iPad POS that includes marketing tools!
Avantages
Having email templates included was huge for us. Customer data integrates with emails, allowing us to segment our customers and send personalized deals.
Inconvénients
Email templates are not as attractive as something like MailChimp, so a working knowledge of html coding can help make them more appealing
NCR Silver meets our multi store needs
Avantages
This cloud based system met the majority of our needs when I began searching for a new POS system when our retail store was adding a second location. I was looking for a system that could be accessed remotely, share information between the locations and could grow as our store grows. The 24/7 Customer Service is reliable and accessible. Most times, a single phone call is all it takes to resolve a problem.
Inconvénients
The biggest drawback was discovered shortly after we began installation. We were told during the sales pitch that our system of alpha numeric sku numbers would easily transfer to NCR silver. The use of the bar code scanners and ticketing system would be simple process. This was not the case. We have to manually key in the alpha numeric sku numbers which is much more time consuming the scanning.
Four years later, we have of course adapted.
Some very good pros, and some pretty frustrating cons
Overall I would still use this system even if we weren't required to by the franchise. Partly because I wouldn't want to have to deal with switching over to a new system, but also because every system has its own issues and I don't think there are any other solutions out there that are better than this, at least in the price range of a small business. I believe NCR is working to fix the issues, at least, and I like the feel of the system. I would appreciate a little more transparency about issues that could affect reporting of sales data or processing of credit card transactions.
Avantages
The software is easy to use and relatively intuitive; new employees pick up the POS system quickly. The developers have been gradually adding desired functions that have been great improvements, and I imagine they will continue to do so. While some of the other stores in our franchise have complained about not being able to reach customer support in a timely manner, I myself have always been able to get through to them quickly and they are always helpful in working through issues.
Inconvénients
When the software has an issue, it tends to not be a small one. Also, it seems like NCR will work on fixing the issue but not let everyone know that there WAS an issue, even when it may affect your reporting of sales. For example, there have been software glitches where the over/short number for the registers was not getting recorded by NCR. We only discovered this because another store in our franchise figured it out and reported it. I never saw any communication from NCR letting people know about it, the issue was just resolved quietly a while later. Plus, almost every time there is an update, there are usually major issues with functionality for about the next week that can affect the ability to process transactions. The software/hardware interface has some issues as well.
Originally a great product, now not so much
I do not utilize ALL the functionalities because I am a bakery not a restaurant so I would like to be able to get a "cheaper" version so I am able to get the most for my money. In the last few months customer service is almost impossible to get answers from and they no longer have the concierge system where I have a specific customer service agent that helps. Its very frustrating to wait on hold and then get told that I am calling the wrong numbers when the website for help clearly states to call certain numbers for assistance. Overall, customer service needs help.
Avantages
I liked the ease of set up of this product as well as the ability to run categorical reports. I also like the ability to use this as a time clock system too!
Inconvénients
I would like to see a way to customize each category more, I sell cupcakes, I would like an option for more specific categories and options.
Payment reporting inhancement
Our overall experience with Silver has been great. We have recommended this product to several colleagues.
Avantages
This software is very easy to use and set-up. There are a lot of helpful reports you can run. I like that you can view your business activity remotely from your smart phone.
Inconvénients
When there is a problem it is sometimes difficult for customer support to fix the problem until the next update. This is frustrating because you are left to wait up to three months or more.
NCR Silver is a shoo-in for the Gold
Wonderful customer service, simple set up, easy to customize functions, menus and items.
Avantages
Super, super simple and easy to use software with plenty of tangible options for setting up menus, options, and variables.
Inconvénients
Currently there is no support for chips on credit cards; a very simple issue that is not a deal breaker in any way.
No Inventory Functionality
POS, tracking of sales, cash reconciliation, and time clock. Would love an inventory feature for retailers.
Avantages
Transactions, and reporting, are very easy to use. Reporting is excellent.
Inconvénients
There is zero inventory functionality. You can add inventory, but as a retailer I need to be able to track my inventory to monitor when, and what, I need to order. Silver does not offer such a feature. This is a common complaint amongst other retailers that use Silver that I frequent with my personal business.
Review of NCR Silver
My overall experience with NCR is OK.
Avantages
I like that it is easy to add and remove items with a couple of clicks here and there. The overall POS System is easy to use.
Inconvénients
Talking to customer service is a nightmare. They take a lot of time to get answers to the questions that i had. I don't like that i cannot run a report for the items that i have received into the system for each vendor. I don't like that i cannot run a mass report of the customers that i have in the loyalty program with their total points. I can only see them on a per customer basis.
Buyer beware!!!
The only times we got any communication was before and up to the sale. After that we only got to speak to someone when there was a problem. the programming of the menu items, modifiers, void/comp reasons etc. was clearly done by people that have never been in the restaurant business so every abbreviation and menu item had to be re-done by us which took up valuable time that we did not have. there is a log of all of the issues that were called in that has yet to be addressed by management. everyone seems to just want to pass it down the line and nobody has taken ownership of the problem and certainly nobody has offered a solution. Except for TOAST POS that we have replaced your system with. I will never do business with NCR again and will be completely honest with anyone whom asks my opinion or about my experience.
Avantages
BOH reporting was about it. I wish there was more.
Inconvénients
The connectivity was terrible. The hand held EMV chip processors tie up the terminal so no other servers can use it until the transaction has been completed. we had to buy additional iPads just to process payments using a SQUARE swipe attachment and set up separate account for payment so we could latr transfer the money into our actual account once the NCR payments had posted. The payment process is terribly time consuming and has caused a great deal of negative feedback on social media which has cost us in sales and also in repeat customers. Additionally, we had 3 of the portable units fail in the middle of service, on 3 separate occasions, causing payment log jams and upsetting even more guests ( the units had to be replaced and it took 3-4 days for them to arrive...) WORST system ever in my 39 years in the business!
Not Conducive for restaurant
Not pleased with the system. Looking into other companies with better ratings. Hopefully will have a better outcome.
Avantages
compact size, and for the most part it's ease of use
Inconvénients
Constant glitches and malfunctions. I have had numerous tickets submitted with ncr customer care in teh 6 months of us using this software. Not efficient/reliable for our small cafe.
NCR Silver
Overall it has been a great experience - we went from writing paper slips for every transaction and entering each one manually into Quickbooks to just generating a couple of reports each day in the back office and entering those. It has been wonderful to have saved customer information in the system and not having to rewrite their address again. This is saving us a lot of time and our customers are impressed with our contemporary POS systems since we're a small family business and they don't expect us to be tech-savvy.
Avantages
We like that the software is intuitive and has clean design. We like being able to arrange our products in categories ourselves, ability to sell items by singles or by weight, being able to track products sold etc.
Inconvénients
We would like to have more control over receipt printing. Since we do a lot of deliveries, we would want to be able to set the font larger for the customer address and the quantity of the products, also being able to print double receipts right away would be great - one for the customer and one for the delivery driver (right now we have to look up the last transaction and reprint, which is at least 4 steps) We also would like to be able to access older transactions from the POS system - many of our customers want to look up what they ordered last season, or two seasons ago and to do that we have to go through a very long process in back office right now - it's requires going to "results", then "POS transactions" setting the dates manually (no easy option for 1 or multiple years), then searching for customer name, and clicking "line items" for each transaction we want to check. Aside from being a long process, I also don't find that the names for these actions fit how we think of them when we are looking them up. Also merging customer history would be nice - sometimes we accidentally create double or triple customer accounts and it would be nice to be able to combine them.
Good compromise between cost and functionality, and great customer service
This is a very affordable all-in-one system that lets us track sales, track employee hours and performance, and process credit cards. It does what it is supposed to do quite well. However, like any software, it takes some getting used to, and it is only after a few weeks that you really get comfortable with it. We live in an area where our internet keeps going down, and this system will continue to function even with the internet down. One important note for people in a similar situation is that you should not use the recommended configuration if your internet is shaky. (Their customer service helped us wit this.) They recommend a secure hard wire from the main printer to the internet modem. When the internet goes down, that interrupts communication back to the ipad, and the printer and cash drawer are not functional. Instead, as their person advised us, we use Bluetooth for that connection, and that way the iPad always is connected to the printer and the cash drawer. A minor hassle occurs sometimes when the internet goes down and devices pick up different floating IP addresses, in which case you have to delete existing connections and reconnect the new ones. I believe you can avoid this by using fixed IP addresses, but am not sure how to do that. These are pretty minor glitches once you get used to them.
Avantages
POS software is something that you use in real time so it is essential that you be able to fix problems quickly. Their customer service is very good - they almost always pick up at once and they are always able to tell you what to do.
Inconvénients
This is a multi-use system. As a restaurant, we had to get used to some features that are more for general retail, although it does contain things like table assignment and so forth.
Big changes in Customer Service and they've lost me
Overall I used to be very happy with NCR silver. The price has crept up over time. They raised the price once and said I now had "concierage" service, but no one seems to be able to explan to me what that meansand they are not nearly as responsive with customer service as they used to be. I have complex inventory questions and cannot get an answer. When I call in (which I rarely have to do now) my issue is complex and the reps that answer are inexperienced and just tell me what I already know. They don't understand what I am asking because they don't use the system themselves.
Avantages
I liked how easy it was to use. Easy to set up, user friendly. In the beginning when i needed help and had questions and suggetions the call center reps knew what they were doing and how to help.
Inconvénients
In the last year or two they switched the call center to India. Since I have been using NCRSilver since 2015 I can solve most of my own questions, but when something comes up and I have to call in it is not a simple question anymore, and the employees that are now contracted to solve these issues know less about the system then I do. They seem to be reading from a script. While they are very nice it is frustrating because they cannot answer the question and it has to be put in queue and they have to get back to me. Seems like when that happens the person getting back to me just tells me what I already know. It's useless. I am going to be looking for a new software for my POS system.
More than a cash register!
Overall I've been very pleased. I think it's obvious that NCR has taken it's decades of experience working with registers and retailers, fulfilling their needs, and applied it to the Silver app. It isn't the cheapest option on the market but it's way more reliable than any windows PC based POS. I'm not worried about viruses and windows errors or even brief power outages disrupting my business. If I have a wifi connection, I'm in business.
Avantages
The back office, inventory management, and customer tracking is terrific. Any system can fulfill the basic need of helping you ring up a sale, but Silver offers features that I didn't know I needed until I had them. Computing sales tax for state filing, locating past customer purchases, super useful features.
Inconvénients
I'd like to be able to add devices without additional fees. I guess I don't understand why having a second device changes anything with regard to the costs incurred. I had a copy of the app on my phone purely as a backup in case something happened to my tablet but realized it was costing me every month for something that I wasn't using.
When wifi is having problems, I wish there would be a way to cache those transactions offline for processing when wifi is connected again. As it stands, I end up using the old carbon copy forms to take and impression and running the transaction later.
Solid software but not as versatile as hoped
The POS system, like others, allows me to track business flow when not in the store.
Avantages
NCR's back office is easily navigated. It is feature rich in many areas, excelling in variations. The modifier portion of the software is decent, but could use some work so that it could be used as a single add on for several items as well as modified price times quantity.
Inconvénients
Can not customize the customer information that you wish to have at a glance.
Can not set up tax exempt customers for automatic tax exemption.
Can not readily link inventory to my existing website.
Can not set up scannable customer ID cards readily.
Can not see inventory at a glance for quick inventory checks on items.
Will not print directly to Dymo Labeler for price tags from back office as Square will when receiving inventory.
Can not set up coupon codes for printable coupons, must set up an offer to apply to everyone.
Sales team said these were all included in the purchase, but were not.
Expensive software, overall less feature rich than Square but 33% higher per month.
Feedback
Great customer service when I call. Very responsive and efficient. Wished they would contact us on the front end when an update creates issues, not after we have the problem.
Avantages
The ease of use on the front end. Easy to pull data and information from historic sales.
Inconvénients
Issues with security aren't addressed until they are a problem and have credit cards kicked back after assuming they were good. Changed security settings on IPads and issues were resolved, but we had to reach out instead of being contacted first.
There needs to be an accounts receivable. We use a backdoor and do payouts with notes to even the drawer. A fourth category would make this easier.
Problematic
Completely mixed bag, usually negative. I especially disliked the phone call I received from NCR EMV development lead when I complained about th EMV pad being defective junk last year. The call was very rude and unprofessional.
Avantages
Cloud based POS with automated email receipts that also sends out automated coupons for marketing.
Remote inventory management for adding new SKUs and UPCs.
Inconvénients
1) Not truely EMV compliant. Most annoying was the ancillary peripheral chip scanner looked cheap, was not always on, turned itself off every 30 mins. Fundamentally the EMV pad was defective and not fully functional or compatible with the NCR POS.. We removed it from the terminal and were forced to do swipe only.
2) NO CONTACTLESS PAYMENT FEATURES!
3) Updating VAR sheet for NCR terminal after worldpay vantiv merger was HELL. I imagine transfering to another processor would be the same terrible experience.
Stress releaf
I have told, shown and recommend your system to many small business owners but they tend to go with other systems due to cost, they love the look on my bar with my 2 ipads on their stands, one for NCR Cimplebox calendar check ins and the other for NCR Silver POS studio sales.
Avantages
Ease of teaching my employees, Ease of getting my reports, Ease of looking up so many things like cancelled tickets(times of cancellations would help), helps me keep track on employees.
Inconvénients
Not seeing the integration of my online calendar system, thought their might be a discount for the calendar. Control of emails is a "0" - no means to click on several at a time to delete as I uploaded 6,000+ only to find out I could only use 2500 at a time, not I need to upload them all again in groups. But then if I have duplicates there is no easy way to tell and I do not want to bother my customers with duplicate emails. I also have no idea if my (Cimplebox) calendar emails are automatically going over to the Silver.
NCR Silver for Retail
I used to like it more. Now, I think other POS software out there has far surpassed NCR Silver's capabilities.
Avantages
It is very easy to learn and use. It uses the iPad's built-in GUI well.
Inconvénients
Bulk email is capped at 2500 users. Wish I had known that before starting to use the software. There is an ongoing issue with email logging. I have reported it numerous times. They are supposed to be working on it but no one can get me information about it. It's about 6 months in with this issue and still nothing.
The credit card reader has been replaced twice so far and has issues not working. The connection on the credit card reader makes charging difficult after months of use bc the connection gets worn (iPad flipped back and forth for users to sign.) It's a hardware issue that's certain to cause problems for the life of the design.
Inventory management features are very limited.
Limitations in reporting and discounts
I have't experienced any "problems" with NCR Silver. I would however like to know more about what the program is capable of because I don't believe I am utilizing all of the options to the best of their ability.
Avantages
I like that I can program in the specifics of the items that I sell. We carry several thousand sku's and I can program each barcode of each variation of each product. I also like that there are reports that are valuable to my business, such as sales reports and time clock reports.
Inconvénients
There are limitations to the reporting that I need for my business. There is no way to show what quantity and dollar amount of inventory I have on hand during any given period.
With our industry, I need to know monthly inventory totals on hand, both quantity and dollar amount. In addition, there is no shrinkage tracking for damaged, shopworn, or missing items.
This has really changed the way I do business
I have been so impressed. I have a lot of friends with restaurants, and I'm constantly singing NCR's praises. The fact that people use other ipad based registers makes no sense to me. This one literally pays for itself. in the amount I save by being able to use my own credit card processor.
Avantages
I have really enjoyed not only seeing my daily sales broken down with time accounted for within the system, but also just having the sheer scope of information that this unit provides.
It's simple to use and implement, it's intuitive, and any time I have questions I simply open a chat browser from the back menu and I have been able to solve all of my problems within minutes.
Inconvénients
I wish there was more I could do with employee tracking, but I think that's available in the next tier of monthly payments.
NCR Silver review
This is our first POS and it has given us more access and flexibility.
Avantages
Stable performance, easy to use interface, good quality stand, printers and drawers.
Inconvénients
We should have access to the programming staff, either directly or via a liaison. There are many small changes that would greatly enhance our experience.
Satisfied
Overall, I feel like you get a lot for your money and the ease of training new staff on the POS is greatly appreciated. The back office reports are great and help me keep track of sales and trends.
Avantages
I like that it's super easy to train new hires on the POS and as I a manager I love that I can access so much information in the back office so long as I have access to a computer/laptop.
Inconvénients
There are just a few things that I wish we could change, but a lot of the software updates eventually address a lot of them. Like any software out there, there are glitches that happen but they're minor so it's not a deal breaker. Customer service is a hit or miss. Most times friendly, but a lot of times it just gets sent to a different department because they can't figure it out, which takes time and follow ups.
NCR Silver Review
Avantages
The system generally is up most of time.
Inconvénients
It removed a lot of our stored hold tickets - thus, loosing info on contractors and the amount of purchases they had pending to pay
We had been in touch MULTIPLE times with NCR and level 1, 2 & 3 Guy named representative and many others
NO ONE EVER EVER GOT BACK TO US _ what the problem is/was / what info they recovered/ why that it lost our stored info etc. OR WAS THE ISSUE EVER RESOLVED ? This has been many, many months we have been trying to work thru this. It has cost us $ and customers. NCR Silver does not seem to care !! We have talked to many different support members and get the same general run around. Very Very discouraging, would not recommend product to any one.
Mad Mexican loves NCR
Easy to work with thru problems.
Avantages
Easy to install, update and use. They answer all calls promptly and fix any issues that might occur quickly!’
Inconvénients
No issues , we are pleased with the system and products.
