Retailers, Food & Beverage and Wholesale Distribution operators which own NetSuite or are considering it as their ERP solution need to consider how this solution will mesh with their front office operations. Leading research analysts such as Gartner, IDC and Forrester consistently choose NetSuite as the leading Cloud ERP System. Nevertheless, operators in these industries often express concerns about how NetSuite can operate with Point Of Sale, Warehouse operations and digital channels.

It’s not enough that NetSuite is the Cloud ERP system most recommended by leading industry analysts. Businesses need to ensure that their sales channels, stores and eCommerce operations work seamlessly across the commerce ecosystem comprising NetSuite and their other front-end and back-end systems.

There are two ways to approach this. Businesses can select a POS system that meets their store operation requirements and build a point to point integration with NetSuite, or they can choose a POS systems that is natively integrated with NetSuite. It’s a critical choice. In today’s world of omnichannel commerce, the choice of POS affects much more than store operations.  But which POS system?

Whichever way you approach it, Zoku stands out as the only approved 3rd party POS approved globally by NetSuite as Built For NetSuite, or BFN, complementing the core product with a modular collection of applications, including a full-featured POS designed and engineered to work natively with NetSuite. Its POS was literally Built For NetSuite, not as a standalone POS later integrated with NetSuite. That’s a key distinction, giving real weight to BFN certification.

Advantages of using a Built-For-NetSuite (BFN) vs a Point to Point (PTP) Integrated POS include:

  • Eliminating implementation risk
  • Having a single source of truth for Customer, Product and Transaction data
  • Avoiding POS hardware and platform dependencies
  • Guaranteed compatibility with new releases of NetSuite

Let’s examine these points one by one, considering the pros and cons of PTP vs BFN approaches.

Implementation Risk

  • Point to Point: When implementing a POS system that is not native to NetSuite, PTP integration of the POS with NetSuite can be a long and risky process as the systems were not “built for each other”. Even the latest API platforms or connectors cannot “marry” the systems because, at the end of the day, there’s still the need to sync between two databases for transaction, product and customer data.
  • Built For NetSuite: Native POS literally means that the POS was built for NetSuite. Simply put, there is no integration effort involved at all.

Data Source & Integrity

  • Point to Point: Unavoidably, the POS solution will have its own data structures and storage for Products, Customers and Transactions. This database was developed for the POS to operate with any other system. But even a near real time integration with NetSuite using 3rd party tools will never guarantee a single source of truth.
  • Built for NetSuite: The Zoku POS uses NetSuite as its database, with a Cloud-based integration layer and a local cache on the POS devices to synchronize data with NetSuite. These transactions take place at lightning speed even if your system is offline: there are no dependencies, not even on an Internet connection or a link with NetSuite. An intelligent algorithm queues and synchronizes data at the maximal rate that the network and NetSuite can handle. Having a single source of truth for customers, promotions and inventory takes you to a higher, more reliable level of functionality.

Hardware

  • Point to Point: Almost all POS Software vendors will dictate requirements for hardware and OS platform. This means you may need to throw away some of your existing infrastructures and be compelled to purchase new hardware, which may not be the best fit for your business.
  • Built For NetSuite: Zoku works on your existing hardware across all platforms: Windows, Mac OS, Linux, iOS, Android. Assuming your current hardware is not seriously outdated, you can continue to use it without incurring unnecessary expenses when upgrading or implementing POS software.

Upgrade Compatibility

  • Point to Point: Non-native systems may not be compatible with upgrades released by NetSuite, so you may miss out on releases and lose a competitive advantage by not having the latest software version. Or, worse, a new NetSuite release may cause your POS to underperform or stop operating.
  • Built For NetSuite: As a condition for maintaining its Built For NetSuite status, Zoku systems guarantee compatibility with NetSuite upgrades. Whenever NetSuite pushes a new release to its customers twice a year or more, you can rest assured that your POS will remain compatible.

Your choice of POS system is pivotal to your business. If you’re already using NetSuite, it makes sense to use native NetSuite software to streamline implementation and ensure ongoing compatibility. And if you’re in the process of evaluating NetSuite as your ERP and want to guarantee that your sales channels are not “left behind,” the world’s only native BFN POS will keep you fully covered.