EPOS: How to buy the Epos that’s right for your business
Selecting a full Epos system is no easy task. There are basically as many reasons to hesitate as there are elements in an Epos system, and different combinations of these elements. And at the end of it all, the bill for acquiring or using the whole system will always be a rather heavy one. Businesses that are considering to buy an Epos for the first time should also be concerned about the time and resources they’ll need to spend in order to put together all the product and client data so that they can use the Epos software. They will then have to spend time learning how to use the software and operate the Epos. This is why choosing an Epos system represents a significant investment, and the decisions related to this investment should not be taken lightly.
Two major families of aspects should be reviewed: product-related aspects such as features and pricing, and provider-related aspects such as references and support.
How to buy an Epos based on features and pricing
Features and pricing are, naturally, the first elements which come to mind when considering to buy an Epos.
Buy an Epos with the right features for your business...
Businesses should be aware of the features they’ll need. More specifically, interested businesses should decide whether they’ll need the following options or not:
- e-commerce integration;
- number of users;
- number of PDQ terminals;
- number of Pos printers;
- mobile Epos solution;
- industry-specific Epos software;
- touchscreen displays...
... at the right price
Epos systems can be very expensive, depending on the hardware and software setup selected and the number of add-ons.
Make sure you have made a list of all the items that you will need, including the price of updates, consumables and support before you buy the Epos.
Also, bear in mind that you can not only buy the Epos, but you can also use Epos rental or Epos leasing options, with weekly or monthly payments and sometimes a setup fee.
References and support plans
An Electronic Point of Sale (Epos) is a vital part of your business. After you have installed it, you can simply not allow it to break down and remain unusable. It is therefore essential that you investigate the reputation of your Epos system and enquire about support plans before you buy your Epos.
References
There are two smart things you can to do before committing to an Epos system:
- First, you should enquire about the reputation of your system. Ask the Epos provider for references: past and active customers which you can call or contact directly to know how their system is doing, what difficulties they have run into, how efficient the support team has been in case of trouble.
- Ask for a demonstration of the system. You need to know whether you or your staff will be able to understand how the system works, and operate it effortlessly. You also need to know whether the integration with your existing databases and other business systems will be seamless. It is very common for Epos providers to offer complete demonstrations; they sometimes even can lend you some hardware and software for a few days or weeks for trial purposes, no strings attached.
Support: a crucial aspect
Businesses really must enquire about support plans and support policies before they choose an Epos.
What level of support is provided? How reactive is the support team? How can they be reached? By e-mail only? Over the phone? At what time? Do they do the support themselves, do they rely on a third party, or do they liaise directly with the support teams of the manufacturers? What kind of breakdowns and failures are actually covered by the support plan?
These are some of the questions businesses can ask when considering to buy an Epos system.