Choosing a POS (Point of Sale) system is one of the most important decisions retailers will make. It processes your transactions, manages your inventory, and powers your entire front-end operation. However, when evaluating options, there is much more to consider than just pricing and features. Let’s explore why you should not overlook a key variable that impacts daily operations, POS customer support.
Increasingly, many POS vendors are more concerned with making sales than retaining the customers they have. This often leads to cutting corners in their POS customer support to keep the pricing low. While it looks attractive upfront, the cost-cutting behind the scenes results in understaffed or offshore call centers, long wait times, slow responses, and representatives are equipped with mere scripted answers.
Unfortunately, many retailers only discover this after they’ve already faced numerous issues with no solutions. In fact, according to Gartner Digital Markets’ 2024 Tech Trends Survey, nearly one-third of retailers who regret a software purchase say it’s because of poor POS customer service.
If you want a POS that truly supports your business long after installation, here’s what you should be looking for.
Training That Builds Confidence
Even the most intuitive POS requires training, and every new team member adds to that learning curve. Strong POS customer support has thorough onboarding by helping staff master key functions like:
- Sales and returns
- Inventory tasks
- Reporting
- Promotions
- Customer and loyalty processes
Look for vendors that offer in-depth initial training, continued access to videos and tutorials to brush up on skills, and access to real people who can walk your team through new tasks or product features. When staff feel supported, they make fewer mistakes, which leads to smoother operations and faster checkouts.
Accessible POS Customer Support Hours
Retail operations don’t hold banker’s hours. Updates to databases occur late at night or on weekends, and issues needing timely solutions can arise during your busiest rushes. Ask POS vendors what support is provided for emergencies, to ensure your business experiences as little downtime as possible should an unexpected, major problem arise. High quality POS customer service will have technicians available for emergency calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Don’t hesitate to ask vendors:
- Is support unlimited or pay-per-call?
- Are updates included?
- Is help available after hours?
Access to Live Products Experts
Low-cost POS plans often include limited or “email-only” support, forcing retailers to wait for critical help. It is better to know beforehand whether you will need to upgrade to a premium tier just to talk to a human.
A common misconception is that on hands support matters only during setup or emergencies. Access to live product experts becomes even more essential over the years as your business evolves.
Over time, you will:
- Add new products, categories and vendors
- Train new employees
- Introduce promotions
- Add hardware or additional lanes
- Expand locations
These are instances where many retailers wished they had the mindset of looking at a vendor as a long term POS partner vs shopping for the cheaper POS product in the short term.
A quality POS system evolves with new payment standards, security updates, feature upgrades, and regulatory changes. But without access to live product experts, staying current becomes much harder.
Great POS Customer Support will help you:
- Understand and implement features
- Work with you to ensure hardware compatibility
- Communicate changes to regulatory security
- Avoid disruptions during updates
High-quality support ensures your POS stays reliable and secure, with knowledgeable hands-on support.
AI: Part of the POS Customer Support Tool Box
Artificial intelligence is transforming how businesses access information and troubleshoot technology. Many modern POS systems now include built-in AI tools that deliver instant guidance, quick answers, and faster access to documentation. These tools are especially helpful for day-to-day tasks, onboarding new employees, or looking up simple “how-to” questions without leaving the software.
AI-powered assistants can significantly reduce time spent searching manuals, submitting support tickets, or waiting on hold. With features like intelligent search, targeted filtering, and 24/7 availability, they help streamline workflows and keep staff productive.
However, AI assistants should be viewed as an enhancement, not a replacement for knowledgeable, highly skilled support professionals. While AI can provide fast responses to straightforward requests, it cannot fully replicate:
- Nuanced technical troubleshooting
- The ability to interpret business context
- Complex configuration support
- Real-time problem solving
- Experience grounded in day-to-day retail operations
Human support teams remain essential, particularly in mission-critical environments like retail where downtime, compliance, and operational disruptions have immediate consequences.
The most effective support model combines both. AI tools that deliver rapid, self-serve answers for routine questions, and expert support agents who step in when issues require deeper insight or hands-on guidance. This balanced approach ensures businesses receive the speed of automation without sacrificing the reliability, accuracy, and reassurance of human expertise.
AI improves efficiency.
Humans ensure quality.
Together, they create a support experience that is both fast and dependable.
How to Evaluate POS Customer Support Before Signing
Before choosing a POS, take time to check how support actually works:
✔ Test their responsiveness: Call or message before becoming a customer.
✔ Ask how support is structured: In-house? Outsourced? Tiered?
✔ Look for hidden limitations: Paid support packages, long wait times, per-call fees.
✔ Ask about updates: Are they automatic? Included? Frequent?
✔ Check reviews or request referrals: Real users will tell the real story.
A few minutes of research now can prevent hours of frustration later. The payoffs of prioritizing POS customer support are almost too many to count. The most notable are:
- Minimizing downtime
- Protecting sales
- Reducing staff errors
- Strengthen overall operations
- Keeps your POS current and secure
- Improves employee confidence
- Supports business growth
And most importantly, peace of mind.
Final Thoughts
A modern POS system is a powerful business tool, but it’s only as strong as the support behind it. Features, price, and hardware all matter, yet none of them can compensate for poor customer service.
Here is a recap POS customer support list of must haves:
- Comprehensive training and refresher materials are offered at the onset
- You can reach a real person, with real answers, quickly, no matter the time
- You have direct access to product experts, not passed to different departments
- AI Chatbots provides easy access to questions, not the singular support pipeline
Good support keeps your lines moving, protects your revenue, and gives your team the confidence that a product expert is only a phone call away. Strong, accessible POS customer support ensures you’re never left stranded when your business needs help. When comparing vendors, look beyond the monthly subscription and ask the questions that reveal the true level of service.
