We’re experts in cannabis marketing and public relations, not software.

But we don’t need to be tech wizards to know that the right software for dispensaries is crucial for their success.

Because customers are customers. Whether they’re buying shoes, electronics or a lawn mower, they’ve come to expect a highly tailored experience.

The same is true for customers visiting dispensaries.

And why not? Dispensaries are just like any other retail shop, right? (Yeah, you knew that was a trick question.)

Software for Dispensaries Has to Meet Specific Needs

OBVIOUSLY, dispensaries run into different challenges that regular retail stores do not.

The biggest difference is that they must be in compliance and report to state track-and-trace systems. Nobody’s doing that at Payless.

So while they’re dealing with all of that noise, they’re also attempting to execute a successful retail operation in one of the fastest growing and constantly changing industries known to mankind.

It’s a modern day Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

So each dispensary has unique needs. And their software cannot be a one-size-fits-all.

Single-Solution Software Does Not Suffice

All cannabis retailers should have a point-of-sale (POS) system. This helps them to manage front-end operations like processing payments and promotions. But it also assists with back-of-house functionality such as inventory management and compliance tracking and reporting.

The biggest problem with the current POS solutions in place for the cannabis industry is that they’re attempting to provide the tooling and technology for the ENTIRE cannabis supply chain.

Sounds good in theory. But it doesn’t work.

There’s no such thing as one company that’s building the quintessential software to power the entire cannabis supply chain. There are just too many categories on the chain:

  • Cultivation
  • Payments
  • CRM
  • Customer loyalty
  • Delivery
  • HR
  • Advertising
  • Analytics

Plus, dispensaries don’t all share the same growth priorities or operate under the same business models. A single-solution software cannot address this.

It also complicates matters for the vendor, especially in the area of resource allocation.

But the POS system can hardly be blamed for failing to live up to superhero expectations.

That’s exactly why tech companies are wisening up and figuring out ways to partner with these niches to develop an extensible POS and inventory management platform that can be built out to support all these submarkets on the supply chain.

The Openly-Integrated Platform Approach

This line of thinking isn’t unique to technology for the cannabis industry.

Pioneers like Apple and Salesforce recognized quite some time ago the need for an approach that could integrate complex systems of vendors and partners, utilizing complementary technology offerings.

This is called tool stacking.

It’s a little like picking and choosing stations you want in your cable line-up. Except that doesn’t really exist. Although it should.

But with tool stacking for dispensaries, business owners can choose a POS platform and then expand it with other tools. So part of that platform, they may have software that automatically updates online menus, while another powers their delivery services.

They can track customers through CRM while also utilizing loyalty rewards software. Analytics would be driven by other software. And on and on.

This stacking of the tools, as it were, allows dispensaries to maintain their individual mission and vision, while simultaneously creating a more ideal customer experience.

And isn’t that really what any company wants?

Technology Is Stepping up to Meet Cannabis Industry Demands

Like everything else in the cannabis industry, individual companies developing software for dispensaries are growing and expanding.

Rather than some megalomaniacal software development company that does it all (but none of it particularly well), smaller specialized companies are working together in harmony.

Okay, business is still business. Competition does exist. But it’s definitely a trend worth noting. And it’s pretty refreshing.

If you’re a cannabis business, we can’t recommend the best software for you. But we CAN talk with you about a strong marketing strategy for your business. So contact us today.

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