How to Increase Liquor Store Sales A common question business owners ask is how to…
How Do I Buy A Liquor Point of Sale System?
Liquor POS System Buyers Guide
The most difficult part of purchasing a liquor point of sale software is choosing which company to go with. We have compiled the 5 major topics, and some questions, to help you start the process.
These topics, and questions, should be evaluated and answered with every point of sale system you look at. Throughout this process you should learn what your needs are, how the system can meet those needs, what the implementation looks like, and the support after going live.
1. Features
What features does the software offer you? Below are some sample questions to get you thinking about what you may want in a system.
- What reports are available and what reports do you want to see? Make sure the system has the reports you want to see available. If they don’t have the requested report, can they customize it for you?
- Are they omni-channel ready? In other words, can you send information from your POS to your website?
- Do they have Age verification capability?
- Can you access the system remotely?
- If you’re considering (or have) more than one location, are they setup for multi-location functionality?
2. Support & Training
When purchasing a software, support and training are crucial. You will want to know how to operate the system and be able to reach support when you need assistance
- What are the support hours?
- How do you reach support?
- Is training provided and if so, how is it conducted?
3. Costs
The following questions should be asked so you know what the cost is upfront and there are no hidden expenses.
- How much is the software?
- Is there a monthly subscription or renewal cost?
- Is hardware provided?
- Is support included?
- Do you have to pay to upgrade your software?
- Are there Maintenance fees?
- Is there a contract?
- Any additional costs or hidden fees?
4. Credit Card Processing
Ask these two questions regarding processing:
- Is credit card processing integrated?
- Who is the processor?
Some companies only allow one processor while very few allow you options to choose from. Find out who the processor(s) are and do your research. Bonus points of their processor can meet (or beat) your current rates!
5. Let’s Get Started!
What does the process look like once it is “GO” time? For example:
- When is payment due?
- Can my data be transferred from my existing software?
- How is that process completed?
- What if I can’t transfer my data over?
- What does the process like after making payment?
- How is training provided?
Conclusion
Once you have evaluated various liquor store point of sale systems and have chosen a company, you should contact your sales representative to get going. There should be no surprises along the way as you should have discussed what the process looks like and what is expected to get going. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask questions at any point throughout the process!