Cardinal Business Systems Blog

The New Technology Revolution

2011-12-06T19:16:00.010-06:00

On June 29Th 2007, just a little over 4 years ago, with lots of fanfare Apple Released the I Phone to a very large & waiting mass of technological hungry people. It was introduced by Steve Jobs just 6 months earlier and described as a mobile device that would revolutionize the mobility landscape as it was known. Little did anyone know at the time that the technology behind the iPhone would spur new products like the android, I pad, and Tablets and create technological revolution unlike any other in the history of mankind. These devices can function as a video camera, a camera phone, a portable media player, and an Internet client with email and web browsing capabilities, can send texts and receive visual voicemail, and has both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity.

In a relatively very short period of time these devices have embedded themselves into our culture and every aspect of our personal lives and are growing in popularity and increasingly changing our day to day patterns from shopping to socializing. When you consider that they have already replaced the need for cameras, radios, phone books, maps, portable CD players, desk top computers, laptops, printed books and magazines, even guitar tuners you start to realize the impact on a variety of manufacturers. And in the near future they will replace your car radio, home DVD players, your keys, the post office and even your plastic credit card. They have put at the fingertip of every user any and everything imaginable by bringing wireless Internet activity to a mobile device. combined with over 50 million applications that currently exist, these mobile devices are seemingly unlimited in functionality If there is something that a person wishes there mobile device could do chances are there is an app for it or somewhere someone is developing one. It has changed and will continue to change life as we know it far more then the invention of the computer or even electricity. and where it is headed no one knows yet because we are only at the beginning of this technology phenomenon

Unlike other technology advances which were primarily developed by the space program and then driven by business in the Private sector, this revolution was developed by the privet sector and is driven by the consumer and has for the most part caught the business community as a whole off guard. But that is changing quickly as smart business CEO's and owners are scrambling to tap into this monster before it’s too late. It’s clear that businesses and especially retailers who do not embrace this quasar will fall by the way side and quickly cease to have customers. This is because consumers have adopted the technology and are learning to take advantage of the simplification and immediate gratification they bring to a hectic, in motion lifestyle. They are letting their devices guide them and it is up to businesses to insure that it guides them into their doors

Retailers need to understand that the concept of marketing to consumers hasn't changed, it simply has gone digital, and become very personalized. Printed ads and junk mail are wasted expenses and should be replaced with email and text databases, customer loyalty/reward plans and custom mobile apps that can be downloaded by the consumer and guide them to your door and keep them coming back. Every business should have a budget for not only an e-commerce website but also a down loadable mobile app that will add value to the potential customer.
Businesses also need to realize that these devices in the hand of an unhappy customer can have serious consequences. they bring a whole new meaning to "the customer is always right" This was displayed recently when Actor Alec Baldwin , minutes after a nasty confrontation with a airline stewardess tweeted from his mobile device to hundred o thousands of followers a comment about the confrontation and nowonderamericanairlinesisbankrupt. This one simple text caused a media storm and a nightmare for American Airline s marketing division.

Regardless of the pros and cons, these devices are here to stay and it appears where they are headed is where ever the imagination of software developers take it.

A Twittlbit About Twitter and Marketing

2010-08-10T15:37:00.005-05:00

Whenever I ask a Business acquaintance if they have a twitter account, the #1 response I get is “YES BUT!” Followed by a guilty smile and usually an “I don’t twitter “ or “I don’t have time”. I was one of those people in my early stages of social media who found Twitter a big waste of time. But now I am a tworn again tweeter! I love the fact that I am 1 tweet away of possibly making the most important tweet in my life. You never know how your thoughtful 140 characters may hit a chord with someone who retweets it through the cyber galactic network that delivers it the blackberry of someone who could change your world forever. Not only that but, how cool is it when celebrity and world figures send their witty twit thoughts directly to my den,
Seriously, the truth is Twitter is an anomaly whose true value has not been fully realized yet. The more I learn about its ability to find and reach people whom share my interests and or interested in reading what I share, the more I see the value in this revolutionary social experiment. 125 million people are currently on twitter and are checking there accounts on a regular basis and to make it easier they are Using # (Hash) tags to let everyone know what they are interested in. HELLO!!!! In 1995 Company’s spent huge advertising dollars in the hopes reaching people, Finding out their interest, and hopefully spark their attention, and now it’s at my fingertips for FREE.
I find most people just don’t know how to use Twitter as a business-marketing tool. It’s not about soliciting people about your product or services. Which is a huge mistake I see many make. It’s about suggesting something to them that will be of benefit and be valuable to them. An article, or a website, or blog, a coupon, or maybe just a bit of learned wisdom. You are guiding them to be solicited. So it’s where you guide them that can make the payoff. If your smart that website or blog will be yours and that inspirational wisdom? Consider it your cyber handshake or smile. However, like any social interaction not everything should be about you. Suggest other areas where they can find enrichment. That will make their following you a worthwhile investment for them. Hopefully it will make them want to retweet your tweet. This is the ultimate compliment and the key to growing your followers. You may find that your follower has added you to a LIST, which simply means they are grouping you with others for sorting purposes. Unless that list is called “scumbags’ don’t fret. A list is simply a way to categorize whom your following. Typically this will be by topics or by shared interests. Lets say you’re a shop owner and you are following several of your supplier/vendors along with your aunt Karen. Creating a list title called VENDORS and attaching them to it will allow you sift through all your incoming tweets and just look at what your vendors or saying and skip your aunt Karen’s "bad hair day" post. It’s a must as you follow more people on Twitter.
This brings up an important thing to remember. On Twitter you can be a business and an individual, so make sure you separate the 2. Make a business account and a personal account and keep them separate. Just like you wouldn’t wear your favorite holy jeans to the office, you don’t want to tweet to your professional followers “your having Ice cream in your pajamas”. And it's doubtful your close friends and Aunt Karen are interested in the latest break through in coated copper wire.
Whatever your personal feelings about Twitter, its important to recognize that it is inevitable that it will soon be one of the most important business marketing innovations of our lifetime, so the sooner you embrace it and harness it the twetter.

The Company Check-Up

2010-07-20T16:30:00.003-05:00

Do you give your business an annual check-up?

Running a retail business can be rewarding yet also very stress full, especially in this economy. One mistake business owners make is when times are good, they tend to let operations stagnate with the excuse "If it ain't broke, don't Fix it". But when the economy slows and business is harder to find, that is when most business owners frantically start looking at what is happening in their business. Out of desperation they begin to explore costs and inventory, they revisit employee policies and desperately look for waste and inefficiency. Remarkably, they will find all sorts of ways to reduce costs and add black to the bottom line. Its what I refer to as kicking the tires. But why do they wait for lean times to take such a serious approach to their profitability.

The truth is that it is these little expenses and wasteful habits that keep businesses from growing and achieving bigger success. Remember the old saying "A penny saved is a penny earned". In a small business it is these collection of pennies that can make the difference. Small businesses don't have the large Cash flows of big corporations to afford the luxuries that the big boys can afford. It is by keeping there operations efficient that they can have success and longevity. Sure you get your monthly statements and you know were you stand. But they don't tell the whole story. They simply present a picture of where you are, based on what you did. But what if you did something different?

In my 24 years as a small business owner I have found that it is wise to follow the same practice with your business as your health. An annual complete physical or Check up is essential to insure that your profits are not slowly eroding away. Check your key monthly expenses, Insurance, Phone, Utility, fuel. have they slowly risen? if so why? what has changed? is it time to get competitive bids or lower the thermostat, or tune the vehicles.

For most small businesses the largest expense is people. Take a good look at your pay rates and your benefit plans. Are your labor costs staying within their designed percentage. Are your policies and operations creating unnecessary overtime. I have found that for most businesses payroll is the hardest factor to control and deal with.

When it comes to inventory, you should have a mechanism to insure that your margins are checked with each delivery. But even the most savvy business owner can't control every piece of inventory, and you can't change prices daily. Inventories get old, they get lost and sometimes even disappear and all of this adds directly to your Cost of sales. Purchasing habits change and and that can have a big effect on your cost. Vender's change policies and personnel, and with that, shipping and delivery can easily increase and erode away profit. Get rid of old inventory even if at cost. It is costing you to sit on your books and you can use the money for new inventory. If your food inventory is turning to waste, find out why and change your buying quantity. If old inventory is unsellable try donating it to charity. They can give you a receipt that will reduce your taxes.

Another area to scrutinize is your internal policies and procedures. All policies are made for a reason but businesses are not static, they are dynamic and in constant flux and change. the policy you made last year to insure quality may be out dated and costing you time and money today. Most business managers train there staff to follow policy and routines. Smart business owners should allow and reward employees to challenge or at least improve policy as the the business evolves.

Don't be afraid to step into the various roles of your business and give your operation a thorough checkup. Spend some time in their shoes. the results will put money back in your pocket, keep your business purring and give you a new renewed vision and interest into the business operation. It may be just what it needs, even if it appears to need nothing.

Marketing Your Business in 2010

2010-05-18T12:40:00.003-05:00

In today’s technology savvy and socially connected society, it is important to have a marketing strategy that introduces your business too and takes advantage of all of the technological marketing options that are available today. Marketing a retail business has taken a new direction in recent years. With the Internet, and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, combined with today’s Smart Phones, reaching your existing and potential customers has never been easier. Smart Retailers are taking advantage of these marketing options and using them to connect directly to there target markets. They Entice them into their business with direct communication, special offers, gift cards, special discount cards, and loyalty cards which track their visits and purchases and reward them accordingly. This new age of marketing is sweeping the cyber world and is slowly becoming the success factor of any modern marketing campaign. The days of expensive printed ads, coupons and yellow pages designed to randomly capture people’s interest are gone. Today’s “I Want it Now” Society prefers a more personal touch with detail information at there finger tips. They don’t want to visit your establishment to find out what it offers. They want to know in advance and feel like they have a relationship and an interest and reason to visit.

Along with this new technology marketing the importance of branding your business becomes a primary factor in the success of your efforts. Branding has always been an important factor in marketing, but today’s branding is much more comprehensive. This entire media relies on pictures and graphics and so must your marketing efforts. They must share a common theme that is identifiable and interesting and relates to your product.

Of coarse the most important thing is your product and the experience they have once they came through your door, and nothing will change that. But consider the fact that the customer has had a complete personal experience with your business before he or she has ever set foot in your door. Their first impression started with the interaction you created with your overall marketing strategy and campaign. You did not invite them in so you could engage with them and win their business. You engaged with them and won their visit through your marketing. Now in your door it’s up to you’re products, service and continued marketing plan to keep them coming back.

ACRONYM Exercise

2010-02-02T12:21:00.004-06:00

Posted By: Steve Petty
Retail Project Manager

As I sit down at my PC, the thought of using an XLS or a MDB as a method of collecting FAQ from the WWW, was eclipsed by the realization I didn’t so much need a hard copy of a DB as I needed a DOC. As a VAR, I was trying to track past, present and future characteristics of the Cash Register. The ECR has evolved to using an OS with applications like RMS or CP. Enterprise versions like HQ connect CPUs together via IP. The DOS commands are not all gone; but SQL has our minds soaring. Coming from KB to MB to GB to - it just keeps on going! We are an ISV; IRC used to be the only COM. Now we can FTP with SSL; our selection of TCP/IP is our main line choice of TLS. MS has created Windows; SP after SP has perfected it. The ID required to sign-on has provided security.

Now POS seems to hover over the horizon requiring a PIN to process an EDC transaction. The DAT files created in these types of transactions don’t just execute carelessly via TFTP or UDP, but are carefully delivered using TCP. These creative computers built to manifest as a Cash Register, use an Application Software as a conductor of an orchestra of peripherals, The Industry Standard of OPOS Drivers are made available from the manufacturers of the peripherals. This allows the devices like the Cash Drawer, the Receipt Printer, the Pole Display, the Scanner, the MICR reader or the MSR reader to communicate easily with the computer.

If only I knew how to text!

Why Aloha You Ask?

2010-01-14T18:18:00.004-06:00

Posted by Jennfer Langston
Hospitality Project Manager

There are so many added benefits to using the Aloha POS system for your business that I find it hard to believe that anyone would ever consider any other. I personally have worked with every POS out there on the market as a manager, trainer and server/bartender. From my own personal experience I have found that Aloha is the most user friendly. From an order entry point of view it is very easy to navigate through modifier screens and also easy to use the split check function. Working in a fast pasted restaurant requires speed and diligence. Having the right POS system is important to productivity. It reduces time spent at the terminals so your staff can spend more time taking care of your guest. It can also increase table turns and reduce wait times.

From a manager point of view the Aloha system saves a lot of time where other systems don’t. The easy to use BOH software makes training new managers a breeze. Adding items, modifiers, employees and changing prices of menu items can be a big task on most systems. With Aloha after little training with a certified Aloha trainer you’ll be a pro. The export feature for reports makes it simple to email your reports or to have a copy in an excel or word format. This saves time with doing payroll and daily balancing. The audit report is another tool in the Aloha system that is very helpful in lose prevention. You can audit anything anyone does on the front and back of house computers.

Aloha also offers add on features that make life a little easier on the manager and the order entry employee. Aloha restaurant guard is a great tool, it works with your audit report and generates reports to help with lose prevention. It will look for trends and common scams according to the book Burning Down the House. This book was written to teach people how to scam restaurants. Aloha Delivery/Frequent buyer helps to keep up with your customer database. It is a great to for restaurants that do a lot of take-out and or delivery. You can set up bonus plans to give your customer rewards for choosing you. Like spend $100.00 get free dessert. It will keep track of all this information. It will also store your customer’s data for future marketing

As a Project Manager For Cardinal and The Aloha System I feel that I represent the Best of the best and I look forward to every new challenge and working with the great Restaurants in the St Louis Market. I hope some day I can Help you see the advantages of Using Aloha Software.

Cardinals Professional Services Team is the shining star within our service organization and offers service that is second to none. Jennifer is just one example of the dedicated staff that is available to our Existing and future customers.

Cardinal and Credit Card Data Security information

2009-12-05T08:19:00.013-06:00

As a leader in Point Of Sale Technology, we take pride in the products and services we offer to our customers. We believe our products represent the best in the industry and we insure our staff are fully trained and certified on there set up and operation. We also take the security of our customers systems, networks, and data as well as our own, very seriously. Our staff is not only versed on current data security requirements but we also proactively attempt to educate our customers and insure that their systems remain secure as computer hackers become more savvy.

Recently there has been press coverage surrounding an incident involving credit card theft in a few restaurants in Louisiana Who use the Aloha System. A law suit has been filed alleging that The Local Aloha dealer and Radiant Systems are responsible for these Restaurants falling victim to credit card theft. The Theft took place when criminal hackers loaded malicious software on the system which captured data prior to it entering the Aloha software. This incident took place 2 years ago and does not involve Cardinal Business Equipment or any of our customers.

Recently Radiant released the following statements in response to the allegations

• Radiant’s POS software was not compromised during these incidents.
• Radiant’s products were among the first POS technologies to be validated against VISA’s initial set of data security requirements in 2005. Since the inception of these requirements, Radiant has continuously maintained payment industry validation (now called PA DSS) when releasing our software.
• There are twelve requirements for a business to achieve compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Radiant helps support compliance with these requirements by developing secure payment applications.
• In addition to meeting payment industry standards, Radiant has invested in product innovations, resulting in our customers having the best arsenal in the industry to fight criminals intent on stealing personal credit card information.

Credit Card theft is becoming a malicious industry as criminals all over the world attempt to hack computer systems and steal active credit card numbers. Credit card company's along with the industry are creating and implementing strict policies and procedures to insure credit card numbers remain safe. These practices rely in part on everyone involved from Banks to Credit Card companies to POS Vender's to Retailers all the way down to consumers. Radiant, Aloha Software, and Cardinal are committed to keep technology as secure as possible.

Retailers also have responsibilities to insure there customers are safe. To learn more about Data security and CISP Compliancy we encourage our customers to contact our Professional services representatives who can help you maintain a secure system. For more information on Aloha Data security visit the Radiant Web Site at www.radiantsystems.com/datasecurity

Together we can work to insure a secure environment for our retail customers.

Using Social Sites to Market your Business

2009-11-06T14:16:00.007-06:00

Social media sites are becoming a new popular way of advertising and promoting business. With the advancement of social sites like twitter and Facebook a new generation of savvy marketing guru’s are reinventing how entrepreneurs promote and market there products and services to reach a dedicated primed and educated customer who no longer relies on the old standard media for information. Smart businesses are tapping into to this social media phenomenon at an enormous rate and those that aren't looking at this as a viable marketing option may be putting their future business at risk.
When it comes to social marketing, imagination is key. All one really needs is a to be somewhat computer literate and have a pretty good handle on using social sites. The trick to making them work as marketing tools is to have a marketing plan which includes the who, why, and what of your marketing direction

Who do you want to market too?
Why do you want to market to them through this media?
What do want to market to this attentive market place

First you must know your target market. If you want to market to 45+ year old males who work for UPS, this is not your media. However if you want to market to the 20 to 30 something population, then this IS your media. Or better yet if you want to hit the 13 to 19 year old crowd, this is definitely your media. For this reason social marketing is becoming very successful in restaurants, clubs, the arts, music, anything college related, even clothing retailers, book stores, and specialty shops are finding a niche in this cyber web of marketing. But don’t count out the gen x and baby boomers. They are slowly coming on board to the facebook site though research shows their use of Twitter in minimal.

The marketing strategy in general is not any different then any other “ find a new customer and keep them interested in doing business with you” the difference is that technology takes this basic marketing strategy and uses all the newest tools of cyberspace to capture the customer and take them on a interesting cyber journey right into your offerings

Example 1: the rock band Foo Fighters recently invited there twitter audience to a on-line concert by simply posting a link on twitter that went out to there 31000 followers. The link led them to the bands facebook page where the band was broadcasting a live performance from a studio. The only audience were the invited fans watching on their computers. The band played several well-known songs while fans twittered the band their thoughts, comments and requests. In between songs the band would read and display the tweets from the audience making the whole experience very personal. So what’s the point you ask?
Well the band also played several new songs from there recently released CD which the crowd had never heard before and probably never would again, unless 1. They go buy the CD or 2. Attend the next concert

Ingenious no? My guess is the band sold about 20,000 CD’s with this 1-hour marketing ploy. No expensive printing. No travel, no hotel rooms, no dependence on radio. Just one on one direct, personal marketing, right to the heart of their most dedicated customers

Example 2: A fast food chain in town with 14 locations used the media in a very different way to promote their restaurants. They twittered their followers and offered them a free gift card if they followed the posted link. The link pointed them to their Facebook page, which had another link that would email them the printable gift card voucher. It also offered other discounts if they became a fan of the page. The customer could print the voucher and present it at the restaurant, which would issue the card. The restaurant reported that customers totaling 60% of their Twitter following presented a voucher, and the customers who used the card also got a coupon for their next visit. The restaurant reported the 80% of those coupons have been used so far and 30 % of the customer’s added value to those cards after receiving it. This is a huge success in bringing in customers based on the little cost associated, and the customer receives a very personal experience to boot. The restaurant was able to bring customers to their locations and also entice them to become a fan of their Facebook, which will give them even more marketing possibilities in the future.

What ever the marketing initiative, social marketing is here to stay. The sooner businesses tap into this new and fresh media frenzy, the sooner they can wreak the rewards

Payroll Deduction – Gaining Popularity in Corporate Cafeteria’s

2009-10-27T16:42:00.003-05:00

Submitted by Steve Petty (Retail Project Manager)

A new form of payment is gaining popularity and sweeping the corporate world. An employee working in a corporate environment can take advantage of charging a meal in the cafeteria, or a prescription in the pharmacy or even a gift in the gift shop simply by swiping their Employee Badge at the POS.

Many employers have decided to offer charging at the POS with their Employee Badge Card, commonly known as Payroll Deduction. Many employees find that it’s a way of managing their expenditures at work, while others simply like the ease and simplicity of being able to charge vs. carrying money.

Food Service Vendors report an increase of revenue of 10% to 15% wherever the process is implemented. The ease of being able to satisfy one’s hunger simply by swiping a card is a temptation too strong to resist. In a very prestigious way, an employer is providing a benefit of “borrowing until payday”. While this helps the employee, the employer definitely reaps the sales increase because of the extended generosity.

The Payroll Deduction Transaction uses an employee’s payroll badge as the medium to prove authorization by capturing the Employee ID Number from the badge. Back Office Software compiles transactions using the Employee ID Number to insure accuracy and electronically communicates with the payroll software eliminating the possibility of hand keyed mistakes.

The payroll deduction process does not charge interest like a credit card; nor does it charge late fees. The payroll badge does not have a limit like a gift card. The payroll badge does not need to be re-charged like a cash card. If you are an employee in good standing, you are self policing because your paycheck will reflect only what you earned against what you spent. However, if there are abuses by certain individuals, charge limits can be set to their profiles.

The payroll deduction transaction keeps cashier drawer totals balancing better due to less cash handling and because it’s hard to steal from a drawer full of charge slips.

This type of system is currently being used in many hospital cafeterias throughout the country. Other entities within the hospitals such as gift shops and pharmacies and coffee shops are also using the system. Additionally, it’s making its way into many corporate environments that have a small window of time to process the lunch hour; the speed of the transaction with the Payroll Badge Card is excellent for this criteria. There is no delay in authorizing payment with a Payroll Badge Card.

We are also starting to see a lot of special uses for this type of system like tracking complementary lunches given to training employees. In some cases we are limiting certain items that are allowed to be complementary. There are other sites that require a lock out of one meal per mealtime. (I.e. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Regardless of the reason, Payroll Deduction is slowly becoming a standard mode of payment within cafeterias across the country and is winning the kudos of the Employers, Employees, and Food Service Vendors.

We have Come Along Way since the Abacass

2009-10-20T16:58:00.009-05:00

The other day I was explaining to a new associate the history of technology in the retail environment. I was explaining how and why Cash Registers evolved from basically adding machines to theft prevention devices and how electronics revolutionized everything into we what we now call point of sale. Suddenly I noticed a little glaze in the eyes of the recipient and I realized that although my history lesson was factual, it was no longer relevant. WOW! Who would of thought!

You see in today's world, Technology is not a new piece of science, Its a fact of life. In his mind all he's ever known is technology and any thing prior was prehistoric. Today's modern cash registers are complex, integrated computer networks that have entrenched themselves into every aspect of the business and retail world. In fact those businesses that have embraced technology have taken a bold path of no return.

The simplification and automation that today's technology adds to the business world cannot be out done except with more technology. So Once a business embarks on a path utilizing technology they will never go back, they will always move forward. Technology will become the new way of doing business. and the entrepreneur who sees the benefit's will begin to look for other ways that technology can improve daily operations. They will view the old way of doing business as archaic and irrelevant to the future. Just as my student did. However most small business fail to look at technology this way. They treat it as a expensive necessity instead of a long term investment into the future.

When considering the use of technology in a business it is crucial to make a long term plan and budget. Having a set goal and Researching is the most important thing a business owner can do before committing to purchasing any form of technology. The wrong purchase can be economically painful and in some cases fatal to the survival of the business however the right purchase with a tactical and affordable goal can can be the catalyst to success and growth.

It all Comes back to Return on investment ROI. Don't just buy a computer. Buy a back office that will improve your accounting and tell you if your making money. Buy a system that will help control your inventory and lower your food or inventory cost. Buy a solution with a Point of Sale and insure accuracy and improve your staffs through put. Take a look at all the new gadgets that will enhance the customers experience. This is a "I Want it Now" society so your POS should deliver finger tip information and availability, immediate receipts, fast credit processing, it should take the leg and pencil work out of everything you do, and most importantly, be EASY TO USE. It should compile information about your customers and have the ability to offer incentives for there return and be able to identify them when they do return and suggest a reward. It should be able to grow with your business and your vision and with the advancement of new technology. this means an open system. that is a system running on an open platform or operating system. Does all this cost more? Yes . But the return is ten fold.

Last but not least computers don't run themselves. you will need some portion of your staff dedicated to running your system so budget accordingly. consider it a necessity and part of the overall cost. Its all in the planning

In closing let me say that it is those hard challenges in business that you overcome that bring you to the next level.

If you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got.

we live in a technological world that is limited only by our lack of imagination. Let technology work for you and your business.

Welcome

2009-10-20T13:21:00.002-05:00

This blog offers its readers interesting and educational information relating to technology and its influence on the Point of Sale industry. Within it you will find a wealth of facts, opinions and perspectives from leaders in the industry as well as suppliers and end users of this technology. We encourage lively, open discussion and hope you feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts and opinions as well.