StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
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(Continued from page 33) individual client. What makes Harbortouch even more distinctive is that there are no upfront costs to the user whatsoever. Each system is provided at no cost, along with on-site installation, in-person training, and 24-hour technical support, all free of charge. Harbortouch's revenue is based solely on credit card processing. Mario Lopez and his partners opened Legends Wine, Liquor, and Gifts in McAllen, Texas, two years ago. Because they had to devote so much initial capital in inventory, the Harbortouch system was a great option for them. In addition to being pleased with the cost savings, Lopez is completely satisfied with the system's usability. "We've had little to no problems with it so far, and it accurately manages our inventory for us," Lopez states. "It was a win-win situation for us. We didn't have to fork over several thousand dollars for a POS system as a start-up, and we got a system that's user-friendly and worth what we do pay." Lopez says that if his business expands in the next several years and opens a second location, he will definitely continue to use Harbortouch. The best of both worlds perations that are interested in mobile-based POS capabilities may find that integrating that technology with their existing system may be a good way to ease into things. Lee Holman is a Lead Retail Analyst with IHL Group, a research and advisory firm specializing in store systems for retailers. His company recently conducted a survey in which they asked retailers who were utilizing mobile-based POS systems in their stores how it would affect the number of traditional POS units they planned to purchase for their business over the next several years. The result? Mobile-POS retailers only planned to purchase 13% fewer POS systems. "Overall, we're still seeing many retailers holding onto the traditional POS systems, and finding ways of integrating mobile technology into their stores," Holman explains, citing the Starbucks Square Wallet app as an example of a company that has integrated a mobile payment option for customers with their regular POS system. In fact, as of July 2013, 10% of all payment transactions in U.S. Starbucks stores were processed using a mobile app. Holman predicts that while mobile-based technology will continue to grow, there will always be a segment of the industry which prefers a more traditional approach to POS. He also suggests that customers will be the driving force behind many organizations choosing to integrate mobilebased technology as an add-on to their existing systems. For states that are interested in both traditional and mobile-based POS platforms, or which aren't complete- O 36 ly sure about what system will best fit the needs of their department in the future, it's important to identify a POS provider that offers multiple features to accommodate the evolving needs. Microsoft Dynamics for retail is one of the most robust POS systems on the market, and also one of the most popular: it's currently used in 36 countries around the world. Each individual system is equipped with the same powerful capabilities, and can be further customized to meet the needs of an organization with features that include mobile, social, and omnichannel integration. One distinctive aspect of Microsoft Dynamics is that it's designed to run the same way in whatever medium it's accessed in. "We've customized the look and feel to reduce training time and make it more efficient for retailers to access information," states Michael Griffiths, Global Industry Director for Microsoft Dynamics. "Many POS developers need to vary their technology for their program to run in an app, and the result is limited. Our solution is a flexible yet powerful program that works the same way on a tablet, a phone, or on a standard POS. All of these mediums are fully functional, and the look and feel is very consistent across platforms." Regardless of a state's specific needs or preferences, Griffiths says that the goal any organization should have for its POS system is the same: to enhance the customer experience resulting in a higher level of customer engagement. And with mobile and other new media capabilities constantly on the rise, Griffiths says that the states which will succeed the most will be the ones that embrace new technology. A Matter of Security egardless of which POS system you choose, control states should be mindful of security measures as well R StateWays I www.stateways.com I September/October 2013