WiFi is a very hot commodity worldwide…for both users & those wanting to cash in on the business potential. Below you’ll find some things to consider if you’re one of those interested in the business potential of WiFi. If you have more to add….please do.

I’ll try to keep this as simple as possible.

Here’s some simple ideas you should consider for becoming a WiFi Hotspot.

* To turn your business into a hotspot, you really only need 2 things:

- Hotspot Kit (which should include hardware, software, and remote monitoring)
- High Speed Internet (whatever is appropriate for your situation….DSL, T1, or DS3 connectivity)

* Before you order your hotspot kit, you need to first determine what type of service you will need:

- Single Access Point OR
- Multiple Access Point

The number of connection points you need is determined by the amount of area that you wish to make available for wireless internet access. For example….larger hotels will require one access point per every 20 rooms (on average) while a coffee shop can adequately service their clientele with just a single access point.

* The last decision you will need to make is whether or not to bill your clients for wireless internet access. Today, more and more enterprises are offering wireless internet access as a value-added service in an effort to attract more visitors to their hotels/shops. In today’s competitive environment, offering complimentary hot zones can be the determining factor when customers weigh your offering against that of your competitors.

However, should you find that billing your customers is what you want to do, find a provider who can help you do that. Your hotspot kit should come with software that will enable you to take credit cards right over your gateway (the page the users ’see’ when they try to access the web using your hotspot). You’ll likely partner with that provider in that revenues would be shared by both you and “them”. Thae provider you choose will make sure the hotspot is running efficiently. This allows you to focus on your key business and to receive a profit-share check each and every month your customers log on to the net in your hotspot.

The above is a simplistic description of what you’ll need to think about before becoming a WiFi hotspot. Do your homework along these lines and you’ll have a decent foundation to make a good business sense decision.

Everyone has an occasional sleepless night, and this is not a problem for most people. Shockingly, as many as 30% of Americans report occasional sleeping problems, and for about 15% of the population it is a chronic problem. In these cases, the lack of restful sleep impairs the person’s ability to carry out daily responsibilities because they are too tired or they have trouble concentrating. Chronic sleep conditions can also cause memory problems, irritability and even depression.

Imagine all the times lying in bed at night wondering what it will take for you to fall asleep. Is there a more frustrating feeling? Many people often consider using a prescription sleeping pill to solve their chronic sleep problems.

Is Prescription Drug Lunesta® Right For You?

Eszopiclone is the generic name for the sedative/hypnotic Lunestra. This prescription medication was introduced earlier this year to the sleep aid market. Lunestra must be taken immediately before bedtime and you should make sure you have a full eight hours to devote to sleeping before taking it. You may notice that you are not quite as alert, or have increased drowsiness the next day if you do not get enough sleep. Never stop taking it without talking to your doctor and never stop abruptly. This can lead to withdrawal symptoms that include anxiety, abnormal dreams, nausea, and upset stomach. Another warning: Avoid alcohol when taking this drug. Combining the two could cause a coma and even death.

And remember, although Lunestra is not a narcotic, it could become habit forming. Potential side effects include chest pain, drowsiness, headache, unpleasant taste, nervousness, dizziness, and dry mouth. Using strong drugs to fall asleep often means that the body’s natural sleep cycle is disturbed and the ability to fall asleep naturally is lost. Keep this in mind when considering any prescription sedative.

Are there Natural Sleep Alternatives Available To You? Absolutely!

The best all natural sleep aids on the market today are:

1) Somnatrol
2) Ambiatol
3) Somnulin

What makes a non prescription sleep aid product so appealing? Is it the all natural and non physically addictive properties? Prescription products as we all know pose the risk for too many potential side effects and drug interactions.

These elite nonprescription products like Somnatrol contain the all natural herb Valerian Root as one of the main ingredients. This produces a two fold effect:

Stage 1: your body experiences a state of powerful relaxation.

Stage 2: your body experiences an improved quality of sleep by inducing longer periods of restfulness.

You might not need to resort to prescription strength drug to get a good night’s sleep. These natural supplements can support a sound and restful night’s sleep. Unlike prescription sleep aids, these natural alternatives can be used on only nights when you really need it. You can take them before you retire, if you go to bed and discover you can’t sleep, or even in the middle of the night. Get some sleep restful tonight. Your body deserves it!
 

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The U.S. National Retail Federation estimates return fraud costs the industry $9.6 billion a year. With that much money to lose, retailers can and should use all of their available tools to protect themselves.

How much money are you losing because of return fraud?

I’ll bet a dollar to a donut that it’s more than you think! Fortunately it’s fairly simple to recoup the money you were once losing without making your return policy painful for customers and employees alike.

The following are five reasons your POS software can protect you against return fraud.

Reason #1 - POS Software features help you track return statistics.

When almost 9% of a retail store’s returns are fraudulent, it is important to be able to track your return statistics.

According to researchers at the Return Exchange, the following statistics are ‘red flags’ that your store may be a victim of return fraud.

• Your return rate has increased in two of the last three years.
• Average markdown rates following a return are increasing.
• The percentage of returned merchandise you are able to resell has declined.

Many POS Software systems offer features that allow you to easily track and access this information with the click of a button. This knowledge can empower you to make policy changes or update your point of sale software to better arm you against return fraud perpetrators.

Additionally, Return Exchange has found that 8% of all return fraud is committed by store employees.

Behavior that can be tracked, such as the number of tender overrides, nonreceipted returns, and manager overrides, should be reviewed on a regular basis to reduce employee theft.

Many POS Software systems also offer password protection features. These features allow you to protect certain areas of your system and to run real time reports to determine if a particular sales associate handles a higher than average number of returns.

Reason #2 - POS software features enable you to print digital receipts.

Return fraud often occurs when an item is stolen and then returned. The perpetrator has the funds returned to a card that wasn’t used to make the purchase. They also often take cash or even gift cards in return for the stolen item.

Digital receipts arm you with the ability to verify a return, even when your customer doesn’t have a receipt. They also enable you to return the funds to the same card that they were paid with.

And they ensure that the item was actually paid for in the first place! If a digital receipt of the purchase doesn’t exist, then you could have a thief on your hands and proper action can be taken.

Digital receipts also eliminate the customer that presents a ‘fake receipt.’ If you train your employees to access the digital receipt for every return, then you virtually eliminate this type of fraud.

Digital receipts also enable you to have less rigid return policies which makes for better customer service and happier customers. All of which effect your bottom line positively.

Reason #3 - POS software offers check fraud protection.

Another way that return fraud is perpetrated is by check fraud or returning merchandise purchased with a fraudulent check before the check clears.

By having a check verification system tied directly into your POS software you are able to instantly compare a customer’s check to a negative database of bad check records and your customer’s checking account can be immediately accessed to determine sufficient funds.

While check verification systems can operate independently of your point of sale system, the benefit to having your check verification system tied directly into a POS system is that the transactions, information, and all necessary tracking of the accounts are done automatically. This eliminates the arduous paperwork of independent verification systems and adds extra security for your customers because all transactions are run though a single, secure point of sale system. The following companies are among the largest Check Verification services in the country:

• Fidelity
• Telecheck
• Early Warning
• First Data

Reason #4 - POS software features allow you to track customer purchases, and returns, whether you have one store or twenty.

One of the most common types of return fraud are the ‘renters.’ These are the people that purchase a product, use it, and then return it the next day for a refund often returning to a different store to make their return. Many point of sale software programs offer real time tracking of customer purchases and returns. This enables you to access a customer’s purchasing data, even if they purchased the item the day before. This means you can stay on top of repeat offenders. Of course this leaves you with the policy problem of how to handle the repeat offenders, however you are better armed with the information.

Reason #5 - Tracking returns by receipt and customer is the best way to thwart fraud.

Receipt fraud is easily perpetrated. Receipts can be scanned, altered, and printed in your dressing room or bathroom because the tools are portable. Additionally, customers can copy their receipt for a purchase of something like a pair of shoes, acquire several pairs of those shoes, and return the item several times with copies of the receipt. However, if you are tracking returns by a customer then that fraud is easily tracked and caught.

If your POS system can track receipted returns, then you’re ahead of the game. However, if you’re not also tracking returns by customer, then they can return still return an item every day until their receipt expires.

So how do you go about reducing return fraud?

Here are 10 simple steps that you can take to crack the problem:

• Use your POS to track the “questionable” returns. You know, those returns you take to be a good retailer that offers great customer service, but you were suspicious because it was over the 30 days, the product was obviously used heavily, and they didn’t have the receipt! So when a customer get’s three strikes, their out! Don’t accept anymore returns from them.
• Use your POS to post and display special instructions/notes for a customer. That way, if you have a customer that is a habitual returnee, sales associates are aware of it at the point of sale and can take extra care to scrutinize the return and follow return policies.
• Use your POS to post your return policy on your receipt using your customizable receipt features and consider changing the message frequently to avoid ‘fake receipts.’
• Use your reporting system to track the number of returns that each sales associate takes. This enables you to see if/when a single employee is taking an unusual number of returns and you can examine the return information closely to make sure that policy is being followed and everything is on the up and up.
• Use your POS to assign security levels to associates. This feature allows you to be the sheriff. You can determine what information your employees have access to and potentially eliminate internal return fraud.
• Use your POS to set a cashier return limit. This is another stopgap feature that gives you the final authority on a return.
• Use your POS to view multi store customer information. This means that you can see if a customer purchased an item at one store and is then trying to return it at another store. This alone doesn’t indicate fraud but may cause associates to take a closer look at the return.
• Use your POS to track your daily/weekly/monthly return rate. If the numbers rise significantly, you can take extra measures to examine why.
• Use your digital receipt feature, if your POS software has it, to make certain that the receipt being presented by a customer is an original.
• Train your staff thoroughly in all return policies and procedures. This is important! If your sales staff doesn’t know how to properly accept and process a return, you’re much more susceptible to fraud.

Finally, keep your policy posted for all customers to see, and make sure that your staff is well versed in the policy. Return fraud is a problem that all retailers have to deal with, but it doesn’t have to keep you up at night. AND it doesn’t have to result in return policy changes that make your customers jump through hoops.

I don’t want to give you the wrong idea! I’m absolutely NOT suggesting that you go and create super strict return policies.

In fact, I believe in the opposite. In order to be successful you should have a very generous return policy and gladly take things back without putting the customer through the ringer.

However, you need to keep your generous return policy in check by utilizing the intelligent trackings systems that we suggest. This will stop the offenders from taking advantage of your graciousness without punishing your good customers.

Embrace your POS!

Using the reporting, tracking, and security features that your POS system offers will go a long way to reducing fraud and letting you sleep at night.

To Your Success!

Jeff Haefner

With technology changing the face of retail everyday, its fun to explore what future POS software will look like for retailers of all types.

Just imagine…

You enter the store and a biometric scanner will scan your eyes in order to display digital signs and promotions based on your gender, past purchases, age and more.

Then when you select your purchase, a biometric scanner will scan your eyes or take your fingerprint to automatically charge your credit card. You may even walk out of the store without actually scanning your purchases because all the products you’ve selected have RFID tags, so the retailer’s inventory is deducted and tracked by those tags. Once you get home and fire up your email, you’ll discover an email message thanking you for your purchase.

It all sounds very futuristic, but these possibilities aren’t that far off!

In fact, many of these technologies are already available and can help you get ahead of your competition!

We can see into the future just be looking at the technologies being used by very large tier one and two retailers. The technologies employed by the big players like Wal-Mart and Target slowly trickle down into POS systems designed for tier three, four and five retailers. Eventually, the technology becomes more cost effective and can be made available for smaller retailers. This article will delve into some of the new and future POS developments to give you an understanding as to what might be coming your way!

Top 5 New and Future POS Software Technologies:

1) Biometrics

This technology is already being used in a few select retailers for logging into POS software and for customer’s using self checkouts. Biometrics refers to a method of identification by measuring unique human characteristics as a way to confirm identity.

In retail, biometrics is used when a cashier presses his or her finger on the finger print scanner, which automatically logs them into the POS system based on their fingerprint. This future POS technology reduces theft as others are not able to use a particular cash register until they’ve scanned their fingerprint. Errors are also tracked to the specific cashier so that training needs can be identified.

Real Life Examples

On the consumer end, biometrics is used in conjunction with self checkouts. For example, a consumer would scan their fingerprint and their purchase would then automatically be charged to their store account or credit card on file. In fact, this method is already being employed in the UK, where a supermarket in Oxford gives its customers the option of conveniently and securely paying for groceries using a finger scan linked to their financial accounts.

According to Bill Laird, chief operating officer of the store using this future POS technology, customers are embracing the new system because it helps them get through the checkout faster without having to hunt for cards, checks, wallets or purses.

Another company successfully utilizing biometric technology is Florists Transworld Delivery (FTD), which is experiencing reduced errors with a biometric time and attendance system.

Finger scan technology has eliminated the need for time clocks, employee cards or pin numbers. The new system has eliminated the possibility of falsification since the employee’s fingerprint needs to be there to clock in or out and nobody else can do it for them. The company reported that once they installed the new system, their error rates declined substantially.

2) RFID

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification, which is the future POS technology that uses devices attached to objects that transmit data to an RFID receiver. An alternative to bar coding, RFID’s advantages include high data capacity, read/write capability and no line of sight requirements.

Another advantage of RFID tags is that they can be embedded within packages. Depending on the type of tag and application, they can also be read at a varying range of distances.

RFID is already used in many applications from livestock tracking to library book maintenance. For future POS applications, RFID tags are envisioned as the replacement for UPC barcodes since they have a number of important advantages over the older barcode technology.

In the meantime, many larger retailers are using the technology at the pallet level to identify goods on the pallet, expiration dates and other important information. Once the product reaches the retail shelf, in most instances it is still being tracked by UPC.

Others predict that RFIDs will be used for POS store checkouts to replace the cashier with an automated system that needs no barcode scanning. This future POS development will not be possible on a widespread basis without a substantial reduction in the cost of current tags and changes in conventional POS systems.

3) Self Checkouts

This future POS idea is already used in many different retailers. The self scanning checkout essentially has the customer doing the work of the conventional cashier. Customer’s scan their own items, swipe their own credit cards and bag their items, usually under the watchful eye of a store employee.

The shopper begins the checkout process by touching the computer’s welcome screen or by beginning to scan the items. Once the checkout is initiated by the shopper, the computer’s ‘voice’ provides the shopper with detailed instructions as to how to scan their items and where to place them once they’ve been scanned. Sophisticated self checkouts do not enable people to put additional items into the bag as the computer knows how much the bag should weigh based on the items being scanned. If you tried to fool the system by scanning a cheap item like a package of gum and then try to put in a steak, the system would tell you to remove the item and scan again!

If the store uses security tags, the system can also deactivate the tags during the scanning process. Most self scanning systems are set up to accept credit cards, debit cards and cash.

4) Digital Signage

You’ve probably already noticed loads of retailers and other services using digital signage to attract attention, convey a promotion, or advertise a particular brand. This future POS technology is already is being adopted by retailers of all sizes and types. Digital signage is a great promotional tool as it allows the retailer to easily change signs to identify a current promotion or a discount on an item that needs clearing out. The digital signage can be programmed based on the time of the year and allows the retailer complete flexibility in what message they would like to convey.

Digital signage is even being used at POS (where you swipe your credit card). It’s also used at the shelf edge to reach consumers as they are evaluating their product decisions. This future POS technology can inform consumers about products and affect their shopping patterns in real time while they are shopping in the store.

Digital signage isn’t only being used to entice customers to buy while in store. This future POS technology is even being used as a tool to help inform, communicate and train retail staff on the latest products, upcoming promotions and some retailers are even using it to help employees hone their selling skills.

While digital signage can be expensive, some smaller retailers are getting beyond the initial expense by having supplier sponsored messages that ultimately drives sales for both the supplier and retailer. With many uses and as a tool to drive sales, digital signage is an excellent technology opportunity to explore.

5) Advanced CRM

Customer relationship marketing is so important to keep those customers you have happy and to keep them coming back. It’s widely known that it is five times more costly to sell to a new customer than to capture the sale of an existing one. Using the CRM tools that are widely becoming available on many POS systems, can help you keep in touch with your very important customers.

CRM is going beyond the typical ‘thanks for coming in the store - we appreciate it’ slant. With advanced CRM your POS could include a predefined email autoreponder. For example, when someone comes into your store and purchases a particular product, the system would automatically send them an email thank you on day one. Then on day seven, that same customer would get an email asking how the product is working and would offer helpful suggestions as to other products that would compliment it.

This is just one of many, many ways that CRM technologies can boost retail profits.

Advanced CRM is an excellent, cost effective way to stay in touch with customers and to keep them returning again and again.

Put All The Technologies Together!

Now that you’ve read about all the technologies, let’s go back to our story, so you can see how they all work together and get a sense of future retail…

You’ll enter the store and a biometric scanner will scan your eyes in order to display digital signs and promotions based on your gender, past purchases, age and more. Then when you select your purchase, a biometric scanner will scan your eyes or take your fingerprint to automatically charge your credit card. Or, you may even walk out of the store without actually scanning your purchases because all the products you’ve selected have RFID tags, so the retailer’s inventory is deducted and tracked by those tags. Once you get home and fire up your email, you’ll discover an email message thanking your for your purchase.

Pretty cool, huh?

If any of this sounds of interest to you, drop me a message and let me know what technology you’d like to learn about.

Also, be sure to sign up for our free newsletter to read other great articles like this and learn how to get the most from retail technology: http://www.possoftwareguide.com/newsletter.asp

To Your Success!

Jeff Haefner

It’s surprising how many retailers over-look this simple method to increase sales. It goes something like this…

When your customers purchase items from you, it’s important to make sure they purchase everything they need so they receive the best possible experience. This is very important for two reasons:

1) If you don’t make sure they buy everything they need, you are NOT giving your customers the service that they deserve.

2) If you don’t make sure they buy everything they need, you are losing sales!

Let me explain the importance of this concept by telling a story…

This might surprise you because I’m always writing about computer stuff, but I love all kinds of sports including water sports and boating. One of the activities I love is slalom skiing. I’ve been doing this for several years, but I recently decided to try something new — I wanted to try wakeboarding.

So I went to a local sporting goods store specializing in water sports to buy my first wakeboard. After browsing through the store and talking with the sales people, I found an awesome wakeboard! I was proud of my purchase and very happy with the advice I received from the sporting goods retailer.

After leaving the store, I was excited to test out my new wakeboard and I couldn’t wait to get on the water.

So the time finally came where I could get on the water and try it out. However, when I tried to put on my wakeboard, it was very difficult to get my feet in the bindings. In fact, I was worn out before I was even ready to start.

What I didn’t realize until later was that I needed “binding slime” so my feet would easily slide into the bindings. So the next day, I went back to the store and bought some binding slime.

At this point I was still excited, but a little annoyed that I had to get in my car and drive all the way back to the store to get my slime. I wasted 45 minutes out of my day! In any case, I did go back to the store and buy the slime.

Well, a few weeks passed and one of my friends told me that I should get a different rope that doesn’t stretch. Apparently the “slalom ski” ropes stretch but the “wakeboard” ropes do not. Plus they have wider handles for tricks and turns.

So of course I wanted a wakeboard rope to get the most out of my wakeboarding experience!

But this time I was tired of going back to the store, so I ordered the rope on the internet. After looking back, I really wish the retailer would have told me that I would need the slime and a rope when I first bought the wakeboard. But they never brought it up.

Just imagine if the retailer would have sold me the slime and the rope when I bought my wakeboard. Not only would I have been a happy customer because I didn’t have to go back, but I also would get the “full experience” that I wanted.

Not to mention, the sporting goods retailer would have made more money on a bigger sale. But instead he lost a sale and maybe a loyal customer.

Do you see how important it is to make sure your customers get everything they need?

This concept applies to any type of business. For example:

• Electronics stores can add-on surge protectors
• Eye glass retailers can add-on cleaning kits
• Shoes stores can add-on therapeutic insoles
• And the list goes on and on

Just imagine if you were able to add more sales just 5% of the time! How much would that add to your revenue and profits?

Now this is where your POS software can help…

Most POS systems include “add-on sales” features that allow you to associate add-on products and include some special notes for the sale.

So in the wakeboard example, when the cashier sells the wakeboard, a message would appear (before they give the final price) that reminds them to sell the binding slime and the wakeboard rope.

The software could even display a special script so the cashier knows how to sell those items.

Many people overlook this concept, but your POS system can be a great tool to remind your employees to always sell add-ons.

I highly recommend using the add-on concept. It’s a great way for all types of retailers to increase the average size of their sales.

If you have any questions about this concept, or if you have any suggestions, let me know.

I would love to hear from you.

To your success.

Jeff Haefner

We see it everyday. Millions of retailers are using bar codes and scanners to check out customers and enter inventory. Even small stores find that bar coding is practical because it speeds up checkout, tracks stock, and assures pricing accuracy.

Unfortunately, not everyone uses bar coding technology properly. And they don’t reap as many benefits as they could.

Utilizing bar codes with your POS software will allow you to…

• Serve customers faster and improve service by quickly scanning bar codes at the point of sale (POS) instead of typing a SKU.
• Reduce pricing and inventory errors. Scanning bar codes at the POS is much more accurate than typing a SKU. The typical error rate for human data entry is 1 error per 300 characters. Barcode scanners can be as good as 1 error in 36 trillion characters depending on the type of barcode used.
• Save time and improve efficiency. If all your merchandise is bar coded you can save time by checking out customers faster, instantly implementing mark downs and eliminating the problem of price tag switching.
• Quickly count your inventory at any time. If you purchase a PDT (portable data terminal) you can count and enter your inventory by scanning each item with a PDT. The PDT will store your inventory count so you can quickly upload it into your POS software.
• Reduce costs. If you have UPCs on your merchandise then you don’t have to put the price tag on the product itself, which saves time and reduces handling costs.
• Improve the accuracy of your inventory. One of the biggest cost savings and benefits is maintaining a more accurate inventory. Bar coding reduces errors at receiving and at the point of sale so your inventory stays accurate.

So what is a bar code and how does it work?

First of all, a bar code is a series of narrow and wide lines printed on a label or tag. Each bar on the label represents a character for a “bar code reader” to interpret.

You can scan the bar code with a bar code reader which uses a photosensor to convert the bar code into an electrical signal as it moves across the bars. The scanner then measures the relative widths of the bars and spaces, translates the different patterns back into regular characters, and sends them on to a computer or portable terminal.

Most bar codes look similar but they can have different symbologies or standards. The symbology defines the width of the bars and the technical details of a particular type of barcode.

For example, the UPC (Universal Product Code) is seen on almost all retail products in the USA and Canada. And EAN-13 is a common code used on European retail products. Your bar code reader and inventory software will need to be setup properly to read the “symbology” that you use.
Here’s how YOU can start using bar codes and scanners in YOUR store.

First, you’ll need the following items to start using bar coding…

• POS - Inventory Software that supports bar code scanning at the point of sale.
• A bar code scanner that’s compatible with your POS software.
• Merchandise that’s properly labeled with bar code symbologies that your POS software and scanners can handle.
• A bar code printer (if all your merchandise comes with UPC codes you won’t need this).

Here’s exactly how to get started:

Step 1 - Decide if you need a bar code printer. If ALL of your products already have UPC codes then you can probably use those. Otherwise you’ll have to buy a “bar code printer” and create your own bar code labels.

Step 2 - Contact your POS - Inventory Software Vendor to find out which scanners and bar code printers they support. You’ll need to purchase a bar code scanner and possibly a bar code printer.

Step 3 - Ask your software vendor how to setup your POS - Inventory Software to handle your bar code printer and scanner. Then get your software ready to print labels and scan items at the point of sale.

Step 4 - Get ALL of your merchandise bar coded and entered into your POS software. You’ll need to use your POS software to print bar code labels for ALL merchandise that doesn’t have a UPC code. (Once you get everything labeled you can print and label new merchandise at receiving.)

You’ll also need to make sure that the inventory in your POS software has the appropriate UPC code associated with each item. Some of your suppliers might be able to provide “electronic price files” which can be loaded into your POS software. The price file would include SKUs, prices and UPC numbers. Otherwise you’ll have to manually associate a UPC number with each inventory item. Again, you’ll need to contact your software vendor to learn how to do this.

Step 5 - Make sure your POS software has accurate pricing and each inventory item has bar coding configured.

Step 6 - Now all you have to do is scan items at the register instead of entering the SKU. The SKU and price should get entered into the POS system automatically.

If used properly, bar coding technology can help you check out customers 20% to 50% faster and lower error rates by almost 4%. Not only does this dramatically improve your customer service but it saves time and lowers your overhead.

To Your Success.

Jeff Haefner

Remember the days, standing in line at the market and seeing a bulletin board behind the cash register with bad checks tacked to it?

As a child, standing in line next to my mom or dad I used to look at that board and think “how awful for those people to have their names up there.” I’m sure others thought “How awful for those people to have written bad checks.” Both are valid concerns, especially as a retailer.

What if you could eliminate both the unfortunate customer experience of having written a bad check and the cost to your business of not collecting the funds for items purchased? Not to mention the NSF charges and timely paperwork to reconcile the bad checks.

• What if you could completely eliminate, or seriously reduce, the number of bad checks that pass through your business?
• What if you could collect on 80% of all bad checks for free?
• What if the company that verified the check paid you 100% of all verified checks that bounced?
• What if you could eliminate the unfortunate customer service task of collecting on bad checks?
• What if you could speed up your current check verification system to provide faster, better customer service?

That’s where today’s electronic check verification systems can help. Despite the fact that according to the Federal Reserve Board the use of checks as a payment system is on the decline, more than 70 billion checks are still tendered each year. That number is too big for most retailers to ignore. Clearly, the more checks you’re able to process successfully, the higher your profits.

How do Electronic Check Verification Systems Work?

There are actually two main types of verification services. One common service offers to compare the check to a negative database of bad check records. This type of system actually started about 20 years ago and even with the delays of the earlier system, merchants saw a significant decline in bad checks.

Today, thanks to faster POS software systems and electronic check readers, many companies now offer instant electronic access to their vast databases to compare checks. In many cases you’re able to customize the criteria that the checks are evaluated by, thus allowing you to determine the level of risk that you are willing to take.

The next type of verification system that is gaining in popularity is real time verification where in addition to comparing the check to a database, the client’s bank account is immediately accessed to determine sufficient funds.

But wait there’s more!

Earlier I asked you “what if you could collect on 80% of your bad checks.” In addition to instant check verification, many services offer collections on verified checks that bounce and guarantee a percentage of collection up to 80%. Some even offer to pay you 100% of all verified checks that bounce.

These services usually employ traditional collection practices including phone calls and letters but they have the additional ability to electronically represent the checks to the bank for payment when the account is more likely to have the necessary funds. The 1st and the 15th of the month are common times for checks to be represented because they’re a common payday.

So… How do you get Electronic Check Verification for Your Business?

If you already have Point of Sale software that you are happy with, then your first step is to find out which check verification systems are compatible with your current system. A simple phone call to your customer service representative should give you your answer.

Additionally, some POS software manufacturers offer integrated Check Verification services meaning that you don’t have to pay for the programming fees that other companies may charge.

A check reader is optional but a point of sale computer is required. However, without a check reader the keying of the check’s information into your terminal will be necessary. You may want to consider purchasing a check reader to make the verification process more efficient for both you and the customer. Generally, a check reader costs less than $400 and quickly earns back the cost of investment.

The following companies manufacture Check Readers:
http://www.magtek.com
http://www.hhp.com
http://www.verifone.com

Once you’ve determined which check verification companies are compatible with your POS system consider the following:

• Look for the largest national negative database possible
• Make sure that the database has a substantial number of merchants in your geographic area.
• Look for a verification system that provides not just negative data, but also positive data.
• Look for a verification system that has customizable risk assessment tools and utilizes “Rule Sets”; these are programs that analyze variables to screen out adverse risks as defined for specific business types.
• Look for the lowest transaction fee, monthly minimum and statement fees.
• Look for a low cost per transaction. Verification transactions usually cost around $0.25/per item.

If you currently do not have Point of Sale Software you’re not out of luck. However, your options are limited to phone and internet verification systems, which simply connect your check reader, provided by your merchant services provider, via phone line or modem. They operate much like a credit card reader would. Your customer’s check information is read electronically and then compared to a negative database and/or sufficient funds are verified in their account.

The benefit to having your check verification system tied directly into a POS system is that the transactions, information, and all necessary tracking of the accounts are done automatically, thus eliminating the many steps of paperwork that would still be required if you operated a check verification system independent of a POS software system. Additionally, you’re adding the extra security that your customers deserve by having your transactions, check verification included, run through a secure point of sale software system. The following companies are among the largest Check Verification services in the country:

• Fidelity
• Telecheck
• Early Warning
• First Data

If you do not currently have a point of sale system for your business it may be beneficial to consider one. POS software is, at its simplest, a computer program that takes the place of a simple cash register. All sales are made through the computer. You enter the information, sales and transactions, and it records and tracks everything, including bounced checks and recovered funds. They don’t have to cost much and leasing is an option. For more information on purchasing a POS software product visit:
http://www.possoftwareguide.com

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To Your Success!

Jeff Haefner

Here are 6 tips that will help you speed up check outs and keep your customers happy!

Tip #1 - Use “Good” Bar Code Scanners

Bar code scanners allow you to check items MUCH faster and more accurately at the point of sale than if you type the SKU number on a keyboard.

In addition, bar code scanners can reduce pricing and inventory errors. The typical error rate for human data entry is 1 error per 300 characters. Barcode scanners can be as good as 1 error in 36 trillion characters.

If you want to scan items REALLY fast, then you might want to consider an “omni-directional” scanner. These scanners allow you to check items very fast because it doesn’t matter how the bar code is positioned. The rest of the scanners require the bar code be turned in a specific direction because they only emit a single line. Just think about your last visit to the grocery store. Can you imagine how slow it would be if the cashier has to make sure every bar code was turned a specific direction?

Tip #2 - Use New Technology to Speed Up Your Credit Card Authorizations

With credit card processing that’s integrated with your point of sale software and a broadband Internet connection, you can process credit cards in as little as two seconds!

If you’re credit card authorization process is slow, you might want to consider an upgrade.

Tip #3 - Consider Touch Screens

Touch screens allow the mouse cursor to be controlled by touching the screen with your finger instead. Touch is one of the simplest, most instinctive human actions - making it very simple and fast for the user to interact with the computer. In some instances touch screens allow you to completely eliminate the mouse and keyboard - which saves space and simplifies training. That’s why touch screens are extremely popular in restaurants and bars.

Tip #4 - Consider a Mouseless POS and Set up Hot Keys

Using the mouse will invariably make your point of sale slower. It’s much faster to use the keyboard or a touch screen monitor to complete transactions and ring sales.

That’s why I suggest considering a POS system that utilizes hot keys. This means you can use the keyboard rather than the mouse to do most things. This will speed up the time your register operator takes to complete transactions.

Tip #5 - Use “Easy to Load” Receipt Printers

I recommend purchasing a receipt printer that allows you to quickly and easily change paper rolls. Nothing is more frustrating than struggling to replace a paper roll while your customers are waiting. Most of the new thermal printers are pretty easy to use but you should double check before you buy.

I also recommend a name brand, reliable printer with a good warranty. Your printer will get abused all day long and you want it to last a few years.

Tip #6 - Choose Reliable Hardware and Software

If your scanner, printer, software or any part of your computer system breaks down, then your customers and employees will get VERY frustrated because they have to wait. Yet… it’s amazing how many retailers choose the cheapest keyboards, printers, scanners, computers and software that they can find.

Needless to say, I highly recommend quality hardware and software at the point of sale.

But how do you know you’re getting quality hardware and software? That’s where The POS Software Buyers Guide can help you…

If you want help finding reliable point of sale hardware and software (that doesn’t break the bank), then check out The POS Software Buyers Guide — It includes everything you need to quickly find the “perfect” POS system for your business. To learn more about the buyers guide, go to: http://www.possoftwareguide.com

OR… If you don’t have time or want to do the evaluation work yourself (or you need some expert assistance) then drop me an email and I can send you information about our unique software selection and consulting services: http://www.possoftwareguide.com/contact-us.html

To your success.

Jeff Haefner

Peter Kastner moved from the suburbs to an apartment in Boston last summer while his new home was under construction. As soon as he got set up in the temporary digs, Kastner — chief technology analyst at the research firm Aberdeen Group — set up his WiFi home network to enjoy some wireless Web surfing.

Everything worked fine, but in a few weeks he found that the airwaves started getting crowded.

“Around about Labor Day, when all the college students moved back to Boston, all of these [wireless] access points showed up around me,” he said. Soon, his laptop started getting dizzy from all the conflicting networks and began dropping connections.

Kastner did a little research into the matter and now worries that WiFi technology will be undercut by its own success.

“The end of the WiFi world as we know it is imminent,” he later wrote in a report, arguing that the boom of WiFi hardware sales compared with the available airspace in urban areas will lead this year to a wireless Internet traffic jam that in some places could be worse than the Beltway on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.

Now that WiFi access points can cost under $100, the technology has jumped quickly from esoteric to everyday. And as more consumers learn the convenience of untethered Internet access, they’re also learning what things can stop WiFi from working.

Traffic jams are at the top of that list: When multiple WiFi access points, the hubs of individual wireless networks, sit near each other, WiFi receivers can see senseless noise instead of a clear data stream. This is what happened at the CeBIT computer trade show in Germany last year, where a maze of overlapping WiFi networks stopped many laptops from getting online.

MobileAccess Networks, a Vienna-based firm that installs cellular and WiFi networks inside office areas, regularly runs into this issue. The company uses software originally developed by WiFi enthusiasts to sniff out open wireless connections — not to find free Internet access, but to know what WiFi channels to avoid when setting up wireless networks in clients’ offices.

The treatment for WiFi interference should be familiar to anybody who has wrestled with an old analog cordless phone: Change the channel. The WiFi standard most people use, called 802.11b in technical jargon, allows for 11 different frequencies, clustered around the 2.4 GHz band.

WiFi experts, however, generally recommend choosing from only three of these channels — 1, 6 and 11 — to ensure there’s enough room between to avoid interference.

Matthew Gast, author of a book about WiFi and an engineering consultant with Trapeze Networks, a California-based company that builds wireless networking equipment, said he didn’t think that most people would encounter Kastner’s gridlock scenario — they live sufficiently far apart. But in densely developed areas with many Internet users, problems can arise.

He related a story he’d heard about one Florida suburb where so many signals jammed each other that residents formed an “ad hoc neighborhood spectrum allocation committee” of WiFi users.

“They went from house to house and assigned channels,” he said. ” ‘You’re interfering with your neighbor, move to Channel 6.’ ‘You’re interfering with your neighbor, move to Channel 11.’ “

But some WiFi problems can’t be blamed on neighbors at all — the enemy may lie within, in the form of other household gadgets that share WiFi’s 2.4 GHz frequencies. Cordless phones operating at 2.4 GHz are often pointed to as leading offenders, although many WiFi users report that their 2.4 phones have no effect on their wireless networks.

Jeff Kunst, vice president of marketing at MobileAccess Networks, said he isn’t sure that cordless phones cause much interruption in WiFi networks — but to be on the safe side, he purchased a 900 MHz phone for his WiFi-equipped home office and left his 2.4 GHz phone parked in the kitchen.

If a user suspects a cordless phone is causing interference, Kunst said, moving the cordless phone’s base station away from the wireless access point should solve the problem. Experts have sometimes recommended other low-tech ways to level the wireless playing field, such as lowering the phone’s antenna or adding a higher-powered WiFi antenna to each computer on the network.

Other products that can tramp on WiFi’s wavelength include Bluetooth-equipped cell phones, wireless baby monitors, wireless cameras and microwaves, but few reports point to them as major issues. Then again, say wireless engineers, who knows for sure?

“There’s nothing that is black and white when you’re talking about wireless,” said Frank Hanzlik, managing director of WiFi Alliance, a trade group representing companies that build the wireless equipment.

A third gray area is the role of building structures. Older homes that incorporate plaster or cinderblock can block WiFi signals, while drywall construction generally lets WiFi through. The concrete floors in many apartment buildings and offices are tough obstacles, but the glass in windows is (unsurprisingly) no problem.

“It depends precisely on the type of construction, and I’ve seen the gamut,” said Gast, the author. He recommended that homeowners put their WiFi access point as high inside a home as possible, allowing its signals to “rain down” on the house while avoiding such signal-stopping obstacles at floor level as heavy furniture. Hanzlik seconded this recommendation.

Gast used this approach when he installed a WiFi network in his parents’ house, parking the access point on the second floor near the stairway.

One ultimate treatment for some interference problems involves switching to a different chunk of the electromagnetic spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission has opened up a batch of new frequencies in the neighborhood of 5 GHz that will allow for many more channels.

“It’s quite a bit of spectrum,” said Coleman D. Bazelon, a vice president with Analysis Group Inc., an economic consulting firm that has studied the issue. He anticipates “no foreseeable traffic jam” there. But most manufacturers have yet to commit to using this frequency. An existing WiFi variant, 802.11a, that employs the 5.8 GHz frequency has yet to take off, mainly because it’s not compatible with most existing WiFi devices.

Meanwhile, efforts to tweak WiFi’s current protocols to resist interference may forestall any need to move out of the 2.4 GHz neighborhood. Victor Marino, acting president at the Baltimore WiFi Internet provider Oneder Networks, noted that these ongoing improvements make the WiFi market not too different from the computing industry, in which new products can become obsolete the moment they ship.

“You’re just seeing the birthing of a new industry here. . . . The more interest there is in this, the quicker the technology will get better,” he said.

By Mike Musgrove
Washington Post Staff Writer

Name at birth: Destiny Hope Cyrus

Miley Cyrus became a TV star at the age of 13 as the title character in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. Cyrus is the oldest daughter of country music star Billy Ray Cyrus, who topped the charts in 1992 with “Achy Breaky Heart.” Miley began performing at an early age, and by the age of 9 was embarking on a professional career.

Prior to Hannah Montana, she had a mere handful of jobs, most notably a small part in Tim Burton’s Big Fish (2003, starring Ewan McGregor). After a series of auditions that began when she was 11, Cyrus landed the lead role of Hannah Montana, a teen pop star who leads a double life as an average schoolgirl. Her dad, Billy Ray, was then chosen to play her widowed father in the TV series, and the entire Cyrus family moved from Nashville, Tennessee to southern California to encourage Miley’s career.

The instant success of her television series led to a record deal for Cyrus, whose husky singing voice is often featured in the show. In October of 2006 the soundtrack to Hannah Montana, featuring eight songs by Miley and a duet with her father, debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 chart. The album Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus was released in 2007, and Cyrus toured the country in a successful Hannah Montana concert series.

Extra credit: Her nickname “Miley” is a shortened form of her other nickname, “Smiley Miley”… In January of 2008 she announced she had officially changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus.

who2.com

Two primary technologies are used for night-vision surveillance applications. These include image enhancement and thermal imaging. The basic concept behind image enhancement is to amplify the visible light in an area to enhance visibility. Thermal imaging on the other hand is a bit more complex.

This technique refers to the process of capturing the heat from an object, which is undetectable to the human eye, and transforming it into an image that can be viewed. The purpose of this article is to seek to answer the question, how does thermal imaging work?

Before we take a closer look at thermal imaging technology, it is important to have an understanding of what thermal energy itself is. Thermal energy is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. It makes up the upper portion of the infrared light spectrum. You cannot see thermal energy because it is emitted from objects as heat, not reflected as light.

The hotter an object is, the more thermal energy it emits. However, all objects even inanimate ones, such as buildings, or even ice cubes, emit some form of thermal energy. Infrared thermal imaging cameras are able to capture this thermal energy and transform it into an image you can see.

The process by which a thermal imaging camera transforms thermal energy into visible light consists of five basic steps. These steps are:

1. Utilize a specially designed lens to focus the infrared radiation that is given off from all objects within the field of view of the camera lens.
    
2. Infrared detectors are then used to scan this focused radiation. The detectors create what is called a thermogram, or temperature map.
    
3. The thermogram is then translated into electric impulses.
    
4. The electric impulses are then sent to a signal-processing unit where they are translated into data. The signal-processing unit is a tiny chip that is embedded on a circuit board, which is used to translate the electric impulses into usable data.
    
5. Once translated, the signal-processing unit sends the data to the display where it then becomes visible to the viewer.

Since thermal imaging cameras work solely by capturing infrared radiation given off from an object, no light at all is required for the device to function. In fact, a thermal imaging camera can function optimally no matter what the surrounding lighting conditions, bright or dim.

In addition to the ability to function in a wide array of lighting conditions, thermal imaging cameras can be used to reveal aspects about ones surroundings where no visible sign of evidence exists. For example, a thermal imaging camera might reveal an area of ground that has been dug up to bury something. Another example could include an area of a wall that has been painted or repaired recently.

It will appear slightly darker through a thermal imaging camera. This unique ability to detect and gather evidence that would have previously gone undetected makes thermal imaging cameras invaluable devices for law enforcement and military personnel.

There are two basic types of thermal imaging cameras, un-cooled, and cryogenically cooled. Most thermal imaging devices are un-cooled. This simply means that the camera itself functions without an additional cooling unit attached.

A cryogenically cooled thermal imaging device on the other hand, is much more expensive, but produces a much clearer image and is much more sensitive to temperature variations. This means the corresponding image contains much more detail and depth.

Thermal imaging cameras were first designed for use by the military to help locate enemy targets. As improvements were made to the technology, these camera devices became more and more practical for commercial uses such as perimeter surveillance and other security applications. Now more than ever, thermal imaging cameras are continuing to be used on a much broader scale.

There are several other applications where thermal imaging technology can be very useful. These include, security and surveillance, navigation, hunting, law enforcement, and hidden object detection. As the technology continues to improve and prices drop, more businesses and consumers will consider thermal imaging devices for use in their video surveillance systems or in related applications.

It is easy to see how thermal imaging technology can be superior to traditional video surveillance systems. The technology is very versatile, and can provide a great deal more information than can be garnered by a traditional video surveillance camera. As prices for these cameras continue to drop, we will likely be seeing and hearing more and more about this remarkable technology.

About the Author

Lynn Bryant is a successful freelance writer and contributor to Video-Surveillance-Guide.com.  Your definitive guide to video surveillance equipment, CCTV cameras and wireless security systems for home and business.

Technology has met convenience, and the result is the wireless spycam. Covert video surveillance can be used in a variety of places for all sorts of purposes with a wireless spycam. Not only are they both practical and fun, but these cameras are also extremely easy to use.

The wireless spycam ranges in the size and type. Some are just tiny cameras, just over the size of the average thumbnail. Others come in the form of pens, clocks, neckties, paintings, stuffed animals, and exit signs.

An exit sign wireless spycam would be idea for a small business in order to keep track of staff and merchandise. Teddy bear spycams could be used to monitor a nanny. Put one of the tiny cameras near your front door so you can avoid door-to-door salesmen, always know who is at the door, or keep an eye on neighbors.

Because a wireless spycam that it not implanted in a device is so small, it is also fun for hobbyists. Imagine the beautiful views the camera would yield attached to a model airplane or train set. While your model airplane is flying high above lovely fall foliage, your VCR will be recording the breathtaking views.

Wireless spycam set up is extremely easy. Most models are so simple that all you have to do is plug in the video receiver to your VCR or television and you’ll immediately start getting a feed with the wireless signal. Options range from extremely affordable at under one hundred dollars to more high-end models, and the cameras are available in color or black and white.

There are so many uses for a wireless spycam. You’ll enjoy the fun that can be had and appreciate the security information spycams give you.

About the Author

Bob Whitehead is a successful freelance writer and contributor to Video-Surveillance-Guide.com.  Your definitive guide to video surveillance equipment, CCTV cameras and wireless security systems for home and business.