What You Need (and Don't Need) in POS Software

No matter what type of business you run, here's a quick overview of the features that you need in your point of sale software, those you can do without, and those that should raise a red flag when you encounter them.

Must Have: Mobile/Cloud Functionality

In today's business world, you are losing money if you can't accept payments outside of a cash register. More and more people are using their phones and smartwatches to pay for all kinds of goods and services, and contactless payments will soon become the new norm. If your POS can't handle them, then you run the risk of losing a customer. Remember, the future of POS is in the cloud.

Not only should a POS be able to handle all of the payment methods people use today, but it should also be set up to easily adapt to new ways of paying that we haven't even thought about. As you know, the world of retail changes quickly. Those who do not keep up are quickly left behind in favor of businesses that can keep pace with consumer demand.

Don't let your POS hold you back from allowing your customers to pay however they want, and for you to access that information anytime and anywhere you need it.

Must Have: Hardware and Platform Agnostic

Any POS worth its salt should be able to run on whatever devices you have in your business. Sure, you can buy the hardware if you need to, but it should not be a requirement for getting your POS software up and running.

Epos Now will migrate data from your existing system and make sure that it works on any device you have — whether that's a terminal, a tablet, your phone, or something else. We are truly are hardware and platform agnostic and our system can grow along with your business.

Must Have: Complete Control

As a business owner, the buck stops with you — literally. You need to know how many products or services you are selling and how much money is moving in and out at all times. Your POS software should put that data your fingertips any time you want it.

On the other end of the spectrum, your point of sale provider should also be able to restrict access to back-office information or sensitive functions like returns and voiding sales. Be wary of vendors that do not provide multiple access tiers and permissions based on an employee's role within the organization.

Live Without: "Free" POS Offers

The old saying "if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is" definitely applies to point of sale providers.

Any POS company that does not have an up-front pricing structure likely makes its money from charging fees on the back end. It might seem like you are saving money, but in fact, you could end up spending more as those costs add up with each transaction.

If you are a small business owner, these free POS offers might sound tempting. However, this is often short-sighted thinking.

If you use a POS model that makes its money on each transaction, you are setting yourself up to have more of your profits consumed by fees as your business grows.

Epos Now will never charge hidden fees and does not lock its customers into a contract. You always know exactly what you are getting and can opt out at any time.

Live Without: Bad Customer Service

Even the best POS software is going to have problems every now and then. When that time comes, you need to resolve issues as quickly as possible. Every minute that your POS is down equals lost revenue for your business.

In an effort to cut their own costs, some POS companies try to skimp on this part of the business and leave their customers on their own to troubleshoot issues that arise. At Epos Now, we know that business owners are not experts in POS software or hardware.

Epos Now provides 24/7 customer service, and 98 percent of our customers recommend us. There is no such thing as a dumb question, and our team is always happy to assist you.

What's Right For You?

Only you can answer this question. The bottom line is that you should choose point of sale software that delivers what you need for your business in a cost-effective way — nothing more and nothing less. Contact Epos Now for a free 15-minute demo to see how our features can work for you.