In this interview, Alfredo, the owner of an ice cream shop in Mexico, shares their journey from tracking sales with notebooks and Excel sheets to implementing Loyverse as a complete POS solution. They explain how the software helped them avoid reporting errors, streamline payments, and access clear reports that support better decisions for their growing business.

Could you briefly tell us about your business, how long it has been operating, and what type of business it is?

Our business is still relatively young; it is a baby business. A year ago, we opened a traditional ice cream shop where we offer ice cream and popsicles, all handmade in the traditional way, in a variety of flavors. It’s a family venture that actually started as a way to spend our time.

How did Loyverse come to your business? What was the main reason for wanting to implement it?

When you start a business, you think of everything, and at the same time, you feel like you’re missing everything. As an owner, you try to come up with the best plan, but as time goes by you realize there is still so much more to plan for. We opened our doors, inaugurated the shop, and the first idea that came to mind was to write down sales in a notebook. At the end of the day, we would transfer everything into Excel and from there build metrics, which was our original system.

After a few months, we realized this wasn’t the best method. At the end of a busy day, when there were lots of sales or tasks, it was easy to forget to write things down. By closing time, there was often more money than what was recorded; some sales went unregistered, and our reports contained errors. That’s when the idea came up to have something more structured, something that would allow us to register sales in real time instead of waiting to transcribe them into Excel. That’s when we discovered Loyverse. We tried it, and it was exactly what we needed. With just the iPad we had at the shop, we could log each sale as it happened. The ability to download files and transfer them into a database to manage the data easily was just perfect.

How was the implementation process? Did you face any difficulties at the beginning?

Not at all. The software setup is very straightforward and really guides you step by step. Being able to decorate the item list with icons or personalize it with images, and to add modifiers, which are very important for us since they allow us to register toppings, was all very simple.

In addition, at first, we only accepted cash and bank transfers. Later, we realized we were losing sales by not accepting cards, but we weren’t excited about the traditional system, where you manually enter the amount into a terminal and a separate company handles the processing. We didn’t love that idea.
So we looked into whether Loyverse could integrate with a bank or card system, and discovered that it is possible. After a few months, we integrated the bank and card payment option with Zettle, and now when we charge, the amount appears automatically on the terminal without having to type it manually.

Which feature do you use most frequently in your daily operations?

Right now, what we use daily is the POS app. Since our business is still young, it’s practically the only tool we need. With it, we can close out the register and generate reports more quickly. We haven’t felt the need to buy a printer because customers usually throw away the receipts. So we continue accepting card payments through Zettle with the Loyverse integration, but we don’t issue paper receipts. Instead, we find it very useful that if a customer needs one, we can email it to them; no need to waste paper.
 

Regarding reports, have you used them to make decisions or review information that impacts the business?

Absolutely. Reports are essential to get a complete picture of the business. Yes, we can register sales, but the most important thing for us is the numbers. Exporting daily sales, seeing which products were sold, how much was collected by payment method, and the gross profit of what we sold, are the key insights we rely on.

From your experience, what do you value most about Loyverse?
I think it’s the practicality of registering sales and then easily finding the information once you export the files, which are essential for management.
 

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs starting a “baby” project, as you call it?

I think the best advice is not to get discouraged when you realize there’s still a lot to learn or figure out. Even with the best planning, you’ll always encounter obstacles. But there are also always existing solutions out there that can help you overcome those challenges.

Would you recommend this software to businesses similar to yours?
Yes, because it’s so easy to register sales and view the business balance. The sales interface is very intuitive, and recording everything sold is simple. But above all, at the end of the day you can see the profit and make decisions about what to purchase or adjust. That’s the most helpful part. I find the customization, modifiers, and the way items can be displayed just perfect. From my perspective, it’s excellent and I wouldn’t suggest any improvements.