Sunday 13 September 2015

Security Safes: Are You Making The Right Business Choice?

Cash Management can significantly impact the time and labor invested in a business. In order to make cash handling easy and keep the cash or other valuables secure, new age smart security safes are the solution of choice. Though some of the safe manufacturing and services companies  go a step further in their service provision --  to actually help you evaluate your current processes and solutions with a view to determine the best security safe for your business -- it is always a good idea to be proactive and get some unbiased security safe buying tips on your own.

Here are some factors that will help you determine which safe is best suited for your business requirements.

1. Volume of Cash or Valuables Involved 
Depending on the volumes of cash that a security safe has  to store or dispense, there is a broad range of safes available in the market. The safe sizes vary, from the ones that handle  a few hundred dollars to top-end options that are used in high cash volumes locations. (Example - the Casinos in Las Vegas). It is therefore, recommended that you go through your cash flow statements to determine the exact requirement for your cash handling.

2. Type of protection required
All safes are required to maintain certain security standards, such as burglary resistance, fireproofing, and  others. Apart from this,  insurance companies also provide coverage to the safes with specific minimum safe ratings only. Depending upon the nature of the valuables that need safekeeping, you will be able to determine the type of safe and degree of protection you need. For example, if you have non-negotiable paper documents to store, a fireproof safe is what you need. However, for the purpose of securing bullion, coins or jewelry, a burglary resistant safe is what you need.

3. Space for Installation 
The space that is available for installation is another determinant that should never be missed at the time of purchasing a safe. One very important points that you must be aware of while determining the size of the safe you require, is the fact that there may be a considerable variation between internal and the external dimensions. Therefore, you must measure the space that is available before you go ahead to order a safe.
 
4. Number of Currency Detectors needed
Also known as bill validators or currency validators, their job is to determine if the bills or coins are genuine or not. The number of validators you require would in turn depend on 3 factors.
  • Capacity
If the volume of cash to be managed is huge then you require more validators, but the number of validators you can actually install in the safe depends on the capacity of the safe.
  • Redundancy  
Installing extra validators that can be used in times of emergency is a great idea. They are handy in case of failure or breakdown of one or more validators .
  • Acceptance Rate
To be able to accept more currency notes in a short time period, either the acceptance rate should be very high or you may have to increase the number of validators to alternate your deposits between the available validators.

Word of advice
Price is obviously a major determinant in choosing the right safe. However, instead of looking for a cheap safe, you must look for one that is cost effective. In other words, the best security safe for your business is not the one that is cheap but one that is cost effective, and suits your business needs.

Thursday 10 September 2015

Retail Management Tips to Streamline Your Business Operation

Managing any form of retail business is an arduous task in this competitive age, especially if it deals face to face with an endless list of consumers daily. Even the most competent and diligent organizations trip up in this business-genre, causing some serious damages to their revenue. There are ways, however, to increase customer acquisition, lower costs and enhance overall business performance. Better known as ‘focus points’, let us sight a few tips in this direction cardinal to streamline your business.

Understand Your Customers
How quickly your business reacts and responses to your customers is what determines its true success. This involves understanding customer behaviour and bending your business as per their needs. What you are offering to your customers may be working now, but strategic goals thrive on how much your business is capable of maneuvering itself as per changing trends. It is its flexibility and willingness to change that is most required for both its sustenance and succession. 

Increase Customer Acquisition through Fast Solutions
Every successful business story is different, but few elements remain common everywhere. In this fast paced life, consumers do not want to wait for long; therefore, when possible, provide them with quick solutions. Be it the installation of smart safes and cash registers at your retail store to streamline your cash management process or a debit/credit reader for fast transactions, think of ways that compel your consumers to like your business. 

Study Your Competition
Analyzing your competition is not a choice these days; you must know about your rivals’ strategies, success stories, offers, promotions, and everything there is to know about them. Risk evaluation includes finding out businesses that are making the maximum profits and pose you the greatest degree of threat; it is one of most important strategies for people looking to skyrocket their business. Remember, competitor research helps you know more about the business you are up against, and lays the foundation for devising further strategic plans. 

Employ Quality Staff
Be it a call center or an auto dealership, your employees are a reflection of your business. No wonder you want this workforce to be skillful and powerful enough to create that everlasting impression about your brand. Hiring the right personnel for retail businesses becomes even more important, as they interact face-to-face with a number of consumers on a daily basis. It is, however, equally important to provide them with quality training to ensure that they maintain the required standards and continue to deliver what is required out of them.

Be Prepared for Challenges
Any form of retailing presents a number of challenges that often come like uninvited guests. Regular market research to develop a better understanding of consumer behaviour, their motivations and attitudes, therefore, stands crucial. At the same time, you should not worry when confronted with too many challenges at once, rather focus on one issue at a time. 

Conclusion
Be it safety safes services that your retail shop uses to streamline its cash management workflow, or the provision of online services, streamlining your business in this competitive age requires considering various factors that range from creating business objectives, and perusing market competition to hiring the right people and providing fast customer services. All in all, strategic planning needs to run parallel with sound implementation.