by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Mar 14, 2023 | Marketing, News, Uncategorized
Support Food Trucks
Supporting food trucks is a must for the local community for several reasons. First and foremost, food trucks provide diverse cuisines not commonly found in traditional restaurants. It allows people to expand their palates and support these new entrepreneurs as they grow.
Locally Sourced Food
Additionally, food trucks often source their products locally, supporting the local economy and promoting sustainable farming practices.
Affordable Dining Options
Many customers frequently visit Food Trucks due to faster service and more affordable dining options, especially for those who can’t afford expensive restaurants. Remember, these are the customers who will support our full-service restaurants later on down the line.
Restaurants in the Making
Many Food Trucks Turn into Brick mortar restaurants which attract more customers and support local growth and commerce.
Supporting food trucks helps build a more vibrant community while promoting local sustainability and cultural exploration. Also, don’t miss the 2023 War of the Food Truck Wars on May 28th at the German American Club.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Apr 1, 2022 | Featured, POS Systems, Restaurant Industry News, Services, Uncategorized
What are the differences and the best choice for your business?
Are you considering Surcharging or Cash Discounting? Accepting credit cards is a necessity in today’s world. However, credit card processing fees are taking a larger chuck out of your profit margin these days, especially with the ever-increasing popularity of rewards cards. Moreover, many of the merchant fees associated with rewards cards tend to increase year after year, due to the escalation of the “Cash Back” incentives the Card Issuers give their cardholders.
Who pays for the majority of these incentives? You the merchant. More and more merchants are now electing to add a surcharge or implement a cash discount program to combat these rising costs. This may be a great option for your company if done correctly. So, what is the difference between surcharging and cash discounting?
Surcharging
- Surcharge: Adding a small percentage to a credit card transaction to offset the merchant fees for processing the credit card payment. This surcharge is added to offset the processing fees associated with accepting credit cards. This fee only applies to credit cards and does not apply to other forms of payment such as debit cards, cash, or checks. Surcharging must also be done in a compliant manner and by a processor that follows the rules and ensures their merchants are compliant.
Cash Discounting
- Cash Discount: A reduction in price for customers who pay with cash or check instead of credit or debit cards. The discount is deducted from the advertised price at the time of sale. Another method of Cash Discounting is adding a small percentage to increase the price of the sale, known as a Non-Cash Adjustment.
Making this Win-Win Solution
Ask yourself, is this a good move for your business? Will there be pushback from the customers? The solution is simple. Giving your customers an option to pay with a lower-cost alternative is a win-win! They continue to receive great pricing if they pay with cash or check, and you are able to offset your processing fees. It is good for both parties when these programs are rolled out correctly with proper signage, employee training, and a good Point of Sale System, which calculates and ensures compliance.
Card Systems understands that every business is unique, which is why we take a consultative approach to find the right solution for your business and card processing needs. Whether you’re just getting started or have been in business for decades, Card Systems can offer endless benefits to help you run your business more efficiently and more profitably.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Feb 18, 2022 | Digital Menus, Marketing, News, News Alerts, Online Order, POS Systems
Join us for Great Food, Vendors, and Fun.
The weather is perfect, and with so much to do in Southwest Florida, now is the time to get out and enjoy the fun events around town. The ArtFest, Bike Night, Taste of the Cape, and Food Truck Wars started the season with breaking record crowds and revenues. This weekend, the Edison Festival of Lights and the much-anticipated return of our Greek Festival will be the focus of fun and good food.
Is your Business Pivoting with Technology and Online Ordering?
Most businesses have pivoted to curbside or pickup services for their restaurants or retail establishments. If not, they are less likely to be found, limiting their exposure and significantly reducing sales. Consider beefing up your site, adding online ordering, or implementing a third-party app to facilitate delivery. Remember to make in-store, pickup, or delivery orders easier for your business.
When are Delivery Apps Beneficial?
Third-party apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash have their place, as they give your restaurant great exposure to first-time diners and support their delivery needs. Just ensure you control your online pickup orders, or they can take a big bite of your profits. Also, take advantage of all the social platforms to market your events and link to your online ordering page. Use two buttons, one for online pickup and the other for the delivery app.
Digital Menus for Order Ahead
Our POS Software and POS Apps can create an easy-to-read menu with links for you to post everywhere. You are less likely to be found if you are not adopting this technology. These simple tools enable your customers to review your menu prior to ordering. This saves time, turns tables faster, and reduces your precious labor costs.
by Chandra | Feb 2, 2022 | News, PCI, POS Systems
Is Your Merchant and POS Provider QIR Certified?
Visa requires all merchants including Level 4 merchants (small businesses) to have their payment processing devices and systems installed by Qualified Integrator and Reseller (QIR). That means ensuring your EMV or chip reader and/or software used in your business is installed, maintained, and serviced by Qualified PCI Certified Technicians. Small businesses tend to be more susceptible to fraud thus more at risk. ACCORDING TO VISA, since EMV adoption, credit card theft has dropped about 76%.
The Difference Between EMV and the Old Magnetic Swipe Process
Although an EMV (or chip) reader can be slightly slower than the old card swipe, it is safer for the cardholder and the merchant. This is because the magnetic strip once carried all of your account information, and it was easy to copy. The new chip technology creates a unique code from with communicates that “this amount of money from this card was used for this transaction and this one only.” Thus removing the ability to reuse the information because of the unique code generated from the chip. Make sure you are using credit card terminals and or software systems that already have this technology-enabled.
Why do you need a QIR-certified Payment Provider to Install Your POS System?
The biggest reason is, securing your data. Only qualified professionals should install or troubleshoot your Point of Sale System or credit card terminals. This we where restaurants become vulnerable and open to malware. The POS goes down and someone does a quick fix or remotes in and leaves a firewall open or with an easy-to-hack password. Also, Skimmers can be placed within a machine and sold to unsuspecting merchants resulting in stolen information and potential fines.
The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) has a certification for eligible resellers to give the business owner peace of mind. The customer’s information is secure when making transactions. In addition, the technicians installing and servicing your terminals are trained to do so with the most up-to-date standards, no matter the size of your company.
PCI DSS recommends always checking your current or new providers to ensure they maintain the highest security standards. We make sure our team at Card Systems is PCI certified. Even though filling out the form every year and doing a security scan can be painful at times with cameras and other connections in your business, it helps protect you and your customers. It is just common sense like closing your front door, locking it, and then checking it from time to time.
Search by country, region, or state on the PCI SSC Qualified Integrator & Reseller List.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Jan 6, 2022 | News, Uncategorized
Employers’ Vaccine Mandate Advisory
Florida businesses have just experienced more red tape and costs. Ensure you read and discuss the following information with your HR Directors, managers, and any decision-makers within your company.
This advisory is focused on employers within the State of Florida and how Florida State law may or may not impact the Federal mandates. Fortunately, the law office of Boy Agnew Potanovic Miller (BAPM) has published an advisory (Information re: OSHA ETS (mailchi.mp) on the upcoming OSHA ETS vaccine mandates for private employers with 100+ employees.
They have also provided links for employers to download templates to create the required policy by OSHA ETS. These templates are free of charge and can be downloaded for editing purposes. Unfortunately, most businesses don’t have the time or resources to keep updated on all the regulatory mandates happening. Thank you, BAPM, for your guidance.
Please take time to utilize this resource to implement policies that comply with the new guidelines. This is especially important considering that none of us really know what the US Supreme Court will rule once the case is heard on January 7th.
If you need help downloading any of the files, please don’t hesitate to call eGuarded, LLC, at 855-348-2736. They will be happy to assist you.
by Chandra | Aug 13, 2021 | Marketing, POS Systems, Restaurant Industry News, Retail Industry News
Is managing your POS system as easy as posting a picture on social media? It Should be!
Imagine being able to upload an image of your daily specials or entrées as soon as they come out of your oven. Uploading a photo to your menu is as simple as posting it to your Facebook page. Wow your customers and entice them into your restaurant or store today. The power of an image is incredible!
As a business owner or manager, can you edit and make modifications easily from wherever you are?
Imagine being able to make real-time changes to your menu, manage your staff, and monitor your sales from anywhere in the world. Whether you are at home or on vacation, the newer POS systems allow you to manage all of your operations in one place!
The newer POS systems are now state of the art, replacing the old legacy systems and improving your life as a restaurant or retail owner.
If your current POS system doesn’t have all these easy-to-use features, change and upgrade today!
