Take Aways from the 2015 Envision Retail Conference/CounterPoint Users Conference

I was honored to be a guest speaker at the 2015 Envision Retail Conference/NCR CounterPoint Users Conference in Denver Colorado and wanted to share some observations from the conference:

• CounterPoint users are champions for both NCR CounterPoint as a point of sale systems and Retail Control Systems as their CounterPoint Partner
• NCR is very dedicated to supporting and growing the CounterPoint software
• Retail Control Systems has a "rock star" staff that is very dedicated to providing the best point of sale solution and growing your business or organization
• EMV adoption is slow in all aspects (banks, processors, software companies, hardware companies and in stores)
• There are a lot of companies that offer enhancements for NCR CounterPoint that I was not aware of. These include:
• Avalara for tax calculations and tax compliance
• Vend Lease for funding and financing
• 2B Solutions for warehouse inventory management, hand held mobile inventory, and mobile order picking
• Outbound Software for ticketing, performance seating, and tour groups
• Red Rock for CounterPoint and Magento integration
• Clutch for customer profile and markting
• NCR Merchant Solutions for merchant services (debit and credit card processing)
• There is a need to have more of these conferences across the country so more NCR CounterPoint users can take full advantage of their point of sale systems. I'm pushing for similar events to be held in other areas like Salt Lake City and Boise
• There is a need to allow attendance for business and organizations searching for point of sale systems to attend these conferences. What a great way to interact with other business owners and learn more about NCR CounterPoint in a non-sales environment!

I'm sure that I have more thoughts to share.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Take Aways from the 2015 Retail Realm Conference for Microsoft Dynamics RMS and HQ Users

Updated information on the upcoming Retail Management Hero Software (or what I am coining "RMS 3.0 for 2015 and beyond") can be found here: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2015/06/new-option-for-rmshq-users-retail.html

The recent Retail Realm Conference in April of 2015 helped clarify the current situation related to the Microsoft RMS and HQ point of sale programs. Here are the highlights:

• Sales of RMS to new users will end July 2016
• Extended support for RMS will end July 2021
• Right now complying with the October 1st 2015 EMV Liability Shift Date in the US can only be accomplished using paid third party payment gateways or using payment terminals that are not connected to RMS
• If you do not stay current on your annual software maintenance agreement, you will not qualify for any updates or license swap options for new point of sale programs
• Retail Realm Essentials is a new point of sale program that is a possible replacement option for stores with multiple locations that also currently use HQ.
• Retail Management Hero is a new program under development that is designed for single location RMS users and they will be offering license swap options to RMS users who are current on their annual maintenance. No word on when Retail Management Hero will be available other than that the software presently is about "40% complete". 

There are obviously some trends that you need to be aware of based on the above information:

• If you are not current on your annual maintenance for RMS and/or HQ - your options are very limited for EMV/Chip Cards and switching to Retail Realm Essentials or Retail Management Hero.
• It does not make sense to invest in RMS at this point if you are searching for a point of sale system for your business or organization (would you buy a car if you knew that you could no longer obtain service for it after a specific date?).
• If you are current on your software maintenance then Retail Realm Essentials might be an option if you presently also use HQ and have multiple store locations.
• Retail Management Hero may be a good option for single stores using RMS or stores that do not use or need HQ and are also current on their annual maintenance agreement. However it is not clear when Retail Management Hero will be available.

My advice to RMS and HQ Users:

1. Make a plan for EMV/Chip Cards
2. If not current on software maintenance, look at either replacing RMS or look at the cost to renew your software maintenance
3. Make a plan as to whether you want to keep investing in RMS/HQ, for how long, and whether Retail Realm Essentials or Retail Management Hero are possible replacement programs
4. Look at other point of sale options just to see what might be of interest to you - a lot has changed over the last couple of years and you may find that a much better option exists for your business or organization that is well worth the cost to switch point of sale systems.

If you need some unbiased advice, please visit my contact page for information on how to reach me. I've worked extensively with QuickSell 2000, QuickSell HQ, QuickSell Commerce, Microsoft Dynamics RMS, HQ, and multiple other point of sale programs and apps. Currently I'm offering  advice and information to around 700 stores in the US using RMS of which around 15 also use HQ.

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Retail Realm Technology Conference - information on Retail Realm Essentials

Wanted to pass along the following link related to the annual Retail Realm Technology Conference taking place in Las Vegas later this month (April 25th-27th, 2015).

If you have questions about whether the new Retail Realm Essentials (RRE) - powered by Microsoft Dynamics point of sale software is a good fit for your business, attending the conference would be a great way to get information about RRE right from Microsoft and Retail Realm.

There is a chance that I may be attending the conference as well.

Here is a link to more information about the conference: http://www.rrdisti.com/events/upcoming-events

Are you  in the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice?  I'm happy to help and can be reached on my cell at 208-340-5632 (I am on Mountain Time) or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com. There is also a contact form to the right that can be used to reach me.

Anyone Headed to MAGIC or IFA in Vegas Next Week?

So - I tried to clear my schedule due to several requests that I attend MAGIC and IFA in Las Vegas next week (Feb 17th - 19th 2015 for Magic at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Feb 15th-18th 2015 for IFA at the MGM Grand) but I was unable to clear my schedule.

I was, however, able to connect with some folks who will be in Vegas next week and have offered to buy dinner for anyone that is searching for a retail point of sale system.

Be sure to contact me for an invitation and more information!

Thoughts on News from NRF Big Show 2015

So I have been sorting through all the news that came out of the NRF Big Show for 2015 and there sure was a lot of news (Oracle entering an agreement to acquire MICROS) and cool new products and applications related to point of sale systems, data mining, social media marketing, electronic signage, and related hardware. However, just about everything that I have read so far applies mainly to larger chains.

While larger chain retail stores and restaurants are attractive from a revenue standpoint, my experience has been that there are more single location independently owned retail stores, museums, restaurants, bars, food trucks, and concession stands in the US by number. I'm talking about the typical "mom and pop" business with one to five locations that generate $250,000 to $800,000 in annual gross sales per location.

Looking at my database of over 4000 businesses (which I never share with anyone unless they ask me to),  90% are "mom and pop" businesses while the rest are chains with 16-300 locations. The 90% still need affordable point of sale systems that do everything that a point of sale system designed for a chain can do. 

Since these businesses have the same technology needs as the larger chains but don't have the revenue to justify spending $20,000+ on point of sale systems and related technology, I'm concerned that this segment of the market is becoming under-served to the point that the only point of sale systems on the market will not provide everything that these business owners need (or worse, come with requirements that take away precious revenue).

10 years ago over 10 different point of sale systems existed that had total costs well under $6,000 and provided everything that a single location (or small chain) business needed. Now, a business owner is hard pressed to find anything under $10,000 that doesn't come with contracts or similar that takes revenue away. Even more concerning is the lack of interest many local-based point of sale dealers/partners have expressed to me in serving the "mom and pop" segment of the market.

While mobile solutions like Bindo Point of Sale and NCR Silver are great - they don't yet offer full functionality for businesses that have more complex technology needs like locally hosted databases, jobber parts, backording, or employee scheduling.

Hopefully I missed the news specific to point of sale solutions for "mom and pop" businesses!

Obviously anyone with news or information about point sale solutions that meets the needs of these "mom and pop" businesses is welcomed to contact me and I will be happy to post information about your solution.  Your businesses must be located in the United State or Canada and have an existing active customer base.

NRF News: New Tough All-in-One Point of Sale Tablet from Panasonic

Below is a press release related to a new all-in-one tablet point of sale system from Panasonic as I sort through the various news and announcements coming from the NRF 2015 Big Show.

It is great that the device includes the important EMV reader as the liability shift date of EMV in the United States is coming up in October of this year. I also like that the hardware has been "ruggedized" as I've had some concerns over the last couple of years related to using consumer devices, like iPads, in environments were the device is exposed to heat, cold, grease, and rough handling.

The press release is somewhat vague when it comes to explaining exactly what point of sale application is running on the tablet in terms of specific functions and what market/types of businesses the tablet is designed for (retail? food service? museums? nurseries? etc.).

As the device is not yet available, it will be interesting to see how this solution competes with the other mobile point of sale solutions already on the market. As always, you can contact me for free and unbiased point of sale advice.

Here is the full press release:

Panasonic Announces First All-in-One Mobile POS Tablet with Integrated EMV Payment Technology for Retail Running Windows 8.1

The 7-inch Toughpad FZ-R1 empowers retailers with a true omni-channel mobile platform for today's evolving shopping experience

NEWARK, NJ, January 11, 2015 – Panasonic, an industry leader in reliable and innovative mobile computers for retail, today announced at the 104th annual National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show the launch of the Toughpad® FZ-R1 the industry's first*1 7-inch all-in-one mobile POS tablet running Windows 8.1 for retail environments and to meet the changing omni-channel customer expectations while providing secure transaction capabilities.

With its integrated EMV reader with PIN pad, mag stripe reader and NFC compatibility, the Intel®-based Toughpad FZ-R1 can handle all forms of electronic payment, giving retailers and their customers confidence that financial data is secure.

"The retail world is changing dramatically. Fraud liability is shifting from credit card companies to retailers in the U.S. this fall if they don't adopt EMV, and the widespread adoption of smartphones has upended brick and mortar retail strategies," said Dan Diliberti, senior product development manager – tablet and payment systems, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. "The Toughpad FZ-R1 addresses these dramatic changes in the retail landscape with its integrated EMV payment technology and equips a retailer's salesforce with a powerful platform to help turn browsing shoppers into buyers and close sales right from the sales floor."

With the Toughpad FZ-R1 and the retailer's own store applications, salespeople can assist customers with product comparisons, check inventory or change an item's style color or size right from the sales floor in real time. By enabling checkout anywhere on the sales floor, the salesforce can emerge from behind the register and instead focus on the customer. They can easily pull up customer information including purchase history and other preferences, enabling associates to create cross sell opportunities and deliver that unique in-store, omni-channel experience customers now expect.

Additionally, the tablet is ideal for other customer engagement applications in retail, table service restaurants and hospitality including line busting, order taking, kiosk usage and inventory management.

Powered by an Intel® Celeron® processor and running Windows 8.1 Pro, the Toughpad FZ-R1 offers exclusive, enterprise-grade security features such as Trusted Platform Module (TPM). Other features not available on consumer-grade tablets include: a fast-charging, user-replaceable full-shift battery with optional bridge battery and high-capacity battery, ten-point capacitive multi-touch screen, integrated EMV reader with PIN pad, encrypted magnetic stripe reader, optional POS cradle, and a wide range of configuration options to allow retailers to build the ideal Toughpad FZ-R1 for their specific needs on the sales floor.

"Intel® Celeron® processors enable the media and graphics performance needed for the Toughpad FZ-R1 to drive customer interest, increase customer loyalty and turn showrooming into sales," said Joe Jensen, general manager, Retail Solutions Division, Intel. "The staff is empowered with an omni-channel mobile platform and, with a few taps or swipes, customers can adjust the design, size, color of an item and more." "Retailers today can use the point of sale to understand their customers better and provide more customized service from anywhere in the store," said Brendan O'Meara, managing director, Worldwide Retail and Consumer Goods at Microsoft Corp. "Panasonic's Toughpad® FZ-R1 mobile POS solution running Windows 8.1 will give retailers the expanded capabilities they need on a familiar platform for their employees, with an innovative, fully-integrated EMV card reader implementation in a mobile POS tablet."

Designed for the retail environment, the thin and lightweight rugged Toughpad FZ-R1 features a pre-installed replaceable screen film for LCD protection. Panasonic's entire range of enterprise-grade mobile computers are designed for reliable performance and long deployments, delivering a low total cost of ownership.

Panasonic offers a comprehensive POS system including the Toughpad FZ-R1 as part of its retail technology solutions engineered to increase management capabilities, operational efficiencies and productivity while improving the customer experience and boosting sales.

Toughpad FZ-R1: Key Specifications

· Durable: Semi-rugged, water resistant, fanless design

· Portability: 1.43 lbs., 10.12" x 5.12" x 1.08" (without protruding parts)

· Display: 10 Finger touch (Capacitive), 7" WXGA(1280x800), Aspect ratio 16:10, Anti-Reflection, includes capacitive stylus pen

· Payment: Integrated EMV reader with PIN pad, mag stripe reader

· Processor: Intel® Celeron® processor N2807 (1MB Cache, 1.58 GHz up to 2.16 GHz)

· Operating System: Windows 8.1 Models available*2

· Storage and Memory: 2-4GB SDRAM and 64GB eMMC storage, up to 64GB additional with optional micro SDXC card

· Battery: Approx. 8.0 hours (Tablet Only)3 and approx. 7.0 hours with payment4 Optional bridge battery, enabling users to switch out batteries without powering down the device.

· Charging Time: Power On (approx. 4 hours), Power Off (approx. 2.5 hours) *5

· Camera: optional 5MP, 2048 x 1536 dots, 15fps(Video) / 2592 x 1944 dots(Still), with Camera light

· Connectivity: Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC7260 Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth® v4.0 (Class 1), USB 3.0, micro SDHC card slot, headset jack and docking connector. The Toughpad FZ-R1 offers optional 4G LTE wireless broadband with satellite GPS

· Available Configuration Options: Barcode reader

Accessories The Toughpad FZ-R1 is compatible with a variety of accessories, including hand and shoulder straps, holsters, countertop POS cradle, cases, charging solutions and mobile printers.

Pricing, Availability and Warranty The Toughpad FZ-R1 will be available through authorized and select resellers and distributors in late Spring 2015. The Toughpad FZ-R1 Base model including Windows 8.1 and a standard MSR starts at $1,799. Limited development equipment is available now for lab testing and pilot tests. Please contact your Panasonic representative for more information.

Like all Toughpad devices, the Toughpad FZ-R1 comes backed by the industry's most comprehensive 3-year warranty and includes U.S.-based customer support.

For general sales inquiries, email or call Panasonic at sales.psc@us.panasonic.com or 877-803-8492.