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Move Beyond Win/DSS Limitations With Omnichannel POS

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Move Beyond Win/DSS Limitations With Omnichannel POS

Win/DSS has been an indivisible part of retail point-of-sale systems for decades now. Although it enabled retail businesses to expand beyond the reach of manual operations, Win/DSS itself has started to lag in this age of fast retail market. From outdated technology to security vulnerabilities, retail businesses find themselves at a turning point where they must confront the limitations of their existing infrastructure and opt for an upgrade.

Let us dive deep into the challenges posed by the legacy Win/DSS platform and its solution. 

Common challenges faced with legacy Win/DSS platform

Using Win/DSS as a point-of-sale system in this day and age brings a myriad of challenges to a retail business. It includes hurdles with IT, operation flow, and personnel problems. The Win/DSS platform was initially introduced before the age of mobile POS and the digital commerce revolution. As a result, it is simply turned into an outdated system that cannot be tailored to match the growing requirements of retail business expansion. 

Outdated technology hinders operational efficiency

Legacy Win/DSS platforms often operate on dated technology stacks that struggle to keep pace with modern demands. These systems lack the agility required to meet the evolving needs of businesses. Outdated technology can source various problems such as slow processing times, limited functionality, and cumbersome user interfaces. These factors collectively affect operational efficiency and impede productivity in general. 

Compatibility issues with modern software

Compatibility issues are quite common with legacy Win/DSS platforms, especially when it comes to new-gen software. Newer software solutions are developed using updated frameworks and libraries that are not fully compatible with the outdated architecture of legacy platforms. This incompatibility leads to integration challenges, creating functionality gaps between legacy systems and modern software tools. The most common example of the same would be legacy Win/DSS struggling to integrate cloud-based solutions or other similar web-based services.

Security vulnerabilities and data integrity concerns

Outdated security protocols pose the biggest challenge for retail businesses. Legacy Win/DSS lack the robust security features that are crucial for protecting sensitive data. Moreover, the longer a system remains in operation, the greater the likelihood of unpatched vulnerabilities. Data integrity concerns also arise from data validation, integrity checks, and audit trails that are missing from legacy Win/DSS, making it difficult to ensure the accuracy & reliability of stored information.

Lack of scalability & flexibility for growing businesses

Legacy Win/DSS platform lacks the scalability required to accommodate the evolving needs of growing businesses. Such platforms are built upon rigid architectures that struggle to adapt to changing business needs such as increased transaction volumes or expanding user bases. Additionally, the lack of flexibility makes it challenging to introduce new features & workflow customisations. 

Win/DSS migration made easy with Veras CheckOut

While the challenges explained until now may feel overwhelming, the solution is relatively straightforward. With the aim of overcoming the limitations of legacy Win/DSS, Veras Retail acquired the tech in 2016. With access to the core components of the JDA stack, Veras Retail has managed to develop a more secure and robust alternative- Veras CheckOut. Veras CheckOut is a modern omnichannel POS that can single-handedly eliminate the challenges of the legacy Win/DSS platform, offering a future-proof resolution. We offer a clear migration path with Veras CheckOut so that you can easily modernise your retail businesses.

Modularize your systems 

Veras CheckOut brings a service-based architecture that allows retail businesses to modularize their systems effectively. By adopting this architecture, you can break down the platform into smaller, independent services, with each service handling a specific functionality such as strike payment processing, promotions, and clienteling. This modular approach significantly enhances flexibility & agility within the retail environment. It makes integration of new services, or removal of obsolete ones very easy, without disrupting the entire system. 

Real-time inventory management

With the real-time inventory management feature, retailers can monitor their inventory levels, movements, and availability at any time. It is a crucial requirement for optimising stock levels, primarily to prevent overstocking. By leveraging up-to-date inventory data, businesses can make informed decisions regarding purchasing and replenishment.

Simplified approach to successful promotions

Veras CheckOut simplifies the execution of complex promotional strategies through its range of features aimed at streamlined promotional activities. It allows retailers to manage a wide range of campaigns such as discounts, coupons, loyalty programs, and even targeted offers. With Veras CheckOut, you can segment your customer base, personalise promotions based on customer preferences, and track the effectiveness of each campaign in real-time. This comprehensive approach to promotional strategies enables retailers to drive customer engagement and exponential increase in sales.

Centralised control to monitor key metrics

With any modern solution, there are usually problems that revolve around the control of the system. To eliminate that, Veras CheckOut offers a centralised administration & control approach. It provides retailers with a unified dashboard through which they can monitor key metrics across their entire operation. Veras CheckOut’s central administration and control empower retailers to make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement across the organisation. 

Conclusion

The era of legacy Win/DSS platforms is long gone, considering the advancing needs of retail businesses. Right now, Win/DSS platforms struggle immensely while trying to keep up with advanced data collection policies and compatibility with modern technology. So, the time has come for you to consider ideal solutions such as Veras CheckOut to help you transform your POS. Our modern omnichannel POS is the perfect option for a variety of retail businesses looking forward to migrating from a rigid Win/DSS platform to a service-based POS. 

Want to know more about Veras CheckOut? Contact us now or visit our website verasretail.com.

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Free Digital Receipts with Veras Omnichannel POS

Purchase any cart-based application on our omnichannel platform & receive free* digital receipts with flexEngage

This special offer is included with Veras CheckOut 11.1 (and subsequent versions), mPOS, Self-Checkout, Endless Aisle and Remote Selling.

Nearly every stage of a shopper’s end-to-end experience, from the moment they search for a product or step into a store, has the opportunity to be personalized. Given the ability to intelligently mine and collect shopper data, AI and ML-driven retail technologies such as Veras Affinity Clienteling, Remote Selling and Black Book, offer enormous potential for retailers to build effective, context-aware processes to deliver compelling experiences, and empower frontline workers to facilitate that journey.

Post-Purchase Communications

An important and often overlooked portion of that journey is post-purchase communications. Revenue generated from initial sales is certainly a building block for any retailer, but retention is what helps foster sales growth and really set a business apart from other merchants. Did you know that acquiring new customers costs five times as much as it costs to retain existing customers? What’s more, new customers are 5%–20% likely to make a purchase, while existing customers are 60%–70%.

Effective post-purchase communications contribute to higher customer retention rates. The flexEngage digital marketing platform combined with Veras’ omnichannel retail technology promotes just that. Digital receipts help keep the conversation going with customers after they leave the store or make a digital purchase to strengthen the relationship with your brand inspire brand loyalty through ongoing, personalized engagement.

More Ways to Personalize. More Opportunities to Convert.

Static and basic transactional messages can be easily ignored, unlike flexEngage’s digital receipts that can help retailers deepen and extend customer loyalty after each transaction by:

• Turning receipts into repeat purchases 

• Creating loyalty through convenience 

• Engaging beyond the purchase 

FREE* Essential Tier Benefits with Veras Solutions

When you purchase or upgrade to Veras CheckOut 11.1 (or subsequent version), mPOS, Self-Checkout, Endless Aisle and Remote Selling, you’ll receive flexEngage’s Essential digital receipt bundle at no additional cost.

Complementary front-end features in the Essential tier include barcode, clickable logo sent to your domain, PDF attachment, and the added benefits of:

• Contactless experiences 

• Increased email adoption 

• Reduced paper costs 

* Available to customers in North America. Some add-on services may incur additional costs, such as third-party survey integration.

Digital innovation in omnichannel, mobile and remote selling, real-time inventory visibility, and customer experience is on everyone’s wish lists with big plans to execute in 2022. Are you ready to perfect the customer connection and engage with shoppers post-purchase? We’re here to partner and help support leading retailers to achieve these goals.

There’s no time to delay as data is dramatically disrupting the way retailers do business. Data intelligence and the right retail technologies will drive it even further—and those who can optimally leverage their data will gain a competitive edge.

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Learn how Veras’ cart-based applications integrated with flexEngage digital receipts offer more ways to personalize and engage with shoppers post-purchase.