Springboard Retail Software

Pros

Several things that I like about the software, are ease of use, cloud based, customer service is knowledgable and helpful.

Cons

I don't like that adjustments can only be added one item at a time, transfers cannot be "recalled" once completed.

Two-way integration with E-commerce platform is really what sold us on Springboard.

Pros

I love that the system is so user-friendly! The reporting on this pos really helps the buyers anticipate what to buy for the next season. The best thing about this POS is the two-way integration with e-commerce platforms that easily pushes out the uploaded inventory from the POS directly to your E-commerce platform.

Cons

For us, the advanced migration process took a long time. Better communication and management needed on the migration team as well as the training team.

Pros

-user friendliness
-user interference
-customer support
-reporting
-two way integration with BigCommerce promised to be coming soon

Cons

The only negative feedback I can give now is that Springboard does not have an employee time clock tracking.

This software has been the easiest to learn and the report capabilities are amazing. You can sent them to review customer by vendor and size to a multitude of inventory and vendor reports. We have found the learning curve to quick and with adding touch screen monitors, easy.

Pros

Ease of use and reporting

Advice to Others

Definitely consider if you are looking for a new POS system.

I have been very pleasantly surprised about how well Springboard has worked out for our Men's Clothing boutique in Dallas. My colleague and I did some extensive research in POS systems. We both had a history of working with larger clothing retailers so we were accustomed to robust reporting, advanced order systems, and detailed item management. Springboard has been able to deliver on all fronts. I've also come to appreciate the support system that is built in. There is a message board available to submit requests/questions and the follow through has been pretty good. They have listened to some of our feature requests and I have noticed a couple of them were implemented on the following system update (which they also do frequently). We are currently working on getting our website up and running on Shopify, and the integration is working great in terms of syncing inventory.

Pros

Reporting, reporting, reporting. Reports are entirely customizable and there are several metrics to choose from. I feel like i have been able to replicate several of the reports that I had available to me at the large corporation that i worked at, and that has been very impressive.

User friendly interface on the POS. Very easy to teach to new users.

Detailed item management capability with unlimited customizable fields. Allows for even more robust reporting.

Ipad app works well

Cons

There were a couple bugs early on when using certain browsers. We now use Google Chrome more often than not and it seems to be working fine.

I wish the item management integrated more seemlessly to our Shopify site, but i think this is nitpicking a bit since most of the other POS systems don't even offer any integration.

Definitely pricier than the competition, but you get bang for the buck.

Web based interface is risky if you have network connectivity issues. We have been lucky thus far, but I could see this as being an issue for others.

Wish there was an iPhone app, a little hard to view on the iPhone browser.

Advice to Others

We signed up for the advanced startup package which included 8 hours of dedicated training hours. I think we used about 2 of those hours... If you have good experience with other POS systems then you can probably pick things up pretty quickly. And again the customer service is very good so they can help you out. But I will give the caveat that the 2 of us had 25 years of retail experience between us including order/item management and reporting which is probably something that would require a large portion of those training hours.

I am a hard one to please when it comes to systems. I have worked with some of the best retail companies and was used to a high performing POS system. I would highly recommend Springboard Retail to other retail stores. The support is awesome! The reporting is great if you are used to being able to dig into different metrics.

Pros

The support team listens to feedback and responses quickly. The ease of the system when working in it is awesome!

Cons

The only cons I have had ended up being fixed and a function of the system now.

Advice to Others

If you do your research on all the systems. This is a great one for the price!

Switched over from quickbooks point of sale about a year ago. (DO NOT BUY QB POS) The transfer of data went smoothly. The customer support was amazing. They have every feature I need for a small business with moderate to high volume. They system is very easy to use. They are continuously evolving and don't try to charge you extra for updates like some systems do. Because it is web based you can access it anywhere and enter inventory when you are not in the store with out having the POS set up on another computer. Reporting features help me analyze business better. Dashboard gives an overview of all info I need on a daily basis. Their customer service is the best I have encountered ever. They are usually available with little to no wait time. The staff is knowledgable and addresses any issues that arise in a timely manner. That being said, there have been a few glitches but as I stated they do fix them quickly.

Pros

Customer service. Web based, allows access anywhere.

Cons

Extra monthly charge for using POS on an iPad even if I use it for just 1 day. Not cheap, but worth the price.

Advice to Others

If you have a sizable small business that requires detailed reporting, gift card services, automated sales, storing of customer data with import and export features and more... this is the only system to use. If you have a very simple small business with only a few products and do not need all of these features you may be able to find a cheaper solution.

On the recommendation of another store in the area that uses Springboard I decided to try them out. I was initially told I would be able to use all my same equipment that I used with a previous point of sale system, later that turned out to not be the case & at considerable cost. Importing the product seemed to be an extraordinary challenge for them as well, even though they said they switched customers from my previous point of sale to theirs, "all the time." All in all it took them over 7 days to import, and I'm still missing information or have information in the wrong places. Once we were ready to go with product in place, the new machinery they made me purchase stopped communicating with their Point of Sale & after several hours on the phone & several hundred dollars of walk out business they were able to fix most of it, only to have it happen several more times in the next 3 weeks. I'm still waiting on a call back from tech support so they can look at some issues that happened a week ago. All in all, this is extremely disappointing software. Had I to do it over again, I would certainly not have switched to Springboard.

Pros

It's easy for my seasonal employees to use, but not remarkably more or less than any other POS.

Cons

I was sold, "So much more than point of sale. Springboard Retail is a powerful, cloud POS software and retail management platform designed to help you sell more, smarter." So far it has entirely failed to live up to that billing. Rather cumbersome to put transactions on hold & recall, no time clock feature, a 4 to 5 step purchase order to purchase receipt function that is again, a bit cumbersome.

Advice to Others

Do some serious research & get everything in writing. I would advise looking around.

Likes Best

It is extremely easy to use - from beginners to experienced users.

Likes Least

Would love to have kitting - this would allow us to better track our parts inventory.

Recommendations

Extremely easy to use and deploy - even with a distributed sales force like we have.

Likes Best

This system is very user friendly, you can just about customize it anyway you need. The level of service provided is top notch!

Likes Least

They need to work on the merchandising capabilities specifically creating mailing labels

Recommendations

Do the demos! Run some comparisons from your current system!

Likes Best

These folks understand fashion retail. Most of the other cloud-based systems evolved out of "coffee-shops" and are focused strictly on point-of-sale. As a fashion retailer that has been around for over 20 years, we needed a system that helps us manage our inventory, vendors and customers. Plus they have awesome support.

Likes Least

Nothing much. Integration with with Shopify (for e-commerce) is still evolving.

Recommendations

Look for clients that are similar to you are and call them.

Likes Best

I love the product. It was so easy to get up and running --the SB team was really helpful. The best part about Springboard is the powerful reporting tool. I have access to mission critical data that allows me to make better business decisions. I have visibility into all aspects of my business from anywhere. It truly is a bottom lime booster!

Likes Least

Everything the product does, it does very well. I'm a wholesaler using a retail platform so I have some work arounds but it's worth it.

Recommendations

Do your due diligence. I did my due diligence...and Springboard came out on top.

Likes Best

This easy to use system helps our seasonal business and team focus on driving sales. It's VERY easy to use - all of our employees are taught how to ring a customer up on day one. As Director of Stores, I'm constantly looking at sales from my smartphone and diving into the VERY STRONG custom reporting tool when at a computer.

Likes Least

Hmm.. I struggle with the bluetooth scanners connecting to our store iPads - however this is not a Springboard Retail issue. This is a problem with the hardware & hardware technology.

Recommendations

There are a lot of options out there when looking for a new retail management solution. Be sure to do your homework. From what I've seen, nothing tops Springboard Retail.

Likes Best

Ease of use and amount of data you can look at in real time

Likes Least

Nothing to report there isn't anything bad to say. If you want to fully use the service as it is intended make time to do the calls so you can get the most out of it.

Recommendations

Do the webinar and you will be blown away. It is like you are in the driver seat and getting to see all the amazing tools to improve sales and know what your employees are trying to move in your store. IE.. only pushing discount things or offering full price merchandise and adding in sale merchandise.

Likes Best

The Springboard Retail team hails from a multi-store retail background so they know first-hand what POS software needs to do, how it should work and that it must to be simple and intuitive to use. That is exactly what they have created; no fluff, incredibly flexible and reliable software that is as close as one can get to a custom written solution, offered at a reasonable price. Unlike many other platforms that try to serve restaurants, grocery stores, and everything in between, Springboard simply focuses on doing one thing incredibly well - retail. The software provides quick access to key customer information that enables sales staff to offer exceptional and personalized customer service, and offers the most extensive reporting system I've seen in the various products I've used or researched.

Likes Least

I'm hard pressed to find fault with Springboard Retail as it quite capably addresses all of our retail apparel multi-store needs. That said, there are aspects that can and undoubtedly will be improved upon to make it applicable to a wider range of specialty businesses. For example, I don't think it specifically handles service/repair requests, but with a little creativity and assistance from their knowledgeable support team it likely can. Great software must walk a fine line between maintaining simplicity and offering a plethora of features which inevitably clutter screens and steepen the learning curve. Springboard is designed to be simple, and as long as they hold true to this commitment, they will undoubtedly become an industry leader. Thus far, this is one of those rare instances where I feel fortunate to be a somewhat early adopter.

Recommendations

Make a list of your specific needs, ask many questions as to how the software you're considering handles those needs, test drive with real data that simulates your environment, and check with other retailers in the same line of business who use the software to get their feedback. Finding the right solution is often time consuming but warrants the effort since having to change to different system down the road will require 10x the effort. Always test the support number and ask questions to the problems you've experienced in the past to see how well each company can answer them. Based on my personal experience with the Springboard sales team, they had in-depth knowledge of all the nuances of their system and were able to clearly explain how it compared to others out there without imparting the sales pressure often experienced with people who are simply trying to meet a quota. Since there is no contract or commitment, Springboard focussed on making sure their platform would be a great fit for my business rather than simply getting me to sign up.

Likes Best

We moved over from RICS because it was an older slower moving system. Springboard's reporting function is dynamic - it works as fast as my brain works. In the past, I would run a report on performance and invariably another question would come up while I was reviewing that report - In RICS I would have to go back and rerun another report (5 mins) - with Springboard I can slice the data any way I want in a matter of seconds. I also have been consistently impressed by the support team - any time I have a question, the team is available to answer my questions - and always with a friendly and helpful attitude. ALWAYS. I know their names, they know who I am, it just feels really comforting to know I have a support team who seems to care about my business as much as I do. If they don't have the answer I am looking for, they are always quick to provide a suggestion for a workaround AND add my need to a list of projects they have going forward. I have seen almost every single one of my suggestions turn into a feature on Springboard. I also really like that I can open up another register (Station) as my business dictates - I am not locked into paying for features that I only use seasonally.

Likes Least

There are not many bad things I can say about Springboard. Every complaint I have has been addressed - occasionally I will request a feature or a metric (Inventory Turn!) that is not available now - and for the most part I have seen them implemented. There are several features concerning Open to Buy that I would like to see going forward. Also, Springboard only integrates with one Credit Card Processor, and although they were able to give me a very low rate, it's not great to be locked into one option. Also there have been a few outages in service (very few but still a scary situation)

Recommendations

I would highly suggest sticking with a cloud based system - make sure you are not paying for things you don't need (with Springboard you are not) and also make sure the metrics are going to match your industry (they are pretty generic, but Springboard is really helpful for clothing/shoes)

One of the things that frustrated me about the old company I was using - and was eventually the straw that made me leave was customer service. I felt my concerns were not being addressed and it upset me to think that no one cared that I was having issues with the performance of the software my business really depended on. Take some time talking to the team behind the software - before I signed on I had lots of conversations with the springboard team who talked with me for a VERY long time addressing all my concerns - it was so nice to see that the energy and dedication Springboard put into SALES was almost exceeded by their customer service team.

Likes Best

Communication is seamless. From the time I contacted them until the time we went live, the Springboard team communicated efficiently and timely. Any project can be accomplished if there is a efficient process and Springboard has this covered! We will be implementing this program across all of our retail locations.

Likes Least

There isn't anything we have fond so far. I think eventually the PC desktop version should look a little more like it was made for desktop VS. made for an iPad , but overall we are so satisfied.

Recommendations

Ask up front what the communication style of the company is. Ask for references of happy customers already using the product.

Likes Best

This software has excellent reporting and fantastic support. I wish I had found it when I first opened my shop. Outstanding in every way!

Likes Least

We've been waiting for Springboard to dovetail with Shopify for our online business, and it soon will. The waiting has been difficult, yet Springboard's personnel have been very supportive in the meantime.

Recommendations

Look carefully at the reporting capabilities for your industry. If you're going to have to invent work arounds for your inventory it's not worth it. Don't be tempted by super simple coffee shop systems like Shopkeep or Square. The reporting will be useless to you for forecasting and financials.

Likes Best

I like their entire team. Support is outstanding. They listen and respond. The product is incredibly flexible, allowing for custom fields on a slew of records (items, customers, purchase orders, etc). Reports are outstanding. They are fast and highly configurable. The system has a background in apparel, but it can easily be adapted to other industries. We are in crafts and had no trouble with it.

Likes Least

We have also had a few (very few) issues with credit card processing, but those issues have been due to problems with the processor, not Springboard itself. This is a problem that is not unique to Springboard. Always have some kind of a back-up system in place for internet and credit card processing! Also, just know going into it that Springboard is not a hardware or network provider. They have a recommended hardware stack, and if you stick to it, they can generally assist in troubleshooting if necessary. I strongly recommend having a local resource for networking and hardware configuration. That's not to say Springboard doesn't know what they are doing, but some issues need to have boots on the ground.

Recommendations

Get a test run; they have a free trial that includes some dummy data. Or, you can try the solution from top to bottom for 30 days.

This is a cloud-based system. That means you must have a reliable internet connection. Buy a router that can fall back to one of those USB 3G sticks from a cellular provider (SonicWall TZ200 is what we use. It's well worth the price for the peace of mind, but it's not for the faint of heart; hire a professional to install and configure it). That has saved us several times since our internet providers go down at least quarterly.

Jumping to geek speak for a second: if you go the route of the Star TSP100 printers over ethernet, take the time to configure them to have static IP addresses. This will make setup and ongoing performance much better.

As a last tip, you can use any iPad format with any supported iPad case. We went with the Ergotron Neo-Flex Desk Mount Tablet Arm, which clamps onto our checkout counters and can go up, down, and swivel around. We preferred this over the recommended Heckler stand.

Likes Best

Easy to work with and a good guide when problems arise.

Likes Least

It seems a little outdated, and it's hard to convert to newer systems.

Recommendations

Try many ways as well as undoing it to see how user-friendly it is or is not.