Little Known Retail Feature

For those of you that have the retail control system in SP-1, did you know that you can assign those items to buttons? For instance. . . Let's say that you sell gelato or ice cream by the ounce or pound or coffee. Well, it's a little difficult to barcode that! So, instead of remembering a complicated sku number or code assign it to a button in order entry! This is a really easy and convenient way to pull up and sell retail items without a barcode. The way this works is by assigning the retail item to the menu group. Since it shows up as a menu group, it is always on the main screen. It's as great way to access a very commonly used retail item. To set this up, simply create the retail item and then create a menu group with the name *retail*upccode (replace upc code with the actual code). Then when you select this button it pulls up that item immediately. While we are on this, don't forget that we offer the ability to not only barcode items for use with a scanner but that we can actually print the customized barcodes for you through a dedicated barcode printer. This allows you to print the barcodes as you receive the retail into the store. Contact us at: SelbySoft Mike@SelbySoft.com 800-454-4434 Sales@SelbySoft.com WWW.SelbySoft.com 8326 Woodland Ave. E Puyallup Wa 98371

Accounts In SP-1

Do you ever bill customers for product? If so, did you know that SP-1 has an extensive billing system built into the software. Last week I was talking to a customer that did not know we did this! So. . . . In SP-1 you can specify per customer if they are allowed to run an account tab. Once this is selected, you will have an account payment button and an account charge button appear. If you are near a number of businesses, schools etc - this can be a great method of picking up more business. Setup the account so that when that business orders, you can just bill them! Once someone orders and you are on the ticket complete screen, simply hit account button to add the total to their account bill. SP-1 will track this for you. One suggestion: In the remarks, enter the ticket number / name of the person running the account. This makes it easier to answer the account billing questions. Now the business owes you money. The next step in this is the run the billing report and billing cycle. In the reports, you will see all the options for this. SP-1 will even run a bill that can be printed and then folded and put in a windowed envelope. This makes life easier as far as sending the bills. Once the check comes in, look up the customer and select the account payment button. Apply the payment and you are done! Hopefully this brief introduction to accounts helps you understand how to use this to capture some of more of your customers business. While these factories and schools like to place big orders, we also know that the accountant and bookkeepers at these places like easy billing systems! Contact us at: SelbySoft Mike Spence 800-454-4434 Sales@SelbySoft.com WWW.SelbySoft.com 8326 Woodland Ave. E Puyallup Wa 98371

Gift Card Promotion and Marketing

A little different topic this time on the blog. Recently we have seen a big upswing in people that are asking about how to use SP-1 to help drive more business through the store. Part of this is through the strong gift card program and with the holidays around the corner it's time to start thinking about this. Are you using gift cards? If not, you are missing out on one of the best ways to increase sales and cash flow. Also, if you are using them, let's make sure it's not by just plopping them on the counter and expecting them to sell themselves! First let's define what we are talking about. . . A plastic card (with no swipe fees or monthly fees when used with SP-1) that can be used in different ways: 1) Traditional gift - I buy it and give it away. 2) Prepaid - I buy and continue to keep it charged for my own use. 3) Rewards - The same card can be used to keep a buy 10 get 1 free or other promotion. 4) Customer Discount card - When the card is used a discount is automatically applied. This is ALL the same card. So first, this card is a great marketing opportunity for you - it's a "billboard" in the customers pocket. So what can be done with these to help you make more money? Let's skip the usual arguments (although they are valid) about how people spend more with a gift card than cash and what percent of cards are lost. We know that the gift cards are a good idea - the question is how to move them. Here are some ideas that we have had over the years to move gift cards and boost sales. 1) Instant gratification: "Hi, would you like that drink free?" or "Would you like to have that sandwich / pizza 1/2 off?"; "would you like some free breadsticks with that order?". Once the customer answers yes - tell them they only need to buy a $25 gift card for that. The little chain store that cuts my hair has a deal that if I buy a $50 gift card I get a free haircut - I do it every couple months.

2) This one is a little obvious but I'll mention it anyway: Buy a $25 gift card and pay only $20!

3) Friend cards: Give your employees or even customers small dollar amount gift cards to use as a promotion. They could be $1 -$3 each. Tell them this is to hand out to their Friends.

4) Discount or VIP Cards: Purchase a large enough gift card and receive a discount for the rest of the year. This discount could be worked many ways - only on certain days, certain items, certain order types etc. If someone buys a $100 / $250 / $500 gift card is it worth a 10% / 20% discount?

5) Traditional rewards system: Buy 10 get 1 free.

6) Non-Traditional rewards: Every dollar you spend you get a point. Once you accumulate enough points, you get free or discounted product. I.E. at 50 points you get 25% off next order or a free appetizer / pastry.

So there you are - a half dozen ways to start off the marketing kick on gift and loyalty cards. There are more! If you have a great idea on this - let me know and I'll spread the word.

Contact us at: SelbySoft Mike Spence 800-454-4434 Sales@SelbySoft.com WWW.SelbySoft.com 8326 Woodland Ave. E Puyallup Wa 98371

Audit Tracking

Theft - It's a fact that it happens in your store. It happens in everyones store. Over the years I have seen a ton of methods that employees and managers will use to steal / give away product. Recently in Washington State a fine dining restaurant found out that an employee was using a managers code to void cash transactions. This employee wound up stealing over $30,000 over three years through this method. Think about that - $30k. Now, even if it is only $1k that is still unacceptable! So, this brings us to the question of audit tracking. Are you using your balance till, employee summary, business summay and audit reports? If not, you should be. These are the best ways to see the 'red flags' that we all know about and to catch what is happening. Remember that we show re-opened tickets on the Balance Till - this shows which tickets have been re-opened and which code was used. A good start as to what is going on. Employee Summary - Run this periodically over a timeframe. This will show voids by employee. If one employee has a larger percent of voids as opposed to another then there is something going on. Either that person needs re-training or they are doing something funny. Business summary - each and every day, look at the total number of voids and edited voids. This will show you a total dollar amount that you will be responsible for. Audit reports - This is the absolute best report to run. Remember that this report is not stored inside SP-1 so it is not accessible to the normal employee. This will show you every ticket that has been changed or voided along with who did it, when it was done etc. Please take a look at these on a regular basis! This does not have to be a 'negative' topic - it's just about protecting yourself! Don't hesitate to contact me or our support guys for more information! Contact us at: SelbySoft Mike Spence 800-454-4434 Sales@SelbySoft.com WWW.SelbySoft.com 8326 Woodland Ave. E Puyallup Wa 98371