Here’s a video I made for my newsagency software company, a business I started in 1981.
I am grateful to the software development team, the designers, the UI experts, the testers and the help desk heroes who help, every day, ensure that the Tower newsagency software today is fresh and relevant to newsagents today and for tomorrow.
I’m grateful for the opportunity last week to talk with Nathan from my newsagency software company, Tower Systems, about newsagency software and the role it is playing in the evolution of newsagency businesses.
Here is the 31 minute video of the discussion from last week, which looks at some of the software functions as well as newsagency software connected websites newsagents are using to sell online.
XchangeIT sends emails telling newsagents they have failed on data related measures set by XchangeIT and expect newsagents and their software companies to fix the issues – even though the benefits of doing this are questionable.
Last month, I got together with a couple of experts at Tower to talk about common reasons why XchangeIT may send the emails and how newsagents using the Tower newsagency software can resolve the issues. Here is a video of that session. I’m sharing it here because feedback is that it has helped newsagents reduce the XchangeIT reported issues.
A year ago this week my newsagency software company Tower Systems moved from the old-school purchase approach for software to rental, introducing a $185.00 a month all-in bundled pricing.
It was a risky move in that we switched from a model where newsagents pay up front to one where they pay a dramatically smaller amount every 30 days and can cancel at any time without penalty.
We knew the software was good because more newsagents use the Tower newsagency software (1,700+) than all other newsagency software packages combined. What we didn’t know is whether the rental model would work.
The shift in how the software is acquired has led to a surge over the year in new rooftops for the software.
A few months ago, we released new newsagency software with a more modern and cleaner look and feel, a new-tech database engine and tons of new features too.
The $185.00 a month includes updates and support. It comes with:
Since Covid hit is February, how newsagents are using the software has evolved. For example, there has been a surge in seamless online connection as well as using the software to manage click and collect, contactless retail, managing shop data away from the shop and pivoting into new product categories – leveraging tools line government approved scale integration, product care help, serial number tracking and email marketing.
The $185.00 a month rental offer for the newsagency software was launched in August 2019. There is no finance contract to secure, cashflow management is easy and it is a one-stop price.
In addition to newsagency software, we also develop websites in Australia for Australian newsagency businesses, helping you get online.
Here are some of the POS software connected sites we have recently delivered:
Footnote: I own Tower Systems, making this an ad of sorts.
Earlier this morning I advised Ovato of what appeared to be an issue with some invoices not including GST. The head of client and retailer sales for Ovato has now responded:
From our investigations we are aware of some DD2 file being sent without GST. We believe this will not impact the retail price that includes GST so stores will be scanning at correct price tomorrows magazines. We believe this will impact the PoS finance side and are currently reviewing all DD2’s sent for tomorrow’s on-sale to identify the ones without GST. We are then planning to resend these DD2 files with the correct GST. Please confirm for Tower agents this will be ok.
We are also speaking to XIT to let them know of the error on some DD2 files.
We also now know the reason why this happened and can confirm this will be fixed for future on-sales.
My newsagency software company is emailing customers with advice on handling this, to mitigate against data errors.
It has been a busy four months at my newsagency software company, Tower Systems, as the software developers have worked with Epay to deliver a POS software integration with the Epay phone recharge and voucher vending platform.
I met with the folks at Epay in Sydney on March 9 to discuss the opportunity of providing newsagents with a viable alternative to the Afterpay Touch platform which had announced weeks earlier a staged withdrawal from business. What followed the March meeting was more meetings, settling of integration standards and discussions on products that could be brought to the integrated platform.
Through this, too, we worked with Afterpay Touch management to see if there was an alternative from their side as we did not want that door closed without at least trying.
With more than 1,700 newsagents as customers, Tower had much at stake in terms of customer service. It had to maintain the Touch platform while developing the Epay integration and doing this latter work to exacting standards set by Epay headquarters in Europe.
The Touch withdrawal decision and the need to integrate with Epay happened at the same time as Tower was in the final weeks of beta testing a major update to its software technology, database platform and look and feel. That project was four man years in and the release schedule had been set. So, there was much to consider and co-ordinate.
Through April and May the newsagency software integration with Epay was completed, tested and thoroughly. Then, it was handed to Epay for their testing. This was comprehensive and required work in Australia and Europe.
With the Tower Systems Epay integration approved the next step was to load the product data file from Epay. This was finalised yesterday for all newsagency software companies. That product file had to itself be tested. Hence, the announcement from Tower Systems to newsagents today about availability of the Epay integrated newsagency software.
Now the next and most important phase of work begins as the Tower support team helps 1,700+ newsagents make the move. With Afterpay Touch closing June 30 there is much to do. Time is of the essence.
Throughout this project, from March to now, Tower has been sending daily emails to its customers. These have included regularly updated information about the Epay integration. The company has also sent three print newsletters, to reach newsagents who don’t connect with emails. The company has also used its social media platforms and support calls to reach as many newsagents as possible.
The work by Tower to date has cost close to $100,000. Tower Systems is delivering access to Epay at no cost to newsagents.
Note: I own the Tower Systems software company.
It’s terrific seeing more newsagents going online. My POS software company has a separate web development team that develops sites for newsagents and other retailers. Click here for more information.
My newsagency software company, Tower Systems, last week announced to customers the imminent integration from within the newsagency POS software with epay, bring to 1,700+ newsagency counters access to the broad range of epay voucher products.
I’ve invested $50,000 to fund this work so that it is delivered at no cost to newsagents using current Tower software. I mention this to be transparent that this work comes at a cost and that that cost is not being passed on to newsagents.
The reaction from newsagents to the news of an alternative to Touch has been terrific, some good news in what has been a challenging year for the channel and retail more generally so far.
Tower will keep its customers up to date on the launch of epay access through the regular weekly email communication.
Back in the day, newsagency specific requirements such as magazine and newspaper management were hallmarks of channel specific newsagency software. While those needs continue today, good newsagency software is playing a key role in helping newsagents transform their businesses.
While still part of the business, magazine management and newspaper home delivery management are not as commercially valuable and, as you might expect, chasing value is key and this is where evolving newsagency software works a treat.
I’ve seen newsagents evolve into coffee and food, homewares, niche gift, unique in-store services, clothing and, even, classes. Each of these has unique needs. Plus, I have seen newsagents leverage seamless POS software connected online as well as buy now pay later and other fintech solutions.
My point I that the newsagency software that is working well for newsagents today is that which plays outside the minimal margin history of the channel and helps newsagents, through niche tools made for this purpose. The software is like the skeleton of the business, offering a strong and flexible structure off of which the business can evolve into valuable areas while also handling the old school requirements.
I’m a big fan of leaning into, chasing, change, and this is what my newsagency software company has done, as I have in my own retail newsagency businesses. It’s what I did when I sold off my home delivery run at the top of the market 14 years ago.
Good software will work with you on embracing change.
Now, more than ever, change is critical for newsagents.
Related to the Touch challenges being experienced by newsagents, Microsoft has confirmed it as a Visual Basic issue.
Next month my POS software company is hosting free and open workshops for independent small business retailers on e-commerce and, in particular, POS software connected websites.
I will be at each event and provide insights into how in my own shops we leverage online to attract new shoppers in-store and well as to sell to people we will never meet.
There will be a live look at the websites, an explanation of the POS software connection and a look under the hood at traffic and the work undertaken to get people landing on the sites.
Folks here are most welcome to attend. Here is the announcement notice for the sessions:
Join us for a practical, jargon-free, workshop where we show the value of our Aussie developed and supported POS software and website solutions. See awesome POS software and successful websites for your type of business.
At this free workshop we will…
Tower Systems offers solutions for retailers in these channels: gifts, jewellers, bikes, toys, fishing/outdoors, garden centres, pet shops, produce, firearms, adult shops and newsagents.
What is interesting at sessions like this is the common ground interests discovered between retailers from different channels. It is a thrill to see this emerge and retailers talk with each other and learn from each other.
I will be at each session. I hope to see you there. Book now, online.
It has been a busy day dealing with the Gotch data structure changes. Speaking from my own Tower Systems experience, help desk call traffic was up 350% as newsagents called to check that they were not making a mistake or to ask other questions.
As is the case with any tech change, it brings to the fore unrelated questions that users think may be related.
The situation was not assisted with inaccurate information being shared by at least one XchangeIT person for part of the day nor by Gotch sending a file unexpectedly.
Today was day one. Tomorrow will be as busy. Later in the week, issues will change as some newsagents who have ignored the digital and print communication realise they have arrived late at the party.
It is essential that even newsagent who uses software for processing magazines into and out of their businesses takes the steps necessary as advised by their software provider.
If you don’t know want you have to do, contact your software company.
There is no short cut. This work is something you cannot avoid.
There was a time when newsagents chose software based on the services it provided in the agency space – magazine invoicing and returns, newspaper run lists, newspaper home delivery account management, sub agent management.
While handling these things are sought today, they are not considered as important as they once were. In my experience, newsagents today consider other newsagency software capabilities to be more valuable. Here are some:
The list speaks to the variety of businesses in this diversifying channel.
It is the various e-commerce platform links that are most sought after as they provide a place on the world stage for locally owned businesses.
These links and integrations are valuable for either improving business efficiency and / or enabling businesses to reach more shoppers. Most new integrations and links innovation add significant measurable value to newsagencies whereas with the old agency integrations there is little in the way of valuable innovation.
While magazine and newspaper management tools will play a role for years to come, suppliers in those spaces have let newsagents down by not facilitating sought-after innovation years ago. That ship has sailed and now, from a technical perspective, newsagents are looking at efficiencies and new traffic opportunities from other suppliers.
Looking at this as the owner of Tower Systems, which serves more than 1,700 newsagents with its newsagency software, innovation is coming more from outside what has been traditional for the newsagency channel. This is a good thing. It brings new suppliers to the table to challenge is and see new opportunities. The more this happens, the less relevant the out of date technology and associated business practices from old-school suppliers.
As our newsagency businesses change, so must the infrastructure on which we rely in our businesses every day.
How people use websites for retail businesses has changed, not overnight, but gradually over time.
If you have a website created more than three years ago, which has not been structurally changed or updated since it is probably not helping your business.
Even if a website is there merely as an online business care, it needs to been certain criteria today to be found and of use to shoppers.
Here are some useful ‘rules’ I offer as guidance for any retailer with (or planning) a business website:
These new ‘rules’ are a start. The represent the most significant changes from websites that small business retailers, including newsagents, were doing just a few years ago.
I think a website for a retail business is best approached as an opportunity for the business to sell to people the business would otherwise not reach. This thinking helps you focus on the site and its purpose as being different, broader than the website. It also helps you learn more about borderless retail.
How people shop, when and where they shop and why they shop has fundamentally changed in recent years. A good website can help any retail business, including there Aussie newsagency, to reach new customers and through this drive greater commercial efficiency from the physical retail business.
My thoughts here are another reason, of many reasons, why I am optimistic for businesses in the newsagency channel.
Footnote: I have written this post because I noticed some newsagents sill have the website created years ago trough GNS or NewWeb. Those sites from years ago serve no purpose today other than to remind people of yesteryear.
XchangeIT has sent newsagents a large stock file for the Blueshyft services product. The approach being taken here is 100% in the control of Blueshyft and XchangeIT. It is an approach that I and experts at my newsagency software company have disagreed with from the outset.
I make this point today because a newsagent has told me they were told Tower helped create the process leading to the large file with 1,000s of entries. Tower did not help create the process. As recently as a week ago was advocating to Blueshyft they find an alternative that represented best practice in terms of retail data management.
While the world will not end and newsagency computer systems will not grind to a halt, these systems will be loaded with junk data as a result, and there are consequences for junk data.
Anyone focussed on serving the needs of newsagents would not agree to this.
Many newsagents have asked me about the pitch from Blueshyft to bring Bitcoin transactions to newsagencies. This is on top of their Ladbrokes betting account offering.
Neither is for me in my own newsagencies as they are agency offerings and I see no future in agency related activity. Commission is small. People are giving you money but not for good margin product. Counter space is taken and time too. I think both are distracting for the goals I have for my newsagencies.
Everyone has to reach their own conclusion as to what is right for their own circumstances. I know of newsagents who are keen for agency related business. All power to them, sincerely.
My newsagency software company has done everything necessary for the software to work with Blueshyft, at no cost to newsagents or Blueshyft – I am not allowing my personal view to get in the way what newsagents might want. I never have and never will.
Tyro today issues this important warning for the few newsagents still running Windows XP:
Summary
During a routine security upgrade here at Tyro on the 26th of May, related to our payments integration system, we discovered (much to our surprise) that there are Tyro merchants that are using out of date and unsupported operating systems. Specifically, Windows PCs that run XP Service Pack 2 or earlier (of which support was retired in July, 2010) and some other versions of Windows are not able to support newer security certificates.
The certificate that we use to secure our integration system expires on the 6th of June, 2016 and the new certificate cannot be accepted by POSs that run on Windows XP Service pack 2 or earlier.
Actions
If you have customers that are on an outdated release levels, you need to request those that use Tyro integration to update their system as a matter of urgency. Please contact them and assist them to upgrade their PCs to a currently supported version of Windows or if that is not possible, to at least Windows XP Service Pack 3.
Want to know more?
You can learn more about the problem with SHA-1 vs SHA-2 here:
https://www.digicert.com/sha-2-faq.htm
If you are not the right person for this message within your organisation, can you please forward it onto to the right person.
Let us know through ur help desk, if we can help in any way.
Here is how to check your version FYI:
My newsagency software company Tower Systems has launched a new option[1] acquiring newsagency software, a pay as you go model. Here are the details of the announcement as published by Tower:
The time is right given changes in the channel with newsagents sourcing new products, pursuing new traffic and leveraging higher GP. Thanks to our work with gift, homewares and other specialty retail channels, Tower Systems can help you transform your business.
$220.00 a month is all it costs to access the Tower newsagency software package. The $220 is paid by credit card. Stop paying if you want to stop using the software.
We make this offer now as we think some software companies are considering quitting the newsagency channel. You can see this through their lack of engagement with newsagency specific development, non-attendance at trade shows like the Sydney and Melbourne Gift Fairs and lack of engagement in the structural changes in the channel.
Developing software and backing it with good support for newsagents is expensive. A software company with less than 500 customers will struggle to keep up.
1,755 newsagents use our software – our closest competitor has 600.
We have experience switching from POS Solutions, Computerlink and AccessPOS to Tower.
Pay as you go customers have access to weekly online training workshops, 130+ professional training videos, software updates, our friendly help desk, our after hours support team, our theft check service and our business performance assessment service … for no extra charge.
If you have current hardware, the only up-front cost is for installation and training. This new pricing option saves capital, it eliminates the need for a lease or bank financing.
You will see from the simple agreement that you can turn it off at any time and not pay a cent more. You are in control.
Come and see the software and meet our team at our user meetings – details enclosed.
THE TOWER NEWSAGENCY SOFTWARE
For $220.00 a month you can use our newsagency software covering:
SUPPORT AND TRAINING.
Included in the low monthly fee is access to the extraordinary Tower AdvantageTM service:
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT HELP.
Tower Systems is there when you need, helping with advice, insights and guidance as much or as little as you want. These services include at no extra cost:
The time is right to make this offer as only Tower Systems has the capacity, commitment and vision to help newsagents leverage best-practice technology in a valuable and unifying way. Let us help you.
NOTE: Here is our response to any competitor who comments that this offer sounds desperate: – it would if it was coming from a company with 500 or fewer customers that is not growing. Tower Systems is strong and growing. We serve 1,755 newsagency businesses. We are making the offer because we have the capacity to and because we have a vision for a bright future.
[1] All existing purchase options remain available for newsagents installing our software.
Note: I was not going to write about this here but feel I have to because of the misleading information published by POS Solutions on their company blog. Their Subscriptions blog post followed the Tower announcement. It contains inaccuracies not only seemingly about the Tower offer but also Xero and other pay as you go offers. It also neglects to address the mandatory annual fees situation. Note – Tower does not charge mandatory fees. Reading this post and others from them it is as if they would prefer to trash others rather than innovate for themselves.
Next month, News Corp. introduces changes in the handling of newspaper subscription payments by distribution newsagents. this is the next step in a project started years ago in South Australia.
On April 11 they are moving all subscriptions for News Corp product from a mixture of Pay at Publisher (Office Pay) and Pay at Newsagent (Carrier Collect) to Office Pay. This will affect around 300 newsagents as the News letter notes.
While affected newsagents will be able to handle data changes manually, it will save them time if their newsagency software companies make this easier and faster for them. That is what Tower Systems will do. Other software companies are welcome to note their planned processes here.
This is another reason to offer Touch Networks services as this is how accounts are paid. I am proud to have connected Touch and News years ago to facilitate this in-store payment method. Prior to then, the News payment model did not have an in-store payment option.
Help desk call traffic more than trebled for my newsagency software company today as newsagents updated data managed by their software reflecting the transfer of many magazine titles from Network to Gotch. All in all it was an orderly process. With 1,750+ newsagents using the software it could have gone any one of a number of ways.
While I expect help desk calls to remain high all week and into next week, today was the day of proving the process and testing the value of all of the preparation communication including that from Network.
Small business newsagents can be proud that they are handling significant change with calm professionalism.
Newsagent suppliers ought to take note. What is happening this week is newsagents demonstrating they can deal with challenges of a technical complexity. How newsagents have gone about this is another reason to support our channel ahead of supermarkets and other mass retailers.
Newsagent associations ought to take note. This is all being done without you.
Just as newsagency businesses are changing so is newsagency software. Traditional and non traditional suppliers are expecting more of the software and this is pressuring the software companies to invest considerably to keep up.
Speaking from my own knowledge as owner of Tower Systems serving 1,850+ newsagents, we have eight newsagency business specific projects in development for newsagency software – involving retail as well as distribution – at the moment with most of these projects focused on business areas that would not have been involved just a few years ago.
Technology is playing a more important role than ever and newsagents will be able to use new technology to mine for new opportunities and new shoppers.
It is exciting to see these developments evolve and unlock opportunities for newsagents.