6 Reasons Why You Should Move from Microsoft RMS to Omnichannel
Microsoft’s Retail Management System (RMS) 2.0 was a popular POS platform that worked well for small and midsized businesses operating single or multiple stores. At one time, there were upwards of 45,000 customers using the product. RMS was able to provide advanced retail features, including managing multidimensional inventory, receivables, reporting, and interfaces with a wide variety of financial packages.
Although Microsoft stopped selling RMS in 2016, it has continued to support existing customers. In fact, many companies are still using RMS. Recently, Microsoft has announced it is discontinuing support for RMS 2.0 in July 2021, effectively marking the end of RMS 2.0.Â
If your company is still running RMS, expect a few changes after support ends, such as fewer partners willing to support the software, problems integrating with other software applications, and incompatibility with new hardware and operating systems.Â
This is why it’s time to look into replacing RMS with a true, omnichannel approach for your commerce and POS solutions. This approach integrates your company’s financial and retail applications, providing real-time visibility of sales and inventory, regardless of whether the sales take place in-store or online.Â
6 Reasons Why You Should Move to Omnichannel
Reason #1: A consistent sales experience across all channels
Unified commerce platforms provide the ability for customers to view available products before heading to your store, view items in your store and then purchase them online later, and easily return items by mail at their convenience.
Reason #2: Visibility of product availability
Eliminate customer frustration by showing customers item availability in real time as well as which stores have them.Â
Reason #3: A personalized shopping experience
Track customer buying trends and offer product suggestions or add-ons based on customer preferences or shopping history.
Reason #4: Product reviews
Nearly all customers read product reviews, and nearly a quarter of those claim that their buying decisions are most influenced by user reviews.
Reason #5: Mobile shopping experiences
Buyers are using mobile devices to browse and purchase products. These customers expect responsive websites that adjust to accommodate their mobile screens.Â
Reason #6: Delivery options
In addition to flexibility in how they purchase products, todays customers also expect to have their choice of delivery options, including purchasing the product online and pick up the item in the store, fast and low-cost delivery to their door, and a convenient return process. Unsatisfactory delivery options have been identified as the primary cause in almost half of online abandonment rates.Â
If you are considering your options for moving from RMS to an omnichannel system, contact the Retail experts at ArcherPoint to discuss how an omnichannel solution can take your retail business to the next level.
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