Dec/090
The Benefits And More Of Using Proper POS Systems – Part II
For such a long time, most people thought of their POS system as a fancy cash register. With technology moving forward at such a quick pace, most innovations have become standard features within the Point of Sale industry. Below are more tips that can help you out:
1. Scheduling Your Employees. Many restaurant POS packages include some level of “staff scheduling”. You can expect to increase efficiency and dramatically reduce overall labor costs by controlling time-ins and time-outs, utilizing forecasting tools and control staffing levels. Integrated features allow for easy schedule access, shifts and multiple job positions for each staff. You can also tie in any number of security functions to multiple job position. In addition, some of the packages allow you to post schedules to a website and even automatically email the schedule out to your staff. So focus more on lowering labor cost and increasing your employee performance by simply managing efficiently and effectively your time & attendance information.
2. Software Upgrade Assurance (SUA). SUA gives a bit different kind of advantage when you purchase a POS system. You are able to help stretch your investment and prolong the usable life of your Restaurant POS system. Those who purchase a POS system along with a SUA plan will always have the most current version of their POS software. Basically it’s an advantage because it keeps their POS system new. Whenever you receive a software upgrade it is as though they just bought the latest POS system available in the market with the newest and most up-to-date features for your restaurant. The most current feature set ensures that you have the best possible ROI by allowing you to take full advantage of the power its features can offer.
Another advantage of having a SUA is that no additional software purchase is required for upgrading or replacing a hardware. If you need to replace hardware there’s a drastically lesser cost for upgrading it.
The way these programs typically work is you pay a small fee per year for all these benefits. Most customers agree that they receive huge benefits that helps your business reap the full return on your POS investment.
3. Restaurant Tip Handling. Some of the point of sale software products includes a tip tracking feature. Once you set one of your staff as a tipped employee, the POS system will require a tip declaration before clocking out. All servers or waiters who ring sales will have their total sales tracked. Tips collected through credit card sales are also tracked and shown on the server closeout report. Prior to clock out, the server/waiter will be shown their total sales, collected charge tips collected and then asked to declare their cash tips. This functionality will help you enforce tip regulations and manage the tracking declared tips, charge tips and hours worked for every tipped employee.
4. Frequent Diner & Customer Loyalty Programs. As the business owner you would like your point of sale system to provide accurate information on your customer’s number and frequency of visits, their buying habits, entice repeat visits and purchases through reward programs like a loyalty card, reward card or points card. You are able to do all this while managing the programs and preventing “sweet hearting” by employees.
Some POS packages come standard with a frequent diner or customer loyalty package that does all these things and more. They utilize secure methods of tracking your guests and their buying habits. You establish a database of account numbers using your guests information.. You may use their phone numbers or any number system you desire. However, the most popular and secured method is by using magnetic cards with your company logo on them. These cards can act as a simple reminder of your restaurant to your customers by having your business logo in their wallet or purse. The POS software will secure the reward programs you set in place and prevent your server/waiter from giving free food. Rewards are given only when earned through purchases, frequent visits or for items on your menu that you wish to highlight. Establishing reward programs takes your employees out of the game and puts you in total control.
As you can see, your business can be run more efficiently by using proper restaurant technology. There are many ways, methods you can use, to help you in better business managing so you will never have to waste more of your valuable time and money.
The author is the VP of Customer Relations for POS-for-Restaurants.com. With over 20 years of restaurant experience, POS-for-Restaurants.com helping businesses you their technology to be more efficient and more profitable.
Nov/090
Anxiety and Moving Don’t Have to be Synonymous!
Does the thought of relocating make you feel great anxiety? And do you get even more anxious when you think about asking your family and friends to help you move? If the answer to both questions is yes, then you might want to hire a moving company, rather than try to move yourself. They can often reduce any fear you might feel about the overall moving experience.
If you decide you want to investigate relocation services, just remember that new equipment and clean appearance don’t necessarily equate to providing good relocation services. Despite having used equipment, many really good movers still do a perfectly competent job. Sometimes they can even do a more professional job than companies that seem more polished. So whether you’re looking for a Colorado moving company or need help moving in Denver, Colorado or any other location, it doesn’t matter. Quality will beat appearance every time.
Many people have experienced having clean-cut workers appear at their homes to help them move who had no idea how to handle fragile items or pack carefully and efficiently. Experience, integrity and diligence should be the most important factor when selecting your moving service, not looks. You can’t get information about job performance quality simply from looking at trucks and uniforms. That’s why you always want to check reviews and referrals before selecting your moving company.
Typically professional moving services will give a list of past clients when they deliver their job estimates. Make sure to call these previous customers and ask whether the company’s employee’s were trustworthy, careful and treated their belongings well. And don’t overlook the fine print in estimates. It will often reveal additional costs that can be charged, as well as disclaimers regarding lost or stolen property. You can save yourself a world of trouble in the future if you take these steps beforehand. Whatever you do, don’t sign a contract unless you feel 100% sure that you understand what you’re getting!
