Vat & Pos – 5 points of note |04 January 2013

One of the main challenges for software providers was the speed at which some changes needed to be applied to their software and especially in relation to Point of Sale (Pos) software which now needs to account not just for Vat but also for exclusions.

There are many companies offering Pos on the world stage and even in Seychelles there are quite a number of solutions to your Pos and Vat challenges.

Businesses are challenged to be able to find the right solution to suit their businesses and don’t have the time or inclination to study all that is offered in the Pos world.

There are a number of tips which can make such a decision easy and take the worry out of wondering if you have the best solution for your business and next are the things that are critical in making the right decision before purchasing a Pos solution.

ONE: Simple, visually appealing, easy to use with local training available
Time is of the essence for businesses and implementing a solution which is visually appealing, easy to learn and almost intuitive is the solution which will assist your business. Having local training available is also something desired as you need someone whom you can quickly contact for those little questions that will always occur.

TWO: Must be versatile

A good Pos solution should be able to be installed on a Stand Alone unit which includes the hardware and software, cash draw, receipt printer, barcode scanner etc. but should also be able to be installed on your own PC or laptop. This means that you have added flexibility and are not tied to the hardware.

THREE: Must be able to track clients as well as stock

A good Pos solution should not only be able to track stock, advise when reordering is required, advise on expiry dates of stock, track serial numbers, compare sales for different days, weeks months etc., but it should also be able to keep a record of clients and have functions whereby you are able to use the POS system to send out promotional material, email invoices and specials to your clients, have a history of your best clients and those who have not been back for some time.

An excellent Pos system will also have the ability to print out bar codes for you stock and have a system to provide daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly reports. It will also have the ability to be networked.

FOUR: Must have the ability to be modified quickly and easily

If there is one thing that the Seychelles Vat change has shown in relation to Pos software, it is the need for that software to be modified quickly. A good Pos solution will have the ability to modify the program in the back office by your own staff, removing the reliance on going back to the supplier and have them rewrite the code.

FIVE: Must have local support

So many businesses purchase good equipment or software only to find that there is no maintenance on on-going support for what they have purchased, meaning that the investment has been lost.

 A good Pos solution must have local support for both the hardware and the software.

There are many considerations for businesses when purchasing a Pos solution and probably many more that are not mentioned here such as Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), linkage to e-mail, reducing accounting bills with accurate information, but by ensuring that you have covered these five points, you can be assured that you have asked some of the most important questions prior to purchasing what will become an essential asset to your businesses.