Randy is a longtime friend in the technology industry. Randy has worked in technology for years and enjoys leveraging all types of technology to help retail businesses grow their profits and obtain other desired business outcomes. Although, he works on all aspects of technology he has spent most of his time on retail point of sale software applications, mastering the features and consulting retailers on how to deploy and utilize the software and related tools successfully. With his experience in technology he has enjoyed taking the next steps in helping cannabis retailers to know where to start and or what to do next. Join Randy and Harry as they chat about the Cannabis Industry and what Randy is doing to help businesses grow.
Video Transcription
Harry Brelsford 0:06 Hey 420MSP. I’m back with my friend Randy Roe from Retail Technology Services up in the Seattle area. And Randy and I actually go go back, I’m still struggling to figure out what’s a Microsoft RMS somehow I knew you and I think you knew of me. But here we are in the whole new world of the cannabis technology field. So great to see again, Randy, how how’s your day going? Other than it’s awfully hot up there right now?
Randy Roe 0:34 Well, yeah, I’m for the first time in a while sitting on air conditioning spot, dealing with 100 degree weather.
Harry Brelsford 0:41 There we go. So you’re a longtime player in the point of sale space for businesses going back to the Microsoft, while probably even before I, again, I think our intersection was Microsoft RMS, Microsoft retail management system, and I was SBS and it all worked until it didn’t. But the what’s your business model today specific to cannabis? What What do you do?
Randy Roe 1:07 Well, Harry, I’ve taken a few different approaches now on different ways to help the cannabis businesses, I, I still maintain that time, it’s been a little bit of a struggle for guys like you and me that are working, but used to working with more mature businesses. Yeah. And the sooner you know, you realize that and adapt to that, the better off you’re going to be, but it affects your business plan. And, and you know, in the risk, and some of those things, I’ve gone a couple rounds, and will continue to do so to, you know, do the best I can at helping the industry grow up. So to say. The, I’ve had the pleasure working with some of the best cannabis businesses, I think, you know, certainly in the area and and then also, I’ve had opportunity here to, to work with some of the ones that are struggling and nearly, you know, had me come in and help build their basic business elements. You know, versus being a little bit more advanced on how you would leverage technology in a in a retail shop. And you know, what I enjoy the most about the cannabis when it comes to what you and I have done in the past areas. Cannabis has one of the most complete ecosystems for technology. And it’s and it’s required to compete. And the so you know, your integrations and your operations and all those things, it’s that much more important to, to make sure the basics are in place. And working and that, you know, the consumers are getting the experience that you think they’re getting.
Harry Brelsford 2:56 Yeah, what what would a typical engagement be? So you go to a dispensary or dispensary train chain, it’s a Monday, how do you slot in to you know, what, what do you do for your customers specifically?
Randy Roe 3:13 Well, it depends on where they’re at here. Like I say, I’ve had a couple of different approaches. And I think that’s really the the point is where are you at since this is an emerging market? You know, where are you at, in this process of establishing your, your operations? And have you gotten to where you want to, you know, what’s not working. But the, the part of my job is really consulting consultant consultancy level is to help them decide where to start or what to do next. A lot of people do not know what to do next here. And I see a lot of mistakes that are, you know, are based in, and then you see some more advanced ones. And so it really does depend on that situation. And you know, the problem, you know, that they’re experiencing and what their outcomes are. It’s really been all over the page. But you know, are you on a good track? With technology that would be probably one of the best ways I can help any retailer. Especially Yeah,
Harry Brelsford 4:20 yeah. Now this is interesting, because and again, you You and I, we not only become friends, but you know, we have similar styles and the way I consult to industry and help my clients and so on. That’s very different than where the managed services providers are today, on the other side of the aisle, the traditional SMB nation, because they’re all about standard operating procedures. And we’re going to go into the customer site and we’re going to do it exactly the same at each site. And we’re gonna offer him three monthly packages gold, silver and bronze. And so the msps are very standardized and Then if they want to use, you know, everything that helps them make money and scale, so it’d be remote management, monitoring tools and so on. And, Randy, there’s something about that, that doesn’t completely sit well with me. Because what I really enjoyed in the 90s 2000 Small Business server was the relationships, each situation was a little bit unique. And I enjoyed being more of a consultant than a robot. My industry has become very robotic. On the other side of the aisle, what you’re expressing is because this is a new industry, maybe maybe, you know, we’re not there. We’re not there for standardization, and that kind of thing. You know what I mean? Does that make sense?
Randy Roe 5:43 Yeah, no, I am I second that opinion. It’s, I lack the ability to find, you know, standards that are working. You know, there are leaders and and followers. But I’m not so sure the leaders are using the right standard, Harry?
Harry Brelsford 5:58 Yeah, yeah, exactly. Well, where can we find out more about you other than LinkedIn, folks, go look up Randy Roe on LinkedIn and give them a Connect notice, but where we’re, what’s your web page?
Randy Roe 6:11 Oh, the My website is www.retailtechservices.com. I’m the founder of retail Technology Services back in 2011. And I built that company exactly with the premise that you know, you and I are operating under now and that is services is where is what Pete what is needed and is what’s going to enable a successful business versus a product type of a message. And the other thing I thought that was really huge Harry that that RTS address that I know, for sure you, you and I are on the same page, once again, is I’m sorry, I keep looking over my fan, I’m literally having to cool my hands. Um, the one thing that was happening about that time Harry is, is the billing methods were changing, right? The software, where you buy software and the way you buy technology. Now, it’s not just software has changed to a, you know, a monthly subscription model
Harry Brelsford 7:18 correct.
Randy Roe 7:19 Boy was there a lot of you know, back and forth on the pros and cons with that, but I think you and I both know, what is the right thing to do, and what helps, really, with building these relationships that you refer to, because it is all about that relationship. And it’s all about, you know, how you can, you know, garner the information that you you know, that you have available to you with the co workers and and vendors, you know, that you work with. So for me and and folks like yourself, and many others out there that the subscription model, change that to where it now, a few things, you needed to be there the next month to support them, because you know, they’re gonna pay you for another month, I really thought that was the right relationship to have. And, and again, that’s proven out. Another thing is that, that, that I really liked about that model. And again, that’s what RTS was really represented about this week, we stopped selling, you know, RMS licenses. Yeah. Right. And move into subscriptions on on products and the party, that part I really liked hearing about that is how small businesses, smaller ones, startups, like cannabis can sign up for the same caliber of technology that a major corporation came. And now there’s, there’s plenty, you know, there plenty of caveats with that, but you know, what, I mean, that they have the choice, right, they can afford now to, you know, subscribe to a software module, where before, you know, they had to come up with just 1000s and 1000s of dollars, depending on you know, those license types and I thought that was a real real game changer. And again, that’s, that’s here to stay. And, you know, when it did go away from the monthly a little bit I you probably noticed same thing people started going six months a year because of, you know, renewals, right? I mean, right, having to renew stuff every month is creates a little bit of work for everybody. An annual licenses, I think is more logical. Maybe you get some other benefits with that. But, but still, if you want to use that software, another year, no problem, you know, just another year subscription. And again, you get all the service, all the updates and all the software works. You can change to something else.
Harry Brelsford 9:35 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. We’ll keep up the good work and we’re gonna stay in touch. Thanks, Randy.
Randy Roe 9:40 Oh, you bet.
