The real cost of system upgrades

A few weeks ago I went to the small family-owned grocery on the corner near my rural house to pick up some snacks and sodas. They had just installed a new point-of-sale system which, predictably, was having problems.

As the line grew longer, several people (myself included) determined that the 10 minute drive to the downtown grocery would be worth the trip. Besides, the larger store is a bit cheaper anyway and has a better selection. While in line at the larger grocery with some of the same customers from the other store, several mentioned they only go to the small store for the 1 or 2-item quick-trips and now would probably not even do that.

So how much did that POS upgrade cost?

Whether you, as a small business owner, are evaluating software, new suppliers or virtually anything that impacts the customer experience, don't neglect evaluating the risks involved as a result of the implementation. And don't underestimate just how finicky your customers can be and how a little downtime can ruin their confidence, cause them to go elsewhere and nearly guarantees that they will tell their friends about it.