[vendtalk] inventory scanner

[Harlon Cowsar II]

Bryan:

     I do have an employee who assists me in my facility. She does some of
the cooking and I do some of the cooking. Some things she can do better and
some I do better. She does not load my machines. I load the machines myself
using my ID Mate Bar Code Scanner. I also use the Double Talk to navigate
through the machines and chane the prices and other tasks. My employee does
not assist me with my paperwork. I handle the paperwork myself and I prefer
not to do it inside my facility with my emplyee present.
     I think that it is the most wise idea to keep my business my business.
That does not mean that my employee does not play a large part in my
business. She is a wonderful cook and she often gives me very good ideas on
menu items and other things. She often makes runs to Sam's Club or to the
grocery store to buy things for the facility because I can pay her less thaN
WHAT THE CAB FARE WOULD COST ME AND THE ADDITIONAL FEW DOLLARS HELPS HER
MAKE ENDS MEET AS A SINGLE PARENT. i HAD TO TRAIN HER ON USING the Auto-Fry.
She had a good deal of experience in food service when I hired her but she
had never used an Auto-Fry. I had to teach her how to use it and how to
clean it. I also had to work with her until she learned the proper cooking
times for the various products. My employee does help me keep track of
inventory levels in the facility. If she sees that we are getting low on
sixteen ounce cups, then she adds cups to the order list we keep beside the
cash register. If I see that we are running low on french fries, then I add
them to the list. We continue like this until the day comes to place the
order and, then, we both take a look around the facility together and make
sure that we have written down all of the items that need to be ordered.
After that, I place the call and order the products. I do all of the
ordering and I check in the orders when they are delivered.
     My facility needs more than one person to operate it. My employee is a
very valuable part of my business but it is important to remember that an
employee is an employee. They work for you; they work with you; they do not
neccessarily share the same passions as you. To an employee, it is usually
just a job. To a manager, it is a way of life.
    I hope that this helps you understand a bit about how I operate my
business and i hope that it helps you. I use a great deal of assistive
technologies in my business because it is one of the resources that can aid
me in running my facility independently. I also encourage you to pursue any
other training that you can get; whether it is blindness skills training,
trainning with equipment for cooking or vending, or whether it is training
in business management, business fundamentals, etc.
    Accept assistance when you need it but do it independently if you can.
Remember that our businss is your business and the more that others know
about your business, the more influencethey can have on your business; good
or bad.
Harlon
On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 9:06 AM, Bryan Schulz <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

> hi Harlon,
>
> thanks for your description and opinion.
> so do you have an employee that helps with inventory and paperwork?
> It seems it would be very time consuming to feel everything to know what
> needs to be ordered.
>
>
> Bryan Schulz
> the BEST Solution
> www.best-acts.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Harlon Cowsar II" <deucehc at gmail.com>
> To: "Vendor Talk Mailing List" <vendtalk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 6:22 AM
> Subject: Re: [vendtalk] inventory scanner
>
>
>   Bryan:
>>
>>
>>    The bar code reader that you are inquiring ab out is called the ID Mate
>> Summit and is manufactured by Envision America.
>>  I use this device in by business and it is wonderful. It helps me in a
>> thousand ways. I do not yet have gthe ID Mate Summit but it is supposed to
>> be coming soon. The model that I am currently using is called the ID Mate
>> Omni.
>>    The ID Mate Summit has some added benefits that the Omni did not have
>> such as software upgrades that allow you to keep track of your inventory
>> by
>> scanning, counting and adjusting the number in the files manually. It can
>> be
>> linked with your computer to receive software upgrades but, to my
>> knowlege,
>> that is all at the present time. I think that you can do file transfers
>> between the device and a computer  but do not hold me to that.
>>    I have spoken with representatives of the company about linking the
>> device to the cash register and, at the present time, that cannot be done.
>> The company is working on that but, because of the different types of cash
>> registers, different softgwares, etc. it is presenting some difficulties.
>> I
>> don not know much more than that. I recently saw the newest model of the
>> device and the size is much smalller. It is now about the size of a
>> flashlight. The bar code reader is more aggresive and finds the bar code
>> faster and the software reads the code and identifies immediately. It has
>> improved a lot in the years that I have been monitoring it and I highly
>> reccommend it for any managers but, especially for the totally blind
>> manager
>> such as myself. Alfo, check out the I- Bill ICurrency Identifier. This is
>> another device that has made a very big difference in my workplace.
>>
>> Harlon
>> LA Cafe'
>> Alexandria, Louisiana
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 4:23 PM, Bryan Schulz <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net
>> >wrote:
>>
>> hi,
>>>
>>> I have a few questions about managing a small convenience store.
>>> Would someone tell me what is the brand/model of the hand held
>>> scanner/bar
>>> code reader that tells you info about each product?
>>>
>>> second, do you also have something similar that is maybe connected to the
>>> register to kind of auto enter products purchased into the register?
>>>
>>> third, can this device auto update your database of stock on hand so you
>>> know what needs to be ordered?
>>> this would seem so much faster than digging into the cooler and counting
>>> how many bottles of coke or how many snickers bars you have left.
>>>
>>> fourth, are the reporting sheets standard throughout the US and where can
>>> you get them online for someone running a store in MO?
>>>
>>> thanks
>>> Bryan Schulz
>>> the BEST Solution
>>> www.best-acts.com
>>>
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