We get it. Choosing the right point-of-sale system (POS System) for your repair shop can be daunting. The hunt for the perfect POS that goes well with your repair shop ideals seems almost never-ending and definitely tiring. Often, we meet people who swear by the efficiency of a particular system and just go with it to make the ordeal easier for ourselves. But what works well for someone else’s business model might not be the best fit for yours. Moreover, all the options and their advertisements bombarding you with offers and attractive yet hollow promises make you want to give the search a rest. However, that is not an option either since having a good POS system for your repair shop is vital for its growth.
The right POS software will make operations easier for your employees and give customers a more satisfying experience. And we all know a happy client base means a thriving business. So, the process of picking the one that works for you is not something you can skimp out on. Lucky for you, we, your dearest POS experts, are here to make it just a little less intimidating. We’ve compiled a list of all the things that a repair shop POS software must have.
Determine Your Repair Shop’s Unique Needs
Like we said, not everything works for everyone. Therefore, before looking into repair shop software, you need to analyze what makes your repair shop unique and what this individuality requires from a POS. Start by listing the most frequently administered tasks in your shop’s daily workings. Then, assess which features best align with them to give you the desired results. From there, it’s a matter of cross-checking which criteria for selecting the right POS systems actually work; and finding out what POS offers all or most of your preferred features and picking the one that fits. You may have to dive deep into how your shop handles specific aspects like:
- Inventory management
- Employee attendance
- Employee performance
- Loyalty Programs
- POS mobility
- Offering e-commerce transactions
- Processing refunds and warranties
- Payment methods
- Special offers
- Monitoring sales
- Supervising purchases
- Including buybacks
- And other such facets.
Moreover, if you are already using a point-of-sale system, it would do you well to compare the list you prepare with the features it offers. It may be perfect already, or you may just find more reasons to shift to a new one. Either way, you would know what your repair store needs to function to its fullest potential. Chances are, the list has changed considerably since you pick your first POS software.
Consider the Analytics You Need
Growing businesses need data on past, current, and potential operations. And no matter how big your repair store may be, it is always a growing one. It would be best if you had sales analysis, profit fluctuation, end-of-the-month or year reports, prices, and other metrics, which are vital to form an accurate breakdown of what the shop requires to thrive. Even inventory tracking can be made significantly easier if you have a barcode scanner or printer linking options. So, you need to assess whether small incorporations like these are essential for the smooth operating of your store or if you can do without them. A basic system that can track sales through payment processing may be enough for you in such a case. Moreover, some POS softwares have limitations on the number of outlets they can support simultaneously. A regular data-driven assessment of your business functions makes it easier to decide whether you need to switch from such a system or if your store is stagnant enough to stay with such software. Furthermore, you may also need to consider if your business needs cloud-based software that can store data that you can access from anywhere and through any device.
Iron Out the Details
The devil often really is in the details. You may have the perfect POS software with all your preferred functions. But all that would be useless if you don’t have the proper hardware to support it. Hardware often requires more capital investment, so it is essential to pick a more accessible POS software instead. The ideal scenario would be to have a cloud-based repair ticket management system supported on multiple devices. With secured encryptions for protection, of course. If you have pre-existing hardware which is essential to your store, list it down and find the software that matches. Or at least evaluate which tools you need at present or moving forward and choose a POS software that fits the bill. To fit your business well, the point-of-sale program should be able to incorporate your preferred apparatus while also working on your selected device. And lacking in either of these could set you back quite a bit of capital in hardware investments, make your sales disappointing for your clients, and even lead to employee dissatisfaction. So, pick your software wisely or get ready to invest more.
Integrations and User-friendliness
A significant consideration is whether the POS system offers integrations with third-party software. No matter how big or small your repair business may be, it would need some affiliation to outside operations. It may be to order inventory, access data the way you like it, accounting, emailing, consumer data, or the many other such needs. No matter what it is, third-party softwares are a massive part of a repair shop’s success. So, ensure that the POS system you pick supports these integrations or at least the ones similar to them.
However, all the invaluable integrations in all of the industry would be of no use if your POS software is a headache to use. Having user-friendly repair store software is essential to making your business run smoothly. The ease of function would lead to more satisfied and returning customers, better employee performance and retention, and increased profit. Therefore, always go for a POS software that is easy to learn and not a hassle. Not to forget that it must offer excellent customer support!
So what are you waiting for?
Book a demo today to see how can RepairDesk work for you!
