Help! current RMS users advice on choosing partner

[Lisa]

As an actual user of the product what is your opinion on a local partner
versus another partner farther away. I am really torn because I really like
RMS but my local partners in my state (only 2) are not gurus. I am sure they
can handle "setting me up" but there expertise is on other POS systems. I
seemed to understand more of the potential of RMS for my store then they do!
I have only gained that knowledge from my use of Quicksell 2000 and reading
answers on this forum.
My business is a service oriented business. I have suppliers who only sell
to me and not the "mart" stores so their customers have experts working on
their equipment. So I really don't have a problem paying for service. I
just have a problem paying for ok service at a lower rate but costing more in
the long run versus quality guru service whose hourly rate might be twice or
three times as much but it takes 1/4 the time. As a user do you think if I
purchase RMS I could use a guru that is not local? How important is the fact
the partner is 10 minutes from me verus over the phone?

Thanks again for your help. I really want to do this right the first time
with RMS unlike when I purchased Quicksell 2000.

 

[Afshin Alikhani]

Software unlike hardware can be supported remotely from any where. Select
the best reseller you know, with the best price, with whom you get along
best. As long as he/she can give you telephone support and dial into your
system if required.

We customers all over the world. Our office in NJ supports customers
throughout the US.

Afshin Alikhani - [[email protected]]
CEO - Retail Realm

 

[Terrible Tom]

Afshin has a valid point. Remote support is not that complicated.

I went with a fairly local reseller (less than 2 hours away) but they did
have more than one or two RMS clients already, one of whom was only minutes
from me and happy to show off their system and answer questions.

Depending on how self sufficient you plan to be, this NG is an excellent
resource. I get most of my 'little' questions answered here and only go back
to my reseller for the big stuff.

HTH,
Tom

 

[Jamal]

What software you use for remote support and what the minimun connection
speed required for remote access.

Software unlike hardware can be supported remotely from any where. Select
the best reseller you know, with the best price, with whom you get along
best. As long as he/she can give you telephone support and dial into your
system if required.

We customers all over the world. Our office in NJ supports customers
throughout the US.

Afshin Alikhani - [[email protected]]
CEO - Retail Realm
--
URL http://www.retailrealm.co.uk

As an actual user of the product what is your opinion on a local partner
versus another partner farther away. I am really torn because I really like
RMS but my local partners in my state (only 2) are not gurus. I am sure they
can handle "setting me up" but there expertise is on other POS systems. I
seemed to understand more of the potential of RMS for my store then they do!
I have only gained that knowledge from my use of Quicksell 2000 and reading
answers on this forum.
My business is a service oriented business. I have suppliers who only sell
to me and not the "mart" stores so their customers have experts working on
their equipment. So I really don't have a problem paying for service. I
just have a problem paying for ok service at a lower rate but costing more in
the long run versus quality guru service whose hourly rate might be twice or
three times as much but it takes 1/4 the time. As a user do you think if I
purchase RMS I could use a guru that is not local? How important is the fact
the partner is 10 minutes from me verus over the phone?

Thanks again for your help. I really want to do this right the first time
with RMS unlike when I purchased Quicksell 2000.

 

[Heather]

Hell Lisa,

Wher is your business located, City/State.

May be I can find some one to help you.

 

[Glenn Adams [MVP - Retail Mgmt]]

What state are you in? Maybe we can export some of the bumper crop of
partners that are springing up around here

Afshin and Tom are certainly correct in saying that software can be
supported remotely. A point of sale solution is more than software though.
There is also harware involved and don't forget that pesky networking stuff
if you have multiple workstations. If you lose your network, it's going to
be really hard for a remote user to log in and fix it. If you are most
concerned about getting help with using the features of RMS, then yes a
'guru' on the phone or via remote access can probably support you better
than a less knowledgeable local partner. If you want help when your system
stops working, go with someone local if possible.

By the way, we also provide remote support services. There's definately a
place for that, but you have to consider your own ability to be at least
somewhat self sufficient before you go that way. Sometimes there's just no
substitute for being there.


--

 

[Terrible Tom]

Glenn makes some good points. With regard to the local/remote question, who
says it has to be an all or nothing affair?

I use my local reseller for most of my hardware. I buy my own cash drawers
and barcode scanners. I started buying my printers online, too (we use
regular laser printers for receipt printers). I buy all of my PCs from the
local guy--and he does a good job of supporting his stuff. I do my own
networking, but I do enough business with the local guy that he responds when
I need him. My RMS reseller is more or less 2 hours away. I have not yet
needed emergency response for RMS and I don't expect to. All of my onsite
RMS support has been scheduled well in advance and most of it could have very
easily been handled with a speakerphone and/or remote assistance.

I have gotten a lot of very useful help from this group. I have a batch
file that performs a database backup daily and saves three days' backup
files. I have a custom .dll that enables me to trigger POS macros from
custom buttons. I have custom reports. I have a much better understanding
of SQL queries and XML receipt templates.

Between the three (local reseller for hardware/infrastructure, not-so-local
RMS reseller, and microsoft.public.pos) I seem to get everything I need out
of RMS.

Best of luck,
Tom

 

[Tony Cormack]

We are based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and have plenty of clients who are
not in Calgary. We have clits all over Alberta and Canada. We insist that
every client has Win XP Pro so we can "remote in" to their computer. So far
it has worked very well.

I would go with who knows the product. RMS really doesn't require alot of
support once you are competent in using it. After all thats what this message
board is all about, plus RMS like all MS products has the "help" files built
iin.

 

[Tony Cormack]

VERY good point Tom, as we insist our clients who are "out of town" get their
system(s) from a local supplier, fortunately for us I belong to many
Networking groups and therefore am able to suggest many "local" suppliers
across Canada. Whats nice about that is that they reciprocate by sending us
local business here in Calgary and Edmonton.

 

[Rob]

Tony, you are one naughty naughty man, I hope you are not married. Re-read
your post to see if you can spot the 'vertical smile' joke.

Rob

 

[Tony Cormack]

LOL, OOOPPPSSSS everybody I apologize for my lack of spelling skills.
Honestly I did NOT mean to put that on here. If you could only see my face
right now. And just so you know Rob, I am married. Good thing my kids don't
read this.