Customer Loyalty - SMS

SMS Store Management Suite has a new Loyalty Server available, designed to enhance the customer loyalty offering for customers running SMS in a multi store environment.  The Loyalty server provides the ability to manage up to 35 separate loyalty rewards programs simultaneously across all stores within a chain.  Points are issued and redeemed within a single SQL Database that each store accesses in real time.  

The system supports both card based loyalty and card-less loyalty.  For example a reward can be setup based on single sale criteria, without a card swiped within the sale; the system will store the reward and generate a unique single use reward issuance.  This reward will be printed on the bottom of the receipt and available for redemption in any store, validated against the central database.

The new Loyalty Server can also be configured to manage internal Gift Card sales and redemptions.

For more information contact your STCR representative at (607) 757-0181.

The New IBM Self-Checkout

IBM's Latest Self Checkout software update

STCR has recently completed training and is selling and installing IBM's latest software solution for enhanced self-checkout which IBM calls CHEC (IBM Checkout Environment for Consumer-Service V6.5).  Included in this latest release of the software are the following enhancements: 

·       Several Cash handling enhancements leading to higher lane availability
·       New Cash Tracking and Reporting enhancements
·       User Interface enhancements which include the ability to allow a shopper to use an accessibility mode which makes access to the SCO easier for customers with disabilities
·       New icons for each major button which are easily recognizable by all worldwide users
·       Modified the implementation of the "CLOSED" screen to provide more flexibility and allows lane to open more quickly
·       CHEC 6.5 is the prerequisite software level required to run the new IBM Self Checkout System 6

Also available is the above mentioned newly released IBM SCO hardware called System 6 which has its own enhancements.

·       Enhanced modularity
·       Smaller footprint
·       Availability of optional bill and/or coin recycling
·       Standard high-capacity coin hopper for easier refills
·      Intuitive user experience with follow me LED lighting and 100% above-the-counter consumer interaction
·       Supports the CHEC accessibility mode
·       Front-end serviceability

http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/rep_ca/5/897/ENUS211-005/ENUS211-005.PDF 

http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/rep_ca/4/897/ENUS111-004/ENUS111-004.PDF

STCR Welcomes Elm City Market

Elm City Market based in New Haven, CT opened its doors to the public this month.  Elm City is a member-owned market that has a passion for local and regional products.  The Market was designedwith a mission of creating a highly-efficient, sustainable and healthy grocery store for years to come. The decision to go green was based on a healthy, efficient store creates an ideal environment for members, shoppers, employees and most importantly, the produce and products contained within.  The end result has been beautifully executed, contributing to the first LEED® ND Platinum certified project in the country.   Throughout construction, nearly 90% of all waste was diverted from landfills by recycling waste.  The majority of equipment within the store is local, recycled and refurbished to meet the Market’s quality and energy efficiency standards.

The store has been designed to harbor a strong connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces, encouraging the market and patrons to expand outdoors, engaging the neighborhood with access from three streets, outdoor café seating, outdoor produce and merchandising.

Finishes are low-VOC, formaldehyde-free, recycled and renewable and sourced locally where possible.  One such feature element is reclaimed Berkshire barn wood utilized for checkout stands, display cases, accent ceiling work and signage backdrops.  An abundance of natural light fills the store while not increasing heat through a high-performance window wall system.  This saves on lighting and cooling energy, while also creating a vibrant streetscape for pedestrians.

The electricity, heat and hot water to the store will be provided by renewable energy via an on-site 400 KW

fuel cell, increasing the store’s delivered energy efficiency from the standard 30% from grid power to 90%.  The refrigeration systems within the Market are of the highest efficiency possible and selected for their ongoing green operation.  The refrigeration equipment is 30% more efficient than standard, a huge energy saver considering a grocery market typically expends 60% of its total energy on refrigeration.  The refrigeration equipment will tie directly into an energy recovery system, allowing all waste heat to be re-used within the building, not exhausted to the atmosphere.   Additionally the refrigerant from the system is re-used to preheat the domestic hot water for the Market.  Both measures lower the store’s need for natural gas heating. The back-up heater is a 96% efficient condensing gas water heater.

The kitchen exhaust air ties directly into an energy recovery wheel, allowing the same air for exhaust to be used for the Market’s ventilation.   Exhaust and ventilation are controlled via a three zone variable volume system connected to CO2 and temperature sensors, so the system is only run when necessary.  The Market’s high-efficiency water source heat-pumps use approximately 30% less energy for cooling compared to the standard split system design.

Lighting controls modulate light output in stages using photo-eyes located in zones throughout the entire Market. The abundance of natural light in the store during the day will allow the Market to save on lighting energy. The lighting systems are also fully dimmable and controlled by occupancy sensors.  Track lighting throughout the store is LED. Additionally all refrigerated cases are lit via LEDs, saving lighting and cooling energy.

The market installed the IBM SurePOS 300 Cash Registers from STCR.  IBM’s planet-friendly technology saves power, lowers heat and reduces noise while increasing reliability.

Pin Pad Issues

When experiencing an issue with your PIN pad device, one of the first things a help desk technician will have you do is swap the PIN pad with a known working one.   This is one of the easiest ways to pinpoint exactly which part is failing.  If the issue follows the PIN pad to a different register, it can easily be determined that the problem is with that PIN pad.  If it stays at the register, then swapping the PIN pad cable out will determine if the issue is with the cable or the register.  This way it can easily and accurately ensure the failing element is correctly identified, minimizing down time due to improper diagnosis.  Many times the reason a PIN pad is not working properly is due to a loose cable connection.  Swapping it out will correct the issue because you reseat the connections, resolving the issue.  

Another suggestion is to have a spare PIN pad and a PIN pad cable.  This will not only save time swapping out the PIN pad, but also will restrict any downtime to the one affected lane instead of taking down an additional lane.  Another big advantage of having a spare is if it is determined to be an issue with the PIN pad or cable, you can use your spare until a replacement PIN pad or cable is sent to your store, again eliminating costly downtimes.  If you decide to keep a spare unit available, you should always swap out any replacement units once received from the processor with a known working unit to ensure the replacement also works.  This will also guarantee the spare unit should work when needed as well.

PCI Update

There is good news for those of you waiting to hear about where the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) stands on P2PE (point-to-point encryption).  As part of the standards update to 3.1 released on October 14, 2011 the council has updated its pin transaction security program to include changes that will address encryption for data other than pin numbers.  The changes in this update are effective immediately superseding the version 3.0 standards.  The full document is located at the PCI Councils website here:  https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/documents/P2PE_Hardware_Solution_%20Requirements_Initial_Release.pdf

Appendix A of this document contains the worksheet to determine eligibility to reduce your PCI scope.

What had not been clearly defined before has now been defined for manufactures to comply with PCI requirements for devices and encryption beyond the normal pin pads and pin numbers.  This new information will apply to mobile devices as well.

Please note there is language that specifically states that the end to end encryption does not take the merchant totally out of scope for PCI compliance, however this is a very big step forward.

Link to the announcement:  https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/pdfs/pr_111014_pts_v3-1.pdf

BUILDING A LOYAL WORKFORCE

Building a Loyal Small Business Workforce
Successful small businesses use strategies to attract, satisfy and build a loyal, high-performing customer base.  These same strategies can be used to attract, satisfy and build a loyal, high-performing workforce.  Working in tandem, these two dynamics will produce strong business performance.  The following five strategies will help you build a loyal workforce.

Make sure compensation plans are competitive.

Small businesses that pay below-market salaries or give the perception of paying below-market salaries risk losing their workers to companies that pay more or give the perception of paying more for the same work value.

Monster research indicates that salary is the number one factor that employees consider as they evaluate new job opportunities.  Therefore, small business must align their compensation plans to be competitive in their market and remove any employee or potential employee perception that a misalignment exists.

Target the right hire.

Attract and retain workers that will appreciate and value your small business company culture.  Monster research shows that about one-third of the workforce prefers working in a small business culture. 

Top reasons those workers give for valuing a small business work environment include: being part of a “family”, feeling more valuable as a worker, being treated as an individual, making a bigger impact and getting opportunities to learn by doing a variety of roles.  Small businesses can promote these workplace values to attract new workers and build employee loyalty.

Communicate a strong and attractive employer brand

Small businesses should build and promote an employee brand that readily communicates its values to attract the right workers.  Reinforcing such values to current employees helps build employee loyalty as well.

Monster research indicates that 68 percent of the workforce would consider a new job to obtain improved work culture and leadership.  By growing an awareness of your employee brand as one that embraces the values these workers are seeking, a small business will attract and keep the right workers who favor similar values.

Continually fill a pipeline of prospects

With a vast majority of the workforce ready to pursue a new job, it is probable that small businesses will lose workers as the economy expands and new job opportunities grow.  Small businesses need to create a talent pipeline that continuously attracts new talent and the right talent for its workforce

Strive to keep your “A” workers

As a small business you are dependent on the key workers who deliver your business performance. These are your “A” players.  These are the workers whose loyalty is most valuable and perhaps, critical, to your small business.

Consider your workforce and identify those workers who are delivering the majority of business value.  Next, ensure that your employee loyalty strategies—those strategies you design to emotionally engage a worker—are focused on your “A” team.

Magellan 8500XT Scanner Scale

High Performance In-Counter Scanner and Scanner/Scale.  The Magellan 8500Xt scanner/scales are the culmination of recent developments by Datalogic Scanning in high-performance fixed position scanning for the Retail Industry.  No other bar code scanner designed for high volume retail performs better, has better reliability or has the combination of features that translate into a measurable Return on Investment (ROI) than the Magellan 8500Xt products. 

The Magellan 8500Xt scanner/scale inherits the Magellan brand’s renowned reputation for performance and reliability that has made Magellan the number one high performance retail scanner brand in the world.  Magellan Scale Technology, Datalogic Scanning’s new factory certified weighing system, virtually eliminates additional costs associated with integration.  Scale-settling times (less than 500 milliseconds) are the fastest in the industry, improving throughput on priced-by-weight items.  A Dual Interval Scale model legally weighs smaller, high-priced items for increased revenue. 

The Magellan 8500Xt scanner/scale addresses produce shrink at the POS with the patented All-Weighs® scale platter that allows cashiers to weigh long or bulky produce without touching a non-weighing surface.  Optional Checkpoint® and Sensormatic® integrated EAS antennas reduce shrink at the POS by requiring a good read before deactivating an EAS tag.  Data management is essential for managing POS operations.  A new label editing feature enables easy pre-formatting of data before delivery to the POS.  Value Added Features are reporting tools that allow data from the scanner to be used to improve throughput and manage maintenance.  Special EAS reporting features provide immediate feedback and the ability to track EAS tagging compliance on a per-item basis. 

The Magellan 8500Xt scanners/scales are the world’s number one retail scanner in performance, reliability and high value differentiated features. 

Decoding Capability

1D / Linear Codes
Autodiscriminates all standard 1D codes including GS1 DataBar™ linear codes

Stacked Codes

GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked
GS1 DataBar Stacked
GS1 DataBar Stacked Omnidirectional

Self-Checkout and Your Customers

Recent news reports seem to indicate a backlash occurring with some grocers toward the self-checkout.  The primary concern being voiced by the naysayers has always been the perceived impact it has on the customer service.  Many grocers who have worked hard to establish a strong customer service culture believe the self-checkout erodes that philosophy and eliminates the important contact needed to build those important relationships with their customers.

Unfortunately, this mindset is short-sighted and misses the mark on what the self-checkout offers store operations to promote their customers' satisfaction.  What these operators fail to realize is that offering the self-checkout option enhances the experience by giving the customer a choice.  Traditional checkouts will always be preferred by certain segments of the population.  Other segments will always select the self-checkout when it's an option.  However, there are other segments of people that appreciate choice simply based on the situation; for instance, depending on their order size, time of day or night, conventional lanes' customer volume/order sizes, etc.  When these moments present themselves many appreciate the opportunity to choose their preference producing higher customer satisfaction.

The other important change the self-checkout facilitates in store operations is affording a shift of staff resources from the front end to the floor.  This is where many important opportunities for interaction and assistance can be created (or missed); making contact, building strong relationships and achieving a very satisfying customer experience.  By training a knowledgeable self-checkout shopper assistant to monitor, assist and intervene as required with multiple self-checkout lanes, you can create a very positive self-checkout experience.  In addition, it allows the freed up front-end staff to be re-trained and re-allocated to be Johnny-on-the-spot for the customers on the floor needing help finding something, making a decision, offering free samples or any other ideas you can invent to generate customer contact.

Ultimately, the customer appreciates the choice of self-checkout and the grocer can appreciate the opportunities it creates to generate new customer service experiences on floor as well as the front-end.  The self-checkout solution clearly advances the customer service objectives and will continue to grow as a service model in many industries and organizations.

EFT Processing

Soon you may be paying more for your EFT processing.

Perhaps you already know that October 1, 2011 was the effective date for the Durbin amendment to take effect.  This amendment is supposed to reduce your processing costs for debit cards.  That was indeed the plan, however since the banks have begun charging more fees and stopped supporting rewards programs when customers use their debit cards, the customers have begun using more credit cards with a much higher fee for processing.

Below is the simplest summary of the "Durbin Amendment" that can be found on the internet.

Rule #1 – Debit interchange fees are capped at 21 cents per card transaction, plus five basis points upon ticket amount, plus one cent for card issuers who have implemented fraud prevention procedures.

Rule #2 – Debit transactions must be able to be routed through two unaffiliated networks and merchants can designate preferred routing.

Previously implemented rules noted in the Amendment:

• Companies have the right to set a minimum amount ($10.00 or less) for which they will accept credit cards (not debit cards) as payment options.
• Merchants have the option to offer discounts for cash payments, but cannot favor one card over another.

http://www.paymentsnews.com/2011/06/federal-reserve-final-rules-on-durbin-amendment.html

http://www.durbininterchangeamendment.org/

Regulation II - Debit Card Interchange Fees and Routing [R-1404]
Comments

http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/index.cfm?doc_id=R-1404&doc_ver=1&ShowAll=Yes

Rules summary

http://www.chargelogic.com/blog/tag/durbin-amendment/

PCI Update

PCI is always changing and it is the best practice for any merchant that accepts credit card to be vigilant in their efforts to become and stay PCI compliant.

Card brands and the PCI Council are comfortable with the Level 1 and 2 Merchants compliance level and are going to start focusing on Level 3 and 4 Merchants.  85% plus of all breaches are in level 4 Merchants. 

In 2010 60% of Losses were due to 3 areas:

·       Lost/Stolen Devices
·       Malicious attacks from third party
·       Theft from insider, employee/friend

It is important that you don’t fall under the misconception that you can be PCI by a simple step or that because you are a small store you don’t have to comply.  Below are answers to some PCI myths as well as some best practice tips:

1.     PCI applies to everyone who accepts payment cards even if it just one.
2.     Tokenization does not make you compliant.
3.     Using a compliant payment application will help facilitate PCI compliance but does not make you compliant.
4.     Using a third party payment process does not exclude you from becoming compliant.  The merchant needs to ensure the third party is compliant.  The Physical and Information Securities still apply.
5.     Even if you are a “Mom and Pop” you need to be PCI compliant. 85% of breaches are in Level 4 Merchants.
6.     Completing the PCI validation is a critical step to reduce the likelihood of a breach but it is only a periodic measurement.  Being constantly vigilant is vital. 

Merchant Best Practices
·       Buy and use only approved Pin Entry devices at the POS
·       Buy and use only PA-DSS validate payment software at the POS and web shopping cart
·       Do not store sensitive are holder data on PCs or on paper
·       Use Firewalls on Networks and PCs
·       Make sure wireless router is password protected and encrypted
·       Use strong passwords and change default passwords on hardware and software
·       Check Pin devices regularly to be sure there is no rogue software or skimming  devices installed
·       Create security polices and train your employees
·       Follow the PCI standard

The Magellan™ 1100i

The Magellan™ 1100i omnidirectional presentation scanner is a high performing and versatile data collection tool for a variety of applications.  It uses Datalogic Scanning’s latest digital imaging technology to provide intuitive and fast reading performance on 1D and 2D bar codes as well as supporting advanced features like image capture and EAS tag deactivation.  A revolutionary External Read Indicator (ERI) allows the Magellan 1100i reader to integrate with other third party RFID or EAS systems for a truly “future-proof” solution.  Datalogic’s Illumix™ intelligent illumination technology in the Magellan 1100i reader optimizes light levels to automatically capture images and read codes from mobile phones, PDAs, or computer display screens. Illumix technology also provides incredible motion tolerance, far beyond most other 2D scanning solutions, enabling both sweep and presentation scanning techniques.  The Magellan 1100i reader’s compact size makes it the ideal solution for space-constrained environments. 

With a precise reading area, it is perfect for hands-free or handheld scanning and helps reduce accidental misreads of items caused by stray laser scan lines - improving productivity and customer satisfaction.  Datalogic Scanning’s patented Green Spot good-read indicator improves user feedback by projecting a visual green spot onto bar codes just read.  The additional visual feedback makes it easy to use in noisy retail applications.  The Green Spot can also be used to target a single code from a group of codes or to position a single code inside the reading area.  A comprehensive multi-interface set and a powerful label-editing feature allows easy integration into existing or new host systems.  Magellan Value Added Features such as Diagnostics Reporting, Host Download, plus optional Productivity Index Reporting™ allow management to use data from the scanner to improve throughput and manage maintenance.  In addition, each scanner supports Remote Management Systems to streamline operations and ongoing support across an enterprise.

The Importance of Maintenance

As an Independent Grocer who is always looking to improve your business and cut costs it can be tempting to see  your annual maintenance expense on your POS system as unnecessary expense.  There are many third party service organizations trolling the market offering plans with a significant cost reduction.  You need to consider the reasons it is cheaper:  the technicians are not trained by the manufacturers therefore not as highly skilled; the quality of replacement parts are not equivalent; there will be a reduced service level and dedication to issue resolution.   Using these vendors can be a costly mistake.  So what value does maintenance have for you?  Below is a breakdown of the three types of maintenance offered by STCR:

1. Hardware maintenance:

·       Contract Management
·       Asset Management
·       Remote Diagnostics
·       Call Dispatch and Coordination
·       Call Tracking
·       Call Resolution

2. Software maintenance:

·       Access to software developer support
·       Entitled to software level upgrades

3. Remote Help Desk Support:

·       24x7x365 access via phone internet and email

·       Remote diagnostics
·       Call tracking
·       Call resolution
·       Remote program upgrades
·       Answering 'how to' questions
·       Software personalization changes
·       Some setup and configuration changes
·       Tax table updates
·       Backup verification
·       Disaster recovery
·       Incident reporting
·       Closed call automatic notification
·       Satisfaction follow up call backs
·       Online Help Desk access for to open new calls and review call history

As you see the list is extensive and the added benefit is the costs are fixed.  Without this coverage you run the risk of costly excessive down times and service bills on an as needed basis, upgrade software license fees, and all the other intangible costs of your system not performing properly.  Typical to most service organizations, resources are prioritized for maintenance clients.  Don't make the mistake and leave your business exposed to these unavoidable situations.  Protect your investment and know you are covered.  If you have any questions regarding STCR maintenance offerings speak to one of our knowledgeable Sale Representatives (607) 757-0181.

Protecting Your POS Systems

In last month’s newsletter, we talked about protecting your data.  In this past month, many of us lived through Hurricane Irene and then Tropical Storm Lee and many of us were greatly impacted by the devastation.  While the recovery has begun, it will take quite some time for many people and business to get back to some sort of normalcy.  In this article, we will revisit the simple yet important things that retailers could do to protect their POS system and minimize the time to recover in the event of devastation.

UPS

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), especially the battery backup side of the UPS, is critical to keeping your POS system running smoothly.  During the storm season, the chance of power interruption increases in the form of blackout or brownout.  Blackout is easier to detect but brownout may not be easily felt.  Power fluctuation can also cause a power surge.  Any one of these power outage scenarios could damage your POS system or any electronic devices that are not protected by a surge protector or UPS.  If any of your POS system devices are not plugged into an UPS, you should consider purchasing one.  If you have UPS’s and do not remember when they was installed or replaced, you should replace them.  You don’t want to replace your car battery after it dies and you don’t want to wait until any part of your POS system sustains damage before you install or replace your UPS.

Backup

Your POS system is equipped with backup devices and media.  There may by automatic file backups but there is always a removable backup device and media in the form of external hard drive, DVD-RW drive and discs.  This should be your daily or weekly routine to make sure your system is backed up to the removable media.  This will allow for the quickest way to restore your system after a hard drive replacement.  Make sure making removable backup is part of your operational routine, just like counting cashiers and running reports.

Venting/Cooling

Take a moment to inspect the surroundings of your POS equipment.  All electronic equipment will have vents for cooling.  Take a look to make sure your POS equipment has room for cooling.  Look at the vents and make sure the vents clear of dusts and are not blocked.  Although your IBM POS systems are designed to withstand the toughest condition in the retail environment, it is still a good practice to help your system running at peak performance.

In the event of an imminent storm approaching, the logical thing to do is to move your mission critical equipment out of harm’s way.  If flooding is possible and moving all the equipment out of the store is not workable, one of the things you could do is to move the equipment to the top of the conveyer belt.  However, if flooded, cables, especially network cables, should be replaced.  Remember, the three most important things to do to ensure the least amount of down time is backup, backup and backup.

PCI Update

Recently updated guidelines found on the PCI DSS website.

PCI DSS Wireless Guidelines

There is now information pertaining to Bluetooth devices and rogue wireless access points as well as some recommended methods for testing and detecting rogue wireless access points per the PCI DSS 2.0 requirements in part 11.1.
https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/pdfs/PCI_DSS_Wireless_Guideline_with_WiFi_and_Bluetooth_082211.pdf

PCI DSS Tokenization Guidelines

The guide contains the following key principles related to the use of tokenization and its relationship to PCI DSS:

1.     Tokenization solutions do not eliminate the need to maintain and validate PCI DSS compliance, but they may simplify a merchant’s validation efforts by reducing the number of system components for which PCI DSS requirements apply.

2.     Verifying the effectiveness of a tokenization implementation is necessary and includes confirming that PAN is not retrievable from any system component removed from the scope of PCI DSS.

3.     Tokenization systems and processes must be protected with strong security controls and monitoring to ensure the continued effectiveness of those controls.

4.     Tokenization solutions can vary greatly across different implementations, including differences in deployment models, tokenization and de-tokenization methods, technologies, and processes. Merchants considering the use of tokenization should perform a thorough evaluation and risk analysis to identify and document the unique characteristics of their particular implementation, including all interactions with payment card data and the particular tokenization systems and processes.

https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/documents/Tokenization_Guidelines_Info_Supplement.pdf

The Datalogic Falcon™ X3

Datalogic Mobile announces the new Falcon™ X3 with Power³ Technology

Power³ technology gives the new Falcon™ X3 from Datalogic Mobile the power and features to tackle applications required by today’s high speed supply chains.

The new Falcon™ X3 provides real time data capture and communication, assuring accurate inventories and maximizing productivity. Available with either laser scanner or 2D imager, the Falcon™ X3 can be configured to match the needs of any department. Both laser and imager come with Datalogic patented Green Spot good read feedback assuring accuracy. Packaged with Windows CE or Windows Mobile 6.5, the Falcon™ X3 integrates seamlessly with WMS and ERP management systems. Plus, the Falcon™ X3’s Summit Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g radio provides maximized coverage, thanks to a unique diversity antenna system.

Attention to ergonomics is seen throughout the Falcon™ X3. The pistol grip version offers an arched handle and ergonomic trigger, making high frequency scanning operations comfortable throughout the day. The numeric and alphanumeric keyboards are set up placing high use keys at the operator’s fingertips, with a universal numeric phone key layout. The crisp QVGA display and backlit keyboard make it easy to work in dark indoor or extremely bright outdoor environments. The Falcon™ X3 is built rugged, resisting numerous drops from 6 feet, while IP64 level sealing protects the unit from dust and liquids.

Datalogic Mobile’s software and service tools complete the new Falcon™ X3 with preloaded and pre-licensed Wavelink® Avalanche™ and Terminal Emulation. This makes the mobile computer ready to go out of the box for rapid deployment and centralized management. Other software tools included are the Datalogic Desktop, Configuration, and Firmware Utilities to customize and update device configuration.

Data Protection

As the technology evolves, additional aspects of our daily lives intertwine with electronic devices. Most people use some form of electronic devices daily and interact with them for just about everything they do. These electronic interactions leave a “footprint” of the person using or interacting with and through these devices. That is why the recent emphasis of businesses to protect personally identifiable information of the consumers. These electronic footprints also represent data that could be analyzed to produce valuable information for just about any purpose. Therefore data protection is vital in this increasing electronic world.


So what do you, as a business owner, need to know about data protection? The basic step is to make a backup of your electronic data. The first question for data backups is what to backup and how often? With the advance of data storage devices, it may seem that we can back up anything and everything. That may be true for home and small businesses. However, as your system collects more data and your businesses increases, it may not be the best way to simply backup everything. A few things you should consider. How do you control the ever increasing data that is being backed up? You might want to take into consideration what information is valuable for your reports and analytics. Take some time to come up with a parameter and build your data backup and protection strategy. Another thing to consider is how to contain the increasing need for data storage. The simplest way is to increase the size and the number of storage device. If you do so at the time when your existing storage space is near capacity, you may not have the time to plan for the best strategy. Take time to plan your data storage need for the next few years and re-evaluate the need periodically. This could provide you with a more efficient system that allows for modular growth.

As your data grows, the managing of the process and data analytics could become more time consuming. When possible, consider automation for every process with a way to audit these processes to ensure completion. You also need to consider is the method for system recovery incase failure. It is a good investment for you to test and verify your data recovery process periodically. This will not only validate your recovery process but also the backup process to ensure that when a real system failure occurs, you already have a proven solution for a quick and hassle free recovery.

As data volumes continue to climb, you need to periodically re-evaluate your strategies for providing data protection throughout their organization. New technologies can deliver higher levels of data protection while saving significant administration time and opportunity for human error. You should not set it and forget it especially if everything is automated. You still need to verify and evaluate your processes to ensure that when you need the information or restoration that your procedure and data are sound and valid.

Incentives to Help Grow Your Business

An incentive encourages a specific course of action by the employees. Use incentives as an effective management and leadership tool. Because of the current economy, you might think that this is a strategy that will break the bank. Sure, money can be involved if you want raises and bonuses as classic incentives. But there are still plenty of ways to incentivize your workers with little or no money involved. Here are some suggestions:


Introduce special holidays. Offer an interesting break from the regular workday if your employees can meet some sort of goal. Casual Friday is cliched and "Hawaiian Shirt Day" is boring. How about "Bring Your Pet to Work Day," "Casino or Bowling Night," "Chili Cook off Day," or something entirely new?

Throw parties. When your team meets a goal, make the last hour or two of the day about hanging out and socializing. Make it into a potluck where everybody brings one food item. This is a great idea to reward your employees without spending a lot of money. If you're willing to spend a small amount of money, pizza is pretty failsafe.

Be receptive. After you've established yourself as someone who uses incentives, watch as your employees come to you to propose their own ideas. If it's a reasonable proposition, take them up on it.

Offer corporate memberships. See what local businesses in the area might be willing to partner with you and give your employees a discount on goods and services. Consider everything from lawn care to sandwich shops. You don't need to chase huge discounts; even a scant 10 percent or 15 percent savings at the register can brighten your employees' day.

Incentives have already been a part of your life whether you realize it or not. Parents give children toys to reward good behavior. Teachers tell students that if they're well-behaved, they can leave class early. An incentive in itself is when you go out of your way to reward excellence in the workplace. Employees will work hard to grab some of that recognition and attention for a job well done. A company that can be productive while having a soundly casual or enjoyable office culture is surely one that's got a lot figured out. Incentives are a great way to figure out what kinds of positive change you can introduce to your workplace.

Signature Capture

Are your customers still signing receipt tape to record their signatures on credit transactions? With the advancement in pin pad technology, the ability to sign for credit transactions electronically is becoming increasingly more popular.


Electronic signature capture offers many benefits to both you and your customers. Capturing signatures electronically rather than having customers sign on paper saves handling time on every single credit transaction. It may seem minute at first, but with the volume of credit transactions increasing rapidly over the past decade, the handling time adds up quickly. Not only does it save time at the checkout on every single credit transaction, but will also save time and effort should a customer dispute a charge. No more wading through boxes of old receipts looking for a single transaction. This saves you and the customer hassle when you are able to quickly resolve a chargeback situation.
Electronic signature capture is also environmentally friendly. With everything going green, why not credit transactions? This produces less waste and also lowers your expenditure on receipt tape. STCR offers signature capture solutions designed for your system. If you are not currently capturing signatures electronically and are interested, contact your STCR sales representative at (607) 757-0181.

SonicWall Firewall Device

SonicWALL firewall devices, do I need one and what are they?


Yes you do need a firewall to protect your network. On the PCI DSS website (see link below) step number 1 in the requirements is:

Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data

“Firewalls are computer devices that control computer traffic allowed into and out of a company’s network, as well as traffic into more sensitive areas within a company’s internal network. A firewall examines all network traffic and blocks those transmissions that do not meet the specified security criteria. All systems must be protected from unauthorized access from the Internet, whether entering the system as e-commerce, employees’ Internet-based access through desktop browsers, or employees’ e-mail access. Often, seemingly insignificant paths to and from the Internet can provide unprotected pathways into key systems. Firewalls are a key protection mechanism for any computer network.”

STCR Business Systems, Inc. sells Sonicwall firewall devices to assist you in meeting this requirement. There are two units that we now support. Please contact us at (607) 757-0181 to find out more about upgrading your Sonicwall.

http://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/

Basic Access Controls are Key

Who has access to your business systems and what do they have access to?

This is hopefully an easy question to answer. If not, then you have an exposure in your company that needs to be addressed quickly. Controlling the specific authorized access to all end users of the systems that run a business is an important principle that needs constant maintenance and monitoring.

Access control is defined as a system which enables an authority to control access to areas and resources in a given physical facility or computer-based information system. This conveys two important points: first, this tells us the systems need to be physically secured and secondly, they need to be electronically secured. Simple measures such as locking the office door and only providing authorized people with a key is a start. The next step is implementing a simple plan and responsible person to manage and maintain all end user credentials and authorizations to meet some basic goals:
1. Developed role-based access levels - what roles need to perform what system tasks.
2. Create unique credentials for each user assigned to a role - no login sharing!
3. Encourage users to use best practices for password protection:

• Always use strong passwords.
• If passwords must be written down on a piece of paper, store the paper in a secure place and destroy it when it is no longer needed.
• Never share passwords with anyone.
• Use different passwords for all user accounts.
• Change passwords immediately if they may have been compromised.
• Be careful about where passwords are saved on computers. Some dialog boxes, such as those for remote access and other telephone connections, present an option to save or remember a password. Selecting this option poses a potential security threat.

4. Remove credentials for any employees leaving employ immediately.

5. Review user access roles routinely and keep updated appropriately.

Instituting and following these basic guidelines will help secure your business systems, minimizing the exposure and opportunity to issues related to unauthorized access. Be proactive and make sure you have these measures in place before you wish you had.

Things to Consider in Designing A Reward Program

As a POS system service and support provider, we often receive requests from our customers on setting up reward programs. Reward programs could be more effective than other types of promotions because they foster a long-term relationship as compared to coupons or discounts. A good rewards program creates customer loyalty by offering your customers what they need, thus generating value for your customers to keep coming back. Here are some tips on getting the most out of your reward programs.


First, you need to decide the objective of the reward program. Some programs aim to get new customers through referral, others are based on dollars spent or the length of time a customer has been shopping in a store. For retail store that rely on high frequency, you may want to lean toward a program that rewards the number of transactions or dollars spent.

You want the reward program to target the right people, your top 10% frequent shoppers. To know this group, you want to gather information on what they buy, when they buy, how often they buy and what rewards they would value. Data from your POS system along with the right analysis will show you this information. Of course, you do not want to neglect attracting new customers either.

Second, your reward program should offer something that is tangible and a goal that is easy to reach. You should design your data gathering and reporting methodology to get the information from your POS system so you could offer rewards that are meaningful and obtainable to your top customers. When done right, the reward will create excitement among your customers. When they reached the point of redemption, you want to make the redeem process easy.

For any reward program to generate any buzz, you need to reach out to as many customers as possible. Use multiple avenues to spread the word.

Lastly, check out what your competitors are doing. Learn from what they did right and what they missed and work to create your competitive edge.

It is simple for any retailer to offer a reward program. However, with careful planning and the right execution, you could create a reward program that truly generates customer loyalty and attract new customers to help your business grow.

Online Grocery Sales on the Rise

Since the early days of the Internet, companies have tried to capitalize on online shopping. Some have failed, some have held their own. Nielsen, a leading global research and measurement firm, has recently suggested that annual online grocery sales will double to $25 billion by 2014. Currently, online grocery sales are around $12 billion which is up from about $5 billion in 2006.


Nielsen attributes the growth to the increasing number of the Generation Y, who grew up with and are comfortable with technology. Regardless of the comfort that young people have with the latest technology, Nielsen still believes it will take time for consumers to get used to shopping at online grocery stores. This suggests that online grocery shopping has significantly more potential than $25 billion per year possibly turning into a $100 billion plus industry in a decade or more. Some other key factors contributing to the increase are:

1. Convenience - the growing need for convenience has already transformed the grocery industry
2. Increase in Mobile Applications - 63.2 million of Americans have Smart phone, making online grocery shopping easier and quicker
3. Customization - Digital platform allows online grocers to personalize the shopping experience

The bottom line is that online grocery represents a largely unrealized opportunity, but grocers must work to build awareness and establish the value proposition. The process needs to be easy and convenient, and online grocers must educate shoppers about the benefits in simple terms: buying groceries online saves time and money—two considerations that every shopper is looking for.