Before you sign or renew a POS contract, get twelve answers in writing: the term, how it renews, the exit fee, who owns the hardware, what you can export, every recurring fee, how prices can change, what support covers, uptime commitments, who handles payments, what happens at the end, and who to call. Read it all, including the small print.
Why read it carefully
POS contracts often run for years and renew on their own. The price on the first page is not the whole cost. The questions below are ones to put to any vendor, including us. Get the answers in the contract, not only in a conversation.
The twelve questions
1. How long is the term? And what is the earliest date you can leave without a fee?
2. How does it renew? Does it renew automatically? For how long? How much notice must you give, and in what form?
3. What does it cost to leave early? Ask for the formula, not a general answer.
4. Who owns the hardware? Is it purchased, leased or provided with the service? What happens to it at the end? Must you return it?
5. Can you take your data with you? Menu, items, modifiers, guest lists, sales history and gift card balances. In what format and at what cost?
6. What are all the recurring fees? Software, support, each module, each device, each location, online ordering, gift cards, reporting. Ask for a list with every line.
7. How can prices change? Can the vendor raise fees during the term? By how much? With how much notice?
8. Who handles payments? Is the processing tied to the contract? If you leave the POS, can you keep the processor, and the other way around?
9. What does support include? Hours, channels, response targets, and whether on-site visits cost extra.
10. What are the uptime commitments? What happens if the system is down in service, and what is the remedy?
11. What happens when you stop? How long is data kept, and how do you get it?
12. Who do you call? A named contact and a number that works at 7 pm on a Friday.
Red flags
A reluctance to put answers in writing. A long term with a large exit fee. Hardware that only works with one processor. A price that depends on a conversation you cannot repeat.
Before you decide
Compare two or three vendors against the same twelve answers. Use the legacy suite checklist as a starting point. If you decide to change, read the switch overview.
Where Zorveta One stands
Fees are transparent, equipment costs stay low, and you can buy your own equipment or have us procure it. Contact us for pricing and terms. The pricing page lists what each part of the platform covers.