Point of Sale

Restaurant franchising continues to be an attractive career change consideration for many Americans, in part because of proven business plans and methods. Therefore, it is imperative that potential franchisees understand what it takes to be successful within a given restaurant chain's franchising framework. Just as we happily share our vast point of sale experience and expertise with startup owners in...

News has arrived of "Backoff," another point of sale (POS) malware now plaguing retailers. In an Arstechnica.com post, "Stealthy New Malware Snatching Credit Cards From Retailers’ POS Systems," Backoff is described as a variant of the malware installed on point of sale systems that was used in a series of recent attacks by cyber criminals.  The post notes that the...

You're dreaming you heard about a hot "Product X" franchise opportunity. You see your future and follow your gut instinct. In the dream, you're a freshly minted franchisee, standing proudly in front of your new business beneath beautiful, crimson banners. In their post, the experts at BlackEnterprise.com suggest that, if you're dreaming of franchising, it's time to wake up to...

Dreaming of franchising? Fantastic! You're ready for a life change and the market is heating up. But before you take the plunge, make sure your due diligence includes interviews with existing franchisees who can say, "Been There, Done That." We strongly agree with an Entrepreneur.com post we spied, "Interviewing Existing Franchisees," and subtitled "When investigating a franchise, don't forget to...

FoxBusiness.com is reporting on how, in the response to the recent high-profile hacking incidents over the past year, technology is being developed to further security for credit card purchases. Expect to see a newly established global standard for credit cards called EMV, the acronym for Europay, MasterCard and Visa. The new EMV cards harbor computer chips and work with authentication...

Franchises can fail, but how and why? And how may failure be avoided? Franchising, licensing and intellectual property lawyer Tony Wilson shares some thoughts on the subject in an online report, "Why So Many Franchises Fail," at TheGlobeandMail.com. Just as we happily share our vast point of sale experience and expertise with startup owners in order to help them make...

News has arrived of the arrest being of one of the world's most prolific traffickers in stolen financial information. The U.S. Department for Homeland Security has announced that the Secret Service has arrested Roman Valerevich Seleznev. The Russian national known as "Track2" was originally indicted in the Western District of Washington in March, 2011 for allegedly carrying out breaches of...

Forbes.com is reporting on how, in the aftermath of the recent high-profile hacking incidents over the past year, technology is being developed to further security for credit card purchases. The hacks perpetrated against the likes of giant retailers such as Michaels, Neiman Marcus and Target have opened a view into the multi-million dollar business of credit card attacks designed to...

The Franchiser/Franchisee relationship is a lot like a marriage. Do You Take This Franchiser?Before you say, "I do," you may want to hear yourself say, "Due Diligence." We spotted just that sentiment in the article titled "Franchisees: Don't Say 'I Do' to a Franchisor Unless the Chemistry is Right," posted on Entrepreneur.com. Just as we happily share our vast point...

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has released a new version of its Restaurant TrendMapper, an online subscription service that helps interested parties keep up-to-date with the latest economic indicators and trends in the restaurant space. We spotted the news in an item titled "NRA Releases New Version of Trend Mapper," at QSRMagazine.com (QSRM). Just as we share our vast point...

Most people imagine cybercrime as involving hackers from remote locations on the other side of the globe, breaking into servers to steal information and, as such, our involvement comes when the bank places a freeze on our credit cards. "Shockingly, this is not the case," reports ITPortal.com in their post, "How to Defend Against Physical Point of Sale Attacks." In...

All too often, when movies portray an entrepreneur, he or she (OK, let's face it, it's usually a he) is young, unkempt and dressed in jeans and a hoodie. This Mark Zuckerberg-inspired stereotype is just one part of the entrepreneurship story, however. In a recent post, Entrepreneur.com asks, "Think You're Too Old To Be An Entrepreneur? Think Again," and backs...

New York City will play host to over 450 top franchise brands at the International Franchise Expo from June 19-21, 2014, where individuals may gather to meet hundreds of full-time and part-time franchise opportunities in every industry and investment level. The confab takes place at the Javits Center at 36th and 11th Avenue in Manhattan. Just as we happily share...

The appeal of franchising includes the fact that there are many, many franchising options available for consideration. That simple fact also means that the process of finding the right opportunity can be time-consuming. Fortunately, for an article titled "The Top Franchise in Every Industry," Entrepreneur.com has prepared what it refers to as its "Best of the Best list: the 97...

Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the upcoming work week: According to a recent poll conducted by Monster.com, nearly 60 percent of Americans say they get the Sunday Night Blues "really bad."  In a recent post titled "New Study – Why People Who Run Franchises Are Happier," FranchiseHelp.com asks, "So what happened to Sundays?" Their answer is, "In short, as...

Along with our customers, we're buoyed by news that Americans, having emerged from winter hibernation, have relaxed their purse strings at quick service retailers. In a recent blog post, "Report: Consumer Spending at Quick Serves Grew in April," QSRMagazine.com points to analysis by First Data Corporation which compared year-over-year sales data for April, 2014.  FDC's SpendTrend report tracks same-store POS...

Bloomberg news is reporting that the recent infamous data breach was the last straw for Target Corp. Chief Executive Officer Gregg Steinhafel. As the only full-service POS provider — from software development to franchise incubator to ongoing support — part of Sintel's commitment to our customers and business community is to share relevant ideas and industry information. Here are some...

Always be on the look out for different marketing tips! Let us share 7 top marketing tips from Round House: The Creative Agency. 1. Define your objective. A marketing objective is the specific goal of the marketing campaign. It should be precisely defined, able to be measured, achievable and timely. This allows you to determine the relative success of a...

A highlighted business tip from an EKS&H article: No 1: Stay Engaged With Your Employees As a leader in your business, you must provide employees with a sense of stability and confidence during times of economic unrest. Let them know that you are in control of the situation, and be a force for optimism. When job markets are good, employees...

If you're opening up a new business this summer then you know that right now it's crunch time before the season hits. Everyone is waiting for their vacation filled with frozen yogurt, barbeques, swimming pools and shopping sprees. Here at Sintel Systems we know that prospective opening dates don't always go accordingly to plan, especially with first time business owners...

  Are you thinking about opening up a candy store? Like we mentioned in our last article on pizza shops, the best way to discover your own unique idea is to explore what's already out there. Fuzziwig's Candy Factory is a successful candy shop franchise that grew from just one store in 1995 to 20 stores by the end of...

Sintel Systems provides quality POS hardware, software, training & support and even custom colored gift cards for countries across the globe. With the ease of our user-friendly program, POS set up is just a phone call away, Sintel Systems can provide a full one-stop POS package anywhere around the world without ever having to physically be there. Sintel Systems: Your...

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) will continue to be affected by trends, some new and some continuing, according to the experts queried by ERP observer EnterpriseAppsToday.com. "The Top 8 ERP Trends for 2014," EnterpriseAppsToday.com's recent blog post is a fascinating read on the changes, and challenges, ahead for ERP. Time to start planning — for how you'll be making resource plans...

Change in the point of sale (POS) landscape is fast-paced and fraught with the creative destruction typified by new enabling technologies and business models. Take, for example, a post we spotted at PointofSale.com, "The New POS Model: Direct to End User?" The post states that the existing model of value added resellers (VARs), that of being middlemen between point of...

The U.S. Post Office (USPO) is embracing change and testing a mobile point of sale (mPOS) system to reduce customer wait times for most routine transactions. We learned of the program in a PostalNews.com post, "USPS testing mobile POS technology." Sintel is the only full-service, direct-to-user POS provider — no resellers, no middle man. From software development to franchise incubator...

Franchise Owners Associations continue to make headway in seeking legislative protections as New Hampshire joins California, Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island (already successfully passed) in introducing bills to protect franchised businesses. A blog post at BlueMauMau.org, "New Hampshire to Introduce Franchise Protection Bill," reports that New Hampshire representative Pat Abrami has indicated that he has filed legislation to "provide...

In a recently issued press release, Target has confirmed reports of a major data breach between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, 2013 that may have affected as many as 40 million cards. The dates included Black Friday, the notoriously busy shopping day following Thanksgiving. Target says the unauthorized access to payment card information may have impacted customers making credit and debit...

For today's retailers, taking care of business means enterprise resource planning (ERP); efficient, tightly integrated systems, including accounting, point of sale (POS), inventory control and forecasting. "The Top Five Signs Your Business is Ready for an ERP System," a recent article on ERP provider NetSuite's website NetSuite.com, provides a quick summary of the problems and frustrations addressed by enterprise resource...

Based upon "Retail IT Forecast 2014: It’s All About the Consumer," a recent article at Business Solutions' IT Channel-focused website bsminfo.com, retailers proclaiming themselves as "consumer-focused" seem ready to walk the talk. Business Solutions surveyed its over 40,000 newsletter subscribers about their 2014 technology plans over a broad variety of disciplines, including in-store hardware and software, marketing & operations and...

What are franchisers to make of the growing movement among low-wage fast-food workers in the U.S., demanding an increase from the current $7.25 an hour minimum wage to a $15 an hour living wage? Just as we share our vast point of sale (POS) experience and expertise with startup owners in order to help them make the best decisions from...

With many of today's style-savvy retailers demanding both lower prices and higher aesthetics in their point of sale (POS) solutions, many value added resellers (VARs) recommend an iPad, or some other mobile tablets, in this style-starved market. From our insider perspective, that approach is unsustainable, penny-wise and pound foolish. Given the strong presence Sintel Systems has in the retail restaurant...

For today's retailers, taking care of business means mobile point of sale (MPOS). Cash registers have left the building, or are on their way out the door. "The Cash Registers Days Are Numbered," a recent article citing a Onepoll study on POS industry website PointofSale.com, states that over half of Americans believe the cash register is "outdated" and will be...

Payroll giant ADP has released its National Franchise Report which claims that U.S. franchise employment added 25,060 jobs in October — a figure substantially greater than in recent months. We at Sintel found this of particular interest due to the momentum we've witnessed in the retail and restaurant franchise sector, a major area of our point of sale (POS) expertise...

As retailers' information technology focus shifts from the front-of-house cash-collection to integrated systems with stock management and accounting capabilities, their Point of Sale (POS) systems, historically a standalone, front-end technology, are now being folded into Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. In an iStart.com feature, "Integrating POS with ERP Changes Face of Retail," Anthony Doesburg writes about the reasoning behind this...

The phenomenon and randomness of the Yelp user review continues to rattle small businesses, and restaurants in particular. Restaurants account for the largest slice of the Yelp pie (with shopping a distant second and nightlife an even-more-distant third), and estimates are that more than 40% of restaurant patrons review their experiences on Yelp.  Clearly, this is a topic that needs...

As a provider of integrated merchant accounts or credit card processing services, Sintel Systems is always working to bring value to our customers. To that end, here is a summary of some recent thinking on merchant credit card fees. No Free Lunch Do you know why merchant account fees cannot be guaranteed? Or why merchant account fees seem to have...

Given the horror stories of stores nearly crushed by deal-hungry customers, small business owners may be forgiven for their wariness over the daily deal. And yet, success stories abound — so the question is: How to strike a balance and achieve a daily deal program that works for a small business and its clientele? An answer may be found in...

Charged with adding value to any transaction, point of sale (POS) resellers see new opportunities in loyalty programs stemming from mobile payments and other commerce applications. As the only full-service POS provider — from software development to franchise incubator to ongoing support — part of Sintel's commitment to our customers and industry is to share ideas and information. Whether you're...

Call it a Tech-tonic Shift. Consumer devices are storming into organizations, causing great disruption and leaving entrepreneurs and corporate executives feeling less in control over what happens within the company's walls. It's a big challenge, but one that, if met successfully, will redefine how companies retain employees, engage consumers and make profits. As the only full-service point of sale (POS...

Given the broad awareness of certain entrepreneurs' early success in their late teens or 20s (Gates, Jobs, Ellison, Dell, Zuckerberg, Brin and Page), expectations for entrepreneurial success would seem to skew in favor of the old saw, "Youth must be served." Lately however, that outdated adage is being tested and found wanting. In an earlier Sintel blog post we referenced...

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! The truth of this old bromide is found in modern franchising, and in particular, the retail frozen yogurt segment. "Although the popularity of the frozen yogurt franchise industry suffered a decline in the late 1990s, the category has been making a colossal comeback in the last decade, with a new generation of flavors, toppings, and...

"Think you're past your prime?" asks Inc.com. "Think again." In an article entitled "Never Too Old To Start A Business," Inc.com references the Kaufman Foundation's annual Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, which points out that the number of new businesses started by older entrepreneurs aged 55 and over has risen to 23.4 percent, up from just 14.3 percent in 1996. We...

Call it Reta(i)liation. Five9, the Cloud contact center provider, recently released an infographic on what companies can do to prevent "customer rage." We came across a blog post discussing the infographic at VentureBeat.com. Retailers may want to sit down before considering the following findings: - 85 percent of all consumers say that, if their customer service needs are not met...

We're guessing that not many froyo franchisers keep their fingers on the pulse of Glamour magazine's dictated "Dos and Don’ts." But then, Glamour doesn't usually cover a subject of such great interest: advice on froyo portion and cost control. So what's the froyo "fashion"? We turn to a recent Glamour.com post entitled "Healthy Eating: The Dos and Don’ts of Frozen...

Along with our customers, we're buoyed by a USA Today report that, despite October's partial government shutdown, "Activity at service firms accelerated, boosted by a jump in sales and more hiring." Given the strong presence Sintel Systems has in the retail, restaurant and service industries POS marketplace, we share these service sector growth trends with our customers and franchise hopefuls...

Apple, renowned for tech that "just works," hit a rough patch recently when its point of sale systems repeatedly went down in stores around the country. In an article entitled "Apple Point of Sale Goes Down Again," TechCrunch.com gives an overview of Apple's point of sale (POS) woes based upon its sources and corroborated by tweets on Twitter. Here are...

Two years ago, as part of the International Franchise Association (IFA) VetFran program's Operation Enduring Opportunity and the White House Joining Forces Initiative, the IFA and its 600 VetFran member companies committed to recruit and hire 80,000 veterans, wounded warriors and military spouses by 2014. Their timing couldn't have been better, given that the current resurgence in franchising coincides with...

Just as we happily share our vast point of sale (POS) experience and expertise with startup owners in order to help them make the best decisions from the very beginning, we at Sintel Systems are happy to share articles, advice and commentary about the retail restaurant market. The RR post is a worthwhile (if lengthy) read, thus we've provided a...

As the only full-service POS provider — from software development to franchise incubator to ongoing support — part of Sintel's commitment to our customers and industry is to share information on how to achieve success. Whether you're a first-time franchise hopeful, a small business owner or an established chain, it's always smart to stay on top of information technology. In...

New York City is a relentless trend-setting megalopolis with many eateries that seem to change their appearance every year or two. We spotted a roundup of hot interior design trends for 2013 in Big Apple restaurants and cafes at NYCeiling.com. High demand for eco-friendliness and sustainability means more green spaces around town. The trend has been around for some time...

An article posted on ConsumerElectronicsNet.com entitled "Survey: Retailers Using Mobile POS Expected to Triple By 2018," perfectly illustrates just how quickly new technology can spread throughout the retail sector of our economy. The article points to a recent report issued by Infogroup Targeting Solutions (ITS) entitled "Breaking Through Customer Engagement Barriers with Innovative Marketing and Technologies." Results were based upon...

Too often, owners puts the focus on numbers instead of customers' needs, not realizing that if they paid attention and did everything in their power to fill those needs, the numbers would materialize. In a blog post entitled "Customer Service Plan: Superior Customer Service Requires a Strategy," Franchising.com urges owners to shift perspective, and outlines the proper steps in creating...

In an article posted on their website, "What Private Equity Loves About The Booming Frozen Yogurt Trend," CNBC.com looks into a retail industry phenomenon. Given the strong presence Sintel Systems has in the frozen yogurt segment of the restaurant POS marketplace, we share these stories with our customers and franchise hopefuls looking for key opportunities. We also happily share our...

Just as we happily share our vast point of sale (POS) experience and expertise with startup owners in order to help them make the best decisions from the very beginning, we at Sintel Systems are happy to share articles and commentary about the retail franchise market. Forbes.com sees five factors that make a difference to influence franchise success. We'll call...

Today's potential franchise entrepreneurs may feel cursed for being incapable of forecasting the future. Is this the right time to make a career change? Is fear keeping your future on hold? As the only full-service POS provider, from software development to our unparalleled ongoing support, we at Sintel Systems see a lot of folks looking to make a mid-life career...

They say there's a time and place for everything. And with retail customer surveys, that time and place is at the point of sale. Gartner, the information technology research company, says retailers who survey customers at the point of sale receive 40% more accurate feedback than if the data is gathered one day later. A point-of-sale survey is typically any...