by Chandra | Aug 9, 2019 | News, Public Service
A holistic workplace offers benefits to employers and employees and creates a thriving business environment. Businesses who recognize an employee’s mental well-being create a better work environment and tend to retain valuable employees. Research conducted at the O.C. Tanner Institute suggests six essential elements of a great workplace. Purpose, opportunity, success, appreciation, well-being, and leadership. These elements are shown to improve the attitude and motivation of employees and employers. Savvy business owners are taking steps to create an environment that makes employees want to work and perform well. Companies such as Starbucks recognize this and offer additional benefits such as backup child or elder care.
The Staggering costs of Illness in the workplace
Even smaller businesses, restaurants and retailers are providing employees with emotional and physical support by offering flexible scheduling, group fitness, financial education, and even drug rehabilitation. Holistic programs are especially important in protecting the health of employees. 1 in 3 adults are affected by behaviorally linked health issues, and illnesses cost companies approximately $530 billion every single year. It’s essential to make your employees feel appreciated to maintain a healthy work environment.
What can you do today to make a difference?
- Treat your staff to an impromptu lunch or coffee break
- Give a Gift Card or Gift Certificate for outstanding performance
- Collaborate with your staff on important projects
Simple acts of kindness can motivate your employees to work hard and be productive. Having birthday or holiday parties can make your employees feel respected and build a healthy workplace dynamic. Recognizing the individuality of your employees is essential for you, your employees and your customers. Remember, your employees are the lifeblood of your business and it’s always the little things that make a difference and set you apart from your competition.
Links:
https://www.coalesse.com/blog/the-holistic-approach-to-workplace-wellbeing/
https://blog.wellable.co/unwell-employees-cost-us-employers-530b-in-lost-productivity
by Chandra | Jun 6, 2019 | Gift Cards, Retail Industry News
The average consumer is spending $59 more than the original value of their Gift Card, up $21 from 2017, according to the 2018 Prepaid Consumer Insights Study released by First Data (NYSE: FDC) Despite the set value on a gift card, 72% of customers report spending more than the given amount on their card.
Offering gift cards allows a company to attract new customers, increase brand awareness, improve sales, and reduce fraud. Total retail sales in the United States were projected to amount to 6.03 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022, up from around 5.4 trillion U.S. dollars in 2018. Often, businesses overlook the benefits of integrating gift cards into their companies.
Attracting New Customers
Gift cards are incredibly useful in attracting new customers. They continue to be the number one gift given, therefore introducing new customers to your business. Also, these Gift Cards serve as an incentive to purchase something your customer may not typically seek out.
Increasing Brand Awareness
Providing customers with Gift Cards increases your brand awareness, as well. As gift cards are purchased and given to others for holiday or birthdays, your brand will be introduced to a new audience. 93% of consumers will either buy or receive a gift card; also they are the #1 most requested present during holidays.
Marketing Your Company
Customizing your Gift Card serves as a self-marketing tool. Your logo is displayed in your customer’s wallet and viewed often. Not only will this prompt customers to revisit your store, but it will also hopefully turn them into loyal repeat customers.
Reducing Fraud
By offering Gift Cards to customers, as opposed to paper certificates, you will also be reducing your risk of fraud. Tracking certificates is difficult, and with Gift Card integrations to the new POS Systems, it is now a simple process to monitor. Using a POS System will deter internal theft and quite possibly reduce the likelihood of counterfeit certificates being produced by fraudsters. Gift cards electronically monitored with a POS system allows the merchant to verify the initial transaction. This is also a great way to deal with returns by getting your customer to come back to purchase another product.
With these exploding numbers in the Gift Card industry, what are you going to do to capture your share of this market? We can help uplift your sales today!
by Chandra | May 30, 2019 | News, POS Systems, Service Industry News
Your business security depends on the information that you retain and how you monitor your everyday transactions. There are many ways to do this both with internal measures and technology with the new Point of Sale Systems available today.
Too many times, you (the business owner) are left in the dark as fraud and theft happens right under your nose. Thieves are getting more experienced every day with the various tools they have to violate your business and thus rob you of what you’ve earned. The steps to prevent this are many but vary according to your business type. One of the most common areas of concern, unfortunately, is from your employees.
One suggestion is to find out the what, the where, and the when. What are your current and future employees skills, where have they worked, and when did they work there? A detailed background report is easy to get and inexpensive compared to the potential financial loss.
Another method of prevention is employee training, which can and should include process training and data security procedures. Many times we are so familiar with the processes ourselves that we forget or skim over them when training a new employee. To solve this, have a written “New Employee” checklist and USE IT. Also, use the security awareness policy & training available in your PCI Portal.
App Spotlight:
Do you receive Email or Text alerts from your POS when specific events happen in your store?
When:
- A payment, refund, tip, or discount exceeds a specified amount
- An item or an entire order is deleted, the alert message will indicate whether it’s a PRINTED item/order
- An online (or any other type of) order is paid
- A custom item is added to an order
- The quantity available for an item falls below a specified threshold. (Stock app required)
- An item has expired or is expiring soon (Stock app required)
- Cash in the drawer exceeds a specified amount (Cash Track app required)
- Partial payment is made
- Cash is removed from the drawer
- The cash drawer is opened without a transaction
- An item is deleted from Inventory
- An order stays open too long
Now Available with the Ping Me If app from Clover. It is integrated with all your information in your Clover System.
Prices available on request.
by Chandra | May 24, 2019 | Data Security Credit Card, POS Systems, Security
Point-of-Sale Fraud Alert
Recent incidents in the U.S. in which criminals are committing fraud through processing fraudulent return transactions. As part of the fraud scheme, criminals obtain Point-of-Sale (POS) devices—either from an acquirer or agent while posing as a merchant, from online resellers or auctions, or through theft—and program the POS devices with the credentials of a legitimate merchant, thus effectively cloning the unsuspecting merchant’s actual POS device. Criminals use the cloned POS devices to complete returns to gift cards, often in the range of $2,000 – $6,000 per transaction. After the returns are posted to the gift cards, the cards are cashed out at ATMs. Criminals prefer gift cards and in some instances debit cards. These products fund rapidly, allowing fraudsters to get their hands-on cash immediately.
What can you do to protect yourself?
- Always verify anyone calling you posing as your merchant provider
- Monitor your transactions often, especially credits
- Make sure your terminal or POS doesn’t allow credits without a corresponding sale
- Educate your employees
- Never let anyone other than your merchant provider, touch your terminal or Point-of-Sale System
- Change passwords often and use caution if you are working remotely
As a business owner, you can never be too cautious. These crimes happen primarily on the weekends (especially long holiday weekends). Criminals will choose to take advantage of the operating hours of the merchant and financial institutions. Protect your business this holiday and throughout the year!
Call us for help if you think you’ve been compromised, or for advice on how to protect your business in the future. Toll Free 1-866-207-3298.
by Chandra | May 24, 2019 | Data Security Credit Card, MasterCard, News Alerts, Security
New Credit Card Skimmers found inside card readers at gas pumps at many 7-11 stores
Look for the red tag on the pumps or go into the store to pay. Some 7-11 stores have installed temporary locks on pumps until permanent locks arrive.
Fraud Facts
Florida is number one in the country for crimes related to fraud, mainly because dozens of people are being targeted at the pumps by skimmers a day.
This year alone, 561 skimmers have been found at gas stations in the State. Due to this growing number of skimmers, State Leaders are making fraud prevention a priority.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is pushing gas stations in Florida to install encryption readers by November of 2020. The encryption readers will scramble your cards information so that your number can’t be grabbed by another device to steal your information.
Tuesday, the Lee County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed the Fuel Pump Security Ordinance. Both Charlotte County and The Cities of Cape Coral and Punta Gorda have ordinances in place already to protect you at the pump.
Five Tips to Fight Fraud
Here are five tips for consumers to avoid credit card fraud by gas pump skimmers, listed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:
- Avoid using pumps that are open or unlocked, have had the tamper-evident security tape cut or removed, or otherwise appear unusual.
- Use a credit card – not a debit card: If a credit card number is skimmed, you’re protected by the card issuer’s zero-liability policy – but a stolen debit card number could be far more damaging.
- Pay inside, with cash or credit, instead of at the pump
- Choose gas pumps closest to a physical building: Don’t use gas pumps out of the attendant’s line of sight, such as those around a corner or behind a building.
- Check your card statements and sign up for fraud alerts
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