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Do You Need Point of Sale Software for Your Small Business?

Do You Need Point of Sale Software for Your Small Business?
Modern point of sale software is helping small businesses handle all aspects of their operations with speed and efficiency.

Point of sale software can seem like a vague term to small business owners. Especially for ones who have been operating their companies using manual old-school methods for years. 

With so many different POS systems on the market, it’s easy to understand why the subject could be confusing to some small business owners, and why it might seem downright daunting to others. 

After all, how do you really define POS software? Is it a cash register with a few extra automated features, or is it a fully integrated business management system capable of unifying your:

  • Sales
  • Inventory
  • Ordering
  • Accounting

If you subscribe to the latter description, then you’ve already got a pretty good idea of just how powerful point of sale software can be. Here are some indicators a program like this might be of use for your small business. 

1. Inventory control is a constant challenge

The ability to manage inventory effectively can mean the difference between the success and failure of a small business, especially one in the retail sector. If you have too much cash flow tied up in a product that’s not selling, it’ll hinder your ability to make other financial decisions.

With reliable inventory control software that offers real-time feedback, you’ll be able to drill down on any issues pertaining to stock levels and take immediate action. This’ll help you avoid things like:

  • Shrinkage
  • Out-of-stock items
  • Inaccurate stock levels

You can even program the system to alert you when stock levels drop to a certain threshold, giving you plenty of time to place an order.

2. You’re noticing increased human error as your business grows

People make mistakes. That’s just part of life in general. But when those mistakes start to affect your profits, you need to take action. Even a slight margin of error could be enough to cost a small business thousands of dollars over the course of a year.

One way to address the problem is to implement a system with barcode functionality. This feature is common to all but the most basic point of sale software, and many small businesses are starting to recognize the benefits it provides in reducing human error and simplifying the checkout process.

Other manual operations—such as stock-taking and calculating orders—that are prone to human error can be overcome by utilizing automated features of a POS system. 

3. You rely on hunches to determine customer buying habits

Small business owners usually have the luxury of getting to know their clients on a firsthand basis. However, there’s a difference between thinking and knowing what your customers’ buying patterns really are. There may be factors that influence the way your clients shop that you never even considered. 

Many full-featured point of sale systems have in-depth reporting functions that’ll help you gain a more thorough understanding of: 

  • Product lifecycles
  • Customer buying patterns
  • Seasonal trends
  • Peak buying times

Small businesses looking for a complete POS system package should also read our post: Store Owners Have a One-stop Shop for Their POS Software.

Do you own a small business that’s facing growing pains? Windward System Five point of sale software is designed to help small and medium sized businesses manage their operations efficiently. Our fully integrated program handles everything from sales to inventory to back-end accounting. Call us to learn how we can help streamline they way you do business.

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