Wireless Point Of Sale And Mobile Marketing Increases Business Profits April 29, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedUntil recently, restaurant and hospitality owners were wary of adopting wireless POS systems for their establishments. Issues such a cost, ease of use and a general uncertainty about new technology caused them to take pause. Nowadays, however, with the popularity of PDA’s, Blackberries, cell phones and the like, mobile technology and wireless mobile computing has become main stream, and hospitality providers are taking a second look.
In a high cost and competitive market, it’s no wonder that those in the hospitality industry want technology to help them increase revenues. But how can a wireless POS device help them achieve this?
Wireless mobile computing can help in many ways. One such instance is by eliminating the need for staff to line up at a specific POS terminal to place orders. By utilizing mobile technology, serving staff are more productive since time spent during the order taking process is decreased. Wireless mobile computing also allows serving staff to place orders instantly, and then go directly to the next table, thereby increasing table turns. And because serving staff are more productive, significant savings can be seen through decreased labor costs.
Another drawback to stationary POS terminals is that serving staff usually place a number of orders at once to the kitchen, overwhelming kitchen staff. Placing orders tableside eliminates this problem, as orders are more evenly spaced.
One important benefit to also consider with a wireless POS solution is that by placing orders directly at the table, order taking is more accurate and less food is wasted. This directly translates into decreased food costs. Also, serving staff can spend more time with customers, which significantly increases up-sell opportunities.
Utilizing wireless mobile computing in a hospitality environment also allows restaurateurs to approach staffing in a more cost effective and efficient way. Instead of scheduling a large number of serving staff who are responsible for all the order taking and food delivery, a wireless POS solution allows restaurant owners the opportunity to hire just a few skilled staff, give them larger sections, and make their primary focus greeting customers, taking orders and up selling. Non-serving staff can then be hired (at significant payroll savings) to dispatch food and clean sections. When serving staff are able to remain on the floor, the result is superior customer service and again increased sales through up selling and faster table turns.
One company, Volante POS Systems of Toronto, Canada has come along and revolutionized the wireless POS industry in a creative and innovative way. By using PC notebooks (not much bigger then a handheld) the entire POS software is loaded on the unit and it runs as a terminal with peer to peer, data synching etc. PDA’s don’t work in this manner- they require writing to the unit (in other words, new code, separate product) plus they’re not robust enough for Food and beverage. Volante has evolved its software into the peer to peer architecture, and now POS software can be loaded onto a small wireless notebook with amazing results. The technology is revolutionary - nobody else can do what Volante is doing.
This approach can work exceptionally well in venues that aren’t traditional table side establishments, such as stadiums, trade shows, casinos, arenas, race tracks and outdoor sales areas (such as rooftop patios for instance) where conventional POS terminals aren’t practical nor feasible.
Wireless mobile computing from Volante offers even more important and innovative features. For instance, the menus on the notebook or handhelds are the exact same menus as on the traditional register. The databases are in sync with one another. You don’t have to program them separately; they’re an extension of the host computer. This approach is less expensive because it doesn’t require separate servers for handhelds and traditional registers. And because Volante POS software is written in pure Java, its real time as well.
Another company, Double Diamond Group, is more of a payments industry consultant and offers a range of services including strategic consulting, project execution and business development, targeting companies across the electronic payments spectrum.
For more information on mobile payments consulting and how wireless POS technology and wireless mobile computing can help your business increase profits and productivity, visit Double Diamond Group.
Wireless POS solutions truly allow Hospitality leaders to enter the 21st century, while also giving them an extra edge in a fiercely competitive industry.
USA - Italy International Shipping Company April 29, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedHere is some information about how an international shipping company can help customers to ship cars, motorcycles, boats, trucks, travel trailers and other vehicles from America to Italy:
One of the largest destination port for container consignments is Genoa, Italy. The cheapest process of shipping automobiles from USA to Italy is via established ongoing traffic of shipments which permits shippers to provide car consolidation services. What this implies for a customer is that he/she may save on global automobile transport charges. Customers do not need to pay up for the entire container - just for one spot inside the container. The transportation price is “shared” amid all clients and that’s the ground this service is frequently named “shared container” service in international car shipping.
You can find shared container shipping to Italy from most ports in the USA: Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, Norfolk and New York. Inland pick up can be arranged from any location in USA via car haulers. Autos ca alsobe sent to other ports in Italy with full container service: Venice, Livorno, La Spezia, Naples, Palermo, and others.
It’s important to hold a beneficial relationship with an agency in Italy that unloads the motorcars from the containers and can serve buyers with Customs clearance, vehicle registration and deliveries to other cities.
More large-scale cargo such as boats, commercial trucks, travel trailers, motor homes could be transported from USA to Italy using Roll-on Roll-off service. A few of the landing ports in Italy for this kind of shipping are Savona, Genoa, Livorno, Civitavecchia and Salerno.
Hundreds of auto enthusiasts in Italy are discovering their dream vehicles on eBay motors in USA, carry off the deals with the sellers and require transportation to Italy. Some international shipping companies even have pages on the websites written in Italian to help buyers to fully understand the shipping process.
The Case For Alternative Forms of Energy April 28, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedRecord high prices at American gas pumps and continued global strife in the Middle East, Russia, Nigeria, and other areas of importance to the oil-driven economy have made it clear to Americans that we are in need of developing many new avenues of alternative energy. In short, we need to reduce our dependency on oil, for it is ultimately finite and, frankly, the cheap sources of oil (not all oil—just the stuff that is cheap to remove from the earth) are running out.
Energy consultants and analysts are insistent that cheap oil has “peaked” or is very soon going to peak. What this means for us is an expensive future—unless we can find new sources of powering our mechanized and electronic civilization. In other words, we need alternative energy ideas.
We must also switch to alternative forms of energy because our present forms are too damaging to the atmosphere. While it is still debatable that the global warming trend is sustained by the activities of mankind, we certainly do contribute at present to the destruction of the environment and to things like air pollution with our energy sources as they are.
Coal is another source of energy that we need to wean ourselves off of — again, it is finite, and it is filthy, and the mining of it is dangerous and environmentally disruptive. We can also explore new streamlined methods for producing electricity that we presently generate so much of via hydro-power so that we are less disruptive of the environment when we have need of constructing things such as large dams.
Developing nations which have turned industrialized in recent decades especially will need the benefits of alternative energy research and development, for they are presently doing much more environmental damage than the United States. The United States, Japan, and some European nations have been implementing studies into and programs for the development of alternative energy sources, and are therefore already leading the way in doing less environmental damage.
Developing nations such as China and India need to look to Japan and the West as examples of what research and development to give government backing and private investment currency to. We could also add great robustness to our own economy by being at the forefront of such alternative energy sources development and then marketing the technologies and services to nations like India, China, and Brazil..
Biofuels from things like “supertrees” and soybeans, refined hydroelectric technology, natural gas, hydrogen fuel cells, the further building of atomic energy plants, the continued development of solar energy photovoltaic cells, more research into wind-harnessed power—all of these are viable energy sources that can act as alternatives to the mammoth amounts of oil and coal that we presently are so dependent on for our very lifestyles. The energy of the future is green.
Searching for alternative ways to save money on Communications Services. April 28, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedWith global markets falling to their knees, along with all of the other economic issues facing the world recently, you need to come up with creative ways to save money.
Something we can all save money on, that gets overlooked alot, is communications products.
One example of this would be, long distance telephone service. I know we all think we have cheap long distance, but most people are still using one of the big long distance services, like Sprint. If that is the case, you are paying more than you have to. The big phone companies still charge more than the smaller providers that resell the same service.
Another way to save on phone calls is to use a cheap voip service. I’m sure you have all heard of Vonage. Well there are all kinds of voip providers around. Some offer unlimited calling plans from $9.95 per month.
Another service you can save on every month is high speed internet service. You need to be careful when you get high speed internet service. First, check to see if the price you are paying is a promotional rate. You may pay less to start with, but once they get you into a contract, you’re stuck. That is the next thing you need to check into, the length of the contract. Some service compaines require a two year contract. Find internet service providers in my area.
These are just a few of the great services you can save money on every month. So go find them and start saving.
Get Real Cash for Online Surveys! April 27, 2009
Posted by Pat in : nothing in particular , comments closedIncrease your income by participating in legitimate paid surveys!
Most ways to make money on the Internet require some special skills and training and some technical skills in order to get started. Many require a substantial investment in websites, domain names and specialized contractors. There are exceptions, like participating in paid marketing research and taking surveys for cash.
The reason that this is possible is because large companies absolutely must know what consumers, especially the consumers that buy THEIR products or services, are thinking. Most such companies never come into direct contact with the people that ultimately buy what they are selling.
And the MUST KNOW what consumers think and prefer. They have to know this to design new products, improve old products and know which advertising campaigns are working and which are not!
There is real money in this. Just one market research company, Greenfield Online, paid out over $2 million in 2007 and closer to $4 million in 2008! Payment is by checks in the mail or deposits directly in your Paypal account. It’s fast and easy. All you have to do is give your honest opinion…
That’s how to actually get paid to fill out surveys and make significant money at it!
You might want to look into taking surveys that pay and start getting YOUR checks in the mail or deposits into your PayPal account!
More info? Just click on any link in this blog post, then follow the navigation menu. Join us and come on in, the water’s fine!
– Howard Furston