The features listed in this guide are broad categories. Don't assume that because the software company says they have this feature that it does exactly what you need it to do. Products are very different, and one company's definition of what its product contains might be the same as another company when in fact they do very different things. So please be sure to explain to each software manufacturer you contact specifically what you want their product to do, and make sure they guarantee that it will do what you expect before purchasing the product. In addition to cost and hardware requirements, there are other factors you might want to consider.
Company history Ask the company how long they have been in business.
But it is helpful to know a company's background, especially when you are making a significant financial investment in their product and will likely rely on their technical support indefinitely. It's not uncommon for software companies to design products for an industry that they might not completely understand. Some software products might have been designed for other industries, and then later modified for shops. Once again, you shouldn't necessarily dismiss a product that hasn't been around for a long time or that isn't currently used by a large number of shops, but these are factors that you don't want to overlook either. Good luck getting a straight answer, but if you ask in person, you might get a facial response that could tell you something.