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Welcome to Our New
Fargodome - Fargo, ND
Fat Willy's - Rochester, MN
Cow Camp - Worland, WY
Dottie's Hometown Cafe
Grand Rapids, MN
KFC - Bemidji, MN
Skal's - Vergas, MN
Marlins - Fargo, ND
Sky Dine - Fargo, ND
Vista Inn - Fargo, ND
Sugar Daddy's
N. Sioux City, SD
Anchor's Away - Aberdeen, SD
Lakewood Supper Club
Ortonville, MN
Los Ocampo - St. Paul, MN
Acadia Cafe - Minneapolis, MN
The Red Sea - Minneapolis, MN
Rafters - Stillwater, MN
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INCREASE SALES
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Looking to increase sales through existing customers? Contact us today about adding a loyalty program to your MICROS POS solution.
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Contact Us For More Information
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TAX TIP:
Employee Meals
Is your restaurant properly treating the value of meals furnished to employees before, during, and after work hours? Generally meals provided during working hours, for the convenience of the employer, are not considered taxable gross income to the employee and are 100 percent deductible by the employer.
To read more tax tips, click here. |
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| SOCIAL MEDIA |
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Restaurants Rely on Marketing with Facebook
A recent survey of 8500 small business owners in the US shows that social media has become the go-to marketing tool for many businesses, including restaurants. Results indicate that Facebook is the most widely used marketing tool among the respondents, surpassing Google advertising and listings.
To read the full article, click here. | |
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WHAT INTERESTS YOU?
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The Z Report is looking for your ideas and suggestions for future issues.
If you have an idea and want to share it, contact us at:
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Unified Threat Management
A complete network
security solution
Virus, spyware prevention
Content filtering
ViewPoint reporting software
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CUSTOM GIFT CARDS
Order Your Custom Gift Cards Today!
Contact:
Melissa Dreyer
888-505-0544
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Loss Prevention
Solutions
Reduce employee theft
Reduce liability for accidents, slip-and-falls
Reduce vendor fraud
Increase efficiency in video investigations
Increase productivity of employees
Increase accountability of customer service
Make business decisions based on facts, not assumptions
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Greetings!
The economy is showing signs of recovery and restaurant sales are starting to rebound, although in many parts of the country weather was a factor this winter. Of course, it's too early to celebrate but there is strong evidence that the hospitality industry is on an upswing. We recognize our role is to help all of our clients manage their operations, regardless of what part of the economic cycle we are in. Helping you to increase revenue and profitability, reduce costs, and improve market share is our job. Technology is a great tool, but only if it is used effectively. Our company wants to make your job easier. In order to understand your current challenges and potential for improvement, we want to spend time talking to you. It is time well spent and we won't waste it. There are so many new ways to improve your business, drive new sales, and keep customers coming back. We can create better results for your business...all it takes to get started is a meeting to uncover the opportunities. We will take the time, share ideas, and listen to yours. Call us today to schedule a meeting...we're here to help. |
Dean Crotty, President
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Restaurant Performance Index Remains Strong Despite Challenging Winter Weather
|  The NRA Restaurant Performance Index for January, 2011, was still high but down slightly because of extreme weather in various parts of the country. The index was 100.2 which represented a small decrease but the level signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators. "Overall, the economic fundamentals of the restaurant industry remain positive, which will likely lead to stronger sales and traffic levels in the months ahead," according to Hudson Riehl, Senior Vice President of the NRA. According to the most recent survey, 47% of restaurants expect same-store sales to increase in the next six months while only 14% expect a decline. The Expectations Index also remained over 100 for sales, employee levels, capital expenditures and business conditions although down slightly from the December results. Watch the video which describes the entire report. |
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Starbucks Rolls Out MICROS Technology in over 6700 Stores in the US, Canada and the UK
POS Software Enables Cashless Transactions from Your Phone
 Starbucks has completed installation of Simphony, a MICROS POS solution, in 6700 stores in the US, Canada and the UK. The new solution gives stores the internal controls as well as management the tools they need to help maximize revenues and reduce costs.
The solution also includes the Starbucks loyalty and cashless options that provide customers a unique smartphone app that they can use in lieu of cash. By merely "flashing" a unique bar code on their phone, Starbucks customers can pay for coffee and food while earning rewards.
Our staff can help you to also implement new solutions that increase frequency and even create a cashless environment. Contact us to learn more.
To read the entire press release, click here.
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What is your digital strategy?
 The future is here. Social media and mobile technology are the new word of mouth and the internet is a relatively low cost marketing outlet compared to other types of mainstream media advertising like radio, TV and print. The digital world evens out the playing field for small restaurants and large chains, both whom can and do find success in cyberspace.
A digital strategy is an essential part of every restaurant's marketing plan. Your digital plan should be integrated in your year-round marketing campaigns and a key part of any and all communications.
Your brand should be represented in every major platform especially Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Quoria, FourSquare, and Yelp. Keep a finger on the fast changes in technology so you can jump on new platforms as they gain popularity.
Mobile positioning is as important as the overall digital plan since consumers now actively rely on their mobile devices for locations, reviews, menus and ordering. If you have not already implemented a mobile marketing plan, it's time to get started.
Best of all, measuring the success of a digital strategy is easy to do with the help of your POS system. Coupons, specials offers and repeat customers can be tracked through various POS reports.
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Contact us to find out how to effectively track and measure your efforts!
| | Steve Halverson
888-505-0540
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Cybercriminals Targeting Point-of-Sale Devices  How secure are your POS systems and credit card processing devices? Most security breaches of sensitive payment card data involve POS systems as they are easy targets for cybercriminals. Often times, these criminals target POS payment processing devices because of lax security controls, especially among small businesses.
Just as restaurateurs work to keep their own sensitive data safe, they should also have a system to protect the credit card numbers of their patrons. Sophisticated thieves know that many POS systems swipe the full magnetic strip on a credit card, and they have ways to steal that information easily, even if it is encrypted. Make sure you are aware of any weaknesses in your system security and take appropriate measures to fix them. We're here to help in this area if you have any concerns. Contact us today!
To read the article, click here. There is a lot of buzz on this topic, so for another article about cybercrime and small business, click here. | |
New Social Media Tool: SocialGrub
 SocialGrub allows restaurants to create coupons, instant offers, discounts, and other promotions once and then automatically distribute them through their own branded Facebook and MySpace applications, as well as on Twitter and other micro-blogging sites and through widgets.
By harnessing the power of the Internet and utilizing social networking resources such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and widgets, restaurants and retailers will be able to more effectively market and promote their businesses online through a broad range of social media marketing channels.
SocialGrub supports the targeting, scheduling, syndication and tracking of all offers created on the system.
To learn more about SocialGrub, check out their website at www.socialgrub.com.
Contact us to learn more about ways to build a marketing initiative that works!
| | Steve Halverson
888-505-0540
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