Hi, tech!

I am not a techno dinosaur (he said, taking the vinyl “Best of the Guess Who” record album off the turntable and slipping it into its tattered cardboard sleeve). I am all for audio and video advancements (he continued, trying to recall whether he put the Ms. Packman game into the box labeled “M” or the one tabbed “P”). I earnestly support progress (he uttered, wondering all the while whether he could still get replacement parts for a 17-inch Zenith television).

OK, only some of the parenthetical references happened … this week. The truth is that it doesn’t matter what I think – or what you think – about the evolution of technology. Even as we’re thinkin’, it’s evolvin’. That, I’m guaranteein’.

Take the cash register. The folks at SBI Nursery Software might add, “Please!” They’ve got this notion that the instrument we’ve long used to keep up with business at the store is about to go the way of my 8-track player (he said, praying no one believed he actually had an 8-track player). In fact, here’s a note I received from Lisa Hattery, the company’s marketing manager, just a few days ago:

We still believe handhelds are the future—some of our customers are calling them the "Registers of the Future," and we agree; soon enough, stationary registers will be a thing of the past, and checkout counters no more. Wireless sales on handheld devices are the ultimate in customer service, efficiency and accuracy—plus, they are really cool (think Mac store)!

The latest is the live connection through a cell network instead of over local WIFI. WIFI requires a considerable infrastructure with antennas and other equipment, while running on the cell network is only limited by the connection signal you get. Take, for example, T-Mobile—if you have service on your phone, then you can make a sale live on the handheld.

You can complete the sale on account, cash or with a credit card with on-screen signature capture. The receipt is printed to a small printer that can be worn on the belt—but they are still a bit clunky so a lot of people prefer to mount them strategically throughout the store or in the yard. Handheld devices are also continuing to become more cost-effective but still very durable—we endorse models that are made to withstand the harsh conditions of a garden center (wind, rain, sun, etc.).

We also have (retail) customers with self-check-in stations; basically customers have member or loyalty cards with barcodes they scan in themselves. This opens up a sale for them; once they are ready to check out, the salesperson simply scans their items on the sale, helps them load the car, and they are out the door!

That’s mind-boggling—and certainly worth checking out on the company Web site. And as soon as I get Clara, the telephone operator, to pick up on the other end to connect me with Aint Bee, I’ll tell her about it.

-- Yale

Comments

[Little Baja Portland,Or]

Beware QB Intuit POS

If, as a retail Garden Center or other related retail store you may have already made the Point of Sale purchase for your sales counter or maybe you are still considering it. If so I have a piece of experience for you.

It is no secret that our industry is running on a short margin and that all dollars spent need to be spent wisely. It is for this reason that I offer this bit of advise to you and offer you the opportunity to blog this information as proof to what I say that I am not alone in my experience here with Intuits Quick Books POS program.

If you own a business and need a Point of Sale system be advised that on top of the thousands you will pay for licensing Quick Books for each Computer you own you will also pay an additional $1200 a year for each license you buy in depreciation.

It seems that the programs are out of date in 3 years and Intuit will no longer support your version and no free updates will be available and they will be as rude to you on the telephone as they want to be with total disregard to any and all problems you have with your program, no matter how simple they may be. "We are so sorry but that version is out date and no one here knows how to fix it but for only $3,800 we will be glad to sell you a new license for the new and improved edition that will be good for another three years”, I was told by their tech person on the telephone.
That is over $1200 a year folks in depreciation.

And also if you do not pay big bucks for the support package upon purchase they cut you off at the knees to any questions after 30 days of purchase, including the $185.00 hr. for a tech person to install it for you, plus a Comp. savvy person on payroll to keep it working too, some savings.

Buyer Beware.

Sincerely,

Wayne Elliott

[Jon Pinkus]

We have been running Microsoft RMS since 2001. It has been a solid solution and Microsoft has been very responsive to our issues. Personnaly I like self-check at groceries. But, I don't this our industry is ready. I prefer to let others train the consumer. Also, we have a lot of small pots that are not barcoded and are priced differently. The cost of barcoding them is part ot the POS cost. We barcode Qts and up and know that it is not cheep.

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