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October 2011 |
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EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS |
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Is Your Restaurant Ready for an Emergency?
Emergency preparedness is crucial for any business, as we all hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
The National Restaurant Association encourages restaurants to be prepared in the event of a weather or other emergency.
Click here for a list of helpful tips every restaurant can use. | | |
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SOCIAL MEDIA | | |
New Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI) Launched by Nation's Restaurant News
If you thought there was any question about the importance of social media in the hospitality space, there is now an actual index that measures it.
Nation's Restaurant News has just announced the RSMI to help measure social media, digital content, and brand development. By analyzing activity across Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Google, over 600 restaurants brands, operators will now be able to use the new index to measure effectiveness of their social media initiatives.
Over 23 million consumers, thousands of keywords, menu items, and restaurant terms will be used in a unique algorithm to create the index.
Click here to learn more. | |
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DIGITAL MARKETING
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Tips for Restaurants in a
Digital World
Digital marketing is a great tool for restaurants but only if they follow the rules. Restaurants need to protect themselves and their customers in key areas in order to stay out of trouble with the Federal Trade Commission.
The rules are designed to protect consumers and have a lot to do with protecting privacy. For the restaurant operator, this means that careful attention must be paid to your "privacy policy". For example, while you must protect consumer data it would be unwise to promise you will "never" share data. Data might need to be shared in the event of an investigation or if you sold your restaurant. Law requires publishing a privacy policy.
Terms of use are another area restaurants must consider when using web sites or social media. Registration should be "blocked" until a customer checks acceptance and any disputes should be settled through arbitration.
For the full article, click here.
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| ALWAYS HIRE AN INDUSTRY CERTIFIED DEALER | | |
NRA Recommends the
RSPA Certification Program
 The RSPA Certification Program, which began in 2009 by the Retail Solutions Providers Association, identifies companies in the retail technology industry who provide exceptional levels of competence and performance in a professional manner. The National Restaurant Association has lent its endorsement of hiring an RSPA Certified Point-of-Sale provider who meets the high standards of support, sales and technical service.
Certification not only benefits the people and businesses that are RSPA Certified, but also benefits the industry as a whole. Certification offers assurance to the public. Merchants or other end-users know that when they purchase a product or service from an RSPA Certified reseller, they are entering into a relationship built on trust, integrity, and competency.
DCRS wants to be trusted as your expert resource for your business technology. We are proud to display the RSPA Certified logo and uphold the standards expected by the POS and hospitality industry.
CLICK HERE for our entire listing of Certifications, including A+, Network+, Microsoft, SonicWall, and MICROS Service Certifications.
No other POS Vendor in
St. Louis has our level of Certification, Training and
People investment! | |
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FEEDBACK PLEASE!
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The Z Report is looking for comments, ideas, and suggestions about how we can help YOU, our customer, better utilize your technology.
Please contact us as often as you'd like at dcrsnews@dcrs.com.
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Between natural disasters and man-made ones, it has not gotten any easier to run a restaurant today.
Earthquakes, hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes and fires have tested our "preparedness" while we are still facing other issues--including the economy and data security that impact our businesses.
Staying ahead of disasters should be a shared responsibility. When it comes to your technology, we can help you and your staff to be prepared in the event of unforeseen events that might impact your operation. Power outages, thunderstorms, and water damage can have a tremendous impact when it comes to protecting your POS system.
We offer a whole range of solutions that will help protect your data and system when there are issues. The cost of keeping your system protected is far less than trying to recover without it. Backing up data and maintaining proper security is essential--but it does not have to be complicated.
Our company is in business to protect yours. Guarding your revenue, profits, and data is our job. Call us today to find out all the new ways we can help keep your business safe and secure.
Sincerely,
Steve
Steve Kramer
DCRS Solutions
dcrsnews@dcrs.com
800-231-0166 314-739-6666
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MICROS OFFERS DIGITAL SIGNAGE & MENU BOARDS
One of the latest tools to emerge in the quick-service market is digital signage, systems utilized as menu and marketing boards. Conveying messages to consumers via digital signage has become increasingly practical and cost-effective. The ability to quickly distribute and measure the effectiveness of those messages becomes even more valuable as you target and update campaigns by time, location, and demographic.
A fully integrated feature of the MICROS RES 3700 point-of-sale (POS) system, this novel technology displays menus while simultaneously drawing customers' attention to other information, like current store promotions. While the quick-service market becomes increasingly aware of the benefits of digital versus traditional menu boards, restaurant owners seek a solid solution that will improve operations and boost customer experience. Even TABLE SERVICE users can benefit--using Digital Signage for marketing messages.
Typically sold as an added module or an interfaced product, MICROS includes the Digital Signage functionality as a core feature in its RES 3700 POS solution. So when you're ready to deploy this innovative technology for your business, MICROS is ready with Digital Signage & Menu Boards.
For more information about Digital Signage, Menu Boards and other MICROS products, contact:
Matt Kramer
Matt Patterson
Justin Wells
DCRS Solutions
dcrsnews@dcrs.com
314-739-6666 or 800-231-0166
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QR Codes Gain Foothold in Hospitality
 Restaurants are starting to use QR codes to reach customers. This unique code allows those with camera phones to access coupons, Facebook, or web sites. From Boudin Bakery to Taco Bell, operators are using codes for promotions.
According to ComScore over 14 million people scanned codes in June 2011. What is even more amazing is that 1 in 13 scanned codes while in a restaurant. While 58% of people scanned from home, another 39% scanned in a retail store, and 24% in a grocery store.
Most of the people who scanned were male (60%) and the majority (53%) were between the ages of 18-34. About one out of three had household incomes over $100,000. The most popular QR codes were scanned from magazines and newspapers (49%) followed by product packaging (34%), websites (27%), fliers, business cards, storefronts, or TV screens.
To read more about the power of QR codes, click here.
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Not PCI Compliant Yet?
Your Business is AT RISK!
 There are inherent risks in running a business. One that consistently plagues merchants is the risk of customers' credit card data falling into the wrong hands. What should you do? Be Proactive!
You need to take the appropriate steps to insure that your business is PCI and PA-DSS compliant. PCI (Payment Card Industry) and PA-DSS (Payment Application Data Security Standard) are designed to provide you with the information and technical standards needed to mitigate the risks associated with storing, processing and transmitting your customers' credit and debit card data. The thing to remember is that you are "contractually" responsible to make sure the data is secure while in your possession. Are you at Risk? Are you ready?
Contact DCRS to find out if your business is PCI-Healthy!.
Don't take risks, click here to learn more.
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Restaurants and Merchants Fight For Fair PCI Standards
 Although often confused as law, PCI requirements are simply comprised of a set of constantly changing standards designed to protect the card companies. No one is against data security, however, when the develper of the payment system transfers liability for data security to the users (i.e. restaurant) rather than insuring security themselves, serious issues arise.
Unfortunately, numerous merchants have had to shut their doors as a result of an alleged, yet unproven, security breach. When this is the case, it is evident that the system is unfair.
A well-known example of the payment industry problems is the saga of Cisero's, a family owned restaurant in Park City, Utah. The acquiring bank wrongfully confiscated funds from their account, charged harsh penalties and fines based on an alleged data security breach--without any proof that such a breach occurred or that any fraud losses actually resulted.
Events like this can easily happen to you if you are not protected. Visit www.pcifairness.org to read the whole story. If you have ever faced or feared a claim based upon a PCI breach, this is your opportunity fo collectively support litigation challenging the system. The industry is coming together in an attempt to create policies that are fair for all parties. Please consider lending your support to this cause, as DCRS Solutions has. Together, we can bring fairness to the payment industry.
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