In the last few years, there has been a movement to POS cash registers across many retail industries. Expanding on your traditional cash register, POS systems offer a range of reporting and administrative tools to bring your business together as well as streamline your processes. Unfortunately though, while there are many benefits to upgrading to a wine POS, it can be intimidating to know where to start.
So we’re here to help. If you’re thinking that it might be time to ditch your cash register, here are 6 questions you should ask to make sure you’re getting the information you need.
Is your POS mobile?
One of the greatest benefits of wine POS is that it can free your business from a single cash register in your cellar door. For wineries, this is even more important than it is for other businesses due to the large number of events you are likely to be attending. Whether it’s a festival, market or even simply a tasting or wine dinner, having access to POS lets you process sales and collect customer details no matter where you are.
It can even be handy on the busiest days in your cellar door, freeing up your staff to process sales without the need to wait.
Is this POS built specifically for wineries?
The best POS systems are built with an industry in mind. While most POS software have standard features across industries, they will often also include a range of unique features that are custom built for that industry. For example, a café POS system would likely include an option for bill-splitting, something that would be completely irrelevant in a retail location.
For many wineries, the logical idea is to look for a POS offering that is suitable for bars and restaurants. Many of the requirements will be the same after all, but it is likely there will be things missing. Even something simple like being able to deduct a cellar door tasting charge on purchase could cause difficulties and might require a bandaid fix.
Finding yourself a POS that is built for the wine industry negates nearly all of these issues and helps to ensure that the system will work straight out of the box.
How frequently is your POS updated and do you need to pay for these updates?
Most POS companies are in the habit of releasing regular updates. Whether it’s new features or fixes, a POS cash register is more flexible than your traditional option and can be an easy way to ensure you always have the best technology in your winery.
Unfortunately though, there are many POS companies who have hefty fees to access these latest newest features. We don’t think this is fair and it can even be a security risk for you so make sure you ask how updates are handled.
Another thing to consider in the world of updates is how open your POS provider is to feature suggestions. For many companies, hearing suggestions from their clients about improvements sparks some of the best update ideas, while others will be less welcoming of this. Just like it is important to ensure your POS is built for the industry you’re in, it may be important to ensure your voice can be heard to create a product that is even more suitable for you.
Is your customer service handled in-house?
Having a POS company with in-house customer service is crucial in the case of any emergencies. While they are unlikely to happen, the reality is that you’re not going to want to deal with your POS not working on a busy Saturday afternoon so getting it up and running again is paramount.
Having an in-house customer service team makes this easier. Not only will you have an easy contact point in your time zone, the customer service team will likely be able to have a quicker solution. This is because they personally have a closer connection with product developers and can talk directly with them to fix any issues. It also means that when you do need to contact them, they are more likely to have the context of your previous issues to provide more streamlined help.
How are your customer reviews?
It’s simple. If their other customers aren’t happy, can you really expect that you will be? Seek out third party reviews wherever you can find them. Most businesses will have testimonials on their website, but don’t be afraid to ask for additional reviews or even contact details so you can ask specific questions. Any company who has a good relationship with their customers will be willing to do this.
You can also seek out the opinion of wine consultants. Many of them focus on helping wineries build their DtC wine sales and will be well aware of the different options out there so they can be an invaluable source of impartial feedback.
Does your POS integrate with the rest of my business?
When companies talk about POS integrating with other part of your business, they will often be referring to how well the system is able to interact with third parties such as accounting software, shipping and automated marketing tools. This is without a doubt an important factor as it helps to streamline your processes and removes any time consuming double handling.
However, we think it’s a little more complicated than that. A truly successful wine POS will do more –it will work across your e-Commerce site, boost your CRM and even manage your wine club. For us, it is less about integration and more about powering the full experience to save you the maximum time so make sure you ask what else your POS can do.
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