If you’re getting into the cannabis business, you’ve probably already thought about licensing, location, and product supply. But have you thought about your technology infrastructure?
This infrastructure, also called a tech stack, is key to running a successful cannabis dispensary. So, just how do you build a tech stack?
1. Start with a quality POS system for your tech stack
Choosing the right point-of-sale software is crucial. Clunky, hard-to-use systems reduce efficiency and hurt the customer experience. Outdated systems are prone to malfunction and may even be out of regulatory compliance.
To avoid those issues, look for a POS with the following features:
- Streamlined sales processing
- Customer check-in ability
- Inventory management tracking
- Track-and-trace compliance
- App integration
BLAZE is one of the few dispensary POS systems that boasts these capabilities and more. It also sends automated order updates and works across different devices, including phones and tablets.
2. Set up delivery and e-commerce technology
If we’ve learned anything from 2020 and 2021, it’s that online ordering and lightning-fast delivery are the way of the future. Bring your dispensary into the 21st century by establishing delivery and e-commerce capabilities early on.
Since BLAZE integrates with the major e-commerce and web hosting platforms, you’ll be able to set these up seamlessly.
You’ll drive sales and save time by giving customers the option order online. Plus, you and your customers both will have the ability to track delivery orders in real time, preventing any back and forth about order updates.
3. Choose a customer relationship management tool
More and more businesses are relying on customer relationship management, or CRM, tools to grow their revenue–and for good reason.
CRM tools not only streamline your marketing process, they also diversify your marketing channels.
You can use your CRM software to send promotional campaigns directly to your customers via text and email. Especially in the cannabis industry where traditional forms of advertisement aren’t permitted, this type of direct-to-consumer marketing is a must.
Quality CRM tools will also let you track the success of your marketing efforts. They’ll help you analyze things like:
- Your customer demographics
- How often customers opened texts or emails from your dispensary
- How often customers opted out of marketing campaigns
This data is invaluable, as it can help you adjust your messaging to meet your sales goals and retain customers.
4. Simplify, simplify, simplify
You might be reading these tips and thinking, The more technology, the better. This isn’t necessarily the case, however.
You definitely do need to invest in building a quality tech stack for your cannabis dispensary, but don’t go overboard. If your tech stack is overly complicated, it could actually slow down your business operations. That’s the exact opposite of what you want.
Likewise, if you choose a bunch of tech components that don’t work well together, you might inadvertently build a technology infrastructure that doesn’t work at all.
The best tech stack for your dispensary
When building out your tech stack, opt for a software solution like BLAZE with multi-way functionality that integrates multiple apps across multiple channels. That way, you’ll have a tech stack that’s both easy to use and can grow with your dispensary.
