KNOW YOUR PEAK HOURS WITH A VISIPLUS CUSTOMER COUNTING SYSTEM
Are you staffing at the appropriate times of the day?
Well, that’s hard to know for sure, unless you’re taking advantage of the data provided by a VisiPlus customer counting system. Historically, managers utilize their sales data to determine the “busiest” times of the day. What if the times that your registers are the busiest aren’t actually the busiest times of the day on your sales floor?
Are you staffing for peak times, or are peak times dictating your staffing?
If you rely on your sales data to tell you that between the hours of 11am -2pm, you’ll schedule your staff to be present during these times to assist in the customer flow. What if, however, by doing this without reviewing any additional data, you’re forcing this time to be your busiest? Without a people counting system, you may never see the entire picture.
The problem
Let’s assume that you schedule heavy between 11-2 every day, as this is what your sales tell you is your peak time. Without any additional data at your fingertips, it only makes sense. Now, what if this has become your peak time because you are scheduled so heavy during this time? What if, during another block of time during the day, you actually have more customers in the store, but since you don’t have the heavy staff presence, you walk sales since your customers aren’t being serviced?
Real Life Example
This is exactly what we discovered when we installed a people counting system. I used the 11a-2p example above because that was my data. For years, as a manager, I made sure I had the most staff on the floor during this time. After installing the VisiPlus customer counting system, we found that we had on average, 10%-15% more customers in the store between 4pm-7pm than we did between 11a-2p.
Reacting to the numbers
With this new information from our VisiPlus Customer Counting System, we began to schedule more sales team members on the floor between 4pm-7pm. After some trial and error, we finally got the staffing to reflect the foot traffic and the results were, no surprise, a new “peak time” for our store. We saw a moderate increase in sales and we contribute this to higher levels of customer service from our team when there are physically more customers in the store. The more customer interactions our sales team have, the higher the chance to make a sale.
Impact on shrink
While we often focus on physical solutions to shoplifting loss, often overlooked (and universally the most important) way to decrease shrink is to increase sales. By relying on the data provided by a people counting system, we were able to add sales to our bottom line. This not only added to our profitability, it decreased our shrink as a percentage to sales.
While there are numerous ways to improve store performance and effect sales targets in addition to minimizing shrink, you shouldn’t overlook how important an accurate customer count, by hour, can be to your business. By having the ability to pull this data and review it daily, you can make better decisions regarding staffing, payroll and ultimately your shrink reduction strategies.
Get more information on VisiPlus People Counting System, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Are you staffing at the appropriate times of the day?
Well, that’s hard to know for sure, unless you’re taking advantage of the data provided by customer counting systems. Historically, managers utilize their sales data to determine the “busiest” times of the day. What if the times that your registers are the busiest aren’t actually the busiest times of the day on your sales floor?
Are you staffing for peak times, or are peak times dictating your staffing?
If you rely on your sales data to tell you that between the hours of 11am -2pm, you’ll schedule your staff to be present during these times to assist in the customer flow. What if, however, by doing this without reviewing any additional data, you’re forcing this time to be your busiest? Without people counting systems, you may never see the entire picture.
The problem
Let’s assume that you schedule heavy between 11-2 every day, as this is what your sales tell you is your peak time. Without any additional data at your fingertips, it only makes sense. Now, what if this has become your peak time because you are scheduled so heavy during this time? What if, during another block of time during the day, you actually have more customers in the store, but since you don’t have the heavy staff presence, you walk sales since your customers aren’t being serviced?
Real Life Example
This is exactly what we discovered when we installed people counting systems. I used the 11a-2p example above because that was my data. For years, as a manager, I made sure I had the most staff on the floor during this time. After installing customer counting systems, we found that we had on average, 10%-15% more customers in the store between 4pm-7pm than we did between 11a-2p.
Reacting to the numbers
With this new information from our Customer Counting Systems, we began to schedule more sales team members on the floor between 4pm-7pm. After some trial and error, we finally got the staffing to reflect the foot traffic and the results were, no surprise, a new “peak time” for our store. We saw a moderate increase in sales and we contribute this to higher levels of customer service from our team when there are physically more customers in the store. The more customer interactions our sales team have, the higher the chance to make a sale.
Impact on shrink
While we often focus on physical solutions to shoplifting loss, often overlooked (and universally the most important) way to decrease shrink is to increase sales. By relying on the data provided by people counting systems, we were able to add sales to our bottom line. This not only added to our profitability, it decreased our shrink as a percentage to sales. While there are numerous ways to improve store performance and effect sales targets in addition to minimizing shrink, you shouldn’t overlook how important an accurate customer count, by hour, can be to your business. By having the ability to pull this data and review it daily, you can make better decisions regarding staffing, payroll and ultimately your shrink reduction strategies.
Get more information on People Counting Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Bug Tag-4 WC Blog 335
iPad Theft-3
Alpha Security-3
Ipads Improve Patient Services; Protect Those Ipads And The Information They Carry With Bug Tags
As the benefits of using mobile medical devices are becoming more apparent, it is interesting to see the ways various doctors’ offices are employing them. I was combing the internet and came across an interesting article on the use of iPads in the optometry field. In his article in Optometry Time, April 22, 2015, “iPads in the optometry office How I put technology to use on a day to day basis”, Chief Optometric Editor Ernie Bowling, OD, FAOO, writes about his transition to the use of iPads to improve service to his customers and improve office efficiency. He states, “In our office, use of the iPad begins when the patient enters the office if not before. The iPad has, as intended, completely replaced the clipboard in our office.” He writes that his patients can complete intake forms, “…once at the office, complete them on the iPad. We have several iPads dedicated to patient registration.” In my opinion, the option of going digital is a welcome change to the hassle of paper. My concern is that as I looked at the picture of his patients in the office completing the forms on the iPads, I see no protections for the devices to prevent someone from running off with one. The security professional in me sees this as a major concern but one that could be addressed with the use of an Alpha Security Bug Tag on each device and a Classic N10 Checkpoint antenna at the doors.
The Bug Tag has an adhesive sled attached to the body of the tag itself. The sled is stuck to whatever item the medical facility needs to protect and if the time comes the device is to be taken out of service, the body is detached from the sled and reused on a new item. The sled is disposable and therefore is simply thrown away. Before being removed from the device, the body of the tag must be detached from the sled with a detachment tool acquired from Alpha Security. Without the removal tool, any attempt to take the tag off will result in a tamper alarm being activated (bad news for criminals with the intent of an iPad theft). An additional protection the tag has is when it is used with electronic article surveillance towers at the front doors to a business. With towers like the Checkpoint Classic N10 system in place, a mobile device with a Bug Tag on it will be picked up by the towers and this sets off alarms and lights built in the tower. The alarms provide warning to employees that a theft attempt is taking place and they can recover the iPad or tablet before it leaves the building.
Aside from patient’s filling out new patient information on iPads, the doctor mentions several other uses he has for the mobile devices in his practice. His, “…technician has a dedicated iPad for patient preliminaries…I carry the iPad with me from room to room, accessing and reviewing the patient’s chart before entering the exam room.” The doctor goes on to mention that his practice uses the camera on the iPad to take pictures of the patient to help prevent insurance fraud and to avoid chart errors. They complete prescriptions on the iPads and reduce the potential errors they may have had when staff had to interpret his handwriting. He names a number of other functions they have used to improve their services but it is clear that with all of the patient data being stored, the risk of client information being compromised in the event of an iPad theft is significant.
Improving processes, reducing paperwork and finding ways to prevent medical errors and fraud are advantages that iPads can offer to healthcare providers. It is important to protect patient privacy and protected information and the Alpha Security Bug Tag can provide that security by preventing iPad theft.
Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
As the benefits of using mobile medical devices are becoming more apparent, it is interesting to see the ways various doctors’ offices are employing them. I was combing the internet and came across an interesting article on the use of i-pads in the optometry field. In his article in Optometry Time, April 22, 2015, “i-pads in the optometry office How I put technology to use on a day to day basis”, Chief Optometric Editor Ernie Bowling, OD, FAOO, writes about his transition to the use of i-pads to improve service to his customers and improve office efficiency. He states, “In our office, use of the i-pad begins when the patient enters the office if not before. The i-pad has, as intended, completely replaced the clipboard in our office.” He writes that his patients can complete intake forms, “…once at the office, complete them on the i-pad. We have several i-pads dedicated to patient registration.” In my opinion, the option of going digital is a welcome change to the hassle of paper. My concern is that as I looked at the picture of his patients in the office completing the forms on the i-pads, I see no protections for the devices to prevent someone from running off with one. The security professional in me sees this as a major concern but one that could be addressed with the use of an Alpha Security Bug Tag on each device and a Classic N10 Checkpoint antenna at the doors.
The Bug Tag has an adhesive sled attached to the body of the tag itself. The sled is stuck to whatever item the medical facility needs to protect and if the time comes the device is to be taken out of service, the body is detached from the sled and reused on a new item. The sled is disposable and therefore is simply thrown away. Before being removed from the device, the body of the tag must be detached from the sled with a detachment tool acquired from Alpha Security. Without the removal tool, any attempt to take the tag off will result in a tamper alarm being activated (bad news for criminals with the intent of an i-pad theft). An additional protection the tag has is when it is used with electronic article surveillance towers at the front doors to a business. With towers like the Checkpoint Classic N10 system in place, a mobile device with a Bug Tag on it will be picked up by the towers and this sets off alarms and lights built in the tower. The alarms provide warning to employees that a theft attempt is taking place and they can recover the iPad or tablet before it leaves the building.
Aside from patient’s filling out new patient information on i-pads, the doctor mentions several other uses he has for the mobile devices in his practice. His, “…technician has a dedicated i-pad for patient preliminaries…I carry the i-pad with me from room to room, accessing and reviewing the patient’s chart before entering the exam room.” The doctor goes on to mention that his practice uses the camera on the i-pad to take pictures of the patient to help prevent insurance fraud and to avoid chart errors. They complete prescriptions on the i-pads and reduce the potential errors they may have had when staff had to interpret his handwriting. He names a number of other functions they have used to improve their services but it is clear that with all of the patient data being stored, the risk of client information being compromised in the event of an i-pad theft is significant.
Improving processes, reducing paperwork and finding ways to prevent medical errors and fraud are advantages that i-pads can offer to healthcare providers. It is important to protect patient privacy and protected information and the Alpha Security Bug Tag can provide that security by preventing i-pad theft.
Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
AA Blog 46
Checkpoint Label: 5
Stop shoplifting: 3
Inventory Control: 3
Are You Having A Problem Maintaining A Current Inventory Due To Shoplifting? Checkpoint Labels Can Provide a Cost-Efficient Means To Protect All Your Products Safely and Efficiently.
As a consumer I typically do not have a certain item that I shop for on a regular basis or that I have a hard time locating when I need it. I am a pretty simple person and my needs are pretty easily met, however that changed recently. I am a mother of three now, which I never thought would happen. All of my children are spread out quite a bit in age. My first daughter is now 18 and in college, and initially she was going to be our one and only child, but as you know life changes things. Unexpectedly we learned ten years in that we were having another baby, who is now 8. Although unplanned she was well received and I couldn’t think of my life any other way. I got divorced about 4 years ago and remarried a man who had never been married and had no children, which brought this topic to the forefront. Needless to say it was decided we would try one more time, and were blessed with a baby boy. Now if you are a parent, I don’t need to tell you how much can change when you have babies a decade or so apart. I was astonished by all of the products out there that made life much more convenient than they did almost 20 years ago. Although, this also caused me to learn how hard it can be to find a product that you need on a regular basis. My son had some stomach issues, which resulted in his need for a sensitive formula. He went through a lot of formula and every time I needed more, I could never find it. I would literally travel or call at least ten stores in my area to look for the formula I needed, just to find them out of stock. If I did find it, I would purchase at least 6 or more at a time, knowing that the product was hard to find. This can be rather expensive since they cost almost $30.00 a can, but I didn’t have much choice. It made me wonder why there was such an issue maintaining a proper inventory on this item. Was it hard to get from the manufacturer? Did they feel they didn’t sell it frequently enough to stock a large quantity? Or did they have an inventory control problem, which prevented them from having an accurate count? I am not quite sure, but at $30 a can, I can presume that theft may be an issue. If theft is an issue, which knowing the industry, I can safely say it probably accounts for some of it, I would recommend they use a Checkpoint label to stop shoplifting in their store.
Checkpoint labels offer protection for a wide variety of products. They provide a convenient and inexpensive means to protect all your products and stop shoplifting. The enhanced performance labels are equipped with EAS technology, and are designed to be even more detectable, in comparison to other tags on the market. They have a strong adhesive that prevents removal in the store and they have less EAS failures than other brands. The Checkpoint labels are very convenient and can be easily placed on the products, with an applicator, for in store application. These tags can also be printed on site, to allow for individualization, which can incorporate the pricing, logo and other information into one easy to use tag. These tags can be safely placed on any item, to include food.
I am not sure if my troubles finding in stock formula was related to theft or if it was simply an inventory control problem, but I do know that Checkpoint labels would be a great way to stop shoplifting of expensive products like these, and many others. If you are having inventory control problems, associated with theft, I recommend these labels. They are a convenient and cost-efficient way to protect all your items, reduce shrinkage and increase profit.
Need information on Checkpoint Labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
As a consumer I typically do not have a certain item that I shop for on a regular basis or that I have a hard time locating when I need it. I am a pretty simple person and my needs are pretty easily met, however that changed recently. I am a mother of three now, which I never thought would happen. All of my children are spread out quite a bit in age. My first daughter is now 18 and in college, and initially she was going to be our one and only child, but as you know life changes things. Unexpectedly we learned ten years in that we were having another baby, who is now 8. Although unplanned she was well received and I couldn’t think of my life any other way. I got divorced about 4 years ago and remarried a man who had never been married and had no children, which brought this topic to the forefront. Needless to say it was decided we would try one more time, and were blessed with a baby boy. Now if you are a parent, I don’t need to tell you how much can change when you have babies a decade or so apart. I was astonished by all of the products out there that made life much more convenient than they did almost 20 years ago. Although, this also caused me to learn how hard it can be to find a product that you need on a regular basis. My son had some stomach issues, which resulted in his need for a sensitive formula. He went through a lot of formula and every time I needed more, I could never find it. I would literally travel or call at least ten stores in my area to look for the formula I needed, just to find them out of stock. If I did find it, I would purchase at least 6 or more at a time, knowing that the product was hard to find. This can be rather expensive since they cost almost $30.00 a can, but I didn’t have much choice. It made me wonder why there was such an issue maintaining a proper inventory on this item. Was it hard to get from the manufacturer? Did they feel they didn’t sell it frequently enough to stock a large quantity? Or did they have an inventory control problem, which prevented them from having an accurate count? I am not quite sure, but at $30 a can, I can presume that theft may be an issue. If theft is an issue, which knowing the industry, I can safely say it probably accounts for some of it, I would recommend they use a Checkpoint label to stop shoplifting in their store.
Checkpoint labels offer protection for a wide variety of products. They provide a convenient and inexpensive means to protect all your products and stop shoplifting. The enhanced performance labels are equipped with EAS technology, and are designed to be even more detectable, in comparison to other tags on the market. They have a strong adhesive that prevents removal in the store and they have less EAS failures than other brands. The Checkpoint labels are very convenient and can be easily placed on the products, with an applicator, for in store application. These tags can also be printed on site, to allow for individualization, which can incorporate the pricing, logo and other information into one easy to use tag. These tags can be safely placed on any item, to include food.
I am not sure if my troubles finding in stock formula was related to theft or if it was simply an inventory control problem, but I do know that Checkpoint labels would be a great way to stop shoplifting of expensive products like these, and many others. If you are having inventory control problems, associated with theft, I recommend these labels. They are a convenient and cost-efficient way to protect all your items, reduce shrinkage and increase profit.
Need information on Checkpoint Labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
