Customer Pole Devices move toward Customer Service Applications

Customer Pole Devices (CPD's) have long been considered merely bells and whistles at the Point of Sale (POS). They were seen as nice to have if extra money allowed, but were often the first item to be eliminated from the POS station when the budget limits were reached. Their main function was to display to customers information that was being displayed elsewhere and the redundancy was what made them seem to be superfluous.

Recent developments, and increased competition among retailers focusing on providing better customer service to gain an edge, have led to a reevaluation of the role of the Customer Pole Device. Applications that communicate in a more direct and useful manner with the customer are the future for these useful devices. An example of an application that has won customer approval is displaying a running total of the sale at a grocery market check out. Although most applications displayed the item and the price as the product barcode was scanned, there was always that sudden shock when the last item was scanned, and the total displayed. The "running total" eases the shock and allows the customer to pull out some items before scanning if the expected figure is being exceeded, and even better, to add some impulse items if the total is lower than expected.

With the increased use of debit cards and in store credit cards, the Customer Pole Device in the future will be even more customer friendly. Displays that greet the customer by name, and even suggest special offers specifically geared to the customer's sale patterns are examples of how the Customer Pole Device can serve to increase customer identification and satisfaction. There is no limit to the possible uses that may be found for information displays at the Point of Sale, but there is also no question that in the future they will be an expected and necessary part of the overall POS package, and not the frill they have been in the past.

Positive Software to introduce a bare-bones POS software, AveraSell. The installation, splash screen, and help files will all say AveraSell. In short, this will be very basic yet fully functional POS software branded with the name AveraSell.

The product will ONLY be available on the AveraSell website (www.averasell.com). It will ONLY be distributed for free when an end-user receives a quote from Averacharge. This product is separate from other POSitive products, and will not be mentioned on the POSitive web site. The promo is available in the US only. It will be single-user only. If the customer wants a network version, he will have to come to you for an upgrade.

In order to receive a free copy of the software, a customer must go to the AveraSell web site and fill out a Quote Request form. We then contact them to get their merchant account details and application. A quote is prepared and e-mailed to them, along with instructions on how to download and install AveraSell.

AveraSell will available starting in October.

AveraSell is upgradeable to any version of POSitive. These leads will most likely need hardware as well, such as printers, second monitors, even computers which you can provide.

AveraSell is single-user only. An upgrade to network user would only be available from Mdtcs web site.

Sentry H120/08









Details: Pentium™ 4 processor, 256MB RAM, 120GB 7200rpm hard disk, DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, 10/100 LAN adapter, keyboard, mouse and H Series video capture board(s) (see below). The DVR is contained in a medium tower case. Windows™ XP is provided as the operating system; Sentry H Series and system restore software are included.

Recording Time: The 120GB hard drive will typically hold about 3 weeks of recordings, when using motion detection recording, HM (MPEG4 like) compression and 320x240 resolution.

Scalability:
Sentry H120-8 - 8 camera, 120fps, one H-120-8 capture board.


Point-of-Sale (POS) Integration
Third-party electronic POS systems may now be integrated into H series DVRs via the AVE VSI - an external device that transmits POS transaction data to the DVR. Click here for more information on POS integration.

Excellent Image Quality
H Series boards and software provide excellent image display and recording quality through proprietary drivers and compression codec. Video can be displayed and recorded at 320x240, 640x240 or a true 640x480 non-interlaced resolution which eliminates the 'ghost effect' in motion video seen with many other systems at 640x480.

Multiple Camera Resolutions on same Screen
Some security cameras can be displayed at different video resolutions on the same screen, allowing optimal video display and recording, yet minimizing recording file size.

High Compression Ratio with High Video Quality
Video is compressed for recording by MJPEG or HM (MPEG4-like) compression: HM is proprietary compression technology, designed specifically for CCTV applications. It provides high video quality and yet saves a great deal of disk space through superior compression. CPU acceleration instructions also help the system gain real-time performance.

Multiple Recording Methods
Video can be recorded continuously at maximum speed, continuously with Smart Saving, On Motion, On Alarm, by time-lapse or by schedule. Different cameras can have recording methods set independently.

Multi-Drive Concurrent Recording
Different security cameras can be specified to record into different logical or physical drives, so that some camera recordings can be kept for longer periods than others. This is particularly useful where some camera recordings may be more critical than others.

Smart Saving during Recording
The recording frame rate varies according to the amount of movement. Low frame rates are used for more static video and higher frame rates for full motion video. The more motion detected, the faster the recording fame rate.

Advanced Motion Detection and Tracking
Moving targets are automatically detected and tracked by a tracking block. The H Series is sensitive to moving targets in bad lighting environments, and not sensitive to camera shake and the auto-panning of PTZ security cameras.

Noise Tolerance Feature
A motion detection noise tolerance feature reduces false alarms and unwanted recordings caused by weather changes (rain, wind, lightening etc.), and light changes. The sensitivity of noise tolerance can be adjusted for each camera.

Security and Stability
Four levels of ID and password protection are provided and an audit log of “log on and off” sessions, configuration changes and more is kept. The SmartFile management feature prevents disk fragmentation and increases system stability. Video recordings are saved in a database, optimizing storage utilization. What's more, H Series DVRs have a hardware watchdog that restarts the system automatically in case of system errors.
Powerful Remote Control
The H Series DVRs use a client/server architecture. Multiple clients can simultaneously monitor/control the same DVR site through the Internet, LAN or direct dial-up connection. Remote Viewer allows monitoring/recording of up to 16 remote cameras, remote control of PTZ security cameras, and remote configuration of multiple DVR sites. Remote Record Player downloads and replays video recordings from remote DVRs. Up to 16 cameras from different DVRs can be viewed at one remote site.

Recording Playback
Search recording log files by date, time, single camera or all security cameras. Also search by recording type – motion detection, smart saving, alarm input or time lapse. Play back in quad, 9 or 16 camera displays and switch to single camera full screen (and back again) with a mouse click. Speed up to 16X or slow down to 1/8 speed. Increment backwards and forwards by one frame.

Complete Integration
CCTV devices can be integrated into the H Series. Through an RS485/RS232 converter, PTZ cameras can be remote controlled for panning, tilting, and zooming. Via I/O ports or an I/O box (depending on board model), the capture board can receive signals from traditional sensor devices to start recording. Motion based recording can be used to trigger external devices such as lights, switchers, gates, and other traditional alarm devices.
Event Notifications
H Series DVRs instantly send out notifications when there is an abnormal situation or intrusion. There are many ways to notify an event:
1. Send a voice message to a desk phone or a cell phone through optional modem.
2. Send a text message to a fax or an e-mail address through optional modem.
3. Sound an event alarm.
4. Flash an event message on the split screen.
5. Display the event camera in full screen.
6. Trigger traditional alarm devices.
7. Send event reports daily, weekly or monthly by email.

Video Export
Exporting the video as 'evidence' is simple and easy. A single mouse click snaps the current video frame and saves it to an image file for print out with location, date and time information. Another mouse click records the video to an AVI or self-executable file. The self-executable file is embedded with watermarking and password protection. The self-executable files created can be viewed on Windows™ 98, ME, 2000, and XP systems without any special player required.

File Recovery on System Power Loss
An automatic file rebuild occurs after any unexpected power loss or software shutdown, limiting video loss to less than 3 seconds.

Positive Retail Manager

Metrologic Scanners

Fusion is an affordable hand-held omnidirectional laser scanner with single-line capability that increases retail checkout system efficiency with its automatic in-stand operation, optionally integrated EAS, and industry-leading scan performance.


MS3780 Fusion™

FEATURES
• Primary omnidirectional scan pattern
• Secondary single-line scan pattern
• Automatic stand detection
• Sleep mode with IR wake up
• Optional EAS integration

Metrologic Scanners

Fusion is an affordable hand-held omnidirectional laser scanner with single-line capability that increases retail checkout system efficiency with its automatic in-stand operation, optionally integrated EAS, and industry-leading scan performance.


MS3780 Fusion™

FEATURES
• Primary omnidirectional scan pattern
• Secondary single-line scan pattern
• Automatic stand detection
• Sleep mode with IR wake up
• Optional EAS integration

Why Computerize Your Cash Register?

The old fashioned Cash Register only tells you how much money your business has taken in during the day. It can not tell you how much of that money is profit. It can not tell you how much inventory you have in your store, or how many of a particular item you sold in the day.

Computerizing with Point of Sale system

A Computerized point of sale system replaces your old fashioned cash register. It will instantly tell you, for instance, that you have taken in $400, and that $100 of that $400 is your profit. It will also monitor your store inventory. For instance, it will tell you that you have sold 100 bottles of water, and that you have 200 bottles of water left in stock. It will also tell you what items you should order today because your stock is low. In addition, Point of sale systems will help you in the following way:

Reduce Theft
Point of Sale will help you reduce theft. How? Your employees become more involved in watching the store inventory if they know that every piece of inventory in your business is being monitored. This is perfect for a rental business such as video rental, equipment rental, etc.

Reduce Inventory Shrinkage
By watching your inventory and comparing your in-store inventory to your computerized reports, both you and your employees are much more careful about giving away inventory, retaining obsolete inventory, monitoring breakage and non-theft inventory that "walks" out of your business, as well as controlling inventory as the items enter your store. Also, by watching your inventory reports, you can make sure that you order more wisely.

Increase Your Inventory
You don't need 300 snow shovels in the summer, but you may need 500 more batteries for your store during the month of August. Many stores order products based on what they think they sell. If you check your inventory reports and see that you sold 500 batteries last August, it helps you get prepared so you don't run out of batteries this August. Watching your inventory reports increases your efficiency.

Watch Your Margin
Your inventory report will show you that you sold 1,000 bottles of soda for 99 cents each, and that water cost 40 cents each, a profit of 59 cents each. So, the inventory reports will show you the products that give you greater margin so that you stock more of those and fewer products that give you the least amount of profit.

Speed Customer Checkout
Our POS Software will help speed up your customer checkout. With a barcode scanner, you can checkout a customer in half the time required with old fashion cash drawer. Even if you don't use a barcode scanner, your checkout is still faster and more accurate because you are entering inventory item numbers that are automatically tied to prices specified in Cash Register for each item. Print your barcode in-house with top of the line barcode printer. With the special credit card reader, credit card processing is a breeze.

Accuracy
The price of every item in your store is coded into the POS Software, and automatically processed when the code number is punched in. Never again will you have to figure out how much an item sells for. Your clerks will stop guessing those prices, and charging customers wrongly.



Customer tracking, sales tracking
Keep track of which product a customer purchased. This will help you notify them when you have products on sale. Sending post cards to your customers periodically makes them feel appreciated, and that makes them keep coming back.

A point of sale computer-based solution gives you a professional image. To your customers, your store looks as sophisticated as the largest retailers when you have a complete point of sale system at checkout, customized receipts and professionally tagged inventory.

In retailing, image is everything. And your image is created by a multitude of items, including your storefront, signage, business logo, advertising campaigns, and even your store location.

But one of the most lasting images your customers have of your store is created by what they see last—your Point of Sale system. While an antique cash register may be a conversation piece, it shouldn’t be a device that you count on day in and day out for ringing up sales.

Why? It creates an image with customers that you’re not staying up to date with the latest improvements in technology. So they’ll assume that your inventory—including the products they just purchased from you—is also outdated. A Point of sale system can change that image instantly. It demonstrates that you’re willing to invest in the latest technology to facilitate an efficient, fast customer checkout experience.

Lastly, in addition to maintaining a professional image, you need to make your space inviting. You want to keep your customers browsing in your store as long as possible. The longer they stay, they more they will spend.

While a Point of sale or POS system can’t help directly with creating ambiance, it won’t be a distraction to the environment you have created for customers.

Do all you can to make your space warm, comfortable, and professional. Visit other retailers—especially your competitors—to see what they do in terms of decorating and building ambiance.

Ask yourself these questions:

Is your POS/checkout system up-to-date?

Do you generate professional, customized receipts for each purchase?

Do you professional bar codes on all items?

Is your space inviting?

Are your products well displayed?

Visually interesting?

Do you customize each price tag?

Are your furnishings well maintained?

Does your store have a clean or cluttered look and feel?

Now that you know the benefits of computerizing your POS cash register with Point of sale software, why don't you let us help you achieve this goal? Contact us. Or Get a Free POS system Quote

Multi-Store is a group of stores using Positive for windows point of sale software and sharing information between each other. The type of information to be shared is controlled by a master store. All other stores are known as remote stores.

The means of communicating data between stores is via the Internet, or more specifically, by controlled e-mails, ftp, SQL. As each store in the multi-store group conducts day-to-day business, Positive software is automatically generating packets of information to be sent and received. These packets of information are distributed at timed intervals or on demand.

There are four types of information that can be exchanged. The master store dictates what each store will receive.

• Stock Updates - to know stock counts in each remote store. This includes the transmittal of inventory definitions, purchase order transfers, and pricing of inventory.
• Customer Updates - to gather customer information from remote stores and allow
customers to patronize each store
• Customer AR Information - to gather customer accounts receivable history and store credit information facilitating central billing and multiple site invoicing.
• Sales Info - to know the total sales, items sold, and profits of each remote store

Stock Updates - Multi-Store Inventory

It is anticipated that multi-stores will be selling much of the same inventory, but there may be some items unique to remote stores. By design, the master store dictates the overall operations of the multi-store group. But there is considerable flexibility about what information will be shared between stores.

Dept/Category

The master store defines departments and categories and all stores which will be sharing inventory must use the lists created by the master store. This should not pose any problems for remote stores because they assign inventory to any category and may maintain inventory independent of the master store.

Inventory

Only inventory defined at the master store is transmitted to each remote store. This is usually done in the setup process. The remote store can modify or overwrite this initial inventory and, if warranted, not receive any inventory from the master store..

If the remote store already has inventory items defined, those with a common SKU will be overwritten by the data from the master store. Those with a common SKU will also be reassigned to the dept / category as set by the master store.

If the remote store has inventory items defined which are not common to the master store, the remote store can order and sell those items independent of the master store. These items will not be reported to the master store and will not be subject to stock transfers.

Whenever the master store adds new inventory, then all designated remote stores will be updated with the new items. Items created at the remote store will never be transmitted to the master or any other store; only the master store can create items common to all stores.

Stock Counts

If inventory stock counts are to be reported among multi-stores, each remote store sends an initial stock count of its inventory. This transmission updates the master store and all other stores simultaneously. Once stock counts are known for each store, then the master store and even the remote stores can initiate stock transfers as needed. Stock is transferred between stores through a special stock transfer process and are received and processed as normal purchase orders.

Local stock counts are automatically reduced when items are sold to customers or transferred to other stores. Local stock counts are increased as purchase orders of transferred goods are received.

Customer Updates - Multi-Store Customers

Each multi-store maintains its own customer list. However, customers are assigned account numbers which are unique to the originating store. Customer information is shared among designated stores. This allows a customer to shop in multiple stores without having to be added again to the customer list. And, as appropriate, stores can use this information for marketing campaigns.

Tax Liability

Special provision has been made so that "non-resident" customers, i.e., customers added at the other stores, will be charged taxes at the local store rate wherever they choose to shop.

Customer Setup

The only changes required when installing Multi-Store is to re-number customer accounts of existing customers in the store's database. This is a very simple step.

Customer AR Information - Multi Store Customers

If desired, the customer's accounts receivable information can be shared among stores, allowing the master store to do central billing and remote stores to apply use store credits when tendering invoices and take AR payments.

A customer's purchase history is NOT transferred to other stores, but information about what was purchased will be available in each store.

Sales Info - Multi-Store Sales Reports

The master store designates which stores will receive sales information. Daily sales information from each store is transmitted and consolidated in a Daily Sales Summary table. You may scroll through the data or you may print reports for further analysis.

Plexis POS Express is designed for single Register use. Plexis POS Network can operate on Single Computer or a Multi-Register environment. Plexis POS Network can connect multiple Terminals or Registers on your network.

Plexis POS Software are used by: Retail Sales, Fast Food, Restaurants, Liquor Bars, Grocery, Convenience Stores, Liquor Stores, Home Grocery Delivery, Pizza Delivery and More. Delivery and Q.A. (Double Checker) Modules are included. Compatible with Touch Screen, Mouse or Keyboard. Fast, easy installation and setup.

POS Main Features
Touch Screen, Keyboard or Mouse
Bar Code Scanning
Multiple Prepared Food Menu Screens
Multiple Kitchen / Prep Station Printers
Multiple Kitchen Video Displays (KDS)
Timed Menus
Table / Seat Tracking
Lottery Pay Out
Gift Cards
Manufacturer's Coupons
In Store Coupons
Safe Drops
Receive On Account (ROA)
Caller ID (Multi-Line)
Rotating Customer Messages
On Sale Items
Case / Pack Control
Quantity Discounts
Order Hold / Recall
Deliveries
Driver Tracking
Returned Check Register
Paid Outs and No Charge Keys
Sales Territory Commissions
Three Taxes Supported
Integrated Barcode Printing
Integrated Price Label Printing
ASCII Import / Export
Auto Zip Code / Postal Code

QuickBooks POS system allows you to capture and store valuable customer information, making it easier to cater to your best customers, maintain their loyalty, and get their repeat business.

Every retailer knows that it's easier to sell again to a current customer than drum up a new one. That's why it is so important to keep track of the customers that have purchased your goods. And here's where the power of a POS solution can really help your business grow. If you have a means of capturing a customer’s name, mailing address and their e-mail address with their transaction, you can use that information to build stronger customer relationships.

While you may have every intention to maintain and grow a loyal base of customers, you may not know the best approach to do so. And you’re not alone. One of the biggest mistakes many small businesses owners make is failing to stay in touch with customers. And it’s not for lack of trying, but rather for lack of having the right tools to easily capture and store the information.

QuickBooks POS allows you to capture and store vital customer information after every purchase, while a cash register allows you to store only the customer’s money after the sale.

With a powerful point of sale system such as QuickBooks POS, you can also capture data about a customer’s purchase histories and preferences. You can use that customer data later for:

· Special promotions for buyers interested in specific products
· Private sales for your best customers
· E-mail marketing campaigns
· Customer newsletters
· Delivery of coupons for particular products.

Maintaining customer loyalty
Once you start capturing customer information, you can demonstrate that you care about your customers by implementing programs to earn their loyalty.

One sure-fire way to maintain customer loyalty is to customize your price levels. With QuickBooks POS, you can assign different price points for employees, sales promotions, friends, family or other groups that may be important to your business.

Also, the software allows you to assign discount percentages by customer. So whenever that customer makes a purchase, the assigned discount is automatically applied. Again, it’s a foolproof system that takes the work out of the hands of your employees and lets you maintain the control over customer’s pricing automatically.

Also, with QuickBooks Point of Sale you can easily keep track of customer special orders and layaways. By extending layaway credit, you can let your loyal customers pay over time for high-ticket items. And you can stay on top of special orders and track products that are on back-order. This high level of customer service will be rewarded by repeat business from your top customers.

Finally, by using POS to capture customer data, you can focus your promotions on profitable customers. Too often, small retailers with limited budgets engage in poorly targeted promotions that bring in only a few customers. As a result, the return on investment for the promotion isn’t profitable, because it cost you too much to reach each customer.
A smart retailer will use the data stored in the QuickBooks POS system to focus promotional plans on top prospects. If you chart purchasing behavior among your customers, you can target your marketing to those customers or prospects that are most likely to purchase your promotional items. This is a fail-safe way to help boost profits and increase customer loyalty.

Positive Retail Manager