What Software Should you use?

A question I am often asked is what software is best for the retail industry. This is not an area of my expertise and I normally tell my clients to talk to a local expert. One of our newsletter readers is Mike Koploy of Software Advice and he is one of the experts in this area and a source of information for newsletter readers As we are aware inventory is becoming too hard to track, yet it is critical to business success. A single cash register is no longer sufficient to manage the point of sale. Office management tools that come pre-installed in Windows just aren’t enough to effectively manage a modern retail business. Many retailers are now looking into the possibility of ditching QuickBooks accounting systems traditional cash registers, and Microsoft Office productivity tools to invest in point of sale (POS) software. Often retailers don’t have experience with retail software. There are a lot of choices, a lot have too many features and are too complicated for first time users, and are, well, expensive. It’s important to first determine which type of applications are desired, including: Point of Sale Inventory Management Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Merchandise Planning Retail Accounting Warehouse Management e-Commerce Most of us don’t need every application. Applications should match the overall goals of the business. Once your needs are determined, you can assess which systems best fit into their business plan. In addition, a budget is necessary, as well – don’t go into the research without knowing how much you’re willing to (read: able to) spend. One place to start your research is at Software Advice, check out; http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/retail/point-of-sale-systems-for-small-business-5-affordable-solutions-1052411/