Deciding on a Vendor
Deciding on a Vendor
POS system vendors are usually resellers who sell you a all components of the system- software, hardware such as the credit card machine, support, and maintenance. Before deciding on a vendor, consider the following:
Products- The main concern when it comes to products is compatibility. You should make sure that the software you’ll purchase is compatible with your existing credit card merchant account, if you hope to process credit cards, and with the hardware you anticipate purchasing. It is advisable that you purchase your software and hardware from the same vendor. A reputable vendor will be able to match a product to your needs, so be wary if you are being steered toward a product that is more sophisticated or has more features than you will need.
References- Make sure that the vendor you choose has reliable references in your industry. Other businesses that have worked with the vendor should be able to tell you how responsive a vendor was, if the system works well, and if they were satisfied with their choice. It is important to speak with businesses similar to yours to make sure the vendor will be able to supply merchant services that meet your needs.
Customer Service- One of the most important factors when it comes to choosing a vendor is how well they treat their customers. You should feel completely at ease with the vendor, and confident in your purchase. A vendor should provide understandable demonstrations of the software, or let you have a free trial or “demo” period. The vendor should answer questions about service and maintenance honestly, and be truthful about any potential future costs. As the system is set up and later used, you will probably have questions for the vendor. Make sure you choose a company you are comfortable working with in the future.
