Every retail business needs a good invoicing system to keep its operations running smooth. Since invoicing is a major part of your sales and payment process, it needs to be as hassle-free and convenient as possible.
But how does one go about selecting the perfect invoicing system out of the virtually endless options available online? Fortunately, we’ve drafted this guide to help you identify the perfect invoicing system for you. Here are a couple of things to consider when going for an invoicing system that suits your needs;
The Right Features for the Right Job
Your invoicing platform of choice should essentially have all the features that you would need to run day-to-day operations at your business, plus a couple of added perks on top in case you decide to scale for the future. Having a list of the features that you require, such as invoice tracking and tax preparation would certainly help in making your choices easier. Alternatively, you can look at the feature set offered by a number of invoicing systems and note down the ones that you feel would be best for your business, then select the one that fulfills your requirements the best.
The More, the Merrier
Having the right system in place also requires that your team is able to access it and perform necessary operations with it at any given time. Some invoicing systems put a limit on the number of billings that can occur in a single instance. For example, an invoicing software can choose to limit the number of users that can be logged in and serve clients within a particular time frame for a particular payment plan. Find out how many people will need access to the system at any given moment, and make your decision accordingly.
The Price is (or Should Be) Right!
Speaking of payment plans, you’ll find different invoicing platforms charge differently for their offerings. Some may choose to offer a limited amount of services for free, others will generally have a subscription model with different tiers, and yet others will offer additional features as “add-ons” to go along with a base package so that you can customize your software to your needs. Doing a cost-benefit analysis on the features each platform offers can often be the deciding factor in which platform you’d like to go with.
The Easier, the Better
Invoicing can become a very complex procedure, which is why it is essential that the platform of your choice should be easy to use, understand and navigate. Make sure that the system you choose allows for easy access to vital information at a moment’s notice, and has a clean interface to display all the necessary details. The better the interface and system is designed, the faster you’ll be able to serve your clients, and the less stress you’ll take when it’s crunch time.
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
One of the most important features of any smart system today is its link to the cloud and how it can be accessed. Online systems allow us the convenience of not only accessing them anywhere we want but also of keeping our most important data secure and up-to-date at any given time. While purely online systems are usually susceptible to downtime during times of maintenance or connection issues, they do offer the advantage of being available on almost any platform without installing specialized software or apps.
Size Does Matter
As we’ve stated earlier, having a system that is scalable is an important factor if you’re looking to grow your business in the future. Once you’ve got more clients to deal with and more employees working for you, you will need to expand and stay on top of your invoicing demands and operate with efficiency without slowing down and risk losing business. Always look at what sort of limitations your invoicing system has and select the one that you feel will still serve you proper within the next 5 years.
Support In Times of Need
Having an active support channel in case you need to troubleshoot and resolve issues is also highly preferable. Having dedicated tech support that you can reach out to in times of trouble can make all the difference between a system that you’re satisfied with and one that gives you endless frustration. It would even help if the support team is able to communicate across multiple languages so that there are as few barriers to communication as possible.
For a smart, responsive and multilingual support team for all your needs, consider giving RepairDesk a try for your invoicing and employee management needs.
What’s the Word, Hummingbird?
Lastly, the community that your chosen system is built around can tell you a great deal about what to look forward to when you commit to an invoicing platform. Reading online reviews, checking social media pages for activity and visiting community forums will help you gain a feel for the sort of satisfaction the average user has with your chosen system, and may even be a great place to interact with other people with regards to troubleshooting issues. Remember to always look up what the community is talking about before you pull the trigger.
Using these tips, you’ll be able to find the perfect invoicing system that suits your needs and provides an invoicing and billing system that gives you ease of mind. If you’re in the market for a system that takes care of invoicing, employee management, sales reports and tons of other features, we highly encourage you to give RepairDesk a chance and sign up for a FREE trial with us today.
