Software subscriptions accumulate quietly. One tool for loyalty. One to connect your accounts to Xero. One for email marketing. One someone signed up for eighteen months ago and nobody quite remembers why. Each one made sense at the time. Together, they can add up to several hundred dollars a month leaving your account on autopilot.
The renewals don’t send reminders. They don’t ask whether you’re still getting value. They just go through.
Start with your bank statement
Pull up the last two or three months of transactions and list every recurring software charge. Include annual subscriptions — those are the easiest to forget. Write the monthly equivalent cost next to each one.
Then ask one question per item: are you actually using this, regularly, in a way that makes the business run better?
Not “could you use it.” Not “we used it once.” Is it earning its place right now?
Check what your existing software already does
This is where most retailers find the most room. POS software gets updated. Features get added. But if you set up your system a few years ago and haven’t looked since, there’s a good chance you’re paying separately for something that’s already included.
Tower Systems POS software has loyalty and discount voucher tools built in. It has AI tools for tasks like writing product descriptions. It integrates directly with Xero — no third-party connector needed. It connects to Shopify for retailers also selling online.
If you’re running a separate loyalty app, paying for a Xero bridge, or using a standalone e-commerce integration, you may be doubling up. That’s worth a fifteen-minute call to check.
Ask your software provider what you’re missing
Most retailers use a fraction of what their core software can do. Not because they’re not capable — because nobody ever walked them through it. Call your POS provider and ask directly: what does this do that I’m probably not using?
It’s a short conversation that occasionally saves a lot of money.
Don’t cancel in a rush
When you spot a subscription you think is redundant, don’t cut it immediately if you’re unsure. Pause it where the platform allows, or note a review date thirty days out. If you don’t miss it, cancel. Most of the time, you won’t miss it.
The savings are real
Individually, cancelled subscriptions look small. But $45 here, $80 there, $120 for something nobody’s logged into since March — across a year that’s genuine money. Money that can go into stock, or wages, or simply sit in the account during a period when every margin point matters.
The audit takes an hour. It’s worth doing.
Tower Systems POS software includes loyalty tools, AI tools, Xero integration, and Shopify integration as standard — no add-ons required. To find out what else it might already cover for your business, call 1300 662 957, email sales@towersystems.com.au or visit www.towersystems.com.au.
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