AIM Reviews

Pros

Ease of Use, Cost, Customer Service, Merchant Services relationship.

Cons

Canned Reports are often minimal, but I summarize them in complex Xcel worksheets

Pros

We sell firearms, and the built in A&D Book is a critical component to our business. Once setup, this feature makes tracking of firearms incredibly simple .

Cons

The management of sale prices for our products needs to be revamped and is currently both difficult and convoluted to use. In my opinion, this is easily the area of the software that could most benefit from improvement.

Pros

Looks like if it worked it would be nice.

Cons

The way it just sits there with no data for the last several years waiting for AIM software to finish their job.
The fact that I was charged for software and data transfer and received software without data transfer so it is useless. I have been waiting so long it was called AIMsi when I bought it.

Pros

I don't have to have multiple systems running to achieve everything we need to do...AIM does it all

Cons

learning curve....set up and learning the system takes time

Pros

For a small retail store this is excellent! Helps manage inventory, as well as daily and weekly check out.

Cons

There was quite a learning curve for us. We had no POS before AIM.

Alternatives Considered

Quickbooks Point of Sale

Reasons for Switching to AIM

AIM was a better choice for a Retail/Service business

Pros

Easy.......... The fact it can communicate by sending auto calls and text to my customers and helping me to stay in touch along the way. We are a repair shop and this has not only saved us tons of time but this feature has made us lots of money$$$. The POS and customization of the screen and tech support. Tech support is absolutely, hands down, some of the best I've ever experienced. They answer the phone and stay with you until you understand. Very nice people who never make you feel stupid. Also love the fact you can so easily access your data. Other software we've had has limited the backend data to you where as AIM absolutely encourages you to use it. I will say.... a new employee can be taught in under 5 minutes how to check out a customer through the POS.

Cons

Inventory management, pricing and the repair shop module all need some help. All usable and functional. They are just some areas that aren't as polished as other software. Also, if you are a company with over a million different SKU's, beware. The software really is slow. I know! FYI, you'll need own EXCEL and have a basic understanding in order to to manage your inventory as AIM just simply does not have the capability to do so.

Alternatives Considered

RepairShopr and RepairDesk

Reasons for Choosing AIM

Cost and features. Communication with customers and the fact we could update our on price files.

Reasons for Switching to AIM

The support and fact these people answer the phone and speak English. Not trying to be ugly, just a simple fact.

Pros

I do like that there are many features available. Scheduling, rentals, repair, short term rentals, etc. They are always trying to update and get better. I believe the repair and rental contracts are the strongest features of the software. A lot of the active e features are nice as well.

Cons

With what I like about the software is also where some of its problems arise. There are some parts of the software that lack features within its functions. Short term rentals is confusing and not completely ready in my opinion, not many ways for loaners to be customized ( no options for automated late fees or charges), Package deals are not easy to update. There are tons of features but some have issues.

Pros

Lots to offer for the firearms retailer at eh best possible price compared to there competitors. We have been very happy with the system as a whole and although there is a lot to learn, support is just a call away. Having Bound Book linked right to your inventory is very helpful and there is even a delayed delivery choice in the POS for state like us in IL that require a waiting period for firearms purchases.

Cons

There is a lot to learn and many items/field we don't use, but can not simply delete. We have to work around them. For being such a gun based POS system, there are things that could use improving to keep retailers compliant. But every time we make a suggestion to support, it is taken in kind and it the modification can be made, they do it!

Pros

Easy to navigate through the menu options. Simple layout among the different screens.

Cons

We have not upgraded our software to version 12 yet. That being said, the version we are currently using is not online integrated as far as the lesson module goes. If that has changed with the newer version, then I have no cons

Pros

Comprehensive system with great support. We currently use the rental contract module and sales invoices the most, but plan to expand to several other modules in the near future. It's very helpful to be able to slowly implement different modules at our own pace to fit our store's needs.

Cons

Lesson module is not flexible to handle teachers who collect their own payments and pay store rent, only set up to handle payments handled by the store.

Pros

You can open the system multiple times on the same computer. In the middle of entering a sale, cust wants to try on a helmet or gloves, or just gets distracted; you can switch to another copy of the system until the customer is ready to continue. When using the computer to work on customer information or inventory, you can switch to another copy to verify or copy something. For instance, combining two customers into one, can copy email and then compare or enter.

Cons

The system is absolutely opaque, not intuitive, and byzantine. To deal with a product, it is impossible to find S/A Maintenance unless you know how to find it. Way too many arbitrary clicks and decisions to find anything in the system. Especially annoying is the inability to go back one level, if you make a mistake in these decisions; you have to go back to the beginning, and you might not even remember which decision was the wrong one.

The lack of a training program to teach new employees how to use the system is something I have been thinking about for ten years.

The rental module does not lend itself to quick service, renting 100 bikes on a busy day.

If you suspend a sale, you can't open it and suspend it again; therefore you can neither edit, nor even reprint it.

You can't analyze sales data from a sector of the customer data base. For instance, you can't separate the customers from A to M and compare them to the customers from N to Z. This would be useful to analyze the effectiveness of advertising. We could contact all the customers from A to M, but not N to Z, and then compare the results.

There's more, but that will do for now.

Pros

We decided to go with AIM because it was an all-in-one POS system. We have retail sales, charge accounts, repair tickets, lessons scheduling and rentals/payment plans. To have all of that in one system was the most important to us. We also did not want a subscription based software. We wanted to own the product. That was a close second in importance

Cons

It can have it's issues. It takes a long time to understand how things work.

Pros

I am able to do in one program what I used to have to do in 3 programs!!

Cons

Weekly updates - some of the weekly updates "break" other areas that were working and you may not realize it until there is an out of balance situation.

Pros

The consignment module works well for tracking and paying consignors (if the consignment items are received correctly).

Cons

The software is extremely complicated to use for users. It takes a lot of time to learn and skill to use/understand this software. There are too many modules and features that are no use to us.

Pros

It looks very professional
It does cost a lot so you think your getting something special
The service guys are helpful, but you will be paying for that

Cons

Way to complicated, generating orders through multiple screens.
Multiple screens to do the simplest sales.
Four different screens just to add a manufacturer/vendor
Line by line entries to receive an order
Unable to add line items to an order once it has been generated
3 different screens to remove a part number from the data base

Pros

It is very customizable. Along with automating some processes, you can have everything completed with a click or a touch

Cons

Be prepared to watch a lot of videos to learn how to set up and use AIM. You will also need to build your specific training documentation for your company.

Pros

Can be set up for multiple locations
Lots of back-end customizing
Lots of add-ons and modules for customization

Cons

Expensive & hard to set-up
Windows based, so no Mac used
Can set up a server to access remotely but requires you to have multiple workstations as the software is only tides to 1 location
Supposedly there is support but I couldn't get through
Sales team is very active and reaches out to you a lot until you request for money back

Pros

I like the ability to save an update information efficiently.

Cons

Tracking various types of purchases is still very difficult and conversion from rentals to purchase.

Pros

That it captures customer info; examines things like staff sales, top customers, sales totals so I know how my business is growing.

Cons

the fees that you charge for anything extra that could support us.The fact that any type of webinar, workshop or video costs so much even though we pay monthly fees for support. I don't like the fact that even if we pay a monthly support fee we're screwed on the weekend if the system errors and you can't use it. paying an extra fee for the weekend seems like a another gouge. Not enough free tips and support about general usage, considering you only get a month of "free" support to learn how to use the system. If there are other places to get info then you need to get that info out to your customers.
The email module having no support in the way of setting it up - you're on your own having to know outgoing info and whatever else. I had it working once and now it doesn't and when I ask support that admittedly say that's not there area to help with and you have to call your internet provider. Plus when it does work, depending on your provider you can end up getting blocked from using your email for 24 hours.
That I can't look up a serial number to see it's repair history.
That you didn't ask your customers how they felt about your product and get their input -thanks for listening to my request in the email I sent a few weeks ago.

Pros

that's its an electronic POS software that is windows based and uses my existing computers.

Cons

not able to accommodate the needs of my industry (firearms) and is constantly having issues that can only be resolved if the customer service rep sees it happening. customer service can not make alterations to the program or system, they always have to get sent to the programmers. Programmers wont make changes and expect us to change to accommodate their system. Not the way it was sold to us, nor the way the law makes us operate.

Pros

We use the software for consignment of books. It is fairly easy to use to consign and sell.

Cons

It would be helpful to create an inventory that our customers could use to look up our inventory.

Pros

The easy of use when in front of a customer. Helps speed up the process allowing customers save time.

Cons

Once in awhile I have some issues creating reports. Usually it is just my lack of computer skills causing the problems.

Pros

Front-line users got up to speed quickly due to a slick interface and limited administrative options/noise. This included users with limited computer skill. The point of sale functionality was great.

Cons

Higher-view reports were clunky and difficult, they needed some help to get in shape for upper management. Crossing over data between the sales floor and the other functions of the business needed a lot of learning for even advanced users.

Pros

It's so flexible. It can do so many things. It handles every aspect of our Music Business, links to our website and is reasonably priced.

Cons

The interface is showing it's age and is cumbersome at times. It needs an upgrade and better flow in many areas.

Pros

the flexibility that it has to do so many functions

Cons

waiting for an update as the interface is a bit dated