Retail Management Hero: Retailer Feedback

As many of you know, I worked with several retailers in 2018 to upgrade them from the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software to the Retail Management Hero (RMH) software.  I'm involved with 3 retailers who are currently in the midst of upgrading from RMS to RMH and will report back on their feedback within the next 45 - 60 days.

If you need feedback sooner, please contact me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or 208-340-5632. Thanks!

Updates on the Retail Management Hero Point of Sale Software

Fresh off of the product update webinar today, here are the latest updates on the Retail Management Hero point of sale software version 3.3.2:

• 414 Total Deployments
• Lots of new features/functions added - some highlights:
• Support of OPOS Scale/Scanners
• Support of Dual Cash Drawers
• Basic Time Clock
• Blind Closeout
• Returns at Different Store
• Card Defender is now available for RMH
• Only processor agnostic solution
• No contracts
• No per transaction fees
• Only solution for RMH that works with TSYS and First Data (that I am aware of)
• Focus on Stability versus adding Features and Functions
• RMH Release 3.4 July 2017
• Task Pads
• Reports change to what RMS offered
• RMH Release 3.5 Q3 2017
• Customer feedback improvements
• RMH Central Integration
• RMH Central 1.0 Q3 2017
• Replacement for Microsoft Dynamics RMS HQ
• On premise or cloud versions
• No more worksheets! 
• RESTful and WebSocket API's for near real time 2 way communications
• Windows App and future web based application
• Pricing to be determined
• RMH Web Services
• Light weight POS client
• Use on mobile devices
• Android and iOS support
• Available via app store/pricing to be determined 
• Online Purchases of RMH and related hardware
• RMH website will allow for online purchases (coming late summer 2017)
• Sale still needs to be completed by a certified RMH Partner
• More training and users guide documentation coming soon

Great to see the "roadmap" and successes specific to Retail Management Hero as well as RMH Central! I'm excited as this opens the door to Microsoft Dynamics RMS HQ users who would rather not invest in a new POS system and have to start from scratch with all their data (and training, setup, expenses, ect). 

My personal advise specific to RMH Central is to wait until the program has stabilized before deploying - this likely means waiting until Q1 2018 (and I already have multiple retailers lined up to do this!).

Confused? Have questions? Need advice?  Contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com as I do work for a tier one Microsoft Dynamics Partner (RMS, HQ and Dynamics 365) who is also fully certified to sell, install, and support Retail Management Hero.

Link to the full webinar:
https://vimeo.com/223827824?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_feed%3B33tgIwY%2FSu62nAyLW8YF%2Bw%3D%3D

Yummy Times at Garden Gate Candy!

I have been neglecting my duties related to showcasing some of the businesses that I worked with recently. Earlier this week I (and the support team at RITE) had a great time helping Garden Gate Candy upgrade to the most recent version of the Microsoft RMS point of sale software as well as installing the Card Defender EMV/Chip Card add-on for Microsoft.

What an awesome - and well known business!  They are very popular both locally and nationally and are open only open for a limited time each year. You can see how this family run business has established themselves as a must shop place from the end of October to Christmas Eve. I look forward to working with the family for many years to come!

I'm going to try and post information about at least one business that I help each month and try to include pictures of the equipment as well as details about the technology used and the business itself. For now, I'm sending $80 worth of treats from Garden Gate Candy back to our main office in Minnesota.

Real World RMS to RMH Upgrade Costs

Now that I have had the opportunity to provide specific proposals for retailers wanting to upgrade from the Microsoft RMS point of sale software to the new Retail Management Hero point of sale software (RMS version 3), I'm quite pleased to pass along that the costs are very realistic compared to having to purchase a new point of sale system.

Factoring in the discounts that I have been offering, a typical retail store is only spending around $2,000 to $5,000 on the upgrade. The variables related to how many computers are using RMS in a selling capacity and whether or not any of the hardware needs to be replaced.

Not bad compared to spending $8,000 to $12,000 on a new POS system or going with a subscription based point of sale system that has $1,500 to $3,000 in upfront hardware costs and $4,740 to $10,740 in subscription fees over the course of 5 years (plus you don't get to keep all of your historical data with these options).

How to obtain a 30 day trial version of Retail Management Hero: http://www.pospondering.com/2017/01/how-to-obtain-30-day-trial-license-of.html

Want to learn more? In the US and in need of no cost retail point of sale advice? I can be reached using the contact form to the right, on my cell phone at 208-340-5632 or via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com.

Retail Management Hero Promotional Pricing Extended to Microsoft POS 2007/2009/2.0 Users

A quick note that Retail Realm and Retail Hero have let me know that users of the Microsoft POS 2007, 2009 and 2.0 point of sale programs can also upgrade to the new Retail Management Hero point of sale software program at the $250/license cost (plus maintenance and labor/new hardware as required).

This is a really great opportunity for stores using these point of sale software programs to upgrade to a newer point of sale program!

Be sure to contact me at 208-340-5632 or kevinantosh@gmail.com for more information (US only please).

Microsoft RMS to Retail Management Hero (RMH) Upgrade Pricing

For new users, Retail Management Hero (RMH) will have nearly the same licensing cost as Microsoft RMS did with an exception that each store can only have 2 manager licenses for free - after that the manager licenses are $400/each.

So now comes the confusing part for stores using the Microsoft RMS point of sale software that want to upgrade to the new Retail Management Hero (RMH) point of sale software. I've been in contact with around 174 stores interested in this upgrade and each of you has a different scenario.  Below I will try and break down the costs based on the most common scenarios.  Note that I am not including HQ in the examples and am also not including labor costs or the costs to replace any hardware.

Because this can get very complex, please contact me for more information (if you are not already working with an RMS/RMH partner or are willing to switch Partners as I can't access your RMS license information unless you are assigned to RITE or DirectPOS/RVP Business Systems) - my cell number is 208-340-5632 and my email address is kevinantosh@gmail.com.

Scenario # 1:
2 Lane RMS License - RMS Version 2.02 - Current on Software Maintenance - 2 Back Office/Manager Computers

Upgrade to RMH: $430.00

Reasoning: RMS users who are current on software maintenance and are using RMS version 2.02 or higher receive an equal number of lanes for RMH and up to 10 manager licenses at no cost. Only software costs are to to purchase RMH software maintenance at a cost of $215/lane.

Scenario # 2:
2 Lane RMS License - RMS Version 1.3-2.01 - No Software Maintenance - 2 Back Office/Manager Computers

Upgrade to RMH: $930

Reasoning: RMS users who are lapsed/not current on their RMS software maintenance agreements and using an older version of RMS will need to pay $250/lane to upgrade to RMH plus buy software maintenance at a cost of $215/lane.

How to obtain a 30 day trial version of Retail Management Hero: http://www.pospondering.com/2017/01/how-to-obtain-30-day-trial-license-of.html

Again, each situation is somewhat unique so do contact me with questions but please note that I can not provide accurate pricing unless you agree to use RITE as your RMS/RMH partner of record (it is a simple one page form that I can send you).

Microsoft RMS Upgrades and Retail Management Hero Pricing

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

Wow, so it's obvious that there are a lot of folks using the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software who want to upgrade to the new version of RMS which has been rebranded under the Retail Management Hero point of sale software name.  We'll call the new version RMH.

RMH is also proving to be of high interest to stores who want the speed and reliability of a computer based point of sale system without the expense of other point of sale software programs like Retail Pro and NCR CounterPoint.

I'm working on demo videos, price lists, and deployment options but it may take me a few weeks to get everything recorded, written and posted.  I also need to share some individualized information with specific stores.

The plan is to offer RMH nationally with on site deployment available as well.  I'm pretty excited about this opportunity since so many of you expressed that you needed an actual provider of retail point of sale systems.

That being said, all initial point of sale advice will still be free and unbiased.  My blog site and YouTube Channel started while I was selling and supporting point of sales systems and will continue to be a source for news, reviews, videos, and (once again) sales and support of multiple different retail point of sale systems.

I'll be adjusting my blog site and YouTube Channel to reflect the sales and support options.

How to obtain a 30 day trial version of Retail Management Hero: http://www.pospondering.com/2017/01/how-to-obtain-30-day-trial-license-of.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.

For Microsoft Dynamics RMS POS Users: Upgrade Costs & Options

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

As I have been contacted by 1102 stores using the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software over the last couple of years, an unbiased overview of the costs, pro's and con's related to switching from the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software to either the new Retail Management Hero (RMH) point of sale software or the NCR CounterPoint SQL point of sale software.

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.

Another Option for Microsoft Dynamics RMS Users: eMobilePOS

I recently had the opportunity to learn more about eMobilePOS who actually offers an option allowing businesses and organizations using the Microsoft Dynamics RMS point of sale software to use mobile devices like tablets while still using the core RMS SQL database.

eMobilePOS has multiple different options and solutions available depending on what type of business you have. You can learn more about eMobilePOS by visiting: http://www.emobilepos.com/

NCR CounterPoint SQL as an Upgrade or Replacement for Microsoft Dynamics RMS

A quick reminder that sales of Microsoft Dynamics RMS and HQ to new users as well as mainstream support 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.

April 3rd, 2016, new video review/overview of the NCR CounterPoint SQL point of sale software: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2016/04/updated-review-of-ncr-counterpoint-sql.html

With the EMV Liability Shift Deadline looming as well as the "end of life" status form Microsoft Dynamics RMS and HQ, I wanted to revisit NCR CounterPoint SQL as a logical upgrade from RMS.

I've had direct experience in the past with retail stores and museums replacing RMS with NCR CounterPoint and overall the experience has been positive. It is easy to transfer the data from RMS to NCR CounterPoint SQL and users appreciated the additional features and functions that NCR CounterPoint SQL offers. The user interface for NCR CounterPoint SQL is very different from the user interface in RMS but is also more customizable.

As NCR CounterPoint SQL offers a lot more than RMS, dedicated training sessions are a "must have" as is allowing for time to transition to a new point of sale system. Another bonus is that NCR CounterPoint SQL works with most of the same peripherals (barcode scanners, cash drawers, etc) as Microsoft Dynamics RMS.  NCR CounterPoint SQL is also much better suited for multi-location environments that using Microsoft Dynamics HQ.

About the only complaints that I heard from businesses and organizations who upgraded to NCR CounterPoint SQL from Microsoft Dynamics RMS is that the reporting in NCR CounterPoint SQL is not as robust as the reporting in Microsoft Dynamics RMS. In most cases this was overcome by writing custom reports using Crystal Reports.

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.

EMV Options for Microsoft Dynamics RMS (and HQ) Point of Sale Software 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

Video explaining the different EMV Liability Shift Date options and offering advice for users of the Microsoft Dynamics RMS (and HQ) point of sale programs in the United States. Covers all the options from doing nothing, using separate credit card terminals, using a payment gateway, or switching to a different point of sale system.

Between EMV and the 'end of life' status with RMS and HQ, just about everyone using RMS (including HQ) has to take some course of action.

I have already been contacted by 1102 stores and organizations using RMS (with about 12 also using HQ) for free and unbiased advice and direction so this is real word advice and not sales fluff. If you are in need of free and unbiased advice - including trusted contacts at any of the solutions that I mention in the video of which many are offering significant discounts to RMS users - please contact me via email at kevinantosh@gmail.com or on my cell at 208-340-5632.  You can also visit my contact page for other ways to get in touch with me.

Sales of Retail Management Hero

If anyone out there is planning on selling and supporting Retail Management Hero in the US once it becomes available, could you please get in touch with me?  I have several hundred RMS users that need more information on Retail Management Hero plus new leads coming in each week asking about Retail Management Hero.

Here is a link to my contact information: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/p/contact-me.html

Discounts and Promotions for Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management Systems (RMS) Users

Update June 28th, 2015 - special discount and incentive from a national NCR CounterPoint Partner for RMS and HQ users: http://retailpospondering.blogspot.com/2015/06/big-discount-and-incentive-for.html

Hello to the 40,000+ users of the Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management Systems (RMS)   Through some careful conversations, I have been able to obtain commitments from several trusted and established point of sale companies offering some very significant discounts on point of sale software and hardware.  These discounts and various promotions apply if:

• Your business is in the United States
• You are currently using the RMS point of sale program in your business
• You are:
• Looking to upgrade or refresh RMS
• Looking to replace RMS with a similar point of sale solutions
• Looking to replace RMS with a completely different point of sale solution 

To give you an idea - these promotions and discounts are worth anywhere from $1500 to $5000 depending on what you need in terms of software, hardware, and labor.

Best advice is to contact me and we can chat more. As always, my advice is completely free. These discounts and promotions will end at some point.  You can use the "contact me" form to the right, email me at kevinantosh@gmail.com or reach me on my cell at 208.340.5632.