Reminder about your invitation from FRANK PIVONKA

2011-03-07T04:37:00.001-05:00

SPECIAL OFFER - EARN $100.00

2008-11-18T08:18:00.004-05:00

This is just a quick note to let everyone know that we have launched an Economic Incentive of our own. Refer your Business Associates, Friends, Family or Post a link on your website and earn $100.00 for EVERY REFERRAL who purchases a complete POS System from us before the End of Year.
We need your business and we will pay for it.

Send us the Name, Email and Phone Number and we will take care of the rest. Once they buy, you get paid. Easy Money for you, New Customers for us.

Visit us at www.ACT-POS.com or Call: (877) 627-0636 today.

GET READY TO 'FIGHT'

2008-10-20T12:16:00.000-04:00

Ready for a New Day?

We are never sure how many folks actually read these ramblings, although we get a report on the number of 'opens' that give us enough indication that many of you at least open the email. So we continue to send them and hopefully you will find some tidbit of information in here to use.

This isn't abut politics, but we all know that Change is Coming - it doesn't matter who brings it, but it will affect all of us. Are you Changing? What have you done differently in the past few months to stay ahead of the curve? Or are you?

Of course we sell POS systems and our desire is that every one of you will have a POS system in your business. But that is not the only reason I fill in this space each month. We want you to grow, thrive and prosper. You went into business for yourself so that you could be your own boss and believed that you had an idea that was different enough to sustain a business. So don't give up, easily.

Market the hell out of your business. Spend money and TIME on Direct Mail, Email, Website, Gift Cards, Loyalty Programs and all of the new FREE Social Sites that are out there. Keep your name in front of your current and future customers.

Credit is getting tight, but not non-existent. If you sell a product that is 'high dollar' do you have leasing and finance partnerships in place for customers? Have you heard about some of the new Payment Options? E-LAYAWAY allows customers to purchase your products on-line and make monthly payments that same as in a traditional brick and mortar store. Another option is BILL ME LATER.

How much money do you have sitting on the shelves in 'unsold inventory' or outdated products? Sales are a fast and easy way to generate quick cash. Even if you sell the items from last years catalogue at cost, you are still turning that money around. What does it cost you to have outdated products sitting on the shelf day after day?

One of our customers ran a 'FLOOD SALE' a couple years back and were amazed at the response it generated. They talked about making it an annual event, but other things came up and well - that inventory they could have sold is still sitting on the shelves. (Sorry guys)

Here in New England 'Yard Sales' are huge and in other parts of the country it's FLEA MARKETS, Trade Off's, BARTER HALLS etc. The point is that there are many places to get the word out about your offerings. You don't have to give it away, but make it special.

For Restaurants and Food Service - offer a Food Tasting! Keep your menu fresh and exciting. Of course there is something to be said for the standard fare. But adding items and specials has never hurt a restaurant that I know of personally. Look what McDonalds is trying to do with their new McCafe line of drinks.

If you have special tricks that you have employed to keep the customers coming let us know so we can share them with others. We are all in this together and the majority of our customers are SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS Just Like You!

I really hope that you are all around with us to celebrate the new day when it arrives. Keep you head up and pockets full

GHOST IN THE MACHINE?

2008-08-27T18:44:00.002-04:00

Could 'dirty power' be causing you computer problems?
When people think of preventing data loss due to power supply problems, they typically consider an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or a surge suppressor. Recent studies by Bell Laboratories,however, indicate that less that 4 percent of power related problems would be addressed by such devices. Thus even networks and computer systems that are well protected by UPS and surge protectors are at serious risk.
The 3rd Generation of Smart TBF™ (Transformer Based Filter). It is equipped with Patent Pending "SMART GROUND" technology protection for network systems and ground loop current.POS GUARDIAN is a combination of Patented TBF™ and "SMART GROUND" Technology. It provides controlled ground and exceeds the performance of an Isolation Transformer at a fraction of the cost. · POS Guardian protects Retail/POS systems against the most severe spikes and surges· Increase reliability of POS systems, computers, cash registers, kiosk systems by filtering the noises on ground to less than 0.5 Volts· Line Monitor Indicator helps technicians from connecting copiers to faulty circuits· POS Guardian gives the maximum reduction in service calls· Exclusive POVP™ (Prolonged Over Voltage Protector) protects connected equipment against prolonged over voltage by disconnecting the equipment· Smart Technology - Reverse polarity/No ground detection and shutdown· LIFETIME WARRANTY Digital Power conditioners... · REDUCE Downtime · REDUCE Error Codes · REDUCE Frozen Screens · REDUCE "No Problem Found" Service Calls

Downtime causes millions of dollars in damage annually to computer networks around the globe. In many cases, people attempting to troubleshoot the cause of downtime waste hours addressing the wrong problem. They blame the software, the network, viruses, spyware, and a host of other causes. Sometimes they are correct. Often, however, they are correcting the wrong problem. Power-related issues, it turns out, are frequently the cause of time-outs, unexplained downtime and other commonplace system or networking glitches. Recent studies by Bell Labs and IBM agreed that around 80 to 90 percent of the time, electronic equipment is being affected by tiny surges as opposed to lightning flashes or blackouts. To make matters worse, these little spikes wreak havoc in the form of logic confusion, system errors, and frozen screens. "Everyone has had their computer lock up on them," says Anthony Loguidice, assistant vice president of service for Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd. "If there's spikes and surges on the line it can cause quality issues and a lot of odd problems."

Give us a call TOLL FREE (877) 627 0636 for a 'GHOST BUSTER Power Fix'

POS & WEB - Better Together!

2008-05-27T07:48:00.001-04:00

If you have viewed our videos you may have seen the Aldelo POS video and the Customer 2 You video, both of which can help to grow business by streamlining many of the functions that you do on a daily basis and add to your customer base. For a limited time over the summer, we want to get as many customer ON-LINE as possible. You need the sales! People will be sticking closer to home this summer with gas prices high and looking for your restaurant on-line.
So for the next 2 months until August 1st, we are adding CUSTOMER 2 YOU for only a one time charge of $595.00 with every full Aldelo POS system sold. There are no Annual fees, no monthly maintenance fees - just one time set-up charge of $595.00 when purchased in conjunction with a new Aldelo POS system. Call us Toll Free 877-627-0636 for more information or to request a Quote. Visit us on the web at: www.ACT-POS.com
You can increase your sales, we've seen the results!

Where is your Back-up?

2008-05-21T07:55:00.001-04:00

WHERE IS YOUR 'BACK-UP'?

We like our customers. We really, really do. But I have to say that some of them, not all, but some are like our children.
We really have to wonder if anyone out there listens to us or reads our email. How many times do we have to repeat "Make sure you are Backing Up your data"?

It reminds me of the time my son, who was 4 at the time decided that Dad didn't understand how great it would be to climb the tree in the backyard. After he got up about 10 feet and couldn't figure out how to go higher, he tried to climb down, fell and broke his arm. Thus he was rushed to the hospital in pain, experienced more pain when they had to 'set' it and suffered through the rest of summer with a cast that itched like heck. His mother and myself also went through the pain of his ordeal - both mentally and physically because of his irritability and discomfort.
Major league sports teams know the importance of 'BACK-UP' If there were no relief pitchers how would the game go on? Theater and the Arts always have an 'Under Study.' Everywhere you look there is a 'BACK-UP" so why is it so difficult for businesses and individuals to understand the 'BACK-UP CONCEPT'?

In the last 2 weeks we have had 3 individual customers experience system failures - either hard drive, virus or other hardware failures on their POINT OF SALE systems. These are the systems that held their primary database. All inventory, customer records, sales history, employee time schedules - GONE! One individual that I spoke with said that he had purchase a Special USB Thumb Drive just for his back-ups last year.. However the last time he had actually used it was - "Last Year!"

Now, we like your money; there is no disputing that. However when we have to listen to you get angry, cry and suffer - it's my son all over again.

Your possible future pain can be prevented! We can help. You know that you need to do it, so JUST DO IT! Our Remote Back-Up Solution called 'ACT-BACK' can be set to automatically back-up the critical files that run your business.
For as little as $11.95 per month - we can set-up your system to back-up critical files over the Internet and to create a local copy of the data also.
You get 2 Back-Up solutions in one package. Local back-up that is easily restored in the event a file is corrupted and Remote Internet Back-Up that is encrypted, secure and 'off-site' so that if a catastrophic event does happen, your data is safe and accessible from another location in a matter of minutes.
You don't have to start from scratch, limp around with broken limbs or pay huge doctor bills to get your data back up and running.
Only $11.95 per month could be the difference between disaster and relief. Please consider the alternatives - We don't want to hear about your disaster next week.

ACT-POS New Social Network Site is now Up!

2008-04-23T22:40:00.003-04:00

ACT-POS has launched an open Social Web Site complete with Forem, Videos, Photos and more! Please stop by, sign up and join the conversations regarding POINT OF SALE. This is for you, for us and for the world at large. Although we are sponsoring it, we invite all POS vendors, distributors and product manufacturers to join the conversation. Let your customers know what you have to offer. Let them know how to use your products. And most importantly, let them know that you care enough to listen to them!

Visit ACT POS

This Social Website will only be successful with your help, so please participate today.

LENOVO PARTNER SHOWCASE ADDED!

2008-04-23T20:46:00.004-04:00

LENOVO PARTNER SHOWCASE IS NOT A PART OF ASSURED COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES WEBSITE! You can view all the great promotions and items that Lenovo has to offer without leaving out website. Check it out now and see what is new and exciting from the world of Lenovo. We believe these are great offerings and think you will also once you check them out. And remember, we offer FREE SHIPPING! So stop by today. Click the LENOVO TITLE LINE above and go directly to our new LENOVO PARTNER SHOWCASE OF LENOVO GREAT OFFERINGS.

SALON IRIS - POINT OF SALE FOR ALL SALONS

2008-04-20T15:14:00.001-04:00

Our New Salon Iris Video is now on-line. Salon Iris is a full featured POS software solution for all types of salons including beauty, nail, tanning, health spa, piercing and tattoo. Complete the soluton with any of our hardware bundles and yu have a complete solution to handle your customer sales, appointments, services, employees, payroll, taxes and more.

Why it makes Dollars and Sense to Partner with ACT-POS

2008-04-17T08:18:00.003-04:00

Ø We have been in business since 1996 servicing a growing list of customers across the entire U.S. and in many other countries. Customers around the world have purchased Point-of-Sale systems from us.
Ø Our POS software packages are ‘best of breed’ and are currently installed in thousands of operations similar to yours. These are products that are at the top of their specific areas and have been tested and refined through years of product development.
Ø All hardware is ‘Open Architecture’ which means that any of the system components can be easily replaced with ‘Off the Shelf’ parts available through us or any IT hardware provider. There is no need to depend upon a specific Vendor who may charge exorbitant prices for something only they can supply. Example would include “Micros’ and other similar vendors.
Ø We offer ’Nationwide’ installation, set-up and training throughout the U.S. and Canada for a complete solution. We have over 1,000 customers using our Point of Sale solutions throughout North America.
Ø Our service technicians are some of the best in the industry offering dedicated 1 on 1 support via on-site, remote through the internet and a dedicated tech phone line. We use a virtual technician software console which allows our technicians to offer the same assistance that they would offer in person, at a reduced cost to you and faster service.
Ø We have easy to follow instructional videos on our web site, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and several other Social sites and continue to create additional videos to assist you in learning and utilizing the software program you select. We solicit input regarding what you would like.
Ø All hardware is covered by a full 3 year standard parts warranty with the exception of Acer, HP or IBM systems which are covered directly by the manufacturer’s warranty.
Ø All POS system purchases come with 30 days of Free Technical Support which may be extended on a month-to-month basis at a slight additional charge.
Ø Our Sales Managers are fully trained in the product lines and can assist you in finding the right solution for your needs, even when you are not sure what the needs might be.
Ø We offer several Financing Options which can be tailored to your budget and requirements through our dedicated team of financial professionals including direct financing from Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard on certain purchases.
Ø We inform you ‘Up Front’ regarding your total cost for the system. There are no ‘hidden’ costs such as ‘Annual Subscription’ or Monthly Service charges that are not disclosed and discussed prior to acceptance.
Ø We protect your investment by providing you with the information you require, when you require it to make an informed decision. Don’t go it alone. We are here to guide you every step of the way.

DEDICATED FOOD SERVICE SOCIAL SITES

2008-03-03T08:25:00.009-05:00

WOW! Dedicated Social Sites just for Food Professionals and Food Lovers!

Okay, most people know about YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and the others. Now we have dedicated social sites for the food service industry. We recently came across two new sites that we want to share with you, which could help you grow your profits, assist you in communicating with your patrons or simply provide you with information that you won't find anywhere else.

First we have 'BITE CLUB'. I have to admit that when I first heard about this site, I thought it had something to do with vampires, or something equally strange. It is in fact however a social website for individuals, companies, owners and patrons of the the food service industry. The easiest way to describe it is in their own words.
"BiteClub is the destination for the chef, bartender, food server, cook, busser, hostess, culinary student, culinary school, restaurant, lounge, bar and club to share information, recipes, cocktails, cooking tips, war stories, customer interactions and advice on everything from being a dishwasher to starting a restaurant.
Create your own food blog or start a group about peanut butter. Post restaurant job listings for free or share tips on design. Talk about restaurant marketing or discover a new restaurant bar concept.Eat where the chefs eat. Drink where the bartenders drink. Connect with people who are in the know."

The Second site is "FohBoh" . The tag line is "The Restaurant Network;. Yes, we were confused by this name also but thought we would check it out. Actually we were surprised by the information and tools available here. Again, we take the descriptions directly from their own mouth.
"FohBoh is about connection, communication and commerce. We facilitate and enable this to occur exclusively for employees, owners, operators, vendors, suppliers and service providers of the restaurant and hospitality industries worldwide.Unlike other consumer or customer-centric social networks, we are for insiders. We are the restaurant industry social network and business exchange and we are passionate about our community.Who joins FohBoh? FohBoh is for Real Estate developers and brokers, architects, designers, lawyers, accountants, food and beverage vendors, wineries and boutique produce growers, bakers, chefs, cooks, managers, consultants, concept developers, investors, lenders, owners, franchisees, franchisers, operators, food servers, bartenders, cooks, CEO's...you get the picture."

So, if you're in the industry you may want to join these two sites. After all Networking is what the internet is all about!

Training and Information Videos on YouTube for POINT OF SALE

2008-02-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

Assured computing Technologies and ACT-POS is in the process of creating a series of information videos on Point of Sale and POS. These videos are and will be both informational in nature and offering training on certain functions of the software products and hardware products that we represent. We realize after 10 years in buisness that many Retailers and Hospitality individuals only use a small portion of the capabilities in the software Point of Sale package. We want to assist you in gaining more knowledge and getting the full value of the software. Check out these new featured Videos on Aldelo for Restaurants and let us know which products and features you would like us to work on next. Your input is essential.

Dedicated Blog for ACT Technician Ramblings and Info

2008-02-09T10:09:00.000-05:00

Assured Computing Technolgies, also know as ACT-POS has a new addition to our family of Posts. The Technicians at Assured Computing Technologies and ACT-POS have started their own Blog with comments and information you may find insightful, amusing or simply interesting. Check it out at this link.

ACT-BACK Data Security and Back-up

2007-11-25T10:08:00.000-05:00

ARE YOU READY TO START OVER? HOW WOULD YOU START OVER?

Data back-up is one of the most important parts of mantaining your Point of Sale System. If you should loose your POS data files due to corrupted system, hard drive failutre, employee abuse or mistake, natural or other diaster, and even theft (One of our customers had their entire POS system stolen during a breakin), how would you start over?
If it's hardware, that can easily be replaced. Yes, the expense is something else. Nobody wants to buy new hardware if it can be avoided. But your data files which could include your inventory, customer files, accounting history, employee payroll and schedules and much more are irreplaceable.
(SPECAIL OFFER at end of articalL, Our holiday gift to you!)
Today more and more companies are turning to Internet back-up solutions which feature set and forget options. Once the initial files have been tagged for back-up, the system becomes seamless and requires little or no user intervention. All data is encryted, compressed and piped over the internet to secure servers. After the initial back-up is completed, only those files which have been changed need to be sent during future back-up sessions. Back-up is most commonly accomplished during the early morning hours before the business is open.
Many internet back-up programs only send the information outside. They require that if you want to create a Local back-up you must also set-up a seperate program on your computers to back-up in house.
ACT-BACK allows you to create a LOCAL copy of the back-up files and simaltaiously send an encrypted, compressed copy to our servers. So you get the benefit of DUAL Back-up without the hassel or cost of having to run two seperate back-up programs. This alows you to keep a copy on site and a seperate copy off-site in a secure location.

SPECIAL OFFER: For a Limited Time when you sign up for 1 full year and pay the monthly subscription in advance, we are giving you an additonal 3 months FREE. So you get 15 months for the price of 12. Call us today 877-627-0636 to get set-up with your ACT-BACK account before the holiday rush!

1 Gig of secure on line storage begins at only $11.95 per month. Pay 1 year in advance and get 15 months! Do it before it's too late.

Or click here for a FREE 30 DAY TRAIL, NO OBLIGATION to purchase!

What is PCI Compliance?

2007-10-18T13:45:00.000-04:00

'PCI COMPLIANCE' IS A TERM that gets bantered about by software companies, credit card companies, financial firms, banks and more.

So what is it? Basically it is a set of standards which have been agreed upon by the 4 largest Credit Card companies - i.e. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. to ensure the security of customer data and identity.

One of main tenets that applies to Retail and Hospitality location owners is that credit card information can no longer be stored at the local site in full format, i.e. all numbers visible. Read this article for an example from the WALL STREET JOURNAL: ' In Data Leaks,Culprits OftenAre Mom, Pop"

Many older POS systems, stand alone credit card terminals and cash registers with integrated credit card programs stored the entire credit card number within the system. This was great before the theft of personal information over the internet, hard drives and every other electronic device. Storing the credit card number with the customer information allowed easy recall of sales orders, crediting back charges, establishing subscription or monthly recurring charges and being the neighborhood best buddy when mom called and said 'Put it on the card and Junior will pick it up."

Today those numbers can not only be easily stolen, they can also be transmitted around the world in the blink of an eye. Even though you may live in Muncie, Indiana the purchase of a computer in South America can easily be accomplished by anyone using your credit card or identity information.

Therefore credit card information can no longer be stored directly on the system. No more numbers easily accessed. Even receipts must blank out a portion of the numbers so that they can not be duplicated.

So what does that mean for you, the merchant? If your Cash Register, POS System, Credit Card Terminal or Computer Program is displaying and printing the FULL CREDIT CARD NUMBER, you are in violation of PCI Compliance and subject to very heavy fines for EACH INCIDENT! Up to $25,000 per Card Number stored. Add up the numbers and the cost of a NEW POINT OF SALE SYSTEM that is PCI Compliant is a ripple in the pond.

All of our POS software programs and our Credit Card Processing Partners are in full compliance. You can be sure that you are protected with our solutions. Call for more information today and speak with Mark, Sherry, David, Frank or Lauren.

Restaurant/Hospitality Software

2007-10-13T09:25:00.000-04:00

FREE RESTAURANT SOFTWARE? NOT QUITE, but almost as good!

Aldelo for Restaurants has announced a FREE Upgrade to Version 3.8 being released on Oct. 15, 2007 for all current Professional Users. There are several important and usability features which you may want. Please call us for more information. It is important to note that although the software upgrade is FREE, your POS hardware will need to be evaluated to insure that you have the memory and cpu horsepower to run the latest version.

On a related note, Version 3.9 which will be released at the end of October will require a Maintenance Contract and includes a seamless Quickbooks Accounting integration modual. If you are currently using Quickbooks, this may be the time to begin your Upgrade path.

Assured Computing Technologies:POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS, CASH REGISTERS, ALL-IN-ONE, SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, NH, ME, MA, VT, RI, U.S.

2005-03-05T14:39:00.000-05:00

Assured Computing Technologies IS Unified Point-of-Sale. What does that mean for you? We believe that POS or Point-of-Sale is more than just a software program running on a system. There are many pieces that can and should be considered a part of the total solution. These include Data Storage and retrieval; Data Security with appropriate Anti-virus, Anti-spam, Firewall and more; Video Surveillance and Remote Access to Video System and Storage; Marketing and Technology additions such as Age Verification, Email newsletters, Integrated E-Commerce for both Retail and Hospitality; Report consolodation, Accounting and more. Your total investment in your business should address all of these issues.

If you truly want to be successful in todays market place, all of these must be addressed in some manner. We have been in business for over 10 years. Prior to that all of our Management and staff worked in retail or hospitality. We have been in your shoes.

Assured Computing Technologies:POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS, CASH REGISTERS, ALL-IN-ONE, SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, NH, ME, MA, VT, RI, U.S.

Introduction to POS

2005-02-13T09:10:00.000-05:00

Okay, let's get real! Point of Sale or POS for short is Bor-or-ing! We want to try to spice it up but not sure how to do it. So we have created a web blog for YOUR input and ideas.

We call this 'NAKED POS' everything stripped down to the bare facts and ideas behind POS and all of the integrated add-on's that surround it. There are a lot of Myths about POS. It costs too much. It needs to be replaced all the time. It breaks down. It's hard to learn. And on and on.

Now we have been dealing with POS from several different software and hardware vendors over the past 10 years and maybe our experiences and our customer experiences will give you some insight. If not --thanks for stopping by.

This is a reminder that on March 1, FRANK PIVONKA sent you an invitation to become part of his or her professional network at LinkedIn.

Follow this link to accept FRANK PIVONKA's invitation.

https://www.linkedin.com/e/-80eu2m-gkz76kfs-y/doi/2423659404/6smfNl38/gir_415907295_0/EML-inv_17_rem/

Signing up is free and takes less than a minute.

On March 1, FRANK PIVONKA wrote:

> To: [act-pos.frank@blogger.com]
> From: FRANK PIVONKA [frankp@assuredcomptech.com]
> Subject: FRANK PIVONKA wants to stay in touch on LinkedIn

> I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.
>
> - FRANK PIVONKA

The only way to get access to FRANK PIVONKA's professional network on LinkedIn is through the following link:

https://www.linkedin.com/e/-80eu2m-gkz76kfs-y/doi/2423659404/6smfNl38/gir_415907295_0/EML-inv_17_rem/

You can remove yourself from FRANK PIVONKA's network at any time.

--------------

FRANK PIVONKA wants to stay in touch on LinkedIn

2011-03-01T18:35:00.001-05:00

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

- FRANK PIVONKA

FRANK PIVONKA
StoreTender Point of Sale at StoreTender POS Value Added Partner

Confirm that you know FRANK

StoreTender POS for Grocery and C-Stores

2009-09-22T08:12:00.003-04:00

StoreTender is a full featured grocery package designed to handle the demanding requirements of today's supermarkets. Individual modules allow you to select the areas of operation you wish to control such as ordering, receiving, pricing, sales ads, shelf labels, loyalty programs, inventory control, cashier management, and of course, point of sale.

In addition to accurate and reliable operations, StoreTender can expedite your check-out process translating into a more enjoyable shopping experience for your customer. A common complaint of grocery shoppers is the length of time they spend in the checkout line.

In today's instant society, faster check-out times can translate into repeat customers and increased profits. Eliminate the bottleneck at your checkout counter by installing StoreTender today!

Where are Your Customers?

2009-06-26T08:51:00.002-04:00

The Question of the day - Where are your customers?

Obviously everyone wants to know what happened to the customers that haven't yet come back. The economy has yet to give us the great influx of new dollars from the Stimulus packages. More folks are saving more and spending less. Where are the dollars they are spending going? Into VALUE, seems to be the general opinion.

While many retailers have seen sales drops and chains are closing stores, Wal-Mart has continued to flourish. Is it really that they have such great products and their prices are unbeatable? Hardly. It is the perceived value of the customer. Wal-Mart is hardly 'giving away' items. They may have low pricing on some items, but they are still making a healthy profit. Lowes new lower pricing. Home Depot lower pricing. Local supermarket lower pricing.

Is it really 'lower pricing' or the perception that is attracting shoppers? Quizno's started a price war with $5.00 Subs, now there is hardly a Chain that doesn't have a $5.00 or less sandwich, pizza or meal deal. In some cases it is the same product they had before - with no change just different emphasis on marketing.

What 'VALUE' do you offer your customers? Whether it is Retail, Restaurants, Services or something that is a combination there must be a 'value' associated with your offering to compete. Why should I take batting lessons at YOUR place? Why is your Soup and Salad Special better than the one next door? We can't tell you, but if you ask some on your regular customers why they keep coming, you may find an Advertising point that you haven't thought of yet.

Do you have Survey Cards? Do you ask customers for feedback? How was your food, how was your lesson, how was that new outfit you bought last week? Your personal touch alone could be the 'value' your customers appreciate. But you won't know if you don't ask.

Discounting to Win?

2009-05-10T10:47:00.000-04:00

ARE YOU DISCOUNTING TO WIN SALES?

In a recent issue of 'Restaurant Startup & Growth' magazine (a publication of www.restaurantowner.com ) there is a great article on discounting called "BLUE PLATE SPECIAL' by Patricia Luebke, which discusses the virtues and pitfalls of offering discounts. She offers actual case studies and examples from current restaurant owners. The insights are telling in that they not only apply to restaurants but also any business operation that sells to the public. While I was reading this article I thought about many of our customers outside the restaurant industry. Retail, Services, Airlines and more could all take a page from this article and apply it to their own operation. One of the chief tenants of her story is "once you discount, how do you go back?' How do you value something for more after you charged less. Two dinners for $15.95? After the recession ends how do I go back to my Dinner for $12.95 EACH?

Take for example a Membership Club that offers exclusive benefits for it's members at a premium cost. The economy has impacted their membership with several members electing to not renew - even though they believed that the price was well worth the the benefits they received. To maintain their revenue stream, they send out a mass mailing in the area offering 50% Discount for all new member applications. As Club owner, I am getting many new members, but at half the price and half the profit of the old membership cost. My utilities are the same. I still need to have staff on hand. What have I accomplished?

What about the existing member? I been loyal to the club for a year or more paying twice as much for the same facility usage. My renewal comes up and it is the same as always. What do I get? I am told that the discount rate is only for New members, so I let my membership lapse and go elsewhere. As the owner I have just lost a loyal client who may never come back. And the New member? They may stay for a couple months and leave.

The TAKE-AWAY? Add something more, or offer a discount on something you haven't had before. An example for the Club might be 'SPECIAL SWIM CLUB ONLY RATE' (doesn't include the workout facility.) You decide what's right for your business but beware - anything you give away today, you can't charge for tomorrow without expecting backlash.

NEW ENGLAND FOOD SERVICE & LODGING EXPO

2009-02-21T11:01:00.005-05:00

THIS JUST IN!

Assured Computing Technologies, Inc. will be Exhibiting at the NEW ENGLAND FOOD & LODGING Expo in Boston, MA on March 22nd, 23rd and 24th 2009. We will be giving away a brand new Hewlett-Packard Mini Notebook 2140 with 160 Gig Drive, 1 gig Memory, Integrated Web Cam and Wireless connections.

If you are in the area stop by BOOTH 1353 and see the Newest line of Hewlett-Packard Point of Sale systems featuring the rp5700 and rp3000 CPU units and all the associated components - thermal printer, cash drawer, card reader, pole display, 15" touchscreen and more.

Also, check out the ZERO PERCENT FINANCING that Hewlett-Packard is offering on both 12 month and 36 month leases. FREE MONEY - how can you go wrong?

Back to basics and beyond!

2009-02-19T19:45:00.005-05:00

Back to basics and beyond may seem like a strange title, but I believe that is exactly where the Point of Sale industry along with our customers is heading.

POS systems offer so much added utility - sometimes too much for the average store or restaurant owner to utilize in a short period of time. a POS system is designed to assist you in running your business more profitably and for the most part they do a great job. However, all of the reports, functions and myriad options can get in the way of actually using the system in the best way - IF the owner/manager has not been adequately trained.

In the current economy taking care of the customer is 'job one'. If you can't do that, you close - period. And unfortunately we have seen too many of our customers closing their doors recently. Businesses that were running successfully for years suddenly empty ghost towns. We have to ask why? What worked before to keep the customers coming that changed in the course of a few months? It was more than the economy 'stupid'. In some cases the owners lost focus on the idea of creating business and only looked at the bottom line. When they couldn't increase profits, they began cutting costs. When cost cutting pushed more customers away because of lack of customer service, they downsized more. How far down can you go before there is nothing left?

So what am I trying to say? Use your POS system to track sales, monitor inventory, keep track of customer history and customers information for marketing. But for now leave the bells and whistles on the side until you have more time.

A great Point of Sale system doesn't have to cost a fortune to do what you need it to do, which is handle the items above. Anything else is simply 'extra' for now. Spend you money and your time in keeping the customers you have and gaining a few new ones by understanding what they really what and need. And what is that? You! Out front speaking to each and every one of them and genuinely Thanking them for their business and loyalty.

Point of Sale System - More than nice to have.

2009-02-10T07:53:00.018-05:00

A Point of Sale system is and should be more than a 'nice to have' item in your store or restaurant.

In this current economy when everyone is looking for the least cost, return on investment and value, a Point of Sale system guarantees all three if purchased and used correctly.
What does that mean in English? Simply that many businesses do not really understand what a POS system is, how to buy one, how it can improve and perhaps even save their business - not even considering that it really can save money - even over the short term.

In one of our Newsletters earlier this month the topic was: What is the difference between a 'Cash Register' and a 'Point of Sale System'? (Click to Read the Newsletter) and we highlighted a few differences between the two. We wanted to go into more detail on how a Point of Sale system can help you be more productive and competitive here. Everyone talks about Return on Investment, but in today's economy who has time to wait? Most folks want to see Real Savings NOW, not next year.
Let's look at both Retail and Restaurant POS systems which are similar in function but different in performance.
-RETAIL: How fast can you service your existing customers using the system that you currently have in place? What I mean by this is best shown by example. I come into your store and while casually walking around I ask a clerk for the price of an item, or want to know if a certain item is available in a different color or style. How does your clerk respond? Does he or she have to go to a manual printed listing? Is the information perhaps in an Excel spreadsheet? Do you need to contact the vendor? How long do I have to wait before I get the answer to my simple questions? While your clerk is getting the information for me, how many additional customers are waiting for help? How many give up and walk out because it was never acknowledged that they were even there? If I decide not to buy because the price is unattractive after you have searched for me, how much potential profit did your loose? Not just mine, but other customers who were ignored? This may not happen if you am a large merchant with several clerks, but if I am a Sole Proprietor and often work by myself who takes care of my customers?

The same process using a POS system would have allowed you to quickly scan the item at a POS station, verify the price, check availability in different styles/colors and even find out who the distributor is to contact for similiar items if needed. How long would that take? About 5 minutes give or take. Not only have you quickly taken care of the customer, but possibly gained a LOYAL customer for future sales and still had time to handle the other customers easily. So how does that save money? First you wasted less time, time is money. Are your employees on the clock? Second, how much money is your own time worth?

Do you need to order more of the item for the customer or hopefully restock the shelves because they purchased the last ones? Simple again. Go into your POS system, choose the item, select the vendor and process a reorder - print it out or even email it directly. A few minutes tops!

-RESTAURANT: A very similiar situation arises. A new customer comes in for lunch or dinner. While the customer stands around at the register or sits down waiting for someone to acknowledge their presence, all of your staff is in the kitchen either arguing over the last customers order that the waitress hand wrote in shorthand for no sauce and the cook interpreted as meaning extra sauce. In the meantime the new customer may hear the argueing and wonder if they chose the right place and time. When the staff finally gets to the customer and begins taking their order, it may include a dinner salad and drink. In many establishments the wait staff prepares their own salads. No need to write it down, just add it to the bill later. Oh and that drink at the bar? The order is called over and prepared - never written down, never charged. When the customer is finally served and IF the meal was correct this time, they may leave a tip. However if the staff forgot something because it wasn't written down correctly or the kitchen prepared it wrong - where is the tip now? When the customer is ready to leave the wait staff walks over to a calculator and begins adding everything up. However they have another customer waiting to be seated and an order ready for pick-up in the kitchen so they rush through the bill. Is it correct? The customer may or may not comment, pay the bill and leave. The next time they may choose a different restaurant with faster service and more attentive staff. Maybe even leave a tip at the other owners restaurant. Will they tell their friends about how great your place was?

What if you had a POS system in place, what would be different? First and most importantly the staff would be on the floor taking care of each customer as they arrive. There would be little or no waiting for service. Orders between the wait staff and kitchen staff would be easily communicated through printed orders that are uniform for every item, modifier, drink and billable item. No more shortcuts 'I meant this! That's not what you wrote!' Because the staff is in the front of the house instead of out back, the customer feels more important when all their needs are met promptly. There is the opportunity to sell more - extra drinks, deserts, optional add-ons with each meal. When it is time to pay, the bill is printed in a matter of seconds with everything listed, totalled correctly and perhaps even Suggested Tip listed at the bottom. This customer is sure to tell their friends and family about the great attentive staff and experience (this is true even if the meal wasn't perfect). You've increased sales, insured that everything was billed accordingly and perhaps through word of mouth gained a few new customers.

Check out some of our Great Deals on Point of Sale systems for both Retail and Restaurant here at THE POS STORE

Next POST we'll take a look at some common reporting features

Do Webinars Work?

2009-02-06T08:36:00.003-05:00

I recently posted a Discussion Question across several qroups that we belong too on Linkedin regarding Webinars, i.e. do they work, which are best etc. and was pleasantly surprised by the number of responses I received. Below is just one sample of responses from ChannelWeb Group. Linkedin DOES work when you have something to ask.

Do Webinars work for customer interaction? Which ones are the best? There are so many choices that it's difficult to know who to go with. I would appreciate your experiences and choices.

Comments (8)

Marty Sos
Chief Operating Officer at Stagirus, Inc.
Hi Frank,

I have used webinars very successfully. They give customers an opportunity to participate in an information/education session without feeling like they are in a sales pressure situation. I used to schedule regular "First Tuesday" sessions , where the first tuesday of every month, we would have a webinar on some topic of interest to customers. That would always generate traffic to our web site for more information or directly to sales.

I have used ReadyTalk ( http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ereadytalk%2Ecom&urlhash=mN0e&_t=tracking_disc ), it is easy to use and it works great. You can run campaigns, measure them easily, show your slides online in parallel with a conference call...and have it recorded, moderated by an operator if you choose...have a chat window for questions...and capture any kind of registration information you choose.

I am a fan of webinars.

Best of luck,

Marty
Posted 12 days ago Reply Privately
http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=6906610&authToken=q5Qo&authType=name&goback=%2Eanh_93801
Delivering Fujitsu Storage Love'
Have used WebEx mostly, expensive offering - but becoming corporate standard in most places. Most WebEx offer the same feature/functionality, regarding customer interaction, I think having a customized presentation is the most important thing based on the end-user information / problem, if you're just going through your vanilla presentation you may hit a lot of points which may not be pertinent to them and they will zone out altogether. (easier on Webex than in person where you can gauge response and easily adapt)
Posted 5 days ago Reply Privately
Amy Boyd (Conroy)
Director, Channel Partner Programs, NGT
I have found webinars to be extremely beneficial, especially in this day of reduced travel budgets. They are especially good for introductory product information, ongoing refresher training, or drill down on product details when a rapport has already been established. Fusion has a great service that is relatively inexpensive. It has the same capabilities as WebEx but without the hefty price-tag. Let me know if you want a contact at Fusion. http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efusiontel%2Ecom&urlhash=G00R&_t=tracking_disc or send me an inmail and I'll give you my contact's name and phone number. Good luck!
Posted 5 days ago Reply Privately
Darren Bibby
Program Director, Software Partnering and Alliances, IDC
In case you want to do a more formal "pre-recorded" presentation, I have been impressed with what Adobe Presenter can do. Apparently a few vendors have been using it to quickly create training and other marketing communications messages for partners. Here's a link to how Adobe explains its own partner program. http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eadobe%2Ecom%2Fpartnerportal%2Fabout_partners%2Fspp_overview%2F&urlhash=l3hy&_t=tracking_disc It's pretty slick and it seems easy. It is an add-on of sorts to PowerPoint.

In terms of webinars, I'm a big fan of the really interactive ones. Most Webex or LiveMeeting type applications allow you to run polls or quizzes during the webinar to keep people engaged. Good luck.
Posted 5 days ago Reply Privately
Alan Hill
Experienced Marketing Manager - with focus on channels and technology
Hi, I just wanted to also "chip in".

I too have used Webex as a platform for both Webinars and training of resellers throughout Europe (on IT products). I was forced to drink the house wine, since it was the software of choice for the company I was working for. But to be honest, I would use it again and will. They (webex) have been recently bought by Cisco, which give them huge credibility.

It worked really well for me on an international scale, where network band-width was an issue. Customers dialed into a phone conference for audio (you can automate this from within webex - NEVER do audio over the web!) and I found that I could not only present, but also "interact" with my audience (typical size - 30).

Hope this help? Feel free to contact me directly with any questions.

P.S. you can go get a free trial at: http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ewebex%2Ecom%2Ffreetrial%2Ehtml&urlhash=GAkU&_t=tracking_disc

Good luck, Alan
Posted 4 days ago Reply Privately
Rob Rae
Manager of Partner Development at Level Platforms
Our organization runs a LIVE education and product demonstration seminar around Managed Services for Solution Providers twice weekly and we have received only positive feedback. We get a great turn out and rarely have any hiccups. We are running audio both over the phone or over the web (we offer the choice now but Alan offers some good advice). We have even started to run videos in the middle of it (they are a little more touchy but get the message across none the less). We keep our phone lines muted, to keep the demo on track but offer up a Q&A panel so Solution Providers can type in their questions and get answers - real time. We've been using WebEx as well and they have been solid.

I've found webinars to be a powerful tool.
Posted 4 days ago Reply Privately
Terry Miller
Marketing Programs Manager at Citrix
Hi Frank: I have found webinars to be a very successful way to reach customers and partners. We mute lines during the presentation, but at the end offer 10 minutes of interactive Q&A. We then archive the webinar and publish the link for those that want to view at a later date. We use Gotomeeting and/or Gotowebinar. You can receive a free trial version at http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egotomeeting%2Ecom&urlhash=a0jh&_t=tracking_disc
Posted 3 days ago Reply Privately
Alan Hill
Experienced Marketing Manager - with focus on channels and technology
Hi Frank,

You have many great suggestions here, given freely by industry experts. Do you care to comment? Has it been useful? What conclusion have you drawn? Please leave some feedback on this thread.

Alan

LinkedIn: ChannelWeb Network: Discussion

HP Financing - ZERO % INTEREST

2009-02-02T18:58:00.004-05:00

Hewlett-Packard announced ZERO % Interest Financing last Thursday for 12 months, same as Cash. What does this mean for you? It gives you a little breathing room if you're looking for new technology at a price you can afford. With the wide variety of products that HP offers it should be easy to find the right technology to improve your business efficiency. You can get that New Point of Sale system with the software that is going to run circles around your old cash register and save money doing it. Best part is that you get the 3 years ON-SITE Warranty FREE when you buy a POS system with the software of your choice from us loaded on a new Hewlett-Packard system.

Want to know more? Call us (877) 627-0636 and let us explain how simple it is.

You NEED Social Networking

2009-01-26T08:46:00.002-05:00

Last year we tried to push you towards Social Marketing. Some of you took the hint and joined Facebook, My Space and maybe even Linkedin. But few of you took the total plunge and joined all of the sites. (I'll give credit to the EI guys who have created some nice communities on FACEBOOK) Well we always try to follow our own advice and can be found on just about every Social Network out there from Flickr to YouTube to Linkedin to Beebo to Yahoo Groups to Facebook. We launched 30 new web domains in 2008 and a New e-Commerce Store front. Our Blog is a daily affair and then we have our ACT-POS Social Ring on NING.

So how to keep track of everything? One tool that I have found that actually works is 'FLOCK' a hybrid version of Firefox designed especially for SOCIAL Networking. You can check it out here for yourself: http://www.flock.com/ If you're like me and trying to do several things at once, then this could be a real TIME SAVER.

The article bleow is from Brick Marketing's BLOG, a firm that specializes in Marketing GORILLA STYLE. You can catch more of their insight here: SOCIAL MARKETING JOURNAL

TEN REASONS TO NOT IGNORE SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES

Writing by Brick Marketing on Monday, 22 of December , 2008 at 3:29 pm

It shouldn't come as a surprise that even smaller local businesses can even benefit from Myspace or Facebook. The social media landscape is not just for big business anymore. It is important that any business of all sizes tackle this channel very soon. 2009 is going to be a very busy year for many companies and the social landscape will be an area of extreme importance. Partially because their audience is there and the fact that it is free to participate so you only pay for time spent. If you have the time then you have no excuses.

1. Your Customers are There: It doesn't matter whether you are shining shoes or a hotel consultant your audience is here. The social media space is taken up by a very large number of internet savvy shoppers and many of them will buy from you either now or at a later date if they only know you exist.

2. Cheaper than a Newspaper Ad: It doesn't cost you anything but time to get onto these websites and begin to engage in some sort of conversation with others. A newspaper ad is very expensive and often times doesn't warrant the spend. If you have 30 minutes or an hour each day you can begin to interact on a Myspace or Facebook so people can see who you are.

3. It is Still Early: Social media is at the nose end of its life cycle. This area has just begun and it is exponentially growing. Get on board now because even a year or two down the road and it might take you even longer to catch up and learn everything.

4. Link Building: Building profiles and all the various different social websites helps your website with something called link building. As you build profiles they will give off power to your current business websites allowing to further climb the search engine results for your targeted keywords.

5. Proactive Reputation Management: As you build profiles they will rank for your company name this way allowing others who might want to tarnish your online reputation down the road a bit more difficult.

6. Online Branding: This shouldn't even require a reason but here it goes, as you connect and engage with your community online your branding message will linger in peoples minds for future purchasing needs. The more people you connect with, the further your reach extends online.

7. Fan Groups: Once you build an online following for your business you can start online groups which are basically collections of fans that will leave comments and engage in online discussions to help your brand grow. If people like your brand they will be willing to talk about it.

8. Your Competition Is Probably There: Chances are you already have some of your competitors already there taking away business from you. It doesn't matter how unique your business is if you have competition chances are they have already begun their online marketing.

9. It's Quick: It doesn't require a great deal of time to get things going. You can get on a computer and build a profile much quicker than it takes to contact your local publication and get things started on offline ad.

10. Because we Don't Live Under Rock: Unless you live under rock you have not come to terms with the idea that you need this. Social media is the future whether you want to admit it to yourself or not. only those who decide to break their mold and start using will prosper. 2009 will be a strange year for all business owners so it is up to you in order to stay competitive

Whatever you do or don't do is up to you. All we want to do is give you some information so that you know what your options are. Be sure to check our BLOG, Facebook My Space and YouTube for more information.

A FEW EXTRA'S THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

2009-01-22T17:42:00.002-05:00

We know that you have many options today when it comes to purchasing a Point of Sale system. Whether you are starting out new with a full POS or upgrading/modernizing from an existing system, you are looking for the best value.

Let me say that we truly appreciate the opportunity to offer you something special. For this reason, effective immediately we are increasing our standard 30 day free support to 60 DAYS.

That's right. When you purchase any complete Point of Sale system from Assured Computing Technologies or ACT-POS you will automatically receive 60 Days of FREE TECHNICAL SUPPORT.

Also, just as a reminder. All Point of Sale systems purchased from us receive the FULL 3 YEAR WARRANTY on all hardware regardless of the manufacturer. What this means is that you only need to deal with us and we'll handle any hardware problems you encounter for 3 years.

What else? Well we offer some of the best Financing programs in the industry from our partners at NorthStar, Microsoft and Hewelett-Packard. You can get some of the lowest interest rates and all purchases are automatically set for a $1 Buy Out at the end of the Lease. You own it, you keep it. In addition there is never a penalty for early PAY-OFF.

We also Pay You for purchasing your POS system from us. We give you 3% Credit Back after purchase to be used any way you want. It can be additonal hardwarel, software, services or supplies. How you spend your credit is totally up to you.

So do we have your attention? Let's talk more and insure that 2009 is the year your business has the technology it needs to grow and prosper.

Thanks!

technorati claim form

2009-01-22T08:35:00.000-05:00

Technorati Profile

Can Technology Save Your Business?

2009-01-13T09:09:00.006-05:00

Can technology save your business? The answer is a resounding YES and NO. Confused? It's really quite simple. Many companies whether a Retail Store, Restaurant, Manufacturer, Distributor or any Service Company goes out shopping for a 'solution' to their woes and comes back home with the perfect product that will take care of everything. But lo and behold, not much changes. Why? Because they purchased a product on the assumption that simply by installing it everything would get better.

How do you learn? By osmosis? Great! Just put your hands on the new piece of hardware or software and you will know everything about it. All those little secrets that are in the Help manual, tricks and tips will just jump into your brain. I've tried it and it just doesn't work.

Having been in the technology business, retail sales, restaurant management and business accounting fields over my carreer span, I have discovered that the only real way to learn the technology is through digging, reading and hands on use. Printed manuals are a thing of the past. Everything is in pdf format or similiar. But I believe that this is actually more useful in many cases. I can open the program, open the help files and see exactly what I need to do while using the program.

However in some cases I have needed real training. This is where the company that sold the software or hardware comes into the picture. Today many companies offer real-time training over the internet that can speed up the learning curve significantly. In many cases it is included in a Support contract or available at a slight additional charge.

My point here? Is take the time to Learn the software and hardware. Spend the time neccessary to get the most out of your investment. Contact your vendor and find out exactly what they offer for training and invest in it. You have already paid for the product, why not learn how to use it from the experts? Nothing can help your business if you don't use it.

Are Kids Recession Proof?

2009-01-06T08:55:00.007-05:00

Late last night I had a conversation with one of our long term customers and came away with some interesting observations.

Are businesses that cater to children more recession proof than other types of businesses? It would seem that way given our client list and the businesses that are maintaining or even growing their sales.

This started with a conversation with one of the new owners of a Birthday Party store called 'Kangazoom'. They have been in business for about 3-4 years now and recently underwent a change in ownership. Their sales are up year over year and recently they finalized their Franchise offerings. Their core customers are parents looking for a low cost, but entertaining and safe party facility.

Another one of our customers is 'Plaster Fun Time', a chain of childrens plaster and painting locations. Kids choose their mold, create the character and paint them however they want. Good fun, inexpensive and allows a little mess along the way. They currently have 8 locations and each one is doing great in this economy. (Just in - they are opening #9 next month. Must be something in their business. )

A 3rd customer of ours, Extra Innings Indoor Baseball batting franchise is holding their own and getting ready for one of the busiest seasons they have had yet. Prices are reasonable and sales are up.

So I guess my question would be how do you market to the families with kids and is your business one that perhaps could use a slight rework to market to kids?

Let us know your thoughts and we can share them with others that could benefit.

Let's Start 2009 Fresh!

2009-01-05T07:38:00.004-05:00

Face it, for most of us 2008 started out with a BANG and ended the year with a Duh? Meaning what in the world is going on. All of our hard worked plans for business success that we put together at the end of 2007 going into 2008 fell apart, imploded, exploded or simply failed to materialize. Companies such as Microsoft, IBM, HP, Oracle, SAP, DELL and anyone else you can think of - found that their marketing plans, business plans and day-to-day plans often had to be scrapped and readjusted as the year went by.

For the smaller retailer, restaurant, salon or service owner/operator each day that went by only brought worst news of impending collapse on some new front. Credit dried up, customers stayed home, holiday sales were down (unless you were Walmart) and nothing looked very rosy.

But hey, this is now 2009 and things can't get any worse, can they? The answer to that is up to you and me. Small business is business. This country needs the survival of small business to pull itself back up and move forward. So this morning when I get to work I will be looking at ways to succeed this year. What can we do differently, how can we adjust to current conditions and where is the silver lining that always comes after the storm?

The government is bailing out big business, wallstreet, banks and pouring good money after bad. But what are they doing for Small Business? Did you receive your Bailout check yet? Maybe the address they have on file is wrong. Let us know when you recive yours so we can look for ours. In the meantime, we want to know how you plan to throw away 2008 and start fresh in 2009.

P.S. The image in this BLOG came from 'ONION' in their January 2008 issue. It may have be great for 2007, but it holds even more weight for 2008

YEAR END RECAP AND MORE POINTS

2008-12-31T15:32:00.001-05:00

During the past year we have discussed Loyalty Programs, Gift Card Programs, PCI Credit Card Compliance Issues, Social Web Sites, Web Optimization, Various In-Store and Outside Marketing Opportunities, Your Customers, Our Customers, Technology and Video Surveillance. All of these are very important topics when reviewing your business past performance and future plans. But what if you are simply unsure of what is the 'most important' in terms of how to survive and thrive in this turbulent time? Is there one area that is more important than others? Unfortunately, they all require some of your time and each will pay it's own dividends over time.

INDUSTRY 'EXPERTS?'
Is there really any such thing as an 'Industry Expert when we are talking about your specific business type or model? I would be inclined to the argument that you understand your particular business better than any 'expert'. However there are standard processes that can apply across many models and insure added success beyond the basics of daily routines. Many times as business owners we are so involved in the daily operations of our business - i.e. paying bills, making out orders, selling to customers, handling payroll etc. that we feel there just is not enough time in the day to do anything else. This is where the experts might be able to assist us in finding the 'focus' that can help our business 'survive or thrive'.
I would be the first to admit that I am no business guru with all the answers. Even after more than 10 years in the technology field and 3 decades in retail and hospitality, there is more I don't know than what I do know. New processes and procedures, new technologies, new marketing avenues are arriving faster than I can keep up with them. So I read the tech journals, industry journals, newsletters, email promotions and sometimes I see something that may help YOU!

Shari Waters writes a column on About.com for Retailing and has a list of 'Top 10 Ways to Better Your Business' that I thought was worth sharing. Each subject has a link to learn more about Shari's list in more detail. I strongly advise taking a moment to review it.

Top 10 Ways to Better Your Business
By Shari Waters, About.com
Retailers all have the same basic path to success. That is, we must increase sales and reduce expenses in order to improve profitability. The goal is the same but how we achieve each milestone may vary. Take a look at the following ways to better your business.
1. Reduce Shrinkage1You may believe employee theft and shoplifting aren't a problem in your business, but simple pricing mistakes can also cost retailers quite a bit. The average shrink percentage in the retail industry is about two percent of sales. Learn to identify and reduce sources of shrink.
More: Retail Loss Prevention2
2. Increase Sales Opportunities3Whether you're up-selling to a customer or planning an expansion into a multi-channel environment, retailers should learn to notice and take advantage of every possible opportunity to sell.
More: Turn Returns into Sales4
3. Improve Customer Service5One easy way to better your business is to improve customer service. Retailers should develop customer-friendly policies, train employees to provide outstanding customer service, and learn how to create customer loyalty.
More: Customer Service in Your Retail Store6
4. Add New Products or Product Lines7One way to keep customers returning to your shop is by offering new and exciting products. When adding new products or expanding product lines, keep in mind that not only should there be a demand for the item, but it must also be profitable and something you enjoy selling.
More: Choosing Products to Sell8
5. Buy From Vendors with Best Value9The vendor who sales an item at the lowest price isn't necessarily the vendor you want to buy from. When selecting a supplier, consider shipping, terms of sale and other factors to determine the vendor with the best value. These small details may erode a retailers bottom line.
More: Buying Wholesale Merchandise10
6. Increase Marketing11How often have you said you can't afford to advertise right now? Maybe once business picks up you'll place an ad. Or maybe you're holding those advertising dollars until the holiday shopping begins. Either way, you could be losing potential customers right now. Begin tailoring your marketing efforts to your target audience. If you don't spread the word, no one will know you exist.
More: 50 Marketing Ideas for Retailers12
7. Lower Expenses13To better your business and return more profits to your bottom line, learn where you can cut operating expenses. Look around your shop. Could buying instead of leasing save money? Are you outsourcing something you could easily do?
More: Reducing Retail Business Expenses14
8. Get Out of the Store15Attend a trade show or other retail expo. These conferences are developed in order to give retail owners, buyers and managers the opportunity to meet existing suppliers, conduct business meetings, network with others in retail and investigate new products.
More: Tips for Trade Shows16
9. Add One New Time or Money Saving Piece of Technology17Every time we invest in a new piece of technology, we're always amazed at the results and wonder how we lived without it for so long. Find one new money or time saving piece of technology to implement in your store this year. For example, if you are using manual cash registers, consider a POS system.
More: Retailing Equipment & Technology18
10. Provide Training for StaffOnce you've determined how to best implement the nine ways to better your business listed above, pass that information on to your staff. Your retail employees are the ones on the front-line every day and should be trained to reduce shrink, improve customer service and increase sales opportunities.

CUSTOMER LOYALTY - WHAT IS IT?

2008-12-31T15:28:00.001-05:00

CUSTOMER LOYALTY Why should you care about 'Customer Loyalty'? Because your repeat customers are the ones who will sustain you during difficult economic times. The following excerpt is taken from an on-line article in 'ConnectIT News' which is one of dozens of newsletters that I receive weekly to stay abreast of current market trends. I have spoken about the importance of Loyalty in this space before, however maybe someone else will have more of an impact. Loyalty programs key to surviving economic downturn "Any business should strive to be the only brand their members consider," said Denali Marketing's loyalty marketing expert Margaret Murphy. "If you are a merchant without a loyalty program or are not leveraging the one you have, you risk losing customers. Membership in a meaningful and relevant loyalty program is your economic glue." "More than ever, customers are shopping versus buying," Lacek said. "Loyalty programs are a great opportunity for companies to get closer to their customers and show appreciation for their business." The advantages of implementing loyalty programs, according to Lacek, include increased brand loyalty and profitability. "A strong loyalty program often generates 50 percent of a company's revenues," he said. Loyalty programs also represent added value for customers by offering benefits and amenities that might not be found with a competitor."In tough economic times, loyalty program members are an insurance policy on your business," said Lacek. "It is easier and more efficient to keep a customer than to try to find new ones. This is the best investment a company can make." READ THE ARTICLE HERE This applies not only to retailers, but also restaurants and any service oriented business. Every one of the software programs that we represent has either a Loyalty Program built into it, or the ability to add one easily and inexpensively. It is definitly worth the time and effort to insure that you are using the tools available to build your repeat business - now more than ever. If you are not sure how to institute a Loyalty program, call us and we will help.

Our Economic Incentive Program for YOU!

2008-12-04T08:33:00.009-05:00

It is not too late to save money on your new Point of Sale system by acting now!

Don't just think about being competitive, ACT

We know that right now businesses are unsure on which way to turn with the current economic situation. We also know that one of the best ways to control your expenses and increase business is with a Point of Sale system. We don't just say that because we sell them, we say it because the industry has proven this as a fact with multiple studies on Return on Investment. So we have come up with a special 3% Credit Offer that may give you an added incentive to purchase that POS system sooner rather than later.

- How will you be starting 2009? Still using the old calculator and paper? A Royal Cash Register from 1989?
- We want to help you get the technology you need at a price and payments you can afford today. We have payment schedules that allow you to take 6 months to pay, NO INTEREST! Or you can Finance your system for 2, 3 or possibly even 4 years (depending upon total purchase cost).

So how can we convince that now is the time to ACT? The truth is that a POS system is not an expense, but an investment which could SAVE YOUR BUSINESS! We have several Free White Papers that will show you how a POS system can actually earn you more customers and sales. In addition, check out the offer below.

In addition to our payment and financing options we are offering the following Economic Incentive to get started with your New POS system today!

Right now through the end of the year, we are offering a special limited offer to new customers only. Purchase a complete POS system and receive a 3% Credit toward any future purchase. This could be used for supplies, additional hardware or even service. Get the best price, plus an additional 3% Credit for the future!

So What are you waiting for now?

Save 3%	Receive a 3% credit toward any future purchase of hardware, software, supplies or service when you purchase a complete POS system before December 31st, 2009 Call now to take advantage of this Deal!
Offer Expires: Dec. 31, 2009 Please mention Code 'Save3' when ordering!

Point-of-Sale from ACT-POS