Software can be valuable for business owners in all kinds of industries, and businesses selling cigars are no exception. Whether you offer a few cigars in addition to other types of products or focus on them, software can make things easier. Here are four tips for using the latest technology to improve your accuracy and ability to help customers.
1. Choose a Compatible Software
There are many choices regarding this software, and not all of them will be equally practical for each business. Consider your unique needs, any other software you want to integrate, and how accessible the user interface is. Some people need to estimate how fast an employee could learn the software, while other people have higher fees with certain programs.
The types of products you stock, your choice of inventory system, and your ability to order in time can affect your software choice.
2. Integrate Wisely
Your inventory software may have options to integrate with things like a warehouse management system or point of sale system. Consider how well your other technology works for you and whether you plan to add more when choosing inventory software.
Software systems may offer any combination of monthly, yearly, per transaction, or bulk fees that will work better for certain people. Consider the impact of any extra fees that may come up during busy seasons and how fast you can update your inventory data.
Many people improve their accuracy with an integrated POS system that updates the software after each sale.
3. Evaluate Barcodes and Manual Entry
Many business owners find that they save time and improve accuracy when they use barcodes. Some people have difficulty attaching barcodes to small items and that may not scan well. You should look at your ability to attach the right amount of barcodes as well as enter data by hand.
Many business owners still prefer to use regular manual audits and entries to help keep track of items with barcodes. You should consider the time it will take to manually input data and how often you think you will want to do so.
Some companies evaluate their choices regarding when and how many barcodes to use based on their ability to categorize certain types of items. They may be able to stay organized as they put items on sale, offer deals, and adjust prices in certain cases. The type of software, your choice of inventory management system, your retail offerings, and the way you order your products matter.
These things will combine to create a situation that may make it easier or harder to categorize and reorganize items with barcodes.
4. Assess Your Inventory Management Needs
There are more than a dozen common inventory management systems designed to help business owners navigate supply shortages, materials, storage, and shipping challenges. Systems help people complete orders so things are shipped just in time, offset storage costs, work with multiple warehouses, and more. You may find that certain inventory software is less compatible with some systems or is best for businesses of a certain size.
When needing to track your cigar inventory, software is the way to go.