What we’ve learned from onboarding 50+ Irish retailers this year
Changing your EPOS system is a big decision. For a retailer, it is not simply a matter of installing new tills and getting on with business. There are products and pricing to prepare, staff to train, hardware to install, systems to connect and a whole team that needs to be ready for the change.
So far this year, we’ve onboarded more than 50 Irish retailers.
That gives our team a useful perspective on what makes an EPOS implementation work well, what can cause unnecessary stress and where a little preparation can make a big difference.
While every retailer is different, a few lessons have come through consistently.
The best installations start before installation day
Perhaps the biggest lesson is that the installation itself is only one part of the process.
For many retailers, the most valuable part of the onboarding happens before an engineer arrives in store.
Our pre installation process gives retailers an opportunity to get familiar with the system, learn the basics and understand what will happen during the installation and go live process. This matters because changing EPOS can be daunting.
Retailers are understandably nervous about introducing new technology into an environment where everything needs to keep moving. Staff need to know what is expected of them, and managers need to understand what they need to have ready.
Getting that conversation started early makes the installation feel much more manageable. By the time installation day arrives, the retailer has already had an introduction to the system and knows what to expect.
No two retailers start from the same place
One of the things you quickly learn when working with a large number of retailers is that there is no such thing as a standard implementation.
A retailer may have one shop or multiple sites. They may have a small team who all know the business inside out, or a larger team with different levels of experience.
Their existing systems, product data, pricing structures, hardware and integrations can all be different too.
Even the pace of the project can vary. Some retailers want to move quickly. Others prefer more time to prepare and get their team comfortable with the new system.
That means onboarding has to be structured without being rigid. Having a clear process is important, but so is understanding the retailer in front of you and adapting where necessary.
What happens before go-live matters
The retailer has an important role to play in a successful implementation.
There are practical things that need to be prepared before the new system goes live, from product and pricing information to getting staff familiar with how the system will work.
The more that can be dealt with beforehand, the less there is to worry about when installation day arrives.
It also gives retailers a chance to identify questions or issues early, rather than discovering them at the point of go-live.
This is one reason we place so much emphasis on preparation. A smooth installation is not just down to the engineer arriving with the right equipment. It is a team effort between the retailer and the people supporting the implementation.
Staff need to be part of the change
It is easy to think about an EPOS project in terms of hardware and software, but ultimately, people are using the system.
The manager who oversees the store. The staff member serving customers. The person responsible for stock and pricing. The person checking reports at the end of the day.
They all need to understand enough about the system to do their jobs confidently, and that is why training is such an important part of the onboarding process.
It is not about expecting everyone to know everything immediately. It is about giving people the opportunity to become familiar with the system, ask questions and understand how it fits into their everyday work.
When staff have had that opportunity before go live, the change is much less of a shock.
Communication can make or break the experience
Another thing that becomes very clear when you are involved in lots of installations is how important communication is.
Retailers want to know what is happening, when it is happening and what they need to do. That sounds simple, but during a busy retail operation, uncertainty can quickly become frustrating.
Explaining the process clearly helps everyone understand their part in it, it also means there is an opportunity to address concerns before they become problems.
Whether it is a question about the software, installation itself, something the retailer needs to prepare or what staff can expect on the day, good communication gives everyone a clearer picture.
Sometimes that reassurance is just as valuable as the technical solution.
Go live is a milestone, not the finish line
Switching on the new system is an important moment, but it is not the end of the onboarding journey.
The first few days and weeks give retailers the opportunity to put their new system into practice and identify anything they need help with, that is when questions naturally arise.
A member of staff may want to know how to do something slightly differently. A manager may want to explore a report they have not used before. The retailer may start thinking about how they can make better use of features they have not yet needed, and that is all part of the process.
A good onboarding experience should give retailers a strong foundation, but ongoing support helps turn that initial familiarity into confidence and day to day knowledge.
What 50+ onboardings have taught us
Looking back at the first part of the year, the biggest lesson is perhaps a simple one:
The technology is only part of the implementation.
The preparation matters.
The people matter.
Communication matters.
And having a clear process matters.
When those things come together, changing EPOS becomes much less daunting and the retailer can focus on what matters most: running their business.
What we’re taking into the rest of 2026
More than 50 onboardings gives us plenty of experience to draw on, but it does not mean we stop learning.
Every retailer brings something different to the process. Every implementation gives our team another opportunity to understand what works, where retailers need more support and how we can make the experience better.
That means the lessons from the first half of the year will continue to shape how we approach the next 50.
Because successful onboarding is not about getting a new till switched on as quickly as possible. It’s about making sure the retailer is prepared, the team understands the system and everyone knows what to expect.
The goal is not simply to go-live, it’s to go-live smoothly and with confidence.
Thinking about changing your EPOS system?
Talk to our team about how we can support you from preparation and training through to installation, go live and beyond.
📞 093 23900
Who are we?
We are a market-leading EPOS provider with over 25 years of business experience. Our leading sectors are coffee shops, off licences, forecourts, convenience stores, supermarkets and pharmacies.
We’re dedicated to providing your store with the most up to date and reliable point of sale hardware, along with software management tools to help you manage your business effectively.
Our self-checkout partners are NCR, who are global leaders in self-checkout technology.
About the author:
Susan McGuire is originally from London, United Kingdom, and has now lived in Galway, Ireland, for 19 years. She has been with Retail Solutions for 10 of those, and during that time has enjoyed various roles within the areas of Maintenance, Finance, & Marketing. You can follow her on LinkedIn!
