How To Outsell Changes In Technology And Consumer Behavior

By Sean Berg, Shift4

In previous years, business owners sought resellers who could provide point of sale technology to streamline operations, and the knowledge and experience to better service their customers. But today, shopping for point of sale technology is like shopping for gasoline. Every provider looks the same, and the average business owner selects the most convenient solution available unless another is a few cents cheaper. Because of this, many veteran resellers of point of sale technology are being overlooked for solutions offered alongside trending technology. Online presence management or cloud-based solution providers, such as online ordering, are offering point of sale technology in their package and winning business.

Technology and consumer behavior continue to accelerate at exponential rates. The internet has made nearly any information imaginable available 24/7. Couple that with a laptop, tablet, or smartphone in the hand of nearly every consumer, and you have a recipe for consumers to become educated very quickly. This has changed the reseller-business owner relationship and its accompanying challenges.

Digital Presence
A lot of businesses believe they know their customers, the people who make their way into the restaurant every week. This was the case up until the last several years. Now, regular customers expect to find everything they want to know about a business from their online presence. This now happens before, during, and after visits to the business. The news and information they find will often determine – without any communication with the business – if the customer will ever return. Further, new customers no longer need to physically enter a business. This is a significant change in the consumer dynamic and has created a new challenge in the reseller relationship.