoppers of the value of the local bike shop.

Smart customer recall tools enable the recalling of customers to the business for regularly required services. You can recall people for other reasons too such as an important milestone date or a date related to a friend of family member.

Bringing people back into the bike shop can be as easy as inviting them. This is one of many ways the Tower Systems Bike Shop software can help bike retailers to bring people back.

Promoting services at non-service related touch points is another way to help. For example, reminding shoppers of the importance of regular servicing on receipts can better connect with what you offer. This can be done easily using the Tower Systems Bike Shop Software.

In the workshop, tracking parts and labour and providing a comprehensive invoice detailing the work can boost shopper confidence and through this encourage word of mouth that your business is better managed and therefore a business to be recommended. Managing the workshop with thoughtfully developed repairs software sits at the heart of driving good revenue from services.

Using email marketing, you can send out mail campaigns targeting purchasers of a specific type of bike. This can help you rin highly targeted campaigns designed to drive service revenue with a secondary benefit of product sales.

All of this and plenty more is achievable with our Bike Shop Software. You can achieve growth through professional and consistent management. We are here to help with that. Our help, beyond the software, is another way we demonstrate the Tower AdvantageTM.

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TOWER SYSTEMS HELPING NEWSAGENTS NAVIGATE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE

February 29, 2016
1 Min read
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Today, Tower Systems is helping newsagents handle changes flowing from the closure of the Network Services magazine distribution business.

All newsagents covered by the Tower AdvantageTM software support service have access to everything necessary for free. Only the newsagents who opted to not be covered by support have a fee to pay. However, that fee is waived if they take up support.

Tower has made the change easy to navigate, saving many hours that might otherwise have been spend getting the necessary data work done.

No software change is necessary. The fee relates to a data conversion utility written o save man-hours.

On the Tower help desk today and all this week we are triaging calls to ensure the additional work for newsagents is not impacting work for all other retailers.

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FISHING AND TACKLE SHOP SOFTWARE HELPS RETAILERS LEVERAGE LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES

February 29, 2016
2 Min read
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The fishing shop software launched by Tower Systems recently came about through the discovery that our software was already being used in fishing and tackle shops. By talking with these customers and learning more about the needs, we have been able to finesse the software and training to make it even more useful for fishing shop retailers and their employees.

At the heart of what we offer is facilities and tools that help local fishing shops serve local needs. For example, including local fishing spot information on receipts helps add value to the contact customers have with a business. Visitors can be put in the know in a consistent way without you having to be in their face.

This one step, of using receipts to share valuable information, can demonstrate an excellent point of difference for a local small business fishing shop.

Another benefit of the software is the management of items made and repaired. Tracking repairs is easy as is the management of the repairs including labour and products used in the repair. The same can be said for the manufacturing of items such as lures. Managing components and time and tracking special orders of these can help the business be more consistent and drive a better financial return. It is business after all.

Being able to do all this, and more, and connect it easily and seamlessly with an online business is important for any small business but more so for a local fishing shop where specialist knowledge could be the point of difference that brings people back into the business.

A relationship with Tower Systems can help the owner of a fishing shop reach beyond where the business is at today and propel it into growth and efficiency that combine to deliver a better bottom line and the bottom line is ultimately what drives the value of the business when it comes time to sell the business. This is the Tower AdvantageTM in action, a set of tools and services beyond the software that help you be the maximum value from the software for your business. When we say we’re here to help, we mean it … every day, in all we do for small business retailers including fishing shops.

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SUNDAY RETAIL MANAGEMENT TIP: 5 WAYS TO MANAGE EMPLOYEES USING YOUR POS SOFTWARE

February 28, 2016
1 Min read
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Good POS software gives you a range of options for managing, tracking and engaging employees using the software itself. In the Tower Systems POS software, there are plenty of employee touch points. Here are five we want to call out today as part of our Sunday tip series.

  1. Track sales by employee code or barcode. This will cut mistakes and improve accountability.
  2. Include employee name on the receipt – to personalise the contact.
  3. Report sales by employee to compare performance.
  4. Manage your roster through your POS software, manage to a budget.
  5. Set security settings in your software to ensure people only have access to parts of the software appropriate to their level of responsibility in the business.
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TOWER SYSTEMS ENHANCES HOW NEWSAGENTS PURCHASE NEWSAGENCY SOFTWARE

February 27, 2016
4 Min read
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Today, we launch a new option[1] acquiring newsagency software, a pay as you go model.

The time is right given changes in the channel with newsagents sourcing new products, pursuing new traffic and leveraging higher GP. Thanks to our work with gift, homewares and other specialty retail channels, Tower Systems can help you transform your business.

$220.00 a month is all it costs to access the Tower newsagency software package. The $220 is paid by credit card. Stop paying if you want to stop using the software.

We make this offer now as we think some software companies are considering quitting the newsagency channel. You can see this through their lack of engagement with newsagency specific development, non-attendance at trade shows like the Sydney and Melbourne Gift Fairs and lack of engagement in the structural changes in the channel.

Developing software and backing it with good support for newsagents is expensive. A software company with less than 500 customers will struggle to keep up.

1,755 newsagents use our software – our closest competitor has 600.

We have experience switching from POS Solutions, Computerlink and AccessPOS to Tower.

Pay as you go customers have access to weekly online training workshops, 130+ professional training videos, software updates, our friendly help desk, our after hours support team, our theft check service and our business performance assessment service … for no extra charge.

If you have current hardware, the only up-front cost is for installation and training. This new pricing option saves capital, it eliminates the need for a lease or bank financing.

You will see from the simple agreement that you can turn it off at any time and not pay a cent more. You are in control.

Talk to one of our experts today: Please call our sales team at 1300 662 957 or email them at sales@towersystems.com.au.

Come and see the software and meet our team at our user meetings – details enclosed.

THE TOWER NEWSAGENCY SOFTWARE

For $220.00 a month you can use our newsagency software covering:

  1. Point of Sale, tailored specifically for newsagency business use.
  2. Magazine Management, scanned returns, early returns prompting.
  3. Stock control including stock take, reordering and supplier links.
  4. Customer accounts including Lay-By, book-up and statements.
  5. Home delivery including run list management, subscriptions and more.
  6. Loyalty including points accrual, discount vouchers and other facilities.
  7. Business performance reporting – printed reports you can rely on.
  8. XchangeIT support: electronic invoices and returns.
  9. Support for supplier EDI files including Sands, Hallmark and more.
  10. Theft mitigation. Tools to help you detect and stop theft.

SUPPORT AND TRAINING.

Included in the low monthly fee is access to the extraordinary Tower AdvantageTM service:

  1. Live, Australian based, help desk support with newsagency experienced help.
  2. After hours support access through an extensive mobile phone network.
  3. Software updates as released.
  4. Access to more than 130 software training videos.
  5. Access to more than 600 Knowledge Base articles with step by step instructions on how to use the software. This is better than a manual.
  6. User meetings around the country with free training and management help.
  7. Weekly online, live, training workshops.
  8. Weekly user support email with tips and advice.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT HELP.

Tower Systems is there when you need, helping with advice, insights and guidance as much or as little as you want. These services include at no extra cost:

  1. Theft Check. A professional, police investigation quality, check of your business data to uncover potential employee fraud.
  2. Business check. An analysis of business performance as reflected in your business data – looking for growth and other opportunities for the business, helping you see what you may be missing in your business.

The time is right to make this offer as only Tower Systems has the capacity, commitment and vision to help newsagents leverage best-practice technology in a valuable and unifying way. Let us help you.

NOTE: Here is our response to any competitor who comments that this offer sounds desperate: – it would if it was coming from a company with 500 or fewer customers that is not growing. Tower Systems is strong and growing. We serve 1,755 newsagency businesses. We are making the offer because we have the capacity to and because we have a vision for a bright future.

[1] All existing purchase options remain available for newsagents installing our software.

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TOWER SYSTEMS HELPS SMALL BUSINESS RETAILERS WITH LEASE NEGOTIATIONS

February 26, 2016
1 Min read
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Outside of the usual POS software help desk support, Tower Systems helps small business retailers navigate lease negotiations by providing accurate sales and traffic data that can help landlords approach negotiations more fairly.

Serving many retailers in many lease situations, we are able to drawn on excellent experience and through this help retailers approach the challenges with care and a broader view than is often the case. This helps the retailers to look at lease negotiation and renewal from a broader perspective.

The work we do in this area is pro-bono, another service we offer small business retailers to help them run businesses with greater financial viability.

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