Fitting out premises? Plan the systems before the partitions
We run a construction division and a software division, which means we see the same expensive mistake repeatedly: the building is finished, then somebody asks where the tills, cameras and network are going.
Decide the counter layout first
Till positions determine power points, data points and where the queue forms. Moving a till after the counter is built is joinery work, not a software change.
Run more cable than you need
Cable is cheap while the ceiling is open and expensive afterwards. Run spare runs to every likely till, office and camera position.
Think about where the server lives
It needs ventilation, clean power and a lockable door. A cupboard next to a kitchen is not it.
Power conditioning is not optional
- A UPS on every till and the server
- Surge protection at the distribution board
- A generator changeover that does not brown out the network switch
Plan the network before the furniture
Where the router sits determines wireless coverage for stock-taking, waiter tablets and card machines. Decide this with the same seriousness as the plumbing.
Do the two together
When the same team handles the fit-out and the system, these conversations happen once, early, in a single meeting. When they are separate contractors, they happen late, by phone, at your cost.
If you are planning premises this year, talk to us before the drawings are final.