Connect I.T is offering a "COVID-19 financial assistance” to their clients. 

They are doing this through LinkPOS software licenses for any business that signs up with Connect I.T. for the Tax Invoice Monitoring System (T.I.M.S.) using LinkPOS. 

Connect I.T has joined forces with Link Technology Australia and Edge Business Solutions in Fiji to be able to do this.

LinkPOS is a T.I.M.S. accredited Point of Sale solution that is being used for retail businesses such as restaurants, retail shops, supermarkets, service petrol stations, and pharmacies.

They are assisting people during the financial crisis in this time of the T.I.M.S implementation so they have managed to negotiate an exclusive "COVID 19 relief package" under their partnership with LinkPOS in Australia. 

The managing director for Connect I.T, Rosie Ah Yen, told the Samoa Observer that this allows them to be able to pass on up to a 100% discount on LinkPOS software licenses for any businesses that sign up with Connect I.T for a T.I.M.S solution using LinkPOS.

"All they need to pay is the implementation costs and an annual T.I.M.S licensing cost," she said.

"Some businesses are currently being faced with having to invest a large amount of capital to accommodate with being complaint and we understand this, which is why we felt it was critical to be able to provide this for our local businesses in partnership with Link Technologies Australia."

Connect I.T is a T.I.M.S accredited vendor for solutions such as LinkPOS, MYOB and Xero TIMS integration using LinkPOS, 360 Financials, and 360PMS.

"Connect I.T is able to implement T.I.M.S accredited solutions to all companies in Samoa by using the software vendor solutions," she said.

"We are also able to provide consultation with businesses to qualify that whatever invoicing solution we recommend is going to enable the businesses the be T.I.M.S compliant and most importantly is going to be suitable for the businesses long term operations.

Mrs. Ah Yen stated that the advantage of the assistance is the financial side of it explaining that "to be able to offer that financial assistance for the LinkPOS on their license because licenses are very expensive and now they are looking at discounting their licenses for anyone up to the 31st of July."

"We understand that the private sector does not fully understand the new Tax Invoice Monitoring Ministry of Customs and Revenue (M.C.R) initiative that is becoming mandatory from the 1st of July, so we are here to be able to provide them with support and give them options for becoming compliant."

 When asked if this assistance will continue after July if effects of the COVID-19 continues she said, "Connect I.T is grateful for Link Technologies agreeing to offer this assistance for Samoa, our partners will definitely consider this and we will look into how the situation is at the end of July and make a decision from there."

"There are 200 businesses on this list and there are not many vendors providing support for this so as you can imagine there is an overwhelming demand and we are dealing with enquires on a first, come basis so we urge these businesses to that are still looking for an accredited solution to contact us," she added.