Industries · Retail
Store technology that keeps tills open and payments flowing
Independent retailers and small chains depend on point-of-sale systems, payment terminals, inventory tools and store Wi-Fi that must work every trading hour. We manage the network, devices and accounts behind the counter so staff can focus on customers.
At a glance
- Who this is for
- Independent stores and small retail chains with roughly 5 to 200 employees in BC and Alberta
- Typical environment
- Cloud or on-premises POS, payment terminals, receipt and label printers, inventory scanners, back-office PCs, store Wi-Fi and Microsoft 365
- Common priorities
- Payment network separation, reliable store internet, staff turnover, back-office security and readiness for holiday trading
- Payment security position
- PCI DSS obligations belong to the merchant; we support related technical controls such as network segmentation and access management
- Pricing basis
- Per user and per site, confirmed in a written quotation; calculator figures are proposals pending approval
Technology challenges in retail
The till must always work
A POS system that cannot reach the internet, a payment terminal that will not pair or a receipt printer that drops offline stops sales immediately. Store staff are rarely equipped to diagnose which component failed.
One flat network for everything
In many stores, POS terminals, payment devices, security cameras, music players, staff phones and customer Wi-Fi all share the same network, often set up by different installers over the years.
High staff turnover and shared logins
Part-time and seasonal staff come and go. Shared POS and back-office logins are common, which makes it hard to trace refunds, voids and account changes to a person.
Peak seasons concentrate the risk
Holiday trading, back-to-school and sale events bring the highest transaction volumes. An outage on those days costs far more than one in a quiet week.
Risks retailers should plan for
- Payment devices exposed on the same network as customer Wi-Fi or unmanaged staff devices
- Default or shared passwords on routers, POS admin consoles and camera systems
- Phishing aimed at owners and managers to steal supplier, bank or POS administrator credentials
- Gift card and refund fraud made easier by shared accounts and weak access controls
- Store internet outages with no backup connection on the busiest trading days
- Back-office PCs running unsupported operating systems or unpatched software
Services we recommend for retailers
Business network and firewall management
Segmented networks for POS and payment devices, back office, cameras and customer Wi-Fi, managed through a business-grade firewall at each store.
Business Wi-Fi
Separate staff, device and guest wireless networks with coverage planned for the sales floor and stockroom.
Managed IT for back office and staff
Help desk, device patching and user lifecycle for managers, buyers and head office, with a simple process for onboarding seasonal staff.
Network monitoring
Alerts when a store’s internet, firewall or critical devices go offline, so problems are raised before staff call in.
Identity security
Multifactor authentication for owners, managers and anyone with access to POS administration, banking or supplier portals.
Microsoft 365 for store managers and head office
Not every retail employee needs a full Microsoft 365 licence. We help you assign licences by role: full desktop apps for head office and buyers, lighter licences for store managers who need email, Teams and shared files, and no licence for staff who only use the POS. That keeps costs proportional to how people actually work.
Teams channels per store, a SharePoint site for operating procedures and promotional material, and shared mailboxes for each location make communication consistent across stores. We secure all of it with multifactor authentication and remove access promptly when staff leave.
Continuity for trading days
- A cellular backup internet connection with automatic failover for POS and payment traffic
- Knowledge of your POS system’s offline mode and a written procedure for staff to follow
- Spare pre-configured receipt printer, scanner or network equipment for critical stores
- A change freeze on non-urgent updates in the weeks before major trading periods
- Backups of back-office data, POS configuration exports where available and Microsoft 365
Security controls that support payment security
- Payment and POS devices isolated from guest Wi-Fi, cameras and staff personal devices
- Default passwords replaced on every router, access point and administration console
- Individual accounts and multifactor authentication for anyone with administrative or financial access
- Firewall rules and update management documented so you can share evidence with your payment processor or assessor
- Endpoint protection and patching on back-office computers
- Short awareness training for managers on phishing and gift card scams
How we work with retailers
Store walk-through
We document the POS, payment, network, Wi-Fi and back-office equipment at each location and how it is connected.
Separate the networks
We redesign the network so payment and POS traffic are isolated, and replace default credentials.
Add resilience
We add backup internet and monitoring for stores where downtime costs the most.
Standardize staff access
We set up role-based accounts and an onboarding and offboarding process managers can follow.
Prepare for peak season
Each year we review equipment, connectivity and procedures before your busiest period.
PCI DSS responsibility
PCI DSS compliance is the merchant’s obligation, usually guided by your payment processor or acquiring bank. We help implement and document technical controls such as segmentation, access management and patching, but we do not assess or attest to your compliance.
Frequently asked questions
Do you support our POS system?
The POS vendor supports the application. We support the network, internet, devices, printers and accounts it relies on, and work with the vendor to resolve issues that span both.
Can you make us PCI compliant?
PCI DSS compliance is the merchant’s responsibility and is assessed through your processor’s programme. We support related technical controls and documentation, but we cannot attest to compliance.
Should customers and staff use separate Wi-Fi?
Yes. Guest Wi-Fi, staff devices and payment equipment should be on separate networks. We design and configure that separation.
What happens if the store internet goes down on a busy day?
With a cellular backup connection and automatic failover, POS and payment traffic can continue. We also document the POS offline procedure for staff.
Can you support several store locations?
Yes. Multi-store retailers benefit from a standard network and device design repeated at each site. Remote support covers all stores; on-site visits are confirmed per address.
Related services
Products and packages
Industries we support
Service areas
Make your stores easier to run
Book a consultation to review your POS network, Wi-Fi and store devices. You will receive a written scope before any recurring commitment.