2017 Retail Realm Conference News

A few highlights out of last weeks Retail Realm Conference. Lots of great things happening but do note that just about everything is subject to change!

• Microsoft is working on a retail specific solution within the Dynamics family (eg: AX and D365)
• Work on Retail Management Hero (RMH) Central continues. Initial release should be in late spring or summer 2018. Much easier to use when compared to RMS HQ (few to no worksheets) and also web based syncing. Pricing for RMH Central is tentatively set at $360/year per user and $360/year per store.
• iPad version of RMH was shown - requires (for now) that Shift4 be used for merchant services.

A quick reminder that http://rmhpos.com/marketplace/ is updated regularly as new add-ons become available for the Retail Management Hero point of sale software.

Please do call (208-340-5632) or email me (kevinantosh@gmail.com) with any retail point of sale related questions.

2016 Retail Realm Partner & User Conference

The 2016 Retail Realm Partner and User Conference is wrapping up. I wanted to pass along some news as this conference relates to the majority of the retailers that I work with as they mainly use the Microsoft RMS point of sale software in their stores.

I'll update this post as I come across news that would be of interest.

You can always contact me directly at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com for no-cost retail point of sale advice and information.

Dealer/Partner Training for Retail Realm Essentials

As we prepare to say good-bye to the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software (sales to new users ends July, 2016 as does mainstream technical support), Retail Realm has started offering more training for businesses interested in selling and supporting the Retail Realm Essentials point of sale software. No word yet on Retail Management Hero point of sale software training but here is a link to the Retail Realm Essentials point of sale software training: http://www.rrdisti.com/events/training-sessions

Please visit my contact page for information on how to reach me for unbiased point of sale advice.

Annual Retail Realm Conference Information

You're invited to attend the year's most retail technology focused event... Why it matters. As the only event in the world exclusively focused on the Microsoft suite of products for the Retail Industry, the 6th annual "Retail Realm Partner & User Conference" in 2016 will be our biggest event yet! This event's content is designed to speak directly to companies and customers in the retail space about available solutions and integrations, emerging industry innovations and trends, and also Microsoft's involvement in and commitment towards providing retail-centric technological solutions. This year's conference line-up will also provide attendees with an up-close-and-personal look at Retail Realm's new point-of-sale solution, Retail Management Hero (RMH), that will give retailers a seamless transition from Microsoft RMS. All about retail Ready, set, global: As an international conference hosted in Las Vegas, partners and customers worldwide will come together to be educated, equipped and encouraged regarding the future of retail. A key focus this year will be on attracting partners AND retailers/customers to provide them with educational and training content. The conference agenda will include two Microsoft keynotes, enabling attendees to hear directly from Microsoft regarding planned innovations, strategies and opportunities... and demonstrating that Microsoft supports the retail products and roadmap. Make connections In addition to activities sponsored by high profile companies, there will also be an Exhibit Hall packed with product showcases, enabling attendees to have one-on-one conversations with solution providers. Welcome Cocktail Reception  Sponsored by August 21, 2016 | Foundation Room in Mandalay Bay Every year our conference attendees tell us that the Welcome Reception is one of their most favorite parts of the event. It's a great way to connect with partners and customers before the next day's sessions begin. The setting is casual, intimate and fun -- providing you a simple way to introduce yourself to attendees and start conversations. And because Vantiv will be sponsoring this year's reception, you will be able to relax and enjoy complimentary drinks and appetizers. Thank you, Vantiv! Want to be an Exhibitor or Sponsor? Opportunities available! Get involved. Exhibiting at this conference is an excellent direct way to gain in-person access to current and prospective partners and customers worldwide. You will be able to demonstrate your solution, engage conversations and answer questions regarding your product/service to key industry decision-makers and providers. And, we will promote your company and solutions in our marketing and promotional materials. We offer Gold Level and Silver Level exhibitor packages. For specific questions, contactconference@rrdisti.com.    Early bird pricing ends April 1 View exhibitor packages About Retail Realm: Retail Realm is a multinational company specializing in creating and managing a portfolio of vertical business software solutions that are marketed worldwide through a community of resellers. Retail Realm is a leading distributor of Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS), Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail and "Retail Realm Essentials™ powered by Microsoft Dynamics".  For additional information, contact sales@rrdisti.com or visit www.rrdisti.com  STAY CONNECTED

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.

Contacts for help or questions related to Dynamics RMS, HQ or Retail Realm Essentials

A quick reminder that sales of Microsoft Dynamics RMS and HQ to new users ends next year (2016) so please keep that in mind if you are thinking of purchasing RMS or HQ as point of sale software for your business or organization.

As I continue to receive almost daily calls and emails from folks with questions (or needing support) related to Microsoft Dynamics RMS, HQ and the new Retail Realm Essentials (powered by Microsoft Dynamics) point of sale programs, I wanted to let you know that I do have contacts that I can put you in touch with who can provide technical support as well as general information related to these point of sale programs.

These are people that I know in the industry and are fully certified for sales and support of all the entire Microsoft Dynamics suite of point of sale software programs.

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.

What Microsoft RMS/HQ Point of Sale Users are Doing - Part Two

Update July 2016: Since many Microsoft RMS point of sale software would like to keep using RMS for another couple of years but still need to deal with the EMV Liability Shift Date, visit this post for more information on the Card Defender EMV add-on for Microsoft RMS versions 1.3 and higher (and HQ as well): http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2016/06/card-defender-emv-add-on-for-microsoft.html

Update July 2016, Retail Management Hero(RMS version 3.X) demo and overview: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2016/07/new-version-of-rmsretail-management.html

Updated information on Retail Management Hero as a direct replacement for RMS as of December 3rd, 2015: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2015/12/updated-information-on-new-retail.html

New video discussing options for Dynamics RMS and HQ users as of December 5th, 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evVWS7dj0Bs

Update July 27th, 2015: I have now talked to over 730 stores using RMS, HQ, and Dynamics POS. The NCR CounterPoint offer have proven to be very attractive with several stores taking advantage of the offer mentioned below. Bindo POS also continues to be popular as well.

Update April 21st, 2015: 2 more stores have let me know that they are switching to Bindo Point of Sale (www.bindopos.com) from RMS.

Update March 24th, 2015: getting multiple calls from stores who were about to invest in RMS as a new or replacement POS system and the business/dealers/partners selling RMS made no mention of EMV or the end of life sale and support dates for RMS. Needless to say these stores will not be investing in RMS or recommending businesses/dealers/partners that are selling RMS without full disclosure.

Update March 9th, 2015: still talking to an average of one business per day using RMS. Trends are still about the same especially related to Bindo POS and Retail Pro but a few more RMS users have been asking about Retail Realm Essentials - especially government entities that prefer to stick with Microsoft branded point of sale software.  As always - contact me if you have questions or if you are completely confused.

Update February 3rd, 2015: I've been talking to an average of 5-7 stores using RMS each week so I will keep this information updated so everyone can compare options and plan what to do with RMS over the next few months.

A quick update on conversations that I have had over the last several weeks with multiple businesses of all sizes that currently use the Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) point of sale software (some are using HQ as well).

As there are tens of thousands of retail stores in the US using RMS (I know about 700 of you personally!), I wanted to pass along what RMS users are doing or planning related to the RMS and HQ end of life announcement from Microsoft as well as the upcoming EMV liability shift date for users in the US.

So far, many of you have already switched to different point of sale systems:

• 1 business went from RMS to  LightSpeed as they needed both a food service and retail POS system
• 5 businesses went from RMS to NCR CounterPoint
• 7 businesses went from RMS to Bindo Point of Sale
• 5 are considering using separate EMV terminals (should run around $400-$800 but this opens the door for costly employee errors and means reconciling 2 reports at the end of each day)
• 2 are looking at the 3rd party gateway options but are concerned about the costs of using a third party payment gateway as well as what sort of new requirement will come around in 2016 that requires another investment to keep using RMS

Of the remaining stores that I talked too (well over 30 at this point with new ones contacting me each week), all but one are planning on switching away from RMS in the next few months. A few are waiting for more details related to the new Retail Realm Essentials (powered by Microsoft Dynamics) point of sale system that should be released before the end of Q3 2015.

Many of you have also told me that you are considering Retail Pro as an RMS replacement. Retail Pro offers a very similar feature/function set when compared to RMS but is more up to date when it comes to also using mobile devices as well as traditional computers.

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.

How to Get More Information on Retail Realm Essentials - Powered by Microsoft Dynamics

While I am still waiting more details related to costs and license swap options for the new Retail Realm Essentials - Powered by Microsoft Dynamics point of sale software, I have found someone at Retail Realm who has offered to be a point of contact for retailers interested in the software.

As a reminder, Retail Realm Essentials is a good fit for retailers with 2-24 locations or a single high volume location. This applies to current Dynamics RMS/HQ users as well as folks searching for a new or upgraded point of sale system.

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 Essentials Point of Sale Software

Just a quick request to any Microsoft Dynamics Partner in the US or Canada that is planning to become certified to sell and support the new Retail Essentials (Retail Realm Essentials - powered by Microsoft Dynamics)  point of sale solution: please contact me!

I have been receiving multiple requests from Dynamics RMS and HQ users looking for detailed information related to Retail Essentials and I can not find anyone who is currently planning on selling and supporting Retail Essentials.  There are also several hundred current RMS and HQ users that I am personally familiar with that would appreciate knowing more about Retail Essentials to see if Retail Essentials is a viable upgrade.

My contact information can be found here.

EMV Options for Microsoft Dynamics RMS Users

Update July 2016: Since many Microsoft RMS point of sale software would like to keep using RMS for another couple of years but still need to deal with the EMV Liability Shift Date, visit this post for more information on the Card Defender EMV add-on for Microsoft RMS versions 1.3 and higher (and HQ as well): http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2016/06/card-defender-emv-add-on-for-microsoft.html

Update July 2016, Retail Management Hero (RMS version 3.X) demo and overview: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2016/07/new-version-of-rmsretail-management.html

Updated information on Retail Management Hero as a direct replacement for RMS as of December 3rd, 2015: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2015/12/updated-information-on-new-retail.html

New video discussing options for Dynamics RMS and HQ users as of December 5th, 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evVWS7dj0Bs

Update August 8th, 2015: Blog post and video covering all the options available for RMS users related to EMV: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2015/06/options-for-microsoft-dynamics-rms-and.html

I want to thank the folks at Retail Realm for spending some time with me discussing the future of RMS as well as the new Retail Essentials point of sale solution. As I have personally sold many copies of RMS and HQ and continue to receive calls & emails on a weekly basis from RMS and HQ users of all sizes, I am pleased to pass along the following information related to the EMV Liability Shift and Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management Systems Store Operations and Headquarters point of sale software programs.

While Microsoft has not made a formal statement related to EMV and RMS/HQ, Retail Realm has worked with multiple companies to introduce payment gateways that are "EMV ready".  As everyone should now be compliant with the latest PCI standards (if you are not compliant then don't be surprised to receive information about potential penalties and fines for processing debit and credit card payments through a non-PCI compliant system), the focus has shifted to the EMV Liability shift that is scheduled to take place in October 2015 for businesses and organizations in the United States.

Shift4 offers one of these EMV ready payment gateways that works with RMS and HQ to ensure that your payment processing is done utilizing the latest in encryption and tokanization methods. In fact, no actual card information resides on the point of sale system as encryption takes place as the card is swiped.

Retail Realm is also working with other payment processing and processing gateway companies to allow for RMS/HQ integration.

While these companies do have various fees related to their payment processing and processing gateway services, it is nice to know that RMS and HQ users do have processing options aside from using an independent credit and debit card terminal.  Note that there are still costs associated with EMV compatible credit and debit card terminals which everyone will need to purchase anyway.

While it would be great if Microsoft announced an update and compatible EMV hardware list, at least Retail Realm has some options available now.

You can always contact me, Retail Realm, Shift4 or your RMS Dynamics Partner for more information.

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

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.