What other Microsoft RMS/HQ Users are doing for RMS End of Life

NOTE: I am keeping this updated as we move through 2019 instead of creating a whole new blog post.

As 2018 quickly comes to a close, more and more retailers are contacting me for advice specific to the Microsoft Dynamics RMS / HQ point of sale software and the upcoming end of extended support dates.

7 of you have even paid my travel expenses in 2018 so I could come onsite to advise/consult/meet in person!

A summery of retailers that I've had in person or phone conversations with broken down by whether HQ is being used or not.

Not Using HQ (approx 400 439 single location stores that I have spoken with):

• 106 of you have upgraded to Retail Management Hero or Cloud Retailer
• 46 of you have replaced RMS with a different POS system (NCR CounterPoint SQL, Bindo, ShopKeep, LightSpeed, QuickBooks POS, and Clover appear to be the most popular)
• 120 of you have moved to stand alone payment terminals and will stick with that for the next 2+ years
• 120 132 of you have put in Card Defender and will stick with that for the next 2+ years 
• The remaining retailers have put in other payment terminal solutions as provided by your merchant services company (eg. Shift 4) or have not communicated back to me what your plans are

Using HQ (approx 38 chains that I have met/spoken with over the last 24 months):

1. 3 location chain: staying on RMS for now - will start exploring options in 2019
2. 4 location chain: staying on RMS for now but will replace by Oct 2019. Looking at ERP or POS with built in accounting
3. 8 location chain: still on RMS for now. Looking at options but nothing shared back to me.
4. 4 location chain: staying on RMS and no plans to replace at this time
5. 5 location chain: put in Card Defender. Will keep using RMS for another 2+ years
6. 3 location chain: replaced RMS/HQ with SalesPad as they use Dynamics GP for accounting
7. 18 location chain: started replacing RMS/HQ with Netsuite
8. 9 location chain: started replacing RMS/HQ with Netsuite
9. 50 location chain: replaced RMS and HQ with NCR CounterPoint - project has been halted for various reasons and they are now searching again for RMS replacement options
10. 2 location chain: staying on RMS for another 2+ years
11. 38 location chain: staying on RMS for now - will evaluate replacement options in 2019 or 2020
12. 8 location chain: staying on RMS for now - will evaluate replacement options in 2019 or 2020
13. 5 location chain: staying on RMS for now - will evaluate replacement options in 2019 or 2020
14. 4 location chain: staying on RMS for now - will evaluate replacement options in 2019 or 2020
15. 14 location chain: staying on RMS for now - will evaluate replacement options in 2019 or 2020
16. 18 location chain: just starting to evaluate options as of late 2018
17. 3 location chain: staying on RMS for now - will evaluate replacement options in 2019 or 2020
18. 6 location chain: staying on RMS for now - will evaluate replacement options in 2019 or 2020 Put in Cloud Retailer with Card Defender at all locations.
19. 297 location franchise (technically not using HQ) - put in Card Defender, likely moving to Epicore in 2020
20. 2 location chain: staying RMS for the time being - looking at Card Defender and updating some hardware
21. 3 location chain: Replacing RMS/HQ with Cloud Retailer and Card Defender
22. 7 location chain: staying on RMS/HQ for now but recently implemented Card Defender at all locations
23. 5 location chain: initiated process to start putting in Netsuite per a franchise agreement.
24. 16 location chain: just starting the process to look at RMS/HQ replacement options
25. 2 location chain: replaced RMS with Retail Management Hero
26. 2 location chain: putting in Cloud Retailer now for deployment in late 2019
27. 16 location chain: putting in Cloud Retailer now for deployment in late 2019
28. 34 location chain: exploring options like Cloud Retailer for deployment in 2019 or 2020
29. 18 location chain: exploring options via an RFI to replace RMS/HQ in late 2020
30. 8 location chain: put out an RFI in 1/2019 for RMS/HQ replacement options and still evaluating as of 6/2019.
31. 40 location chain in Oregon: just now starting to look at RMS replacement options - very interested in Retail Management Hero but see no replacement for HQ yet and the Retail Management Hero discounts end April 2020.
32. 45 location chain in Illinois: just now starting to look at RMS replacement options - very interested in Retail Management Hero but see no replacement for HQ yet and the Retail Management Hero discounts end April 2020.
33. 34 location chain in Ohio: Renewing their maintenance program for RMS/HQ support with RITE. Very honestly told me that there is nothing on the market that matches their size of retail operation that isn't super expensive. They are looking at the Cloud Retailer option as well.
34. 19 location chain in California: just starting their search for RMS replacement options.

I have 5 other chains (with 3 to 5 stores each) that I've spoken with but have not been keeping me updated on their plans.

(Disclaimer: Microsoft RMS will not magically stop working come July of 2020 or July of 2021 but it will become more difficult to support over time as technology changes. We have 11 support techs and will keep supporting RMS/HQ as along as feasibly possible)

RMS Issues/Motivation to Change

1. End of support for Windows 7
2. End of support for Microsoft RMS
3. Pressure / additional fees from merchant services provider for using an outdated POS system
4. End of Retail Management Hero (RMH) licence discounts for Microsoft RMS users
5. Lack of peripheral hardware support

Footnote on RMS Add-ons:

Some of you rely on various RMS add-on's like PoolCorp, ShipRush or the bike store and service modules from DRS for RMS. At this time, you can't move away from RMS without losing these add-on's. Initial indications are that many of these add-on's will work with some of the RMS replacement programs as we get closer to 2021 (subject to change of course).

If you would like to have an in-person or phone conversation about the future of the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software and advice specific to your retail business, please contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com.

Please do share this post/site with other retailers who are using RMS / HQ as well.