Questions to Ask

Ask the POS Company or dealer these questions before you consider giving them your business:

How long has the company and dealer been in business and where to locate the dealer?
It can be reassuring to know that a company has been in business and doing this type of work for more than five years. Just because a company has been in business for a long time doesn't necessarily mean they are good at what they do. Be sure to review the other questions below to ensure you are dealing with a respectable and knowledgeable vendor.

Are they local?
Dealers will travel great distances to make a sale, sometimes too far to support you adequately. You want a dealer who can react quickly to any problem and be on site if necessary. If you’re in a small town or not close to the POS dealer, make certain that they are set up for next day service through overnight mail.

Does the dealer offer training or phone tech service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?
Your busiest times are not Mon thru Fri, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. It is more likely that a problem will occur on a Saturday night at 9:00 pm – make sure your dealer can provide you service when you need it. Ask for references, call them and ask about their tech service.

Are people from the company from the restaurant industry? Do they understand your problems? Do they sell software to other industries too?
This is critical. How can a dealer help you if they do not understand your business? A good dealer will be able to make recommendations on how to design your system to make everything efficient.

What does the implementation services consist of?
For the best results, this service should include: a site survey (so they know your operation), custom development of your POS database, installation of hardware and software, staff training, ongoing on-site and phone tech support and software maintenance and updates for one year.

What is the POS Company and dealer’s guarantee?
Our recommendation is that you receive or purchase a full year of phone support.

References?
Ask the dealer for specific references about the software, any problems, training etc. Call the references given to you by the dealer. Ask the reference if she/he knows where else the system is in use. CALL ALL REFERENCES. If possible, meet with the owner or manager for an independent demonstration.