Best POS System in Malaysia
Like any other thing you buy, which are the best POS system in Malaysia depends on your specific situation, needs, and capital.
Let’s look at the systems side by side and compare. After this comparison, I will make a suggestion based on my own experience on the best type of POS system for your business.
| Cloud-based | Standalone | |
| Upfront Costs | Low upfront cost. Mostly purchasing of hardware. RM2,000 – 5,000 | High upfront cost. Hardware and software need to be purchased. RM6,000 – 10,000 |
| Ease of Setup | Easy – people with some technical skills can set up. | Can be challenging for people who do not have the intermediate technical know-how. Require a technician to set up |
| Ongoing Costs | Recurring monthly fee (RM100 – RM500 a month) | Usually no monthly fee, though a budget for maintenance from time to time is expected |
| Maintenance and support | May be able to solve problems through online assistance | Will need to ask a technician to come in to help troubleshoot problems |
| Upgrades | Updates frequently, weekly or monthly | Infrequent updates – require direct access to computer to perform upgrades |
| Remote store monitoring | Access your store POS system from anywhere with an internet connection and get live information | Unable to access store information using the internet unless done manually |
| Internet required | Yes | No |
| Ease of Use | Easy to use. Little training required | Depending on the software, can be complex to use for specific tasks |
Cloud-based POS Systems: Gen Y or Gen Z Owners with a Small Store
Look, I am not biased here – anyone who wants to use cloud-based systems can do so. BUT – I notice that people before the Gen Y or Gen Z generation tend to not see the value of cloud-based systems. So for them, cloud POS systems can appear too pricey with few benefits.
On the other hand, Gen Y and Gen Z owners tend to already be too used to having everything on the cloud. They would normally much prefer using another app like Facebook than having to use a standalone POS system that looks like it has not been updated for more than a decade.
Other than that, cloud POS systems are also cheaper to setup. This is an important thing to consider especially when you are bootstrapping your business. So if you are a Gen Y or Gen Z, I would recommend that you put the cloud POS system as your first choice. You will find it easy to use and as intuitive as using any app on your mobile phone.
Since the cost of using cloud systems will be higher, I would recommend this only to people who have less than 2,000 items in their inventory. Many new cafes, juice bars, restaurants, gyms, bakeries and small retails outlet would fit nicely into this criteria. But of course, if you have money to spend, you can always stay with cloud systems for as long as you want.
