Top Reasons to Buy a New Pharmacy POS System

There are some things we replace just because we want to. Out with the old and in with the new for any number of totally not 100% necessary reasons. Then there are the things that we hold onto maybe a bit too long after their point of no return. This isn’t a huge deal if you’re buying a new pair of tennis shoes just because you like them better than your old ones. Or if you’re still snuggling down into a favorite blanket, wear spots, holes and all.

It is a big deal when the thing you are replacing, or not replacing, impacts the profitability of your pharmacy and the services you can provide.

One question we always ask when talking with pharmacies is why they came to us to start with. What’s prompting the decision to consider such a big change? As you might expect, there are a wide variety of reasons, but most of them distill down into one of these categories.

Get Better Data.

If you can’t get good, reliable, actionable data out of your point-of-sale system, it’s no more than a glorified cash register. Robust reporting that’s easy to access is so important to the success of any business. Especially in environments with any sort of retail department where data is the only way to understand what products are actually making you money.

Add New Services.

The expansion of services is huge in pharmacy right now. And the drive to grow revenue and create value outside of prescription sales isn’t going anywhere. Many of the services pharmacies might look at can be driven or, at a minimum, streamlined by the point-of-sale system. These include point-of-service based options like tools for curbside pickup, mail order, home delivery & meds-to-beds. A pharmacy might be looking at customer loyalty or eCommerce programs. Or diving into clinical services with nutrient depletion recommendations. Bottom line is that whenever you’re adding a new program, it makes sense to evaluate whether your point-of-sale system, or a different one, can help support your goals.

Receive Better support.

There may be nothing more frustrating than needing help to solve an issue or answer a question and not being able to receive a timely response. No matter how regularly, or irregularly, you need support, being able to access it on your schedule, when you need it most, might be one of the most important things to consider in a point-of-sale, or any technology partner.

Adhere to new requirements.

Regulatory changes, or changes in organizational requirements are a frequent cause for point-of-sale shopping. Things like a change in the pharmacy management system requiring a new partner that can integrate, or specific changes in handling counselling, Pseudoephedrine sales, or anything that’s a non-negotiable rule. These can be some of the hardest purchases to come to terms with, especially if you or your team are happy with your existing system. If this is the case and you’re sure your existing solution can’t meet your needs, look for silver linings. Investigate potential areas for improvement like the other topics in this article to see if you can get more out of your new POS system.

Poor Performance

A system that doesn’t do what you need it to, doesn’t perform as advertised, or just doesn’t work well is absolutely a reason to investigate a change. Especially if you’ve tried to address it with your POS provider and failed. It’s equally important to address these issues with a new solutions provider to make sure they’ll be able to solve the problem.

Poor performance also doesn’t exclusively mean something’s broken. It can also mean that your processes and workflows don’t align with the way a program is designed. Your hardware could be outdated, or the transaction flow clunky. Either way, it’s good to look beyond the status quo.

Save Money on Credit Cards

Exorbitant credit card fees can drastically diminish your profit margins. This one’s quick and easy. If you feel like you’re overpaying and there’s no room for conversation or change, it’s worth taking a look at other options.

Do any of these reasons resonate with you? We might be able to help. Fill out our Biz Quiz to see if RMS’ point-of-sale solutions might be right for you!!