Simphony POS Reviews

Pros

What I love most about it is how customizable it is plus the smooth integration with Opera PMS. It's also a well known system in the market so when I'm bringing in new team members they usually already have some experience using it.

Cons

Very expensive. And the implementation takes a long time because of Oracle's waiting list.

Pros

There's nothing here I can point to that competing systems don't also do just as well.

Cons

We still have tickets from the original rollout 2 years ago that have never been resolved. Even basic functions like time reporting, setting up buttons and marking items as "unavailable" are impossible. There's also a delay when servers log out of checks so they can't reopen them right away on another terminal and have to wait far too long which is a serious issue in a restaurant setting and directly affects guests. Reaching support is another headache. Most of the time the person on the phone doesn't know how to solve the problem and just says they need to "escalate the ticket." Then that escalation drags on for weeks, months and in our case, years without any real fix.

Pros

Nothing worked well for us. We had more than 30 terminals running and within 1 to 2 years we ended up removing the entire system and switching to another provider.

Cons

Handling multiple terminals and setting up menus was poor. Our staff kept losing checks when moving between terminals and the list of issues just kept growing.

Pros

I really appreciate that it adapts really well to the needs of all kinds of restaurants and shops. It's especially suitable for large chains because you can update prices across all POS workstations at the same time. The app is also very useful for checking sales in real time.

Cons

Setting it up isn't always simple unless you've had proper training. Since the switch to Oracle the overall experience hasn't felt the same as it did in the early years. Also if the internet goes down order tickets won't print.

Pros

It's simple to navigate, speeds up reservations and payment processing and generates very useful reports. All of which I find really helpful.

Cons

All it needs are a few more report options and then it would be perfect.

Pros

The POS interface is well laid out and easy to use. The on screen labels and descriptions are clear enough that every staff member on my team can understand them without confusion.

Cons

It doesn't work with GAAP OCB screens so there's no drive-thru option available. Also the system has to stay running in a background window in the back office. If someone accidentally closes that window, the entire system shuts down.

Pros

This software has been amazing for us. It really cuts down on confusion between online orders and dine-in orders especially during COVID and it also does a solid job of helping us stay on top of inventory.

Cons

The system is pretty complex and it took a while to get everything set up the way our restaurant needed it.

Pros

After nearly 15 years of using this program, I honestly have nothing negative to point out. It has been a solid, dependable system the entire time.

Cons

There really isn't anything to complain about. I've been using this software for almost 15 years and it has continued to work very well for me.

Pros

Being able to search for recipes and print them directly from the receipt printer is probably the standout feature of this product.

Cons

I wasn't a big fan of the display colors and it's not the most user-friendly POS system I've worked with. The button layout also feels a bit awkward.

Pros

Across our hotel chain Simphony has become the standard system we use. What I appreciate most is how well it connects with Oracle opera PMS and Sunsystems FMS. Order handling and payment processing run very smoothly and having PCI DSS compliance is another big advantage.

Cons

For me the biggest issue at the moment is that it still isn't registered with the Philippine government. That application has been ongoing for more than a year now. Also the reporting module is not that simple when it comes to generating reports.

Pros

The system has a nice design but that's about the only positive thing I can say.

Cons

Trying to reach customer support is nearly impossible. You can sit on hold for an hour only to have the call disconnected without any warning. Even when you do get through, getting an issue actually fixed feels completely impossible. We've been dealing with problems related to cash payments for more than a year now. There's absolutely no urgency on their side and with every problem that comes up they either can't help or simply won't. I've never been so frustrated with a company's product that I wanted to throw it off the roof but that's exactly how dealing with Oracle has felt. Stay away.

Pros

Managing daily operations with this software has been very easy for me. It's simple to use and during the COVID 19 period it was especially useful for reducing direct contact with people. Additionally it provides very professional reports and accurate data which makes managing my business much easier. Another strong point is how well the software integrates with the Opera system and other internal systems.

Cons

Zero complaints about this software.

Pros

I appreciate that the reporting side of the software is quite detailed and comprehensive.

Cons

Setup is ridiculously complicated and outdated. Making changes later is incredibly expensive. If something wasn't handled during the initial implementation it can end up costing thousands of dollars to have an Oracle programmer fix it.

Pros

It works really well for billing. Each user gets a personal ID so it's always possible to see who entered or voided an order. Printing bills whenever needed is simple too.

Cons

No complaints from my side. The only thing I've noticed is that it makes quite a lot of noise whenever bills are being printed.

Pros

Updating and customizing the menu is the simplest thing about this software.

Cons

Support is practically nonexistent. There's no live help, no real service team and no helpful desk to contact. Most of the time it takes days, weeks or even months to get any response at all. We had it installed in July 2020 and just 3 months later there were a lot of unresolved problems. The credit card readers had issues, the time clock wasn't working properly, the reports wouldn't balance with each other and there were several other things that simply did not function.

Pros

Simphony is full software suite with tools for Gift & Loyalty, Reporting & Analytics and the option to expand it further by building extra modules when more functionality is needed. It also offers APIs for integrations and the documentation is good so working with the platform is very manageable.

Cons

I struggled to figure out the right deployment model in certain situations. When setting up a large Simphony environment there are a lot of settings, options and decisions involved before you can get everything running reliably in production. Reaching the best deployment setup definitely takes time and effort.

Pros

A huge advantage for us has been the way this product identifies events within transactions. That's usually a difficult area for businesses in the event industry when it comes to POS systems and it has made it possible for us to build integrations with our other corporate platforms. I'd also give credit to the project team for being supportive, engaged and highly motivated throughout the implementation.

Cons

The EMC interface feels outdated and could definitely use a refresh.

Pros

For my multi-store operations the cloud access is just what I need. It makes managing them very convenient.

Cons

Even with all the built-in features my stores often need tailored tweaks and those customizations take up way more time than my schedule allows.

Pros

A capable POS system with a professional feel. Simple and efficient to work with day to day. It really matters to us to have the option to use it both as a cloud service and on-premise instead of being limited to cloud-only like many other POS platforms.

Cons

A few integrations are still missing especially for the Liquid Dispenser System. The KDS also falls short of meeting our expectations.

Pros

Once it's set up and rolled out the software is very simple to use. It's also highly customizable which makes it easier to adjust as the business changes or as products are updated. Being able to push software updates from the enterprise level to all properties and workstations is incredibly convenient because I'm overseeing multiple stores and POS terminals. It also connects well with its own reporting system. The MyMicros app is another feature I really like because it makes checking store sales really simple.

Cons

It takes a lot of training usually with experienced Oracle trainers to properly build the knowledge needed to maintain it. The upfront cost can also be pretty high for smaller operations although once you have a larger retail footprint pricing becomes more negotiable and can be competitive.