The Need

It doesn’t matter what type of business you’re running, if you sell a product or service, you have point-of-sale (POS) requirements. The cash flow you accrue through your customers is the single most important barometer for judging the current progress of your business. You need to accurately track your products or services and the revenue they generate. And most importantly, your technology must to be easy to learn, with the flexibility to keep up with your needs as your business grows.

In addition to managing your current cash flow, your future financial success also relies on your ability to accurately anticipate, manage and plan for things like inventory, purchasing and customer behavior.

To keep all of these details from becoming a headache, you need trouble-free solutions from Apple combined with the expertise of an Apple Consultants Network member. You don’t have to hire a full time employee to help plan, install and manage your POS systems. Instead, you can hire a consultant at a fraction of the cost.

The Expertise

Hiring a member of the Apple Consultants Network can turn your point-of-sale concerns into a point of empowerment for your business—allowing you peace of mind that your revenue stream is constant and worry-free. And having a qualified consultant who’s familiar with your unique business needs can provide additional benefits too, such as adding sales or support capabilities without needing to hire extra employees.

Members are experts in Apple technology and have a comprehensive range of skills. From helping to determine your needs to training and ongoing technical support, Apple Consultants Network members will create customized solutions to match your business.

The Steps

Step 1: Determine your needs, audience, and budget

The first step in improving your point-of-sale efficiency is to take inventory of your current practices. Outline each step you currently take when handling things like customer contacts, credit card processing and purchase orders. Once you have a clear picture of how things run, you’ll gain a better understanding of which elements must improve. Then, ask yourself questions like: What would be my ideal POS solution? How would I like to interact with that system? What kind of safety net would be in place if something goes wrong? What is my data backup plan?

Next, weigh the cost of implementing a new point-of-sale solution with the increase in revenue you may see as a result. Members of the Apple Consultants Network can help prioritize your goals and assist you in creating your budget. They can also help purchase your hardware and software solutions through Apple.

Step 2: Choose the elements of your solution

Now that your requirements are clear, you can focus on the practical specifics of your POS solution. If you have an offline business with in-person customer interactions such as a restaurant, store, or salon, you may need wireless capabilities and multiple point-of-sale terminals—Mac Pros, MacBook Pros, iMacs or a combination, all using an Airport Extreme Base Station. If your business has a Web presence, or is only online, you’ll need alternate payment-processing capabilities.

Regardless of your type of business, your goal will remain the same: to turn first-time customers into repeat business. To do this, you’ll need POS software that helps you track sales and returns, products or services and your customer behavior.

Step 3: Implement your POS solution

Online, offline, multiple locations or just one, Apple Consultants Network members can turn your POS woes into financial windfalls. They can help you to install, learn and use all-in-one point-of-sale solutions like Platipus Pro POS, ProBe, ShopKeeper FMP, POS/OE 4 Mac and POS•IM. Or, for more focused solutions, your consultant can help implement targeted programs such as Parallel AuthPayX for payment authorization or PayGo POS for barcoding and inventory. Simply by understanding your business and keeping pace with the latest technical innovations, members of the Apple Consultants Network can increase your revenue stream, improve your customer service and streamline your point-of-sale process overall.

Step 4: Obtain ongoing support and maintenance

Your business will continue to grow, and so must your technology. Luckily, once you’ve worked with a member, that relationship can be ongoing—evolving with your goals and requirements. Whether you keep a consultant onboard for continual support or hire on a per-need basis, your business will benefit from the high level of professionalism and service provided by Apple Consultants Network members.

Solution Elements

Third-Party Products

Parallel AuthPayX is ideal for web-based transactions, point-of-sale, telesales and more.
PayGo POS features an easy-to-implement barcode system. This inventory control tells you what you have, what it costs and the performance history of any item.
Platipus Pro POS offers an advanced touch screen POS system with helpful tools, such as: inventory and contact management, invoicing, purchase orders, and payment processing.
ShopKeeper FMP lets you quickly process customer sales, monitor inventory levels, expedite purchase orders, control accounts payable, track receivables, prepare accurate financial reports and more.
POS/OE 4 includes features like inventory control, accounting, service and repair, web order and credit card processing, gift registry, flexible reporting, as well as multi-user and multi-location support.
ProBe is a touch screen compatible, POS program that will streamline checkout. Its inventory control incorporates purchase orders, stock receipts, Bin system, and full barcode reading and printing facilities.
POS•IM offers Point-of-Sale and Inventory Management. It's designed to give owner operated retail stores all the tools big chain stores have, but at a price they can afford.