Business Development | TotalPos Solutions
Supporting Canterbury businesses 24/7
Once a complex bartering system determined how we bought and sold commodity products. Today, a piece of plastic and a four-digit pin is all it takes. The industry behind that piece of plastic is one of constant innovation. From manual cash registers to highly technological point of sale systems, Total POS Solutions is at the forefront of that innovation. Established in 1989 and then known as The Cash Register Doctor Ltd, was formed to do just what the name implies — repair and sell cash registers. However due to the very nature of the industry, it wasn’t long before the company had diversified into advanced cash register sales, Eftpos terminals and PC point of sale (POS) systems providing comprehensive management of stock, membership, loyalty and financial control. By 2000 the company had grown to be the largest specialised point of sale provider in the South Island. In 2007 the company was renamed Total POS Solutions to reflect the focus on all aspects of point of sale equipment, including IdealPOS software and Casio cash registers. In 2008 the specialist provider Eftpos South Ltd was incorporated into Total POS Solutions. In 2010 the business of Remedy Group, supplier of Quest and SwiftPOS systems, was purchased.
Throughout the challenges of the past year, Total POS Solutions has been supporting Canterbury businesses through mobile Eftpos, temporary terminals and flexible contracts, according to Sales Manager Craig Daken. “We are playing our part in the rebuild of the city, supporting that rebuild in any way we can”. “We are open and fully functional, in fact better than before. The support of our suppliers has been a major factor in getting us back up and running after the earthquakes. One of our main partners, IdealPOS, have been very supportive in ensuring that our customers’ IdealPOS systems could be reactivated and able to be put back into operation — getting their POS system running in a major part of restarting their business.” Today the company has a staff of 13 point of sale professionals and on-the-road technicians dedicated to providing customers with a full range of products tailored to their needs, with comprehensive after sales service and support to ensure the systems the company sells keep pace with business growth and changing requirements. “People see Eftpos purely as a consumable product, even within the industry companies see Eftpos as a product they can sell and only offer remote support if anything goes wrong. What sets us aside from many of our competitors is our focus on on-site service.
“Having experienced and knowledgeable technicians available to provide superior support to our clients really sets us apart. Our size means we can choose which products we support and that we are always able to support our customers even when we have The company has since had another significant one or more staff off work for any reason.” change, with the earthquake related move Total POS Solutions supplies a range of from its home next to Natcoll House on “best of breed” systems including IdealPOS, Kilmore Street to 144 St Asaph Street.
SwiftPOS, Quest, Casio, and Microsoft RMS to businesses which include owner-operators, franchises, schools, government, charities and chains in the retail, hospitality and service sectors. Sales staff regularly visit customers in Canterbury, the West Coast and elsewhere in the South Island. “We deal with a vast range of businesses from the local SME through to the large national corporates,” he says. “We provide customers with a lot more than just software and equipment — we work closely with them to identify the best solution for their requirements and budget, then we program their new equipment and train them how to use and maintain their new system. After installation we provide support and service for everything we sell, including 24/7 phone and on-site support.” Technology is changing rapidly and Total POS Solutions keeps up with changes in order to offer clients the latest products and technology. “It’s an exciting industry to be involved in. With the constant innovation and change we get to witness the advent of some of the latest technology into both the retail and hospitality sectors,” he says. “With Touchscreen systems like the IdealPOS point of sale, our customers have custom packages including restaurant table maps and bill splitting (hospitality), stock control as well
as loyalty and promotional options to fit their business. There is also an expectation from their customers and staff to have the latest technology. An example is the new tablet (iPad) for POS systems, which is a fantastic way to take orders and process on the go.” The Eftpos industry is also in a constant state of change as a result of the VISA/Mastercard industry standards being modified on a regular basis, many businesses now do not wish to own their Eftpos equipment. “About 90 percent of our Eftpos clients now choose to rent their terminals. This allows them to upgrade on a regular basis and ensures equipment will get repaired if it breaks down — less responsibility and more freedom.” And what does the future hold for Eftpos and Point of Sale? “We see new ways of payments being introduced — contactless technology being available on a wide range of devices such as iPhones, Eftpos and credit cards so all equipment will need upgrading. We see more and more interest in ‘Cloud’ applications for POS which means businesses can take their business wherever they go.” Total POS Solutions 144 St Asaph Street Christchurch T (03) 366 1090 www.totalpos.co.nz — Advertising Feature
Idealpos specialises in Point of Sale Solutions for a wide range of industries including Hospitality, Retail, Hotels and Clubs, Cafes and Take-aways - Helping them increase their business profits and sales.
Idealpos is a proud partner of
Totalpos Solutions Supporting South Island businesses since 1989
www.idealpos.co.nz www.canterburytoday.co.nz December 2011/January 2012 | 89