Retail Technology Boom Pitfalls

We are currently in an age where technology is advancing lightening fast, making it hard for even the most invested users to keep up. This new atmosphere causes some innate pitfalls retailers must keep an eye out for. 

 
Newbies Remorse
When a new trend crops up in technology, the market place will become cluttered with options and fly-by-night companies trying to cash in on the hot topic. New companies have their instability issues; companies that are venturing into new industries or products will also have instability issues.
These are the kinds of situations where you must be increasingly conservative and get as many facts as possible. Talk to a few of their existing customers and really get a feel for what to expect: customer service, hidden fees, capabilities, etc.

 

Jack of All Trades 

While a very knowledgeable, expert software developer or systems engineer may be able to "create anything", that doesn't mean they should. Proper research and development, industry knowledge and experience are very important parts to evolving any product and ensuring ultimate functionality.
Many companies that seem to be a "Jack of all trades" end up being a diluted version of each specialty with one or two strong suits.
Point of Sale can be broken down into more than just ringing up sales and should include minimally inventory control and reporting features.
Don't allow yourself to be on a diluted or watered down product just because the company is a knock-out in another industry. 

 

Minimal Effort Junkies 

Technology and software are important RESOURCES. If you start any upgrade or technology search from the perspective of getting a tool that will do as much as possible for you and your company’s expansion, you will strip off much of the anxiety or hesitance. Thus, opening the door to thoroughly investigating your resources and setting yourself up for maximum payoff.

 

 Save Now, Pay Later

I could say "you get what you pay for" but we all know that.
We will forever hunt for the best bargain and the maximum bang for our buck. 
Unfortunately, certain technology developers claim to do it all for pocket change. When push comes to shove, it'll be YOU that suffers in the end.
If something is too good to be true, it probably is. 





Square Peg, Round Hole

Point of Sale is typically designed for a particular kind of retailer; this is determined by sales volume, item count, number of locations and business structure.
While it is tempting to get in on a particular feature or fit within a tight budget you must ensure you are not essentially shoving your size 12 company into a size 8 shoe. It'll hurt and you'll have no room to move around... much less expand. 






But IT'S SO SHINY!

Looks aren't everything. While I sincerely understand "the clothes make the man", that concept only runs so deep. Make sure you are getting an interface that fits your needs and is functional, but don't miss the point of the software just because it's easy on the eyes. 

One Step Retail Solutions is a leading retail technology consultancy and value added reseller for multiple industry giants. We have been in business for over 28 years and have helped thousands of retailers expand their brand through proper technology resources. Our products include cloud based, mobile options and scalable systems.

Client Features Galore!

We have been working on some fantastic client features that will be posted to the One Step Retail Solutions website over the next few weeks. Lots of iPads and expanding stores!

Having 6 systems and such a wide variety of retailers definitely keeps us busy.

Here are a few sneak peeks...

AK Rikks uses Teamwork Retail to run their 28k Square Foot boutique

Mission Liquor managed four locations with NCR CounterPoint

 

 

Pessagno Winery keeps things popping with NCR CounterPoint


Calabasas Saddlery keeps things kicking with Lightspeed PoS

 

How Did You Hear About Us?

You have undoubtedly heard that question a multitude of times. "How did you hear about us?" is one of the most important questions a retailer can ask at point of sale and can lead to thousands upon thousands of future sales.

 

Your retail management software should support your marketing efforts in every way possible and include a feature for tracking and analyzing where customers have come in from; word of mouth, newspaper ads, mailers, Yelp, a blogger, etc. 

If your Point of Sale or Retail Management System is not EMPOWERING you as a retailer, give us a call at 800-266-1328


One Step Retail Solutions has helped thousands of retailers nationwide achieve their retail goals through top of the line retail technology. With a consultative and personal approach, One Step is a top resource for 5 of the top point of sale / retail management systems available on the market. Having been in business for over 27 years we have evolved relationships with specialists industry-wide and strive to bring educational resources to our retailers and other retail friends.