Feed Store POS Considerations
A while back, I wrote a blog post about baby boomers retiring and their children taking over in the farm and feed store segment. This factor seemed to be driving a great deal of business our way due to the sons and daughters injecting automation and technology into the business after many years of manual processes. However, as the weeks go by and I continue to have conversations with farm and feed store owners and operators, I have learned that many factors come into play with this industry suddenly embracing new technologies.
Many of the recent conversations I have had with these folks had nothing to do with the passing of the torch from the parents to the children. Many of these farm and feed store operators already have automated POS systems but are simply seeking more advanced solutions. Many have found that their existing systems were not designed with the unique feature set desired in a feed store operation. Many have found that they bought their system from a dealer who is no longer in business and they cannot get the support they need. Others have found themselves using old technology that is obsolete. Let’s touch on each of these issues individually:
Feature/Function Considerations for Feed Store POS:
- Does the POS support integrated accounts receivable?
- Does the POS support remote printing of orders to the warehouse or fulfillment area?
- Does the POS support easy-to-use touch screen buttons for feed and other bulk items?
POS Dealer Model VS buying direct:
- What happens if the dealer goes out of business? Who will support the feed store?
- What happens if the feed store needs customizations/modifications to the software but has no access to the developer of the product?
- Is there naturally savings involved by buying direct from the developer of the POS?
Antiquated Technology Issues:
- Is the old POS compliant with new security standards for payment processing?
- Is the old POS compatible with new technology embedded in newer PC’s?
- Is the old POS capable of integrating email marketing, online shopping, credit card integration, etc?
- Is the old POS scalable enough to grow as your business grows?
As a farm and feed store owner/operator, these are some of the questions to ponder. If you need help with any of these issues, click below for a free consultation from an industry expert. You can also visit us at the Purina Mills Retail Solutions expo in Phoenix at booth #245. We hope to see you there!