It goes without saying that a POS system is an invaluable resource for any retailer. After all, a POS is used to manage day-to-day operations, boost profits, and overall keep the business running smoothly. But what happens when something goes wrong? How will you, as a retailer, run a successful business when hardware malfunctions, a device won’t connect to the internet, or if you have difficulty performing a crucial POS function?
There’s a reason why retailers choose SaaS point of sales. SaaS (software as a service) POS systems give retailers much more than just a solution to run their business on — they provide full support capabilities in order to run and grow a successful business.
The goal of finding the right POS is to find one with an active, personable support team. Does the team simply troubleshoot your issues, or do they take educational steps to help you better navigate the POS in the future? Retailers will want to find a POS that builds a relationship with them so both parties can work towards common goals as the business expands.
Finding high-quality POS support enables retailers to get the most use out of their POS system. We know a thing or two about great POS support, so we listed some important tips to keep in mind
A Consistent Ticketing System
Over the past few years, customer support has become increasingly automated. Many software companies want to free up their employees for higher value work. While a comprehensive FAQ, a chatbot, or some other form of artificial intelligence automation can certainly be helpful and can save a business more time and money, they’re not always the best solution.
Take retail consumers as an example. Most shoppers expect an on-demand, personalized store experience. POS support should be the same. Retailers will want to find a POS that doesn’t treat them as just a number.
A POS support ticketing process ensures that all issues receive human review, resulting in a much more efficient resolution. A customer’s worst nightmare is having their issue bounced from one department to another. Ticketing systems prevent this by ensuring accountability. Tickets are typically assigned to specific POS support employees, and outstanding issues can be properly escalated to higher levels of support agents as needed. Minor faults can be dealt with swiftly and major issues can be bumped to the top of the list.
Some agents may specialize in payment processing troubleshooting, while others might be more skilled in answering API and development questions. Having your ticket handed off to an expert increases the likelihood of quick ticket resolution. Working with individual agents in a POS support team also has the benefit of person-to-person communication. Interpersonal communication ensures that all details are accounted for, and like we mentioned above, helps foster a stronger relationship between yourself and your POS support team.
Extended Business Hours
The vast majority of businesses do not fit into Dolly Parton’s ‘Nine To Five’ model. Most retailers open their doors a little earlier and may not close up until late at night. Additionally, most businesses are open on weekends and many are open for holidays.
What happens when you need help with your POS during these off hours? Just because business hours stop, doesn’t mean your sales should, too. Your point of sale needs to be up and running at full capacity 24/7, and a great POS support team ensure that your business runs smoothly any day, any time.
80% of people prefer to speak with a customer agent on the phone because it leads to faster resolutions. What will you do if your POS support team doesn’t operate on weekends? Sometimes your store is too busy for you to write out an email, and sometimes you just need verbal communication to thoroughly address your issue.
Opt for a POS with a support team that has extended hours. The team should be available every day of the week to quickly and effectively address issues and help the retailer to continue operating at full capacity.
Training and Education
Educational, holistic support can make all the difference between a good POS support team and a great POS support team.
As mentioned earlier, POS support should run much deeper than simple troubleshooting services. Sure, some issues can be easily resolved in a quick email exchange, such as password resets or configuration setting questions. But what happens when you need customized business reports or help importing large amounts of SKU data?
Say you’re adding a new product to your store database, and you can’t quite remember what data belongs in the “Product Category” field. After doing some research, you reach out to your POS support team for help. They can either:
- Explain what data typically goes in the “Product Category” field
- Give specific examples of data that is typically entered in the “Product Category” field specific to your business type, and point out how the category can be used to organize your products.
Which would you prefer? We’re guessing the latter. High-quality POS support should always take education into account.
And what about trainings? Does your POS support team allow you to come back for additional one-on-one trainings, or are you simply pointed to their software documentation? One reason why retailers need a strong POS support team is because they can point them to best practices when setting up their product and customer databases. Some retailers may be capable of doing this on their own and others may need a little hand-holding.
POS support should grow with your business. As you scale up, your POS support team should be available to ensure meaningful growth. Whether it’s insights into restructuring your POS processes or help building out solutions customized to your business, your POS support team will be an invaluable resource.
Commitment
Too often, SaaS companies offer the bulk of their support at the front of the customer relationship, with the goal being to simply sell the product or service. Retailers can receive personal contact from various support personnel, but is this contact consistent throughout the rest of the business relationship?
An easy way to vet the consistency of a POS support team is to look up reviews. Take what you read with a grain of salt, but if you find a lot of positive reviews, chances are the support team is one you can count on. Even better, ask for client references from businesses similar to your own. What better way to gauge a company’s support processes than to have an open conversation with a current user?
While POS support teams can’t be expected to wait on your business at every moment, personal time is extremely important. Ask your POS support team if they have check-in meetings with their customers. Are you able to schedule yearly, bi-annually, or monthly check-in meetings with your POS support team? Upkeeping that relationship helps you preemptively tackle road bumps and decreases the chances of future issues occurring. Bonus points if you’re provided with a dedicated CSM representative or account manager.
Remember that a committed POS support team isn’t built overnight — retailers who want personalized support need to find a team that does it right.
Wrapping It Up
Many retailers have grown accustomed to working with non-accessible or even outsourced support teams. Dealing with unmotivated support agents or having fragmented conversations about your POS is unacceptable — your business needs a consistent, personable POS support team to run successfully.
A great POS support team will understand your company’s workflow and how their support team can fit in to help you achieve your business goals. Remember to do your research and ask support questions early on in the sales process. Doing so will save you time money, and stress down the road.
Erply support is available 7 days a week from 8 am – 11 pm ET — just give us a call at (855) 463-7759 ext. 2
Email us at support@erply.com during traditional office hours. Or, check out our support documentation.
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