In the world of cannabis retail, budtenders are the bridge between product and people. We’re the ones answering questions, educating customers, and making sure they walk away satisfied—hopefully with a smile and maybe some points toward their next purchase. But behind the scenes, there’s one tool that can make or break the customer experience: the point-of-sale (POS) system. And when the rewards system baked into it isn’t user-friendly? It becomes a daily headache.
Let’s talk about it.
The Frontline Frustration
Picture this: It’s 5:30 p.m. on a Friday. The shop is packed, a customer is ready to check out, and they ask, “Do I have any rewards I can use today?”
I glance at the screen and try to navigate a maze of confusing menus, cryptic codes, and laggy response times just to see their points balance—only to find out I can’t apply their discount unless I backtrack and start the transaction all over again. Now both of us are frustrated, and the line behind them just got longer.
When the POS system makes reward redemption feel like a math test combined with a scavenger hunt, it hurts everyone’s experience—especially ours, the budtenders trying to keep things moving smoothly.
Loyalty Programs Should Feel Rewarding
The whole point of a rewards program is to build loyalty. Customers want to feel like they’re gaining value for staying loyal to one dispensary. But when they can’t easily check their balance, aren’t sure how points are calculated, or face restrictions at the register they didn’t expect, that sense of trust is lost.
And guess who gets to explain it? We do.
“I’m sorry, I know it says 500 points gets you 10% off, but the system won’t let me apply it to this item because it’s already on sale.”
Or: “Yeah, you earned that free pre-roll, but it’s only redeemable online, not in-store.”
These aren’t just awkward conversations—they’re missed opportunities for retention, reputation, and rapport.
Poor Integration = More Work for Everyone
Some dispensaries use rewards systems that don’t even fully integrate with the POS. That means manually entering promo codes, switching between apps, or worse—writing things down on paper and reconciling it later. Not only does this slow down service, but it opens the door for mistakes, inconsistencies, and compliance risks.
In a high-volume store, every second counts. Having to juggle between systems just to give someone the discount they earned? It’s exhausting, and completely avoidable with the right tech.
The Budtender’s Wishlist
Here’s what we wish every cannabis POS and rewards system included:
- Clear point balances at checkout
- Auto-applicable discounts without restarting the sale
- Customizable rewards tiers and exclusions
- Mobile integration so customers can track rewards themselves
- Staff-friendly UX (no 10-click processes!)
We’re not asking for much—just intuitive tools that work as fast as we do.
Tech Should Help Us, Not Hurt Us
As the cannabis industry evolves, customers expect the same seamless experience they get in traditional retail. That includes loyalty programs that are easy to understand and even easier to use. Budtenders want to focus on helping customers, not troubleshooting tech or apologizing for a system that doesn’t deliver on its promises.
So to the software developers out there: Let us do our jobs better. Build reward systems that actually reward both the shopper and the staff behind the counter.
Because a great POS doesn’t just process payments—it powers better service.