Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/379477
38 Beverage Dynamics • September/October 2014 www.beveragedynamics.com Painless Point of Sale timecard system (and making it impossible for anyone to steal some- one else's password). Keystroke also integrates with Cork Liquors' security system, so you can view security video in sync with cashier transactions to make sure everything matches up. Mike King, owner of CCR, says that one of the reasons his com- pany specializes in Keystroke is because it offers such great security features. Not only does the POS offer an enhanced timecard system, but it can also help eliminate product loss. "The issues that face liquor store owners are numerous, and unfortunately store owners have a constant battle with employee theft," King acknowledges. "A lot of what Keystroke does is fo- cused on inventory management - helping the retailer get and keep what's theirs." Additional Keystroke security features include a drawer compulsion feature, which forces a system shutdown any time a drawer is opened: the POS won't begin functioning again until the drawer is closed. A specialized linking system allows stores to easily break cases into different selling packages that are linked back to the origi- nal case inventory, resulting in more accu- rate operations processes. Other features of the system include digital signage. Cork Liquors installed 12-inch monitors so that both cashiers and customers can easily see every item in a sale totaled up on screen, instead of just one item at a time. Additional room on the screen allows retailers to show- case other products and special offers to consumers. A scripting feature offers suggested items to the cashier based on the items that they are currently ringing up for customers. "With the script, your cashiers can offer supplemental items to customers, such as a tub of ice for multiple cases of beer. That way the cashier instantly knows to suggest the item without having to remember it," King explains. Keystroke pricing is based upon the hardware itself and the nec- essary software a retailer chooses to install. There is an additional charge for extra registers. No ongoing contract is required. Systems Technology Group (STG) is another POS vendor that focuses closely on security, encryption, and support. STG is a versatile system that offers customization, modernization, and some of the strongest security features available. The company has experience working with retailers and organizations of all sizes: STG can be implemented in large facilities such as stadiums and arena, across large retail chains, and also at smaller indepen- dent retail operations. Set up with Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE), STG's POS as- sures that no customer data is ever stored by the retailer or transmit- ted during a transaction, virtually eliminating the retailer from any potential PCI compliance risks. The company partners with Shift4, a leading payment solution gateway, on its security features. "Retailers are paying very close attention to PCI and security in general," states Jeff Davis, Project Manager with STG. "It's prob- ably the most important feature that any business owner should start with when investigating a new POS system. STG is unique because we offer a top of the line secured system that's also ex- tremely customizable." STG partners with Microsoft to offer a seamless user expe- rience with the same familiar look and feel of other Microsoft products. Additional features include an age verifi cation tool and 24/7 support. Davis says that STG's commitment to the system implemen- tation process makes transitioning to a new POS a relatively seamless process for retailers. At the start of a new contract, STG performs a comprehensive needs analysis with the retailer in order to get a thorough understanding of the way the business operates and what its specifi c needs are. Detailed project planning, software set-up, and training result in a smooth transition when the "go live date" fi nally arrives. "If proper preparation is carried out, go live is a non-event because we have taken all the steps needed to prepare ev- eryone for it in advance," Davis says. "Of course, STG supports the retailer during every step of the transition process." Pricing for STG POS systems is de- termined by a number of factors and is assessed after an individual consultation. Finally, remember to consider data back-up as part of your security and support needs. If something happens to one of your computer terminals or registers, will you be able to access your old data? That won't be a problem for Wolf Track Software customers. Their Li- quor POS has been focused on the bev- erage industry for more than 20 years. Although the company is a SAS pro- vider, the software isn't housed online: it can be downloaded to retailers' own machines. And if anything happens to those machines, Wolf Track Software is ready to assist. "Our main selling point is that we make sure that we keep work- ing for our customers, and we make sure they can keep on working, no matter what happens," assures Chris Kindred, a Developer with Wolf Track Software. "If anything happens, such as an employee spill- ing coffee all over one of your local computers, call us and we can get them back up and running within a matter of minutes; no data will be lost." Wolf Track Software is available for $35 per month, per regis- ter. The off-site database backup feature costs an additional $20 per month, per store. PARTING THOUGHTS With so many POS options to choose from, retailers should take some time determining what their primary business needs are. There's no one-size-fi ts-all POS option: every system and business is different. Interview multiple vendors to fi nd the right one that works for you. Systems Technology Group (STG) is another POS vendor that focuses closely on security, encryption, and support.