Many factors go into the decision to purchase a new retail system. A primary consideration of course is price. A good rule of thumb is to budget 2-3% of your average sales for your POS purchase, and average this expenditure over 3-10 years, depending upon the type and quality of the retail equipment you choose. However, due to the varied functions and features of a POS system, price should not be the primary consideration.

You should also consider just what it is you want the POS system do for your business, not just in the short term but looking forward as well. The POS system's functionality (what it can and can't do) must be able to adapt and change as your company grows and changes. The more you grow, the more you want your POS and Inventory Management to be automated so that you can maximize efficiency and avoid wasted efforts.

95% of C&K's new business comes from customers who are upgrading from another system. Why is that statement important? It means they have outgrown or are unsatisfied with their current system. As one of your largest capital outlays, you should make sure your POS investment can grow with your business as it expands, just because there are features that you may not use today, they may play a critical role as your business grows. The system should be configurable to your business so that you can turn on what you need today and turn on additional features as you need them.

This brings us to the final important consideration, one that is often overlooked - choosing the right vendor for your POS solutions. This is key - you want a team that consults with you and truly understands your business and the vision you have for it – now and in the future. Poor vendor selection is one of the main reasons for system implementation failures and dissatisfied users. A POS system is crucial to your business so in many ways, the partner you choose is just as crucial as the actual hardware or software.

Radiant Systems is C&K's strategic POS partner, Radiant is a publicly traded company with a proven history in the point of sale industry. Not only does Radiant provide world class software but its hardware lines increase your ROI beyond traditional POS systems as Radiant builds a 10 year life into all of its terminals. With a staff of over 1000 employees worldwide Radiant is the leader in POS technology. Radiant's hardware has been proven in the rigors of restaurant industry and offers the most attractive ergonomic designs and versatility in the industry.

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