What type of business do you run? How long have you been in business, and where are you located?

We are based in Nicaragua. My name is Álvaro Jaime, and our business is called New Town Coffee. My wife and I founded it three years ago, in 2023. We own a coffee business with a kiosk-style concept rather than a traditional café or large storefront. We're a small business. We started with a single coffee kiosk, and today we operate three kiosks across Nicaragua, with a fourth one opening soon.

Does each kiosk have its own store in Loyverse? Have you created multiple stores in your Loyverse account?

Yes. We have one store in Loyverse for each kiosk. That was actually one of the main reasons we switched to Loyverse. We wanted to track each location's performance separately and take advantage of the multi-store feature, which our previous POS system didn't offer.

You have been in business for about three years. How long have you been using Loyverse?

We've only been using Loyverse for a few months. We started with the free trial and officially went live on May 1.

Which subscriptions do you use?

We currently use Employee Management and Unlimited Sales History. We have four store locations and three employee profiles: one shared cashier profile used across all stores and two administrator profiles, one of which is dedicated to a specific location.

How did you manage sales, employees, and reports before implementing Loyverse?

Before switching to Loyverse, we used another POS system that wasn't designed to support multiple stores natively. The only way to manage multiple locations was by creating separate user accounts. Since we oversee all of our stores, it wasn't practical to constantly log in and out of different accounts on either a computer or a mobile device. We couldn't track each store's performance individually, so all of our data was combined. As a result, it was difficult to make informed decisions about products, promotions, which items to focus on, or which ones to discontinue.

What was the first major improvement you noticed after implementing Loyverse?

One of the biggest improvements was the shift management feature. Our previous system didn't support cash drawer opening and closing, while Loyverse allows both open and blind cash counts. Combined with the Employee Management features, it gives us much better control over cash flow. Another feature we didn't have before was the Customer Loyalty program, which we started implementing last month. Those were the first major improvements we noticed.

Were those also the features that convinced you to choose Loyverse? Had you considered other POS systems?

Yes, I looked at several other POS systems, but I believe Loyverse is the one that best meets our needs. It fits our business model perfectly, and I think it's an excellent solution for growing businesses. There are other systems on the market, but they simply don't reflect the reality of businesses in Latin America.

What was the onboarding process like when you first set up Loyverse?

Honestly, I found it very straightforward. I have a technology background, so that certainly made the process easier. The only challenge was formatting the Excel file used to import products and customers because we had to adjust the separators. However, once we did it the first time, we didn't have any further issues. Overall, setting up the system, uploading products, photos, descriptions, prices, and costs, and getting the POS up and running was very easy.

Was there any feature that was more difficult to learn than the others?

The only feature that required a bit more effort was the bulk import process. I relied on Loyverse's AI assistant, and I think that's one of its best features. Every question I asked received a clear and accurate answer. It helped me solve the import issues almost immediately. At first, the import wasn't working, and the AI explained that it was a formatting issue. After making the necessary corrections, editing the file as plain text, and trying again, I completed the bulk import. That was all it took.

What made you decide to upgrade from the free plan to a paid subscription?

I've never been a big believer in free plans. In fact, I never used the free version. I simply took advantage of the trial period to see how the paid plan worked. I don't think free plans are enough if you truly want to grow your business. If you're looking for a tool that helps you grow, gives you access to valuable insights, and unlocks all the features, then you need the paid plan.

What advice would you give to businesses that are just getting started with Loyverse and are still using the free plan?

The challenge with the free version is that many tasks still have to be done manually, and you don't have access to the analytics you need. For example, you can't export reports to Excel, so it's difficult to analyze your data and make informed business decisions. You also can't manage employees or monitor their performance in detail. For me, using the free version simply doesn't make sense. You get the full value of the system when you subscribe because you are paying for continuous development, support, and assistance.

Which areas of your business have improved the most since implementing Loyverse? For example, inventory management, customer service, or decision-making?

The biggest improvement has been analytics. Now I can view sales data by item and by store. Before, I could only see everything combined. With a single click, I can identify the best-selling products at each store, see the busiest hours, and understand how customer demand changes throughout the day at every location. That's incredibly valuable to me.

Employee management has also made a significant difference. It allows us to implement better controls over cash handling and daily operations, helping prevent small cash losses. Another feature that has had a real impact is the Customer Loyalty program. It's very easy to set up. You simply decide how many points customers will earn and how they'll be redeemed. After that, it's all about promoting the program and making the most of it.

Would you say that software like Loyverse makes a business more profitable?

Absolutely. There are many POS systems on the market, including locally developed ones, but what makes Loyverse stand out is that it has been built for businesses around the world while still meeting the needs of emerging markets like ours. Its continuous development and integrations with other tools give us access to features that otherwise wouldn't be available in our country.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs who still manage their businesses manually without using a POS system?

Since the day we started our business, I've believed that notebooks should disappear. I still see many businesses that continue relying on handwritten records. They offer excellent products and have built strong reputations, but they're still using notebooks to manage their operations. The problem is that you can't make data-driven decisions with a notebook. You can't analyze trends or understand what's really happening in your business. Everything becomes subjective. If you want to make decisions based on real data instead of assumptions, you need to digitize your operations. Loyverse is a solution that's accessible to growing businesses like ours.

Would you like to leave a final message for people who are reading this interview and are just beginning their entrepreneurial journey?

We have a philosophy that's built on three principles. The first is adaptability. We have to learn how to adapt to the environment around us, and today we live in a digital world. If we don't use the right tools, someone else will, and they'll have access to information that we don't. The second is flexibility. Sometimes we believe a product will be a huge success, but the market tells us otherwise. We need to be willing to adjust our ideas because the world doesn't always work the way we expect. The third is resilience. We won't always succeed on the first attempt. Sometimes we have to go back to the drawing board, rethink our approach, reinvent ourselves, and start again. For me, those three principles are a philosophy for building a successful business.