You are a bit biased since you are the once making a profit from those who do NOT do it themselves.
What small business has "thousands of dollars" to put up front in the HOPE that they will save what seems to be imaginary dollars later? Not many. I mean small biz....not 1 million+ per year in sales with multi stores.
Almost everyone has a POS system that "works". RMS is an upgrade to an existing system that has probably been doing just fine.
So, better reporting is going to save me "thousands per year"? not. Better inventory control is going to save "thousands per year"? Um...maybe for some BIG business with BIG inventories. ..not. faster checkout is going to gain me hundreds of new customers? not.
In the VERY LONG TERM for a small business, the jump is great and will repay in SMALL INCREMENTS. For an internet business, the ability to get Nitosell, Kosmos or other system to pull from RMS will actually increase sales...and the ROI is faster. So, it is very hard to decide to put money into a new software system instead of more inventory.
and....yes small business owners are plumbers, electricians, stockboys, cashiers, accountants......and we also take out our own garbage, thank you very much.
Don't downplay your contribution Master T. You have a lot more skills than a plumber. And, you guys have a place with very complicated installs and multi-store companies.
just don't shoot at the little guy for trying to pull himself up by his own bootstraps so he can play in the sandbox with the big guys.
When we get bigger, we will probably end up us> One last note from the Masta. Just what if the advise and help of a partner