FAQ’s / Advice

I’ve heard of ADS Anker Data Systems. Are you the same company?

No, although many of our staff used to work for the German-owned Anker for a number of years. In 1995 following a managerial buy-out, Anchor Data Systems (NI) Ltd was formed. We continue to be the sole NI distributor (and possibly the largest independent UK & Ireland distributor) for all Anker products including their world renowned cash drawers and cassettes. That aside, we have continued to flourish and diversify over the years to provide low cost, quality solutions for practically every type of industry whether hospitality or retail based.

A substantial number of customers throughout the UK and Ireland still use Anker Cash Registers and products. We can offer limited support and parts for anyone seeking repairs or perhaps some programming assistance.

How many clients do you have and what industries do you supply/service?

We have thousands of customers on our books, from every business sector you could imagine, and then some! It’s our vast experience that gives us the edge over most other local suppliers. We literally have a solution for any business irrespective of size, type or budget. Over the past few years we have supplied to clients as far away as Aruba, France, and California, although our primary customer base remains Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the UK.

To help put your mind at ease, if you are interested in any of our Till Systems we would be only too happy to provide details of businesses similar to yours currently using our solutions (subject to their approval).

My Budget is limited. What options do I have?

Nowadays more than ever it is essential that you get the most for your money and spread the cost when possible. Fortunately at Anchor Data Systems we offer a variety of flexible options to suit most customers. There are three main options available: Buy Outright, Rent, or Lease. More often than not the customer will dictate which they prefer after a no-obligation discussion with our experienced sales staff.

Customers that prefer to purchase their equipment outright usually make one complete payment, although more frequently we have facilitated complete purchases by accepting several split payments. This is subject to our discretion and may involve a company/personal background check and certain conditions. We are always prepared to work with the customer to ensure everyone is happy.

When it comes to rentals it’s pretty straightforward. Low cost payments are arranged on a monthly basis by direct debit or card charging for the specified period. Again, this is subject to our discretion and may involve a company/personal background check and certain conditions. Renting is a great way for customers to spread the cost of running their business whilst ensuring they’re using the latest, modern equipment to do so. Renting is also beneficial from a VAT point of view as it helps spread your payments to Revenue and Customs. Rental periods can vary from 1 day to several years depending on the customers needs as no two businesses are exactly the same.

Leasing is basically another word for finance. We work with a host of third party finance partners to ensure we offer the best opportunity to get you finance-approved. The finance company pays the entire cost upfront and in turn you make monthly payments back to them. You have the option to Lease-to-Own or Lease-to-Rent depending on your preference. By choosing Lease-to-Own the equipment automatically becomes yours once the leasing period is successfully completed. With Leasing-to-Rent you hand the equipment back at the end of the leasing period which is why this option usually costs less. The duration varies depending on your requirements and finance is available to businesses as well as individuals. Leasing is very popular, flexible and provides substantial tax benefits. 

Usually when we provide costs for hardware or software products they include full setup, programming, staff training and ongoing warranty and labour support for a specified period. Customers can choose to include or exclude certain options which can affect the overall price accordingly. We have found our flexible approach to the entire process to be extremely successful and popular with virtually all of our clientele. Why not challenge us to see if we have a solution and payment scheme to suit you?

What is an EPOS System? What does EPOS stand for?

EPOS stands for Electronic Point Of Sale. An EPOS solution uses computers or specialised terminals that can be combined with other hardware products, such as Barcode Scanners, Cash Drawers, Receipt Printers and Display Monitors etc for accurately and instantly capturing sales transactions and other specifics such as customer details. An EPOS System can comprise of a stand alone Cash Register or a more complex setup such as a Touch Screen Terminal and Stock Control Software.

Modern EPOS Systems can also link to eCommerce Websites and feature enhanced facilities such as Wireless Ordering for hospitality industries and Hand Held Stock-Taking for Warehousing and Retail based businesses. An EPOS Solution can be a single point-of-sale in a single location or more complex setup involving several stores each with a multiple point-of-sale systems operating simultaneously. 

Advantages of an EPOS System:

– View Stock, Sales & Financial Information
– Link your EPOS Terminal to other Systems
– Automatically Link your System to your Supplier
– Gather Stock Movement Information
– Analyse Seasonal Product Sales
– Free Up Valuable Time & Resources
– Improve Efficiency & Processing
– Link your System to your Web Shop
– Automatically Maintain Stock & Orders
– Provide Suppliers with Sales & Purchasing Data
– Collect Data from Hand Held Scanning Terminals
– Facilitate Customer Loyalty Schemes & Promos
– Speedier Transactions at the Checkout!
– Screen Prompts to aid Staff Training

Should I go for a Cash Register or an EPOS System?

If there’s one item any business store owner can’t do without it is a Cash Management System. Whether it’s the traditional, Electronic Cash Register or an elaborate computerized Point of Sale (POS) System, every store needs a machine to process sales. When the doors are open and the lights are on, the cash register becomes more than a safe place to store money. It has the ability to save money, quickly process a customer’s transaction and accurately keep records. One reason for the high initial expense involved with a cash register or point of sale system is that a business can expect to get many years of service from the first machine they buy. The life expectancy of most cash registers is between 10-15 years. In contrast, the life expectancy of most EPOS Systems is around 5-10 years (hardware) with regular software upgrades required usually every few years. 

The amount of bells and whistles needed for your Cash Register or EPOS System will vary depending on your type and style of business. Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself before making your choice:

What tax must your business collect?

How many departments are in your store?

How many products do your carry now?

No. of products will you carry in the future?

How busy do you think your store will be?

Will you need more than one till point?

Will you accept coupons?

How will your staff process refunds?

Types of payments you will accept?

What is your overall available budget?

For any new business the choice between a Cash Register or EPOS System may simply depend on the budget of the shop owner. It is important that as the business owner you do not pass the responsibility of selecting the till system to an employee or consultant. Remember, no-one knows your business better than you. So do some homework before selecting a Cash Register or EPOS System. Make sure you understand your business needs, the cash management options, and the Hardware/Software options available so that your choice is an educated one. If you remain unsure we have people here to offer guidance. We do not want to sell you something that is useless or too complicated/basic for your needs. If you would like a quick chat with our sales experts just call 028 9074 0315.

Will an EPOS System benefit my business?

Without a doubt. Any business that has a large volume of regular sales and transactions, such as Retail Stores, Bars, Hotels, Restaurants, and Wholesalers will definitely benefit from integrating an EPOS System into their daily setup. If your business has lots of regular sales and many customers and suppliers who require fast, reliable product information, then an EPOS System can be invaluable, whatever the size of your company. Check out some of the advantages listed above in the “What is an EPOS System” section.

There are loads of brands and products throughout the internet. Why do you sell some but not others?

At Anchor Data Systems we supply a huge range of hardware and software products. Unlike major electronic brands you might find in your local Tesco, Currys or PC World, most customers will be unaware of the leading brands when it comes to Cash Registers and other Point-of-Sale equipment. Think about it, when it comes to televisions most of us know the brands Samsung, LG, Sharp, and Technika etc. However how many of you could name five major EPOS brands? In most cases the answer would probably be not many. Unfortunately there are quite a lot of cheap, unreliable POS products available to buy online through a host of unscrupulous dealers. We would urge you to contact us before making any decisions to get the low down on the various brands and options out there. In any event we’ll probably be able to save you a few quid and at the end of the day our advice is FREE – so what’s to lose?
 
We understand that you depend on us to offer our advice and expertise when it comes to EPOS hardware and software. The last thing we want is to supply something that’s unreliable or not worth the money. If your business was to suffer due to faulty or ineffective equipment supplied by us then as a consequence our reputation would suffer too! That’s the last thing we would want as we are staunchly proud of our company and the values we stand for.
 
With that in mind, we at Anchor Data Systems have made it our mission over the years to only supply tried and trusted brands and products. Put simply, if it’s not up to scratch then we don’t sell it. We have examined and rigorously tested thousands of products from our extensive range of leading suppliers based throughout the UK, Ireland, and beyond to ensure we’re happy to sell them and you’ll be happy to use them.

What sets your EPOS Touch Screen Systems apart from those supplied by other local suppliers?

There are 3 main reasons: Quality, Cost, and Reliability. We only supply the well established, reliable brands such as NCR, ELO, Sam4s/Samsung, Posiflex and J2 rather than the cheaper less well known alternatives. While other suppliers may be happy to sell you what seems like a great deal at the time, we urge you not to be fooled! At Anchor Data Systems we provide you with a FREE Site Survey at your business premises, followed by a FREE Quote, Demonstration, and even a FREE No-Obligation Trial (if requested). We can provide you with official documentation showing you how our products are vastly superior in performance and reliability. Occasionally you may find  that our quotes are a few pounds extra although there is a simple reason for this – our products are better! If you find our quotes are a bit extra, let us know and we’ll be more than happy to re-evaluate the bottom line. Usually you’ll find that we can.

At Anchor Data Systems we now only supply Touch Screen EPOS Systems with Solid State Storage, a new type of technology that emulates hard disks without requiring any moving parts! We have witnessed and actively encouraged many businesses and Touch Screen Computer owners to begin switching to Solid State Storage (often referred to as “SSD”) in order to rid themselves of many of the problems that often occur due to the inefficiencies of the standard “spinning” hard disk. With the advent of the SSD, users no longer have to endure slow performance, screen-freeze, or even the dreaded blue screen of death! Why not click here to view our Top Ten Benefits of Using Solid State EPOS Touch Screens. We guarantee you’ll be amazed at the difference.

 

Can I incorporate your products into my existing system?

Yes, much easier than you may think! We can incorporate any of our Software Solutions into your current hardware setup with virtually no down time at all. We can also provide additional and replacement hardware if your current system is beginning to look a bit tired or perhaps not functioning as effectively as it could. Our technical experts ensure any transition is swift and your staff are confidently up to speed with all changes. For a FREE system evaluation please call us on 028 9074 0315 or email enquiries@anchordata.co.uk

Can EPOS Software integrate with my Sage Line 50 Software?

Yes. All of our Software Solutions integrate seamlessly with Sage Line 50 to make incorporating a new EPOS System into your current setup as simple as possible. Our Point of Sale Software programs, Bleep POS Control, Sentinel, CES, ICR Touch, and our Back Office programs, SamStock, Bleep Retail Control, all feature optional “Add-On” modules to forge the link with Sage.

Whilst the reports and financial data produced by our own software is more than adequate to satisfy HMRC or the Irish Revenue people, you will always have the option to integrate with Sage should you choose. Each software solution we supply also incorporates as standard a facility to allow the import/export of any data that has been stored in a CSV (Excel) format, which is especially useful for other well known accountancy software packages such as Kashflow and Intuit Quickbooks etc.

For more specific details please contact our Sales Team on (028) 9074 0315.