The POS Software Blog

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

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MYOB Retail Manager POS software alternative Tower Systems on welcoming retailers

December 15, 2022

3 Min read

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As more small business retailers switch POS software from MYOB retail Manager to the POS software form Tower Systems, the knowledge within the team at Tower expands, thereby better serving those retailers who make the switch.

What started years ago as a trickle is now a well-established and proven process.

Retailers who find their POS software needs served by the Tower Systems POS software have, in the onboarding processes at Tower Systems, a structured and certain approach to moving from MYOB Retail Manager to Tower Systems.

From data conversion, to customer training, to specialty retail functionality the Tower Systems POS software sales team can help you check out our MYOB Retail Manager alternative, so that you can determine for yourself whether what Tower Systems offers is right for your business.

It is vital that you choose software that serves your needs. It may be that Tower Systems is not the right fit. A comprehensive demonstration driven by you and your busies needs could help you discover this, it could also prove that the Tower Systems POS software is a good fit.

In talking with MYOB Retail Manager users we are mindful of loyalty to MYOB, their experiences with the product and questions they may have about making a move. Our approach is gentle, structured and focussed solely on the needs of their business.

As a specialty POS software company, our software is fine-tuned to the needs of a range of niche retail channel businesses. This is where we break free from the MYOB Retail Manager experience, where we demonstrate the vertical nature of our software.

From pre sales enquiry to software to training to support, the Tower Systems approach is personal. You know each person you speak with, that they understand retail, our software and the needs of retailers in our small business retail community.

We have been told that Retail Manager by MYOB is approaching end of life – that is, no future development enhancement is planned by MYOB for the Retail Manager planned. If this is the case, the Tower POS software solution is an alternative that we would submit for consideration in any of the specialty retail channels in which we are well established.

For an accounting solution, the Tower software is integrated with Xero. Through anther party we offer a connection to MYOB.

Switching software can be daunting. Our advice is to approach it when you are ready, and move to software you like, that you actively choose. If you choose Tower Systems we will help you as much as we are able.

Find out more at www.towersystems.com.au. or, call 1300 662 957. Or email sales@towersystems.com.au.

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Tower Systems helps more local small business retailers move to scanned based trading

December 15, 2022

2 Min read

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The Tower Systems POS software has for many years provided a data feed to suppliers to facilitate scanned based trading in situations with which they wish to trade.

As a result of advocacy, we are grateful to offer more scanned based trading opportunities to retailers in our small business POS software community.

What is scanned based trading?

This is a commercial relationship between retailer and the supplier where the retailer pay for products when or at an agreed time in a scheduled way after they are sold.

Scanned based trading can be a game changer for local small business retailers as it frees capital for more useful purposes in their business.

It also focusses the attention of suppliers as their commercial benefits are more acutely tuned to the sales results in the business.

The retailer is no longer responsible for shopper theft in some scanned based trading relationships that we have seen.

Some scanned based trading facilitated through our Tower Systems POS software have resulted in significant growth in retail sales and local business success and, of course, the partner suppliers benefit from this too.

Accessing scanned based trading through the Tower Systems POS software is an easy step for any business. The Tower Systems POS software support team can help retailers with this and our leadership team is ready to engage in advocacy to help local small business retailers convince suppliers to engage.

Success with scanned based trading starts with accurate data shared between retail business and the supplier, and accurate trading at the sales counter. These steps are easy to achieve with the right systems and business practices. Our training and support services help retailers with this.

While scanned based training is not for everyone, we see it successfully run in a host of retail situations across a variety of retail business channels.

Our years of experience in scanned based trading through our POS software offer us a perspective that we are grateful to leverage for our small business retail customers. They are our focus.

Tower Systems is grateful to offer specialised retail POS software for garden centres, sewing shops, music shops, pool maintenance and supply businesses, produce businesses, fishing bait and tackle businesses, firearms dealers, newsagents, pet shops, adult shops, bookshops, jewellers, toy shops and more.

Our customers are local family run businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

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We love visiting innovative local retail businesses

December 14, 2022

1 Min read

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This pet shop in suburban Los Angeles was a delight to visit earlier this year.

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Comparison Advantage at their www.compareposquotes.com.au website is seeking to trade off our name, again

December 13, 2022

3 Min read

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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.

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Tower Systems uses its POS software in retail businesses it owns and runs

December 13, 2022

1 Min read

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We own four retail shops and a number of consumer-facing websites as well as our POS software company,. We engage in retail for the experience, so we can walk in the shoes of our customers, so we can test in a live environment how our software can be of better service.

Along the way, we are able to use data curated buy our POS software to achieve retail wins. Here’s a short video we made last week in which we discuss one specific, and big win, achieved as a result of data in our POS software.

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There aren’t many POS software companies that can speak with such practical retail experience.

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How the Tower Systems POS software helps local small business retailers detect and mitigate employee theft

December 12, 2022

5 Min read

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Theft is a financial and emotional problem in retail, especially in local small business retail. Too often, it is not discovered until after the event, primarily because of a lack of belief that theft is a problem, particularly theft by employees.

One of the best ways to detect employee theft is to look at your business transactional data.

In our experience at Tower Systems, serving thousands of local small business retailers with our specialty retail POS software, we often find evidence of questionable behaviour indicating theft – behaviour that could have been observed in the business much sooner.

Our professional and based on experience advice to local small business retailers is to use the theft detection and mitigation tools in your POS software. learn about them. Use them. But don’t tell others what you are doing.

Cases of employee theft in local small business retail in which we have been involved have ranged in theft cost from $5,000 to $245,000. In every single instance, using the secret tools we have mentioned here could have detected the theft sooner and reduced the financial an emotional impact on the business and others.

If you have read this far, thank you and well done. Most will not, because theft is not an interesting topic – until they are personally impacted.

Recommended steps any retailer can take to reduce employee theft in retail:

Theft is something to be managed in any retail business. Retailers are stolen from by employees. Good management is about reducing the opportunity for and instances of theft.

Value employees. Experts say this is the top step to take.
Share information. Often, theft can be driven by a misconception about the profitability of the business. Sharing accurate business performance data can educate against theft.
Do your end of shift through your software and have a zero-tolerance policy on being over or under. Reconcile banking to your computer software end of shift. One business where this was not done was being skimmed regularly for $200 a day.
Change your roster. Sometimes people work together to steal. One retailer found a family friend senior and their teenage daughter stealing consistently.
Check GP by department. If GP is falling outside what you expect, research it further.
Demand the cash drawer be closed after every sale. A drawer left open is an opportunity.
Keep the counter clean. A better organised counter reduces the opportunity for theft as it makes detection easier.
Have a no employee bags at the counter policy. This makes it harder for them to hide your cash.
Beware employees who carry folded paper or small notepads. These can be used for them to keep track of how much cash is in the register that is theirs – i.e. not rung up in the software.
Beware of calculators with memories at the counter. One retail business employee used the memory function to track how much cash had to be stolen prior to balancing for the day – cash from sales not rung up.
Enter new stock as it comes in, scan all sales and only reorder based on what you software says. Every month do a stock take. Popular daily items such as tobacco stock discrepancies are an indicator of theft. Had one retailer we work with been doing this they would have caught their $250 a day employee theft months earlier.
Scan everything you sell. Do not use department keys as this makes it easier for employees to steal since they know there is no trackback to stock on hand. Using department keys is an invitation to steal.
Do spot cash balancing using your PO)S software. Unexpected checks can uncover surprises. One retailer needing to do a banking during the day uncovered a $350 discrepancy that lead to discovery of systematic theft.
Check your Audit Log in your POS software.
Setup a theft policy. Put this on a noticeboard in the back room. Get staff to read it and sign up to it.
Do not let employees sell to themselves. If they want to purchase something make them purchase it from the other side of the counter.
Be professional in your management of the business. The more professional your approach they less likely your employees will steal as they will see the risk of being caught as high.
Advise all job applicants that you will require their permission for a police check. From the outset this indicates that you take your business seriously. In many situations applicants who have been asked for permission to do a police check advise they have found a job elsewhere.
Do not take cash out for your own use in front of employees. If they see you take cash for a coffee or lunch some will see this as an invitation.

These steps work – based on decades of helping small business retailers to reduce and manage employee theft.

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EFTPOS integrations with POS software from Tower Systems

December 9, 2022

1 Min read

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The payments marketplace is rapidly changing and recently at Tower Systems we have had more requests to integrate our POS software. While this is good for competition it does create some confusion about which acquirer you should or could use in your local retail business.

The information below is correct as of today to the best of our knowledge. However, your own investigation and assessment should be undertaken to determine which of the below companies provides your business with the best solution.

From our perspective we find Tyro, Smartpay and MX51 the easiest to deal with and provide us with the best support opportunities to help local small business retailers should issues arise.

From within the Tower Systems POS software, flexibility is key.

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POS software for antique stores helps handle the consignment stock and commission GST challenges

December 8, 2022

2 Min read

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Antique shops are unique businesses, with unique sales management and data tracking challenges.

The Antique store POS software from Tower Systems helps address these challenges while recognising that there is a diverse mix of needs in these businesses.

Take the area of handling the Get on commission earned by the Antique shop when selling an item that is offered on consignment. There is confusion baby some antique shop managers as to how to handle the GST. The advice we follow in our Antique shop POS software is that outlined by the ATO.

The handling of GST in antique shop sales relates to the commission portion.

We come across this in a number of different areas in specially in lotto sales and Jewellery. In these in the agency instances the items are set to be GST free, as the retailer is selling the item on the behalf of another party.

The GST payable on the commission which is incurred when you raise an RCTI to the supplier, not the end customer, as it is them that is paying you for the service, not the customer instore.

The ATO is instructive as to the handling of this:

https://www.ato.gov.au/business/gst/in-detail/rules-for-specific-transactions/agent,-consignment-and-progressive-transactions/gst—agent,-consignment-and-progressive-transactions/?anchor=AgentsandGST#AgentsandGST

Agents facilitate sales in return for an agreed amount paid through a commission or similar arrangement.
If you make taxable sales or importations through an agent, you’re responsible for the GST.
You can claim a GST credit for the amount of GST you pay as a commission to the agency. The agent must pay GST on the commission that you pay them, regardless of how the purchaser pays for the goods or services.
Either you or the agent can issue a tax invoice to the purchaser, but you can’t both issue tax invoices for the same sale.

The Antique shop POS software from Tower Systems can handle tracking this GST as well as the sale of the item. There are steps for the retailers to follow to ensure this is done accurately, with an appropriate paper train suitable to the needs of the ATO.

What Tower Systems offers here in its POS software for Antique stores is a specialty retail solution, developed over years of working with retailers.

The more any retail business is able to use its POS software top track business the better as this facilitates accurate record keeping, which sits at the heart of small business success.

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Small business retail advice on attracting new shoppers

December 7, 2022

1 Min read

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Tower Systems and Epos Now, so what’s the difference

December 6, 2022

1 Min read

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We’ve not used Epos Now. If you are considering them, please do your own research.

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Woods Grove in Brooklyn NY is one of the best local retail businesses we have seen on our travels this year

December 6, 2022

1 Min read

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OPINION: Why we think you cannot rely on www.compareposquotes.com.au from Comparison Advantage Pty Ltd to offer a complete comparison service

December 5, 2022

4 Min read

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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.

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Ah, Sunday …

December 4, 2022

1 Min read

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Tower Systems is back on TV pitching local POS software for local small business retailers

December 2, 2022

1 Min read

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Tower Systems helps NSW newsagents handle Back to School vouchers

December 2, 2022

2 Min read

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We love the Back to School voucher initiative by the NSW state government as it supports families of kids in school, helping them fund vital school related purchases.

Since Tower Systems serves the majority of local small business newsagents around Australia, with many hundreds in NSW, the company has ensured that its local retail newsagent customers know how to accept the NSW state government Back to School vouchers for payment through the Tower Systems newsagency software.

Newsagents have been provided advice on setup in their software to accept the vouchers as well as advice on how to handle a voucher in a customer purchase.

By making it easy for newsagents to accurately and correctly accept and process the NSW state government back to School vouchers, Tower Systems is helping its small business newsagency customers to connect with the government program.

The Tower Systems advice is also useful for shoe shops, uniform shops, bookshops and other local retail businesses eligible for accepting the vouchers as a method of payment.

Setup

You will need to create a payment type for your online vouchers.

So to Setup –> General –> Payment Types.
Click Add to create a new payment type
Enter a name for the new payment type. Use a recognisable name, eg. Service NSW Vouchers
Select the TYPE as Charge Card. Do NOT use voucher.
Click Next and then Finish.

Processing the Sale

Complete the sale to the point of obtaining a Total.
Click Subtotal or press [F2].
Access the NSW Govt app and process the voucher.
Enter the amount of the voucher in the subtotal screen against Service NSW Vouchers.
Enter any remaining value of the sale against the correct paytype eg. EFTPOS or Cash.
End the sale.

Tower Systems nationally is grateful to serve close to 1,800 local small business newsagents with its newsagency software. With a national newsagency community of 3,000, Tower Systems serves more newsagents than all other software companies serving that channel and while that may sound bratty, it’s not our intent. The Aussie newsagency channel is, from time to time, targeted by slick salespeople making claims. Facts matter. We share our results because they are fact based.

We will help any newsagent in our Tower Systems newsagency software community setup for the NSW state government Back to School vouchers and transact safely and properly with them.

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Thank you for shopping local this Christmas

December 2, 2022

1 Min read

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Holiday season POS software help for small business retailers from Tower Systems

December 2, 2022

2 Min read

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In the Tower Systems POS software, small business retailers can tap into terrific holiday season help. This can be in the form of inventory buying guidance, marketing help, co-location assistance and shopper nudging support … plus more.

These software benefits are backed by personal help, training and support from our retail-skilled help desk team.

Helping small business retailers with holiday season facilities is an important role for POS software. It is something Tower Systems has offered it’s thousands of small business retailer POS software customers for decades. Over time, the holiday season advice and tips have evolved, as have economic and consumer needs.

Leveraging holiday season inventory guidance, for example, retailers can make more informed purchase decisions that better serve the needs of the business based on prior holiday season experience and taking into account trends from this year.

Oh, and when we are talking here about the holiday season in retail, we are talking about holiday seasons like Christmas, Easter, Black Friday, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas in July, back to School. You see, a holiday season in retail is any season that a retail business can respond to in any to leverage the business opportunity and serve niche customer need.

Holiday seasons in retail do not necessarily have to be the holiday season you think of in a traditional sense.

Using our POS software, beyond knowing what to stock for a holiday season, our retail business partners are able to make shop floor decisions that guide shopper engagement with the holiday season product opportunity ties. These could be loyalty, price, packaging, bundling or post purchase re-visit invitation. these and more can be leveraged thorough the Tower Systems specialty retail POS software.

Leveraging the surge in traffic that a retail business sees from the holiday season can be key to through the year growth, benefiting the business between holiday season shopper traffic peaks. This is key to any retail business achieving a smoother sales flow. While a spike in shopper traffic and revenue are good, less of a spike makes management of a retail business easier and more cost friendly.

Tower Systems, using its considerable retail experience, can help small business retailers cross the divide between tech and real world to offer a better and more beneficial holiday season experience. That is our goal in the software we develop and the advice we provide through our customer help desk.

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POS software helps local small business retailers and their suppliers connect and work together

December 1, 2022

2 Min read

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Thanks to smart hooks we have built into our POS software from Tower Systems, we help local small business and indie retailers and their wholesale suppliers work more closely and efficiently together.

Electronic invoices, electronic purchase orders, electronic stock files, electronic real-time sales data to drive auto replenishment are just some of the retailers / supplier connections embedded in our POS software.

The hooks include easy and accurately two-way flow of data, thereby enabling more timely and accurate supply of inventory to retailers and through this a strengthening of the supplier relationships.

Delivering this through a seamless, data-driven, relationship is key to both the retailer and wholesaler businesses. This is where good POS software shines, helping both sides of the commercial relationship to benefit. It sits at the heart of a good commercial relationship and feeds mutual respect.

Our POS software is a proven and stable glue for retailers and wholesalers who appreciate working together.

The connections we offer have been built into our POS software to worldwide data sharing EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) standards. This ensures they serve the needs of larger businesses with more rigid IT infrastructure. This is important where small business retailers need to connect with IT systems in large business suppliers. The Tower systems approach means that small business retailers are not disadvantaged.

Through or work in this area of seamless two-way data flow, we are able to help smaller wholesalers walk the path of better IT connection with small business retailers. There are many case studies we can share showing the success of this work. regardless of internal systems in use in wholesale businesses, we are usually able to help them take the steps necessary to achieve a beneficial connection.

Our work in the area of EDI for retailers in channels such as fishing and tackle stores, produce businesses, bike shops, garden centres, jewellers and newsagencies is well established and consistent.

Tower Systems is committed to helping independent small business retailers to compete effectively and successfully in a rapidly changing retail landscape in-store and online. We do this by providing best practice software backed by friendly, human and local support, helping retailers to compete and to enjoy their businesses.

EDI is key in retail today for retailers and wholesalers who want an efficient apply chain. Tower Systems is ready to help both sides of the EDI relationship.

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Aussie made and supported gift shop software – $155 a month

November 30, 2022

2 Min read

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We are grateful that our gift shop POS software promo video has passed 141,000 views, and we are even more grateful to be welcoming plenty of new customers as a result.

Aussie made and supported POS software is better than anything supported out of an offshore call centre. Our Tower Systems gift shop POS software is awesome, delivering wonderful benefits:

Get rid of manual books at the counter for LayBys, special orders, stock you need to order and more.
Guide shoppers to spend more with loyalty tools we think you will love.
Drive community group member engagement with group pricing.
Pre-sell hot items – get paid before the stock arrives.
Leverage your knowledge on receipts and elsewhere. Sell you.
Reach beyond your four walls with a directly linked Shopify store.
Eliminate LayBy and get paid sooner with buy now pay later.
Cut dead stock and re-order based on data facts.
Cut theft by knowing what is being stolen.
Make price comparison harder with bundled packs.
Easily and consistently pitch locally sourced products.
Bring customers back with reminders on dates important to them.
Save money on bookkeeping by integrating with Xero.

We are grateful to every retailer who relies on our software to support their local retail business.

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Free POS software connected local indie retail marketplace in beta release

November 29, 2022

3 Min read

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Tower Systems has launched www.findit.com.au, a free marketplace for local indie retailers, like jewellers, bike shops, toy shops, pet shops, garden centres and newsagents. Listing products on FindIt is free for Tower Systems customers – and that’s 3,000+ local small business retailers.

The beta release of FindIt commenced two weeks ago, connecting to several retailers, serving products online so shoppers could shop local with businesses that do not have a website.

The goal for FindIt is to help customers looking online for items local retailers sell, to drive traffic to their local shop. This local in-store shopping experience is really the key focus of FindIt – because of our belief that local retailers want to support local businesses, and because they enjoy the shop local experience rather than buying through a keyboard.

The beta release has enabled finessing images, data feeds from different types of businesses and nurturing data consistency in a range of retail settings.

“We have built FindIt because of the growing importance of being online to in-store retail, and because some retailers are challenged with creating and running their own website. This is a no cost / low cost solution to help you be found online”, commented Mark Fletcher, CEO of Tower Systems.

Retailers can choose to sell through FindIt, or just list what they have available in-store. If they do sell through FindIt, there is a fee of 10%. This covers Tower for credit card fees and Afterpay fees once that is live. It also covers us for credit card fraud claims. Retailers choose whether to sell through FindIt or not. Again, to list products and have your shop found is free

The FindIt website is hosted on a large secure and fast server in a remote data (offsite in Australia) centre. The Tower team is also doing the backend SEO work to raise the Google profile.

Customers will land on the website from Google. As the ranking of the site increases, products on FindIt will list in Google results. Customers will be able to add items from multiple retailers to a FindIt basket in a transaction.

The FindIt website confirms the order to the customer and provides the retailer with a recipient created tax invoice. Retailers will be able to go to their FindIt vendor panel to download a picking slip.

Retailers choose the price of what they sell – it can be their web price or their retail price. In the Tower Systems POS software, retailers choose whether a product is listed online.

The image for a product will be the first image loaded for a product. If a retailer has a better image than the first one loaded by another retailer, it would take a manual process to change it, a process not currently in place. The same applies to descriptions.

The tech connects products by barcode. If a retailer generates their own barcode for an item already on FindIt, it will treat that product as a new item.

The price will be the retailer’s price – yes, multiple retailers on FindIt could result in different prices for the same item.

The product description is the key. Our advice on this is to try and think about what someone is likely to type into Google.

Retailers will have the option to be either freight free or charge. If a retailer has product dimensions and have selected to charge freight, the Australia Post plug-in we have will calculate a freight charge. Retailers will also have an option, on their vendor page in FindIt to set a flat freight charge if you wish.

Retailers can connect with FindIt by emailing orders@findit.com.au.

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The last thing retailers want then they call the POS software help desk is to speak to someone in an offshore call centre

November 28, 2022

3 Min read

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There are POS software companies selling into Australia that support their POS software via an offshore help desk.

We think local Aussie and Kiwi retailers want locally based POS software support. Our Tower Systems POS software help desk people work from two countries: Australia and New Zealand, with the vast majority in Australia, where the vast majority of our customers are located.

Here’s why we think local retailers would not want to speak with a POS software help desk located offshore:

They don’t understand local retail.
They have no reference point for your type of retail.
They are less likely to have a conversation and more likely to run you through a structured Q&A script;
They are likely managed per call, making calls about numbers, and not about customer outcomes.
They are disconnected from the POS software development team.
They can’t look out the window and comment on the weather.
What they are paid does not add to the local economy.
Offshore help desk employees tend to not have retail experience.

Here at Tower Systems we think local support matters for locally used POS software in the indie small business retail space.

Our help desk is run by people with retail experience, Aussie retail experience. They do not operate with a script. A typical call starts with them listening to your explanation of the reason you called. Next, is two-way conversation, in pursuit of a solution for you. If need be, they will speak to people from the software development side of our business.

Good POS software support is all about understanding the query and core to this is understanding retail and in particular, the specific type of retail – because not all retail is the same.

When you call a POS software help desk, your call is about your business, it is about you. Too often, we hear that offshore POS software help desks are about the software with little consideration given to the retailer business itself.

Retail is personal. Good POS software support is personal. This is what we understand, it’s what our customers tell us matters to them.

While an offshore POS software help desk is considerably cheaper for the POS software company to run, the money saved does not translate as a better situation for the retailers who call.

Here at Tower Systems we are proud to offer a locally based help desk service for the thousands of retailers using our locally developed POS software.

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