The Importance of Tech Support

When a retailer decides to invest in a point-of-sale (POS) system or switch to a new one, they’re not just buying software and hardware—they’re entering into a partnership with the technology provider. The effectiveness of a POS and retail management system hinges on the quality of its support.

For over 40 years, independent retail store owners have trusted Paladin Point of Sale to enhance their business operations. While Paladin’s system is robust, it’s the company’s dedication to customer support that truly distinguishes it.

“If there’s a secret to Paladin’s ongoing success, it would have to be the loyalty of our customers. Many who were with us in those early years are still with us today. Our customer support plays a large role in maintaining that loyalty,” says Dan Nesmith, reflecting on his 40-year-old company.

Support from the start

A key indicator of excellent support is how well a provider sets up a store with their system. A committed partner will thoroughly assess a store’s resources, capabilities, and needs, and tailor their products and services accordingly.

Shane Wells, who owns Nettleton Hardware in Mississippi, expanded his business to the neighboring community of Amory and needed to upgrade his retail system. After evaluating several POS systems, he chose Paladin Point of Sale.

“Paladin did a really good job getting us going. We practically didn’t have to do anything. It was really seamless when we started up,” he says.

Shane’s stores, a 5,000-square-foot hardware store and an 8,000-square-foot lumberyard in Nettleton, and a 6,000-square-foot showroom and 30,000-square-foot indoor lumberyard in Amory, all run on the same Paladin system.

“We use Paladin for everything. It makes everything a lot easier. Communicating with our vendors is simple. I like the report system. We use sales reports a lot. It’s all easy to track,” Shane says.

Simplicity and Support with a Human Touch

Lance Cox, owner of Coos Curry Supply in Port Orford, Oregon, is an honest, no-nonsense guy who likes to do things as simply as possible. That’s why, in 2008, when he had to find a new point-of-sale system for his store, he chose Paladin Point of Sale after extensive research.

“Simplicity was the attraction to me,” he says, explaining his decision to trust Paladin. “The visuality, the graphs, the fact that I can easily look up an item and find out that I’ve sold X amount of these this year. On Paladin, I see it right there. I don’t have to do a bunch of lengthy number chasing. That’s a real convenience for me.”

Lance also appreciates Paladin’s 100% US-based support.

It’s good to do business with people you know care about you. Paladin’s support is there to do a job, but there is a manifested interest to make my store successful. Knowing that I can call someone and get an answer from a human being in a responsive way, that’s tremendously comforting to me.
Lance Cox

Owner, Coos Curry Supply

Unwavering support

While all POS companies provide support, sometimes getting it can be difficult or costly.

Ross and Deb Martin own Caledonia Village Ace Hardware in Caledonia Village Township, Michigan. It was always Ross’s dream to own a small-town hardware store. He entrusted that dream to Paladin Data Corporation, and he says it has paid off.

Ross uses Paladin’s Suggest Ordering feature, which uses sales transaction data to eliminate hours of price shopping and automatically generates inventory orders to maintain the ideal amount of stock on hand. This has allowed an in-stock percentage of 97% to 98%, which Ross says helped him earn Ace Pinnacle status as a top-performing store two years in a row.

He also says Paladin Support, which is available for emergencies 24/7, helps his store keep running smoothly.

Paladin has tremendous customer support. Other companies have tiered support. The bigger stores get priority support and smaller stores have to wait in line. Paladin supports its customers no matter what the size. Paladin’s staff is very responsive.
Ross Martin

Owner, Caledonia Village Ace Hardware

That responsiveness was tested when the store’s computer crashed, threatening to lose five years of sales transactions and financial records. Paladin Managed Services restored the files and saved the store countless accounting headaches.

“I was panic-stricken. Gone were all my Excel documents, created forms, accounting data, employee handbook, et cetera,” Deb explains. “I’m eternally grateful (Paladin) developed a backup that looks out for the back room, too.”

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Support that works with you 

Mark Jackson owns and operates Red Oak Hardware Hank in Red Oak, Iowa, a small town southeast of Omaha, Nebraska. Over the years, Mark expanded the store seven times and added a Hallmark Gold Crown store and Ashley Furniture store.

During this evolution, he transitioned from hand-written receipts and bookkeeping to a modern point-of-sale system. In 2017, he chose Paladin to help him run his multi-faceted business. Paladin worked with Mark to help him connect all his stores, which are located around Red Oak’s Fountain Square Park, under one system.

“The service that we get from Paladin is so great. If we have a question or there’s something we want to accomplish,” like setting up a new store on the same system, Mark explains, “we call and work out a solution. Those are the kinds of things Paladin does for us.”

Upshot

Mike Williamson, CEO of Paladin Data Corporation, emphasizes that Paladin focuses on delivering tailored solutions rather than just selling products. The company’s setup and support process is comprehensive, ensuring they understand each business’s unique needs and provide customized solutions accordingly.

“The underlying message is we’re a company that listens to our customer and responds. We understand their pain points. We understand their needs. Our product is organic. We’re constantly engineering it and that will never stop,” he explains.

brian bullock 

Author