Buying POS Direct vs. Working With A Local POS Partner

Buying POS Direct vs. Working With a Local POS Partner

You’ve decided it’s time for a new point-of-sale system. You’ve researched the options, compared features, and found a POS platform that looks like a good fit for your business. Now there’s another decision to make: Should you buy directly from the POS company or work with a local POS partner?

At first glance, buying direct may seem like the easiest route. You’re purchasing the software from the company whose name is on the product, so why involve anyone else? But a POS system is much more than software and a terminal. It needs to be configured around your business, installed correctly, integrated with your other technology, connected to payment processing, and supported long after the initial sale.

That’s where the difference between buying a product and choosing a technology partner becomes important.

The POS System May Be the Same. The Experience Doesn’t Have to Be.

One of the biggest misconceptions about working with a local POS partner is that you’re getting a different or lesser version of the technology.

That’s not necessarily the case.

Depending on the POS platform and partnership, you may be purchasing the same POS technology available directly from the provider. The difference is who is helping you select, configure, install, and support it.

Instead of dealing with different departments or support representatives throughout the process, a local partner can provide a more personal relationship with people who get to know your business.

And when your POS is responsible for taking orders, accepting payments, communicating with your kitchen, managing employees, tracking inventory, and generating reports, that relationship can matter.

It Starts Before You Ever Buy the POS

Choosing a POS shouldn’t begin with someone trying to sell you whatever system they happen to offer.

Your restaurant or retail business has its own workflows, challenges, priorities, and budget.

A good POS partner should first understand how your business operates.

That means asking questions such as:

• What type of business do you operate?
• How many locations do you have?
• How do customers place orders or make purchases?
• What features are most important to your operation?
• What isn’t working with your current system?
• What third-party services need to integrate with your POS?
• What are your reporting and inventory requirements?
• What type of support does your business need?

At Delaware Business Systems (DBS), we work with multiple POS platforms because different businesses have different needs. Instead of trying to make every business fit one system, we can help determine which of our available solutions makes the most sense for your operation.

Programming and Configuration Matter

A new POS system doesn’t arrive knowing how your business operates.

For restaurants, there may be menus, modifiers, pricing, taxes, discounts, kitchen printers, kitchen displays, online ordering, employee permissions, dining options, and payment settings to configure.

Retail businesses may need products, departments, categories, barcodes, pricing, taxes, inventory settings, customer information, employee permissions, and reporting configured.

The quality of that setup can have a major impact on how easy the POS is to use once you go live.

The best POS system in the world can still create frustration if it isn’t configured correctly for your business.

Working with a local POS partner gives you access to people who can help build and configure the system around the way you actually operate—not simply ship equipment and expect you to figure everything out yourself.

Installation Is More Than Plugging In a Terminal

A POS installation can involve much more than placing a terminal on a counter.

Depending on your operation, your system could include:

• POS terminals
• Handheld devices
• Receipt and kitchen printers
• Kitchen display systems
• Customer-facing displays
• Barcode scanners
• Cash drawers
• Payment terminals
• Online ordering
• Third-party integrations
• Networking equipment

Everything needs to communicate properly.

A professional installation also gives your business an opportunity to test the system, confirm workflows, and address issues before they become problems during a busy shift.

What Happens After Installation?

This may be the most important question of all.

A POS salesperson can make almost any system sound great during a demonstration. The real test begins after the system is installed.

What happens three months later when a printer stops working?

What if your menu needs to be changed?

What happens when you’re having trouble processing payments?

Who helps when an integration stops communicating?

What if you need another terminal or want to add a new location?

And most importantly, who do you call when your POS isn’t working and customers are waiting?

When you work with a local POS partner, ongoing service and support can become part of the relationship rather than an afterthought.

There’s Value in Talking to People Who Know Your Business

Large technology companies can support thousands—or even hundreds of thousands—of businesses.

Scale can provide tremendous resources, but it can also mean your next support call is handled by someone who has never spoken with you before.

A local POS partner offers something different: familiarity.

Over time, the support team can become familiar with your equipment, configuration, business, and history.

Instead of beginning every conversation from scratch, you’re working with people who understand the technology and can also understand how you’re using it.

At DBS, support is one of the most important parts of what we provide. Our relationship with a customer doesn’t end when the POS system is installed. We’re here to help businesses keep their technology working long after the initial sale.

Payment Processing Should Be Part of the Conversation

Your POS and payment processing are increasingly connected, which makes payment costs another important part of choosing a provider.

Don’t evaluate a POS system based solely on the price of the hardware or monthly software subscription.

Ask about:

• Credit card processing rates
• Transaction fees
• Contract requirements
• Equipment costs
• Additional payment-related fees
• Gift card processing
• Chargeback assistance
• Who you contact when there’s a payment problem

A local POS partner that understands both the technology and payment side of your business can help you look beyond the advertised POS price and evaluate the overall solution.

DBS works with customers to review payment processing options and help identify competitive pricing while also providing assistance when payment-related questions or issues arise.

Local Doesn’t Have to Mean Limited

Working with a local POS partner doesn’t necessarily mean limiting your business to a small geographic area.

Technology has changed how POS systems can be programmed, monitored, updated, and supported. Many issues can now be handled remotely, while local resources can still provide hands-on assistance when needed.

That combination can give businesses the personal relationship of a local partner with technology and support capable of serving businesses across multiple locations and geographic areas.

Buying Direct Isn’t Necessarily Wrong

There are businesses that are comfortable purchasing technology directly, handling their own setup, and relying on the manufacturer’s support structure.

For some organizations, that approach may work well.

The important question isn’t simply, “Can I buy this POS directly?”

The better question is:

“What level of service do I want before, during, and after the sale?”

When comparing your options, consider the entire relationship—not just the product.

Compare More Than POS Features

Before choosing where to purchase your next POS system, compare:

Selection.
Are you being shown one system or given multiple options?

Programming.
Who configures the POS around your business?

Installation.
Who makes sure everything is set up and working correctly?

Training.
Who helps your team learn the system?

Payments.
Who helps you understand processing rates, fees, and payment issues?

Support.
Who answers when something goes wrong?

Ongoing Service.
Who helps as your business changes and grows?

The POS software is important, but the company standing behind it can be just as important.

Get Your POS Technology With a Partner Behind It

Since 1983, Delaware Business Systems has helped restaurants and retailers select, program, install, and support point-of-sale technology.

DBS offers multiple POS solutions, payment processing expertise, professional installation, programming, training, and ongoing support—all backed by people you can actually talk to when you need help.

Whether you’re opening a new business, replacing an outdated POS, adding locations, or simply wondering whether you’re getting the service and pricing you should from your current provider, we’re here to help.

Don’t just shop for a POS system. Find the right technology—and the right people to stand behind it.

Contact DBS today to talk with our team about your business and explore your POS options.