Small- and medium-size retailers and restaurant operators alike rely largely on value-added resellers (VARs) to handle technology implementation of all types, as well as to provide such services as systems maintenance and even business consulting. However, not all VARs are created equal. Some are truly worth doing business with, while others are little more than glorified retailers who seemingly disappear once customers have signed a purchase order on the dotted line.

That’s why we at pcAmerica urge you to carefully evaluate any VAR before formally engaging that firm. Consider these tips:

1.    Establish and list your objectives, as well as your “vision” for how your point of sale or other store/restaurant system will work once it has been installed. Without a set list of goals, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to determine whether a VAR’s background, capabilities and/or menu of technology suits your needs. For example, say one of your objectives entails integrating your point of sale software with a loyalty application, as is possible with pcAmerica’s Cash Register Express and Restaurant Pro Express. You require a VAR with that integration skillset.

2.    Be a ruthless reference checker. It goes without saying that VARs without a proven track record of customer satisfaction should be avoided at all costs. However, “investigations” must go beyond this point. When checking references, don’t just ask contacts whether they liked the VAR in question and if it provided “good” customer service. Instead, delve deeply into issues that are indicative of a company’s “true colors” and whether it really offers value or just wants to sell you something. For example, how quickly does the VAR respond to telephone calls from the reference about problems with its point of sale system? How does it handle downtime issues? What type of training did it provide? Did its sales representatives try to “push” technology on the reference regardless of its needs, emphasizing bells and whistles? Or, did it take individual customer requirements into consideration and demonstrate how different solutions solve specific business problems? How skilled are the company’s technical personnel? You get the idea.

3.    Assess scope and longevity of business. The longer a VAR has been in business, the better. As for staff size and coverage region, these are good indicators of whether (and how well) a VAR can service your location. For example, a VAR with an office of five people in a suburb of Chicago will probably not be able to service a store in downtown Los Angeles as well as a VAR with 50 people across multiple offices in California. The smaller suburban Chicago VAR might execute a given project just as adeptly as a branch of the California firm, but local availability is generally the better option.

Contact pcAmerica to find out how they can help your retail store or restaurant.