A strong Point Of Sale system is the heart of any business. But with older systems, there comes a time for them to be replaced. Oftentimes it’s just the hardware. But your POS software isn’t impervious to the ravages of time either. Not all POS software keeps up with the times, some just go out of business, and others are run by companies that just want to head in a different direction. So when is the best time to make the jump to a new heart for your company? In January.
The Best Time To Learn
For most retail and restaurant businesses, January is the ideal time to completely change your Point Of Sale system. The holiday season is over. Customers are reeling from empty pockets spent shopping and want to spend more time at home. January is a lull in sales and customer traffic. But time should never be wasted. This window of space could create a lot of new business opportunities, like learning a new POS system. With company sales often being the highest in December, your available capital will be maximized come January. Thus making it less of a strain on your wallet when purchasing a new Point Of Sale system. In December, more employees are needed to get through the holiday rush. By January, labor hours are trimmed back, often to levels lower than the yearly average. With less employees needing to know the new system, this makes training easier.
New Year New System
The new year is a time for renewal. A time to take hold of new opportunities and embrace new challenges. What better time to roll out new programs and features than the new year. Want to implement a customer loyalty program? What about an online delivery service that the old system couldn’t handle? Let every customer that comes in know that if they sign up today or opt for delivery they will receive some small discount for the month of January. The same excess in capital from the holidays will also offset the money lost during the promotional period of the new program or feature. Remember, less customers will be engaging with your company at that time. So If hiccups arise during this roll out period, then less customers will be negatively affected by it.
Merchant Processing
Merchant processing often goes hand-in-hand with Point Of Sale systems. Bringing on a new POS system may also mean getting the latest and greatest in payment processing. For example, check out times will greatly improve because your new pin pad will be a lot faster than your old one. Your business will now be equipped with Apple pay and Google pay, providing more options for your customers. The credit card swiper could even be added to the side of your POS screen, freeing up space on the counter. These possible benefits could be welcoming perks when upgrading your whole POS system. January is the best time to make any adjustments to your business these new payment processing perks would require.
Conclusion
Whether it’s been on the to-do list recently or for a while, changing out your Point Of Sale system won’t be an entirely painless process. Yet January provides several inherent benefits that are often undiscovered during the rest of the year. Making the transition as smooth as possible.
As always, we are here to help. Let us know if you have any questions.
Total Merchant Supply is a POS dealer based in Charlotte, NC