Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Merry Christmas from POS Pondering!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas as we take time to celebrate Christ's Birthday with family and friends!

-Kevin

Monday, December 23, 2019

Cities and States I Am Headed To in 2020

Update May 2020: I made it halfway through my travels and then the shut downs began. I will re-evaluate travel starting in June. Presently, I have a list of around 25 retailers that I need to meet work - most are in the Seattle, Tri-Cities, Portland and Salt Lake City areas.

Want to meet in person for some free point of sale advice?
In need of some more in depth paid onsite point of sale consulting?

Here is where you will find me in 2020:
  • Idaho (Boise area, Twin Falls area, Burley area, Pocatello area, Long Valley, Wood River Valley and Idaho Falls area)
  • Greater Seattle, WA (WOW - you folks are keeping me busy!!!)
  • Portland, OR (same as Seattle - amazing demand)
  • Tri Cities area of Washington and Oregon
  • Yakima, Washington
  • Baker City, OR
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Denver CO area
  • Dallas - Ft Worth, Texas
  • Billings, Montana
  • Minneapolis - St Paul, Minnesota
  • St Cloud, Minnesota
  • Phoenix, AZ
  • Tucson, AZ
If you don't see your city and/or state listed, please get in touch with me as I tend travel across whole states (eg: I may in Dallas, TX for a specific event but will also likely travel to Austin and San Antonio as time permits).

Please contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com for more information.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Last Reminder on Windows 7 End of Life

If you happen to still be using Windows 7 on your point of sale computers, it is important to note that all support for Windows 7 will end on January 14th, 2020. What does this mean? Basically, you will be using an un-supported operating system and will most likely need to upgrade to Windows 10 (and may need to upgrade your computers as well).  Reasons for this include the following:
  • Being non-PCI compliant
  • Being vulnerable to virus and malware attacks (potential loss and/or compromise of data)
  • POS software may no longer be supported if using Windows 7
  • Peripherals like receipt printers, payment terminals, scales, customer displays, etc may no longer be supported
  • Your point of sale Partner/VAR/Dealer/Reseller will no longer assist you
  • You may not be able to use integrated payment terminals 
You may want to take this opportunity to evaluate which point of sale software program to use and see if it is time to make a switch to newer point of sale software as you will likely already be investing in new computers. Keep in mind that the only way to by-pass this would be to use stand alone payment terminals and computers that have no internet access.

Questions or need some advice? Please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

JUUL's Retailer Access Control Standards: POS System information

A quick request first: Are you a JUUL Retailer?  What are your thoughts on JUUL's Retailer Access Control Standards? Planning updating your POS system or will you just switch to a different product to sell instead of JUUL?

All responses are completely off the record. You can reach me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com.

Now on to the post...

JUUL has initiated compliance program called "Retailer Access Control Standards" or "RACS" for short. RACS has a compliance deadline of May 2021 for using a POS system that meets RACS standards in order to be a JUUL retailer.

The 2 main parts of RACS are Age Verification and Enforcing Purchase Limits. Several point of sale software companies have already committed to meeting RACS Compliance. They are:
Aside from the obvious "does anyone care" question as a retailer could simply opt to switch brands, there are some interesting points to consider:
  • Age verification is a good thing for any retailer selling age restricted products
  • This may spur more retailers to update the technology that they use in their store
So what does this mean for other POS systems like Microsoft RMS, Retail Management Hero, and Cloud Retailer?

Microsoft RMS: RACS Certification is in process. Keep in mind that extended support for RMS ends between July 2020 and July 2021 anyway. However, given the number of retailers using RMS, RACS certification may be approved in conjunction with a software and/or hardware update. 

Retail Management Hero: RACS Certification not being sought at this time

Cloud Retailer: RACS Certification is being initiated due to existing Cloud Retailer customers already being JUUL retailers.

If you have questions specific to JUUL RACS and Cloud Retailer or Microsoft Dynamics RMS, please contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com

For official information from JUUL, please visit https://www.racscompliance.org/

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Cloud Retailer: Video Overview of Custom Discounts

A general overview showing how flexible the Cloud Retailer point of sale software is when it comes to creating custom discounts. Also shows how easy it is to learn!


As always, please do call or email me with any retail point of sale related questions. You can reach me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

RSPA Podcast

Since a few of you are point of sale resellers, VAR's, partners or dealers, a link to a pod cast from the RSPA discussing the future of point of sale:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shQLbjHpIzM


Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Welcome to some new Retail Clients!

I wanted to squeeze in one more welcome for 2019 to the following retailers that signed on for products or services recently.
  • Little Rock Zoo in AR: Retail Management Hero training and support
  • Smart Merchants in WA: General Microsoft RMS support and replacement options
  • American Airlines CR Smith Museum (fun place!  Glad that I was able to visit in person): RMS Enhanced Maintenance 
  • Seattle Shirt Co in WA: Replacing RMS/HQ with Cloud Retailer in all of their stores
  • Wagner Jewelers in WA (great store - enjoyed my time on site with them): RMS Enhanced Maintenance
  • Travis Wholesale Florist in TX: RMS Enhanced Maintenance
  • Clark's Pet Emporium in NM: Upgraded hardware at both stores for Card Defender
Are you in need of some retail point of sale advice, sales, service or training? Then please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Top Reasons Retailers Contact Me

OK - not super exciting but here are the main reasons and topics why retailers are contacting me:



Locations and Blog Site Stats: http://www.pospondering.com/2019/10/the-power-of-social-media.html

Microsoft Dynamics RMS / HQ End of Life / RMS Replacement Options: http://www.pospondering.com/2019/08/what-other-microsoft-rmshq-users-are.html

Point of Sale Technology for Goodwill's and Similar Thrift Store Chains: http://www.pospondering.com/2019/09/goodwill-pos-meeting-updates.html

RMS Replacement Options Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-oS4ehvjgI
 

If you are in the US and need point of sale related consulting, advice, sales, service or support, please contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Launch of POS Pondering Reseller Program

After testing a reseller program over the last year with 4 different organizations, I am pleased to announce the following POS Pondering Reseller program:

Who this is for:
Experienced point of sale VAR's and resellers as well as merchant services organizations with experience in the sale and support of retail point of sale systems. This has been especially popular with organizations who formally sold and supported the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software.

What locations:
US only in the following states:

  • Washington State
  • Oregon
  • California
  • Nevada
  • Idaho
  • Utah
  • Arizona
  • New Mexico
  • Wyoming
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
What you receive:
A pre-determined commission on the sale of POS software plus any onsite services, hardware, and credit card processing residuals.

The Process:
Will likely vary but initially we will work together to help you learn and demo the Cloud Retailer point of sale software. This can be done remotely or on-site. After the first couple of sales are completed with us working together, then you will likely be self sufficient. 




Interested? Confused? Have questions? Please contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com

Monday, October 28, 2019

MLBA Friend of the Retailer Award

@RITEPOS - we go beyond providing retail point of sale software, hardware, service and support by helping independent retailers compete against big box and online retailers. Thank-you to the MLBA for recognizing this!

Are you searching for a retail point of sale system from a company that knows retail and will help provide you with tools to compete against big box and online retailers? RITE can be reached at sales@rite.us or 888-267-7483.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Power of Social Media

Wow - I know that I have traveled and met with a lot of retailers over the last couple of years - this is quite the list of new clients!  I'm also including those of you who just needed some basic advice or support that did not require a site visit.

New Clients by State (western states):
AK: 2
HI: 1
WA: 7
OR: 5
CA: 5
AZ: 2
NV: 2
NM: 1
UT: 3
ID: 9
MT: 1
WY: 0
CO: 6
OK: 2
TX: 7
AR: 2
LA: 2

Interested in joining the list? Have general retail point of sale questions? Please contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com

As for how well social media works:

Since 2013, this blog site and YouTube Channel have had 406,768 unique visitors of which 1064 (2.6%) of you have contacted me. Estimated spend by blog site and YouTube Channel visitors is $6,384,000 since 2013 - not a bad ROI considering that social media is a time investment and actual monetary cost is around $10/year.


Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Android Stock Take App for the Retail Management Hero POS Software

Many retailers like that the Retail Management Hero (RMH) point of sale software includes a module called "Stock Take" for performing partial or full physical counts. Presently the Stock Take module can only be used on Windows based devices which can be a bit cumbersome when it comes to physical inventory counts.

Well, that will change a bit later on 2019 when an Android version of Stock take will become available. This should open up the door to use hand held devices that are more are rugged and designed for counting inventory.

Release is expected in late 2019. I will be sure to pass along details on pricing and compatible devices as soon as they become available.

In the meantime, if you have questions about RMH or point of sale software, please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Updates on Retail Management Hero Central (RMH Central)

A quick update from the folks at Retail Management Hero regarding RMH Central for retailers who currently use the Microsoft Dynamics RMS HQ software and/or retailers who have multiple store locations and are searching for point of sale software:

"As it stands today RMH Central is in the Early Adopter stage of release."

I'm not sure what this means time wise but it sounds like the release of RMH Central is getting close but it not quite ready for a general release. The biggest concern for Microsoft Dynamics RMS HQ users is whether RMH Central will be in general release before the RMS discounts for RMS users end. The first phase of RMS to RMH discounts ending is coming up Oct 1st, 2019 with all discounts ending April 1st, 2020. This has prompted RMS HQ users to communicate 3 things to me:

  1. We are going to move from RMS HQ to RMH Central so we are buying the RMH licenses now to take advantage of the larger discount and will plan on actually deploying RMH  and RMH Central in 2020 or 2021.
  2. We can't wait and have eliminated RMH as a potential RMS replacement.
  3. We are going to gamble and wait another 12 to 18 months before deciding on a replacement for RMS HQ.
For response # 2, the replacement programs these retailers have decided on include the following point of sale software programs for retailers with multiple store locations (in no particular order):
  1. Cloud Retailer
  2. Epicore
  3. LightSpeed
  4. NCR CounterPoint
  5. Catipault
Are you a retailer using Microsoft Dynamics RMS HQ? A retailer who has multiple store locations and searching for point of sale software? Please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632 for general advice as well as more in depth on site consulting as needed.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Fall Promotion

As we wind our way through the end of 2019, I wanted to pass along the following promotion valid through November 15th, 2019:

My hourly rate is waived for all on-site consulting services.  All you pay is actual travel expenses for on-site point of sale consulting at your business location.

This offer is valid for contracts signed by November 15th, 2019 and only available to retailers located in the United States. Maximum on-site time is limited to 6 hours a day for up to 5 consecutive business days. Actual travel expenses include airfare, rental car, food per diam, fuel and lodging.

Please contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com for more information.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Goodwill POS Meeting Updates

I've had the opportunity to speak with a couple more regional Goodwill's about their POS plans - a summary appears below.
  • Generally, all Goodwill's are still dealing with tight technology budgets but realize that outdated technology costs them more money in the long run via break/fix hardware costs, excessive labor costs for manual processes that could be automated, and employee errors due to using older technology.
  • When looking for a new POS system, major consideration has to be given specific to whether their new POS system "wish list" includes features like production tracking and donor tracking.
  • Consultants are proving to be very helping in identifying areas that a new POS system could increase revenue, reduce labor costs, and reduce employee errors.
Now, since y'all don't like it when I share your location information in too much detail, here are the Goodwill's that I have spoke with recently (or consulted with), what POS system they currently use, and what they plan on doing about their older POS system.
  1. Southern US - Using Microsoft RMS/HQ - general discussions to replace in 2021 but no formal plan yet.
  2. Southeastern US - Using Microsoft RMS/HQ - general discussions to replace RMS in 2021 - have looked at Retail Management Hero and Cloud Retailer - no formal plan yet.
  3. Midwest - Using custom POS system - no plans to replace
  4. Southwestern US - Using PC America - RFP is presently out to narrow down search for a new POS.
  5. Rocky Mountain - Using NCR CounterPoint - no plans to switch away
  6. Northeastern US - Using NCR CounterPoint - no plans to switch away
  7. Southern West Coast - Using Microsoft RMS/HQ - starting searching for RMS replacement
  8. Pacific Northwest - Using Microsoft RMS/HQ - started search for RMS replacement by looking at Retail Management Hero and Cloud Retailer - budget limitations mean using RMS through at least 2020
  9. Pacific Northwest - Using Microsoft RMS/HQ - have not started looking at RMS replacement options
  10. Pacific Northwest - Using Microsoft RMS/HQ - have not started looking at RMS replacement options
  11. Northern Rock Mountains - Using NCR CounterPoint - no plans to replace CounterPoint at this time.
If you would like more details about the consulting that I have done for Goodwill Industries, or just have general thrift store point of sale questions,  please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632. Thanks!

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Welcome!

I really enjoy these types of posts!  A quick shout out to the following retailers that I am helping with new point of sale equipment:
  1. Smokin' Willy's in Washington State: Replacing Microsoft RMS with Cloud Retailer at all store locations
  2. Asia Grocery in Kansas: Replacing Revel with Cloud Retailer
  3. Good Stuff in Louisiana: RMS Maintenance Agreement
  4. Mary Janes House of Glass: Replacing Microsoft RMS and HQ with Cloud Retailer at all store locations.
  5. Point Liquor in Texas: RMS/HQ Maintenance Agreement for all store locations as well as some new hardware
I enjoy working with all of you! If you would like to learn more about why these retailers are working with me, please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Are you a retailer in the path of Hurricane Dorian? What you need to do with your POS system

No matter what point of sale system you have, some general advice regarding what you should be doing with your point of sale system. All of you are in my prayers for safety and guidance over the coming days. Aside from the items listed below, please take steps to protect yourself and family first.

  1. Make sure that all of your data has been backed up online or to a device that you can take with you (like a flash drive or removable drive). Back up the data multiple ways if possible
  2. If you are using a cloud based POS system like Cloud Retailer - backups are done automatically for you and are safe at a secure facility 1000+ miles away from Florida.
  3. Batch and close out the pos system
  4. Close out of all your software
  5. Power down all hardware
  6. Power down all related equipment like surge/power strips, routers, payment terminals, etc
  7. Ensure that you have documentation (like receipts and invoices) and pictures of all your technology equipment for insurance purposes
  8. Ensure that you have any cd’s or dvd’s that came with the hardware and software
  9. As time permits, and as needed, document how all the cables are connected via pictures or even different colored twist ties attached to each of the cables
  10. Disconnect all technology equipment and related documentation, and move above the water line or to a secure offsite location (be sure to move carefully and store in a way not to cause damage)
Be sure to contact your point of sale partner/dealer/reseller for assistance as needed with any of the above items

Taking the above steps will help protect your point of sale system and related data.

If any of us at RITE can be of assistance, please call us at 888-267-7483. You can also reach me directly at 208-340-5632.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

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

NOTE: I am keeping this updated as we move through 2021 as best I can

As a wild 2020 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.

Many of you have even paid my travel expenses 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 475 single location stores that I have spoken with):
  • 132 of you have upgraded to Retail Management Hero or Cloud Retailer
  • 50 of you have replaced RMS with a different POS system (NCR CounterPoint SQL, Bindo, ShopKeep, LightSpeed, LiquorPOS, Netsuite, Epicore, Vend, and Clover appear to be the most popular)
  • 125 of you have moved to stand alone payment terminals and will stick with that for the next 2+ years
  • 142 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 57 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 late 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 
  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: 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 2022.
  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: moving to Cloud Retailer now for deployment in late summer 2019
  27. 16 location chain: moving to 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 8/2019.
  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 if using RMH 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 if using RMH and the Retail Management Hero discounts end April 2020.
  33. 50 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.
  35. 3 location chain in Texas: using the DRS Bike Interface for RMS - holding out for RMH Central to be released soon.
  36. 5 location chain in Washington State: Moving from RMS/HQ to Cloud Retailer
  37. 19 location chain in Washington State and Alaska: awaiting an appointment with me to discuss further.
  38. 12 location chain in Oregon: testing out In Store POS in 3 locations as a potential RMS/HQ replacement
  39. 2 location chain in California: just starting the search - expressed some interest in Cloud Retailer
  40. 2 Location chain in Arkansas: just starting the search - looking at Cloud  Retailer and RMH for now.
  41. 4 location chain in South Dakota: just starting to look at RMS replacement options
  42. 5 location chain in Alaska: replaced RMS/HQ with Celerant
  43. 7 location chain in Canada: looking at options now
  44. 4 location chain in AZ: looking at options like Cloud Retailer now
  45. 39 location chain across the US: replaced RMS/HQ with RMH and RMH Central (and hate it - see their review here: https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/retail-management-hero-profile/
  46. 3 location chain in the NE US: Didn't know that RMS was End of Life - not sure what they will be doing
  47. 2 location chain in Alaska: hanging on to RMS and HQ for the time being due to negative reviews of RMH Central
  48. 2 location chain in Alaska: starting the search for an RMS replacement to put in late 2020. Is looking at Cloud Retailer.
  49. 18 location chain in South Dakota: elected to replace RMS/HQ with Cloud Retailer
  50. 22 location chain in Oregon:  Replacing RMS/HQ with Cloud Retailer 
  51. 29 location chain in the southeast US: replacing RMS/HQ with RMH/RMH Central
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. I will continue to support RMS past July 2021 but this will not be indefinite).

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
  6. Not able to re-activate license keys
  7. Fee's being charged by merchant services provider for using "retired" POS software
  8. Fee's being charged by merchant services provider for not paying RMS maintenance ("BRAP")
  9. Various integrations no longer working
  10. Issues with Windows 10
  11. Current Microsoft RMS Partner/VAR/Dealer/Reseller ending support for RMS and HQ.
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 2020 and 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.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Still using Windows 7 with POS Software? What you need to know about Jan 14th, 2020

If you happen to still be using Windows 7 on your point of sale computers, it is important to note that all support for Windows 7 will end on January 14th, 2020. What does this mean? Basically, you will be using an un-supported operating system and will most likely need to upgrade to Windows 10 (and may need to upgrade your computers as well).  Reasons for this include the following:
  • Being non-PCI compliant
  • Being vulnerable to virus and malware attacks (potential loss and/or compromise of data)
  • POS software may no longer be supported if using Windows 7
  • Peripherals like receipt printers, payment terminals, scales, customer displays, etc may no longer be supported
  • Your point of sale Partner/VAR/Dealer/Reseller will no longer assist you
You may want to take this opportunity to evaluate which point of sale software program to use and see if it is time to make a switch to newer point of sale software as you will likely already be investing in new computers. Keep in mind that the only way to by-pass this would be to use stand alone payment terminals and computers that have no internet access.

Questions or need some advice? Please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Liquor Store Operations Crash Course

Wanted to say thanks to the folks at WestSide Liquor in Waite Park, MN for today's crash course in liquor store operations.  It was a very eye opening experience and helped me understand what challenges liquor store retailers are facing (even beyond what the point of sale system can help with)!





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Curious to have me come onsite to learn more about your retail operation? You can reach me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com for more information.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

News Flash: Important Retail Management Hero (RMH) Upcoming Price Changes

I wanted to pass along some VERY important information regarding the pricing for the Retail Management Hero (RMH) Point of Sale software. this includes information on the Microsoft RMS to RMH discount schemes.
  1. Effective Immediately: RMH iPOS license prices are now $495/each instead of $695/each.
  2. Effective August 1st. 2019: RMH Base license price will be $1300. Additional lane and manager licence pricing will remain the same.
  3. Effective August 1st, 2019: Payment Processing through RMH will carry a $7/month per lane charge to new users or users who let their annual maintenance lapse. This will not apply to users who do not process payments via RMH.
  4. Effective October 1st, 2019: Microsoft RMS users who wish to migrate to RMH will only receive a 50% RMH license discount if current on RMS maintenance. The discount will be reduced to 20% for RMS users who are lapsed on maintenance.
  5. Effective April 1st, 2020: All RMS license discounts end. There will be no RMH license discount available to RMS users.
For more details, please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

T Minus Less Than1 (or 2) Years to RMS End of Extended Support

OK retailers, we are just over one year away from the end of extended support for the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software.  Two years if you are current on annual software maintenance.  July 2020 and July 2021 are the key dates to remember.

Many of you have been asking me what will and what won't happen on these days. Here is a summary:

What will happen:
  • All support from Microsoft will end
  • No new feature packs, updates, hot fixes, etc (although we have not seen anything for a couple of years anyway)
  • No ability to add new licenses
  • No ability to activate licenses whether new or existing (if you replace a computer, you will not be able to activate the RMS POS module)
  • Support will be limited as Dynamics RMS Partners/VAR's/Dealers/Resellers will only have their own internal resources
What will not happen:
  • RMS will magically stop working
  • You will lose all your data (assuming that you are backing everything up daily)
What we don't know just yet:
  • Will support for payment processing cease since the software will likely no longer meet compliance with the payment processing industry?
  • Will support for the various RMS plug in's and add on's end?
  • Will the license swap program end for Retail Management Hero (yes it will! More information coming soon as this will end in 2020!)
  • Will RMS be compatible with newer versions of Windows and SQL Server?
  • How many current companies supporting RMS will continue to support RMS past 2020/2021?
Summary of what other retailers who use the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software are doing regarding the end of life/end of support dates for RMS:

What should you do?

Have a plan to replace RMS before the deadline so you are not scrambling at the last minute. I've worked with many retailers to help them migrate to Retail Management Hero or Cloud Retailer over the last year.  If you truly want to hang on to RMS past 2020/2021, then be sure that you are backing up your data and that you have a contingency plan in place should RMS stop working.

Each retailer is different, and I have worked with well over 2000 of you since the late 1990's. Please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632 for some personalized advice.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Still using Windows 7 with POS Software? What you need to know about Jan 14th, 2020

If you happen to still be using Windows 7 on your point of sale computers, it is important to note that all support for Windows 7 will end on January 14th, 2020. What does this mean? Basically, you will be using an un-supported operating system and will most likely need to upgrade to Windows 10 (and may need to upgrade your computers as well).  Reasons for this include the following:
  • Being non-PCI compliant
  • Being vulnerable to virus and malware attacks (potential loss and/or compromise of data)
  • POS software may no longer be supported if using Windows 7
  • Peripherals like receipt printers, payment terminals, scales, customer displays, etc may no longer be supported
  • Your point of sale Partner/VAR/Dealer/Reseller will no longer assist you
You may want to take this opportunity to evaluate which point of sale software program to use and see if it is time to make a switch to newer point of sale software as you will likely already be investing in new computers. Keep in mind that the only way to by-pass this would be to use stand alone payment terminals and computers that have no internet access.

Questions or need some advice? Please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

August 1st 2019 Deadline to Replace PAX MT30 Payment Terminals

Wanted to share a note that First Data has communicated to us that retailers can no longer use the PAX MT 30 payment terminals as of August 1st, 2019.  A good replacement option is the PAX S300.

I suspect that other processors like TSYS, Heartland, etc will soon follow suit and set a deadline for PAX MT 30 payment terminals to be replaced.

This is due to PAX no longer offering compliance updates for the PAX MT30 payment terminals.

If you are using the PAX MT30,  be sure to contact your credit card/merchant services salesperson for options.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Is Total Wine Effecting Your Liquor Store Revenue?

Slightly different request today. I've been reading about the effects that Total Wine has been having on independently owned liquor stores. If you own or manage a liquor store, and have any insights that you would like to share, please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

None of your information will be shared as this is for research only. I also have a conceptual data analytics product to share with you to see if you would see it a viable marketing tool to increase revenue and compete against Total Wine.

Again - no sales pitches - just some honest feedback.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

News Flash: Important Retail Management Hero (RMH) Upcoming Price Changes

I wanted to pass along some VERY important information regarding the pricing for the Retail Management Hero (RMH) Point of Sale software. this includes information on the Microsoft RMS to RMH discount schemes.
  1. Effective Immediately: RMH iPOS license prices are now $495/each instead of $695/each.
  2. Effective August 1st. 2019: RMH Base license price will be $1300. Additional lane and manager licence pricing will remain the same.
  3. Effective August 1st, 2019: Payment Processing through RMH will carry a $7/month per lane charge to new users or users who let their annual maintenance lapse. This will not apply to users who do not process payments via RMH.
  4. Effective October 1st, 2019: Microsoft RMS users who wish to migrate to RMH will only receive a 50% RMH license discount if current on RMS maintenance. The discount will be reduced to 20% for RMS users who are lapsed on maintenance.
  5. Effective June, 2021: All RMS license discounts end. There will be no RMH license discount available to RMS users.
For more details, please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Latest Post from the NCR CounterPoint Users Forum

POSTINGS FROM OUR FREE  

Counterpoint® Users Group (CPUSER.ORG®) is an independent Support Group for users of Counterpoint® Point-Of-Sale Software by NCR Corporation (formerly by Radiant Systems, Inc. & by Synchronics, Inc.).  We have been serving the
 Counterpoint® Community since 2003.  Please see our Legal Disclaimer at the end of this e-mail.
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That's the response to our NCR Counterpoint® User's query about upgrading to 8.5 and is it okay to run the LAN and Client on the same server. 
 
Read all about it (and add your thoughts), at Posting #3848, "Installing CP server and client on same server."         
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(Click the Links below and stay up-to-date on these posts from fellow CP-Users!)
 
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If you are trying to connect to our Forum and get an Error 404 Message, change the 50.87.144.104  IP Address in the link to cpuser.org and the link will work.
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4.)  Buy Your POS Supplies From Us - 10% First Order Discount!
Thermal Receipt Paper:
$71.10/case of 50 Rolls!  Free Shipping!
*  3 1/8 Inch x 230 Feet (for Epson, Bixolon, etc.)    
*  Free Shipping!
*  That's 61.8 cents per 100 Feet!  
*  Call or E-Mail Us Today!
Plus Save 10% on Labels, Tags, & Ribbons!
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Questions???  Call or E-mail us!  
Counterpoint Users Group 
 
Gordon Gelrod, Owner 
 
Toll-Free:  (888) 434-0844 
 
E-mail:  Gordon@cpuser.org 
Website:  www.cpuser.org 
 
LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/cpuser   
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CPUSER.ORG® and Counterpoint Users Group provide independent technical support services and information specifically for users of COUNTERPOINT® point of sale systems.
 
COUNTERPOINT® is a registered trademark of CheckPoint Systems, Inc. and a licensed trademark property of NCR Corporation (formerly licensed by Radiant Systems, Inc. and by Synchronics, Inc.
 
CPUSER.ORG® is a registered trademark of Counterpoint Users Group.
 
CheckPoint Systems, Inc. and NCR Corporation neither endorse nor have any affiliation with CPUSER.ORG® or Counterpoint Users Group.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

PAX PX5 Certification on TSYS with Card Defender

Wanted to quickly pass along that the PAX PX 5 payment terminals are now certified with First Data to use with the Card Defender software from RITE. As a reminder, Card Defender works with the Microsoft Dynamics RMS, Retail Management Hero (RMH), and Cloud Retailer point of sale software programs.

Here is what the PAX PX5 payment terminal looks like:

Image result for PAX PX5 payment terminal

Please contact RITE at sales@rite.us or 888-267-7483 for more information like pricing and upgrading existing Card Defender users from older payment terminals to the PAX PX5.

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Welcome to Some New Retailers!

A quick welcome to the following retailers who recently signed on with myself, over the last month:
  • Luna Rosa Winery in Nevada - conversion from RMS to RMH with Card Defender
  • Blakes Hardware in California - Card Defender for RMS
  • Pets Warehouse in Washington State- switching to RITE for RMH support
  • Bandanna Running in Idaho - conversion from RMS to Cloud Retailer 
  • Mary Janes House of Glass in Oregon and Washington State - RITE Maintenance Agreement
I look forward to working with all of you! If you are interested in learning more about I can offer, please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632.


Tuesday, June 11, 2019

T Minus 1 (or 2) Years to RMS End of Extended Support

OK retailers, we are just over one year away from the end of extended support for the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software.  Two years if you are current on annual software maintenance.  July 2020 and July 2021 are the key dates to remember.

Many of you have been asking me what will and what won't happen on these days. Here is a summary:

What will happen:
  • All support from Microsoft will end
  • No new feature packs, updates, hot fixes, etc (although we have not seen anything for a couple of years anyway)
  • No ability to add new licenses
  • No ability to activate licenses whether new or existing (if you replace a computer, you will not be able to activate the RMS POS module)
  • Support will be limited as Dynamics RMS Partners/VAR's/Dealers/Resellers will only have their own internal resources
What will not happen:
  • RMS will magically stop working
  • You will lose all your data (assuming that you are backing everything up daily)
What we don't know just yet:
  • Will support for payment processing cease since the software will likely no longer meet compliance with the payment processing industry?
  • Will support for the various RMS plug in's and add on's end?
  • Will the license swap program end for Retail Management Hero (yes it will! More information coming soon as this will end in 2020!)
  • Will RMS be compatible with newer versions of Windows and SQL Server?
  • How many current companies supporting RMS will continue to support RMS past 2020/2021?
Summary of what other retailers who use the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software are doing regarding the end of life/end of support dates for RMS:

What should you do?

Have a plan to replace RMS before the deadline so you are not scrambling at the last minute. I've worked with many retailers to help them migrate to Retail Management Hero or Cloud Retailer over the last year.  If you truly want to hang on to RMS past 2020/2021, then be sure that you are backing up your data and that you have a contingency plan in place should RMS stop working.

Each retailer is different, and I have worked with well over 2000 of you since the late 1990's. Please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632 for some personalized advice.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Latest Posts from the Un-Official NCR CounterPoint Forum

POSTINGS FROM OUR FREE  

Counterpoint® Users Group (CPUSER.ORG®) is an independent Support Group for users of Counterpoint® Point-Of-Sale Software by NCR Corporation (formerly by Radiant Systems, Inc. & by Synchronics, Inc.).  We have been serving the
 Counterpoint® Community since 2003.  Please see our Legal Disclaimer at the end of this e-mail.
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That is the sentiment from this Counterpoint® SQL user who lists the issues they are battling after their upgrade.   
 
See the gory details (and two good things that happened) at Posting #3803, "Upgrade to 8.5.6 Ticket History/Other Issues."      
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(Click the Links below and stay up-to-date on these posts from fellow CP-Users!)
 
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3.)  HostGator Error 404:  Page Not Found: 
 
If you are trying to connect to our Forum and get an Error 404 Message, change the 50.87.144.104  IP Address in the link to cpuser.org and the link will work.  
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4.)  10% First Order Discount!
Thermal Receipt Paper:
$71.10/case of 50 Rolls!  Free Shipping!
*  3 1/8 Inch x 230 Feet (for Epson, Bixolon, etc.)    
*  Free Shipping!
*  That's 61.8 cents per 100 Feet!  
*  Call or E-Mail Us Today!
Plus Save 10% on Labels, Tags, & Ribbons!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Questions???  Call or E-mail us!  
Counterpoint Users Group 
 
Gordon Gelrod, Owner 
 
Toll-Free:  (888) 434-0844 
 
E-mail:  Gordon@cpuser.org 
Website:  www.cpuser.org 
 
LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/cpuser   
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CPUSER.ORG® and Counterpoint Users Group provide independent technical support services and information specifically for users of COUNTERPOINT® point of sale systems.
 
COUNTERPOINT® is a registered trademark of CheckPoint Systems, Inc. and a licensed trademark property of NCR Corporation (formerly licensed by Radiant Systems, Inc. and by Synchronics, Inc.
 
CPUSER.ORG® is a registered trademark of Counterpoint Users Group.
 
CheckPoint Systems, Inc. and NCR Corporation neither endorse nor have any affiliation with CPUSER.ORG® or Counterpoint Users Group.

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