The problem with blogs and online articles is you never know the credibility or authority of the person writing them.
We understand the irony of this statement.
We also hate having to read opinions, stream of conscience, or what's going on in somebody's life when all we want is a recipe or the information that lured us to that page in the first place.
We also hate reading wrong or misleading information online.
We are ultimately a business and know our reputation is on the line. We have mentioned this before, though we are involved with the alcohol business, we will try not to post things like we are in a bar -- some people may enjoy alcohol without offensive language.
Yesterday our secretary was given some Blue Moon Gingerbread to try. Today she saw a recipe for Rumchata and Goldschlager, which was made to look like it tastes like a breakfast cereal.
If she remembers, she will post up how these were on Monday.
~Cheers!
Friday, January 29, 2016
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Another Job Advice Related Post
How has everybody been since we've been away?
Let's get to it -- Pinterest led us to the first article which led us to the second article...and one of these led us to the third. We would like to comment. *insert grinning smiley face here*
http://www.levo.com/articles/career-advice/warning-signs-of-a-bad-company
http://www.boston.com/bostonworks/galleries/warning_signs_of_a_bad_company?pg=2
https://www.levo.com/articles/career-advice/how-to-spot-a-good-job-opportunity
There's so much to mention with all this, we do not know where to begin.
We would like to state that we are VERY fortunate to work for Cheers POS because it is a small company and everybody who works here shares the same goal: to help people and to grow the company. Cheers POS is not a great big conglomerate with a high turn over, we are people serving people. Interviewees were treated like people and not like a set of skills that can only help the company, without really caring about the person long term.
A concept opposite of Cheers POS are how newspaper and online classifieds advertising the same jobs week after week as well as the same jobs a few weeks or months later, which demonstrate a company's standard of trying to only get a warm body in a position...until they can get another warm body in the position. As for the former -- weeks and weeks of the same add -- we know they are lousy jobs (denoted by there being hardly information about them), the later -- same job posted months or weeks later -- we know they may not have found the right people or they are lousy jobs (are the new people quitting or getting fired?).
Case in point, when looking for work years ago, our secretary has seen a very brief advert daily online for, "Appointment Setters." The description looked good enough, but, it was vague. After doing some research (the phone number was checked), it turns out this was for a certain vacuum cleaner company that does not advertise, and therefore, sells its vacuums for between $1,000 - $3,000. We're not kidding. Our secretary, having been fairly familiar with this vacuum, knowing its reputation, and how it is a sales-driven job, knowing that there are a lot of bad reviews including 2 to 3 hour demonstrations in a person's residence PLUS bad reviews of the vacuum cleaners themselves, our secretary knew better than to try for this job. It always takes a special person to do sales and this was not a product into which she could put her whole soul. If you cannot commit yourself to your job, even during working hours, it's not for you. [Those who love these vacuums LOVE these vacuums and are VERY loyal to the brand, but, those reviews are harder to find.]
"Employees are bad mouthing the company." -- Eh. In today's environment, who doesn't complain. This could be for anybody. It would be MOST professional if ALL employees either a) speak well about the company or b) KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT!! If they cannot do this, they may be out of a job. It does not take much to be, "let go," these days. More states than not are At Will states -- employers do not need a reason to fire you...but, who ever terminates somebody without reason? Does anybody ever quit because everything is going well? No reason needs to be given to let an employee go, which is lousy. It is further lousy, that in today's age, not only can a person be let go, without reason, but also, without warning...or any advice on how to NOT get fired, that is, correction, from a supervisor. Our secretary knows of a man who was fired from a craft store his first day of hire because he was not breaking down boxes fast enough. His first day.
It is lousy that, in some places, one has to worry day to day about keeping one's employment, for whatever reason. ...Or giving one's heart to a company and not have anything to show for it when it comes to retirement because the company does not want to support its retirees.
Moving on...
The last/seventh statement from the first link -- yes, we will agree to this and with anecdote. A friend of the secretary's has mentioned that, when she had a job, she was there to work, not make friends. Ehhhhh....that is NOT the right attitude to have, not in today's workplace. Friends in the workplace makes work easier and more fun -- it is a very hostile and sterile workplace without friends. If you do not enjoy the people you are working with (perhaps not all of them), see what you can do to fix that. You need to spend 4 - 12 hours a day with these people, you should enjoy being around them nearly everyday. Another side to this, to validate, our secretary, years ago, was doing temp work and was talking to another temp who was telling her about a temp job she had that was just awful. She was told just to keep her mouth shut and do her job because the regular workers there had gotten temp girls fired before. The workers asked her fairly innocuous questions ("How did you get here?" "I drove my car."), and reported her. She worked for one day at that position. It's not like she shared controversial opinions or proffered unsolicited advice, she answered a few questions. Because to ignore would be rude, right?
Friends at work are important.
The second link -- First point. It's easy to say, "You may want to take your business elsewhere," but, is that really an option if you do not have another job and nothing else looking like it is going to pan out?
Anyway, our secretary when she was looking for work in the past, was professional and respectful at one particular interview, but, the interviewer was not. The interviewer did not know how to interview nor how to treat somebody else as a person. It was a good thing our secretary did not get that job, there was two weeks training (not on the job training, but, meeting training, where a group of newly hired people (newly hired...but, they were already hiring again for the same position) walked out of the meeting room on a break and looked drained) for it, meaning it was NOT people centered.
High turnover rates -- ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE!!! BE AWARE!!
On a side note, we have also heard, "We will get back to you by X, one way or the other," and never heard from that company again.
The third point...oh yes, in all your glorious spare time (if you already have another job) or with all your spare money (if you are unemployed), go check out the workplace. Alright, maybe this will not take another trip out after your interview, but, will the company appreciate you lurking/lingering/doing recon work? Perhaps you cannot check out your potential work place setting and future co-workers, but, check out the facial expressions and interaction of the workers there while you are there waiting.
Perhaps this point is talking about if you are interviewed in a different place than where the job is. We have little experience with this, but, looking at it from this angle, we can understand. If space or time has the employer renting out some other place, OR, if there's a main office and you will be working at one of the branches, we concur with this point. Our secretary, while looking for work in the past (this phrase can turn into a drinking game), interviewed at a main hospital miles and miles and miles away, even though the job was about two miles from her home at the time. She did not get the job (the interviewer was...upfront, albeit discouraging, informing our secretary that NONE of the interviewees she saw had everything for which she was looking...and that our secretary was lacking as well), but, guess what, that job, after it was filled, was advertised a few weeks later!
Point Six -- See the above about the vacuum cleaner, "Appointment Setter." Vague and scant description.
Point Six...and Seven: Our secretary, when looking for work in the past, has also been subject to the bait and switch...twice.
But, those stories will have to wait.
There's so much more to post, though!
~Cheers!
Let's get to it -- Pinterest led us to the first article which led us to the second article...and one of these led us to the third. We would like to comment. *insert grinning smiley face here*
http://www.levo.com/articles/career-advice/warning-signs-of-a-bad-company
http://www.boston.com/bostonworks/galleries/warning_signs_of_a_bad_company?pg=2
https://www.levo.com/articles/career-advice/how-to-spot-a-good-job-opportunity
There's so much to mention with all this, we do not know where to begin.
We would like to state that we are VERY fortunate to work for Cheers POS because it is a small company and everybody who works here shares the same goal: to help people and to grow the company. Cheers POS is not a great big conglomerate with a high turn over, we are people serving people. Interviewees were treated like people and not like a set of skills that can only help the company, without really caring about the person long term.
A concept opposite of Cheers POS are how newspaper and online classifieds advertising the same jobs week after week as well as the same jobs a few weeks or months later, which demonstrate a company's standard of trying to only get a warm body in a position...until they can get another warm body in the position. As for the former -- weeks and weeks of the same add -- we know they are lousy jobs (denoted by there being hardly information about them), the later -- same job posted months or weeks later -- we know they may not have found the right people or they are lousy jobs (are the new people quitting or getting fired?).
Case in point, when looking for work years ago, our secretary has seen a very brief advert daily online for, "Appointment Setters." The description looked good enough, but, it was vague. After doing some research (the phone number was checked), it turns out this was for a certain vacuum cleaner company that does not advertise, and therefore, sells its vacuums for between $1,000 - $3,000. We're not kidding. Our secretary, having been fairly familiar with this vacuum, knowing its reputation, and how it is a sales-driven job, knowing that there are a lot of bad reviews including 2 to 3 hour demonstrations in a person's residence PLUS bad reviews of the vacuum cleaners themselves, our secretary knew better than to try for this job. It always takes a special person to do sales and this was not a product into which she could put her whole soul. If you cannot commit yourself to your job, even during working hours, it's not for you. [Those who love these vacuums LOVE these vacuums and are VERY loyal to the brand, but, those reviews are harder to find.]
"Employees are bad mouthing the company." -- Eh. In today's environment, who doesn't complain. This could be for anybody. It would be MOST professional if ALL employees either a) speak well about the company or b) KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT!! If they cannot do this, they may be out of a job. It does not take much to be, "let go," these days. More states than not are At Will states -- employers do not need a reason to fire you...but, who ever terminates somebody without reason? Does anybody ever quit because everything is going well? No reason needs to be given to let an employee go, which is lousy. It is further lousy, that in today's age, not only can a person be let go, without reason, but also, without warning...or any advice on how to NOT get fired, that is, correction, from a supervisor. Our secretary knows of a man who was fired from a craft store his first day of hire because he was not breaking down boxes fast enough. His first day.
It is lousy that, in some places, one has to worry day to day about keeping one's employment, for whatever reason. ...Or giving one's heart to a company and not have anything to show for it when it comes to retirement because the company does not want to support its retirees.
Moving on...
The last/seventh statement from the first link -- yes, we will agree to this and with anecdote. A friend of the secretary's has mentioned that, when she had a job, she was there to work, not make friends. Ehhhhh....that is NOT the right attitude to have, not in today's workplace. Friends in the workplace makes work easier and more fun -- it is a very hostile and sterile workplace without friends. If you do not enjoy the people you are working with (perhaps not all of them), see what you can do to fix that. You need to spend 4 - 12 hours a day with these people, you should enjoy being around them nearly everyday. Another side to this, to validate, our secretary, years ago, was doing temp work and was talking to another temp who was telling her about a temp job she had that was just awful. She was told just to keep her mouth shut and do her job because the regular workers there had gotten temp girls fired before. The workers asked her fairly innocuous questions ("How did you get here?" "I drove my car."), and reported her. She worked for one day at that position. It's not like she shared controversial opinions or proffered unsolicited advice, she answered a few questions. Because to ignore would be rude, right?
Friends at work are important.
The second link -- First point. It's easy to say, "You may want to take your business elsewhere," but, is that really an option if you do not have another job and nothing else looking like it is going to pan out?
Anyway, our secretary when she was looking for work in the past, was professional and respectful at one particular interview, but, the interviewer was not. The interviewer did not know how to interview nor how to treat somebody else as a person. It was a good thing our secretary did not get that job, there was two weeks training (not on the job training, but, meeting training, where a group of newly hired people (newly hired...but, they were already hiring again for the same position) walked out of the meeting room on a break and looked drained) for it, meaning it was NOT people centered.
High turnover rates -- ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE!!! BE AWARE!!
On a side note, we have also heard, "We will get back to you by X, one way or the other," and never heard from that company again.
The third point...oh yes, in all your glorious spare time (if you already have another job) or with all your spare money (if you are unemployed), go check out the workplace. Alright, maybe this will not take another trip out after your interview, but, will the company appreciate you lurking/lingering/doing recon work? Perhaps you cannot check out your potential work place setting and future co-workers, but, check out the facial expressions and interaction of the workers there while you are there waiting.
Perhaps this point is talking about if you are interviewed in a different place than where the job is. We have little experience with this, but, looking at it from this angle, we can understand. If space or time has the employer renting out some other place, OR, if there's a main office and you will be working at one of the branches, we concur with this point. Our secretary, while looking for work in the past (this phrase can turn into a drinking game), interviewed at a main hospital miles and miles and miles away, even though the job was about two miles from her home at the time. She did not get the job (the interviewer was...upfront, albeit discouraging, informing our secretary that NONE of the interviewees she saw had everything for which she was looking...and that our secretary was lacking as well), but, guess what, that job, after it was filled, was advertised a few weeks later!
Point Six -- See the above about the vacuum cleaner, "Appointment Setter." Vague and scant description.
Point Six...and Seven: Our secretary, when looking for work in the past, has also been subject to the bait and switch...twice.
But, those stories will have to wait.
There's so much more to post, though!
~Cheers!
Friday, January 22, 2016
We Will Be Gone Most of Next Week; We Wonder if This Article Was Done Tongue In Cheek
A GOOD AND HAPPY FRIDAY TO YOU!!
If you are going to be outside today -- stay warm! If snow hasn't already hit you, and let's face it, it's not going to melt anytime soon, today may be the day you get slammed.
Thanks, winter.
Anyway, remember how Cheers POS got a new customer? The Cheers POS Training Team will be out in the field to help the new customer with their new Cheers POS System.
This means no Blogger posts until at least Thursday.
In the meantime, we found the following on Pinterest: https://www.levo.com/articles/relationships/40-conversation-starters-that-make-mingling-fun
The article says, "fun." Fun for who? These seem a bit intrusive, and if a strong, pushy personality is asking somebody who is not comfortable in social settings, the uncomfortable person is not going to know how to respond.
1. Where did you grow up? A: How does this help you with your business knowledge?
2. Do you have any pets? A: We become suspicious here because a co-worker of our secretary once had somebody kill her dog by feeding it poisoned food when she was away. Besides, who wants to hear Lonely Dog Lady or Crazy Cat Woman go on about their fluffernutters? ...If you ask this question, we cannot help you if photographs are brought out -- you brought this on yourself.
3. What's your favorite book? A: "The Art of Manipulation. Go away now." Or worse, what if somebody states a religious belief system's main scriptures...and starts proselytizing? ...Or what if it is just something COMPLETELY inappropriate in a business setting? Be prepared.
4. What's the first thing you do after work? A: "I start thinking about work for the next day." -- this may apply to the pet person who otherwise may not have a life. We think this question is a bit too intimate for a stranger to ask. Yeah, yeah, this is creepy. Pffft. We're not telling you. If you want to know, invest the time to stalk us. Duh. PLUS, if you DO start stalking the people you ask, they will know the first thing YOU do after work!
5. What's your dream job? A: Okay Cheers POS Followers, BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS ONE!!! If there was ever a question that seemed very Big Brother and North Korea and just able to come back to bite you in the butt, it is this one. The only correct way to reply is, "The position I am at now." With the cut-throat, back stabbing world of The Corporate Office and Functions, you may be out of a job if you answer how you would really like to answer. Have a sense of humor about this one is alright, we think, so long as you deflect and do not really answer the question.
6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? A: This may seem innocuous, but, like discussing health in front of Eliza Doolittle, it may not be a subject for which you are ready.
--Incidentally, please note the use of gin in, "1984," and "Pygmalion."--
7. What countries have you traveled to? A: You mean, "To which countries have I traveled?" If you are in a business setting, please speak like you are educated. What if one has not traveled to any other countries? This question just is an opening for more questions. Not everybody likes an inquisition.
8. Do you like to cook? A: The way the question is phrased can provide a mere yes or no for an answer, the responder does not have to go into detail; that is not their fault.
9. What's your favorite food? A: .... We cannot see anything wrong with this one. Even if you have dietary restrictions, everybody has a favorite food, everybody loves food...except you, anorexics.
10. What's your favorite drink? A: Even better than the food inquiry. At least anorexics can claim water hydrates. Even if it is coffee or something virgin, EVERYBODY can answer this question without feeling overwhelmed. Though, it may not go farther than the answer.
11. Do you have a favorite local restaurant? ....Mmmmm...maybe this one is alright. Especially if you are from out of town and the person you are asking is not.
12. What is your favorite movie? A: Yes, you can learn a lot by this question, and those who know that will be uncomfortable with it and will deflect or straight up lie to you. Do you really want to start this relationship with them lying to you? If it is obscure and foreign, the question may not be worth it.
13. What movie are you dying to see? A: Though it is rare, some people may not have a television or care to know about anything happening in Hollywood. We are telling you the truth with this. Otherwise, we can see this working.
14. What are you watching on TV? A: Again, not everybody has a television, or has time to watch television, or Netflix, or any show. If you ask this question, though, we are sure they will let you know this.
15. What's the last concert you went to? A: Again with ending a question with a preposition. Anyway, this may take a while, as not everybody has the disposable income or time to go to a concert they want. Also, be aware that not everybody has the same taste in music.
16. What's the craziest thing you've ever done? A: This seems like a reconnaissance question aimed to get the answerer in trouble. Be careful how you answer, you do not want word getting back to your boss. ...And, really, whose business is this? Define, "crazy." What narcissist answers this?
17. If you were stranded on a desert island...? A: A boat, in good order, with working GPS.
18. What's your favorite season? A: And, we are back in Eliza Doolittle territory.
19. Do you speak any other language? A: We're not sure we want you to know this. ...Somebody could get creative and state they speak Shriiwook or something like that. (We had to look up this language to get it right.)
20. Do you have anything fun planned for the weekend? A: What if the answer is no? Or if the person has not thought that far ahead. The person being asked can always turn the question around and ask the asker.
21. Where's your favorite place to hang out in town? A: What if the person does not like to hang out anywhere social? What if they are a homebody, mostly...either their choice or not. Again, this can pose a very awkward situation.
22. I like your shirt! Where did you get it? A: Eh, okay, this may be innocuous. Even if somebody says, "Good Will," or, "Salvation Army," who doesn't like talking about getting a good sale?!
23. I can't place this song -- do you know it? A: No.
24. How long have you been at your job? A: This makes us suspicious. Are they asking because they want it?...why are they asking? How does this help them?
25. Tell me about something that made you laugh this week. A: NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME SENSE OF HUMOR!!! We cannot emphasize this enough. Some people have a dry sense of humor, some people have a perverse sense of humor, some people have a twisted sense of humor. Unless you have a broad sense of humor, you may not want to know the answer to this question. Unless...you are gathering information on this person.
26. If you had a million dollars... A: Start. Singing. The. Song. From the beginning. Go ahead.
27. How are you today? A: Be fully aware you may be entering into Debbie Downer territory.
28. Where is the best place you have ever visited? A: Eh....maybe. We are trying to find a bad intention or answer here. It would be a stretch.
29. Did you hear about...? A: At best, gossip (which is bad), at worst, polarizing. Also, what if the answer is, "no"? Are you going to explain the situation or are you going to ask about another trending topic?
30. So, what's your story? A: *Looks disgustedly at the asker. Turns & walks away.* Very generic, not engaging, fairly overbearing. You do not have a right to know.
31. This place is awesome! Have you been here before? A: Please do not use the word, "awesome," if you are in ANY work environment.
32. If you could be any animal, what animal would you be and why? A: You may not want to know. This is an awkward question; overthinkers will over think this -- it will not start a conversation as much as provide a long, contemplative silence; the opposite of a conversation.
33. If you could invite a famous person over for dinner, who would it be and why? The answer may not a) be truthful or b) be what you expect. And, again, overthinkers may pose an issue.
34. What is your favorite holiday? A: If the answer is a religious one, and the answerer chooses to give a reason, this may be awkward.
35. What's the craziest thing you've ever eaten? A: ...?... Again, define, "Crazy," and, this may get disgusting.
36. What is the one thing you couldn't live without? A: This may not be as innocent as you think. Proceed with caution.
37. Have you ever won anything? A: Again, a yes or no question. People may not explain. OR, people may have come in second, or got cheated out of something and not want to answer.
38. Do you have any brothers or sisters? A: Yes or No. And, really, why do you want to know? How does this help you in any way? This is a little personal for trying to start a conversation in a networking setting.
39. Have you ever met anybody famous? A: Define, "famous." This may be a little awkward -- please, again, remember, if you are in a networking setting, NOT EVERYBODY WILL HAVE THE SAME INTERESTS, PERSONALITY, OR TEMPERAMENT YOU DO.
40. Do you prefer [method of communication]? A: Trying to get information, this is good...if not a little arrogant and assertive.
BONUS: We also saw an advert for a Hermes (pronounced: air-may) paperweight. It was being advertised as under $400.00 we get to the website (our interest piqued), and prices range from $700.00 - $1,700.00 dollars (not including shipping/handling, & tax). http://usa.hermes.com/house/desk-accessories/paperweight/m-presse-papier-43641.html
You know what else keeps your papers from flying away? Your stapler or tape dispenser, probably under $5.00 at a back to school sale.
~Cheers!
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Snow & Go
First off, it is snowing here in North-East Kansas. It began last night, and it continues now. Last night there were great big flakes falling, now they are little. Caution should still be used when driving.
It snowed here Monday as well. A man who came into the liquor store next door had his 15 year old son drive him there specifically because it was snowing -- he has to learn sometime and there's snow time like the present (HA!).
In Cheers POS news, WE HAVE OBTAINED ANOTHER CUSTOMER!! Our Sales Team went to the liquor store (in state but hours away) yesterday to install and teach the Cheers POS System to the owner, manager, and employees.
They will go back on Sunday night to be there Monday - Wednesday to train and teach some more. The store has used two point of sales systems in the past and were happy with neither. Their inventory is all over the place.
Cheers POS is able and glad to help with all this!
We will keep you all updated!
~Cheers!
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Schedule for Wednesday 1/20/16
Cheers POS will be out in the field!!
We have an interested party in another location ergo, the office will be closed tomorrow so that we can help this liquor store with the ability to manage its business better and have all of its new records and new sales in the Cheers POS System.
For this reason, our secretary has spent the past two days going over and updating the Step-by-Step instructions on how to operate the Cheers POS System (mostly within the cash register) -- the new layout necessitates this.
The checkout process in the Cheers POS System has been streamlined -- GREAT to help people with their busy days and to help ring up more people (some people may not know this, but, time IS of the essence when it comes to liquor store sales -- states regulate the hours when liquor can be sold. If a liquor store closes at 11:00 p.m., it is not like a regular retail store, where an employee can inform shoppers that the store is closing...or, if that's not an option, locking the doors to prevent new customers from entering, but, still allowing the shoppers inside the store to continue looking around before making a purchase -- no! If a liquor store closes at 11:00 p.m., ALL sales must be made BEFORE that time. It is ILLEGAL to sell after then, the liquor store can get in BIG trouble if the designated sales hours are not adhered)!
One of our owners also had an epiphany while out and about yesterday regarding our hardware.
At Cheers POS we are CONSTANTLY finding ways to help our customers...so that they can be there for THEIR customers!
~Cheers!
We have an interested party in another location ergo, the office will be closed tomorrow so that we can help this liquor store with the ability to manage its business better and have all of its new records and new sales in the Cheers POS System.
For this reason, our secretary has spent the past two days going over and updating the Step-by-Step instructions on how to operate the Cheers POS System (mostly within the cash register) -- the new layout necessitates this.
The checkout process in the Cheers POS System has been streamlined -- GREAT to help people with their busy days and to help ring up more people (some people may not know this, but, time IS of the essence when it comes to liquor store sales -- states regulate the hours when liquor can be sold. If a liquor store closes at 11:00 p.m., it is not like a regular retail store, where an employee can inform shoppers that the store is closing...or, if that's not an option, locking the doors to prevent new customers from entering, but, still allowing the shoppers inside the store to continue looking around before making a purchase -- no! If a liquor store closes at 11:00 p.m., ALL sales must be made BEFORE that time. It is ILLEGAL to sell after then, the liquor store can get in BIG trouble if the designated sales hours are not adhered)!
One of our owners also had an epiphany while out and about yesterday regarding our hardware.
At Cheers POS we are CONSTANTLY finding ways to help our customers...so that they can be there for THEIR customers!
~Cheers!
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Jackpot!
None of us here at Cheers POS won the Powerball, BUT, that is alright, because who can live on only a little over 7 million a year for the next 29 years before State Taxes (the winnings, divided by three for the three winning tickets, times 39%, the rounded up amount the Federal Government takes, and then that number, divided by 29 -- because it's either this or one lump sum)?
We will ALL be coming back in to work on Monday, January 18, 2016 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States), but, we would like to already wish a Happy Three Day Weekend to those who do not have to go into work on Monday!
~Cheers!
We will ALL be coming back in to work on Monday, January 18, 2016 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States), but, we would like to already wish a Happy Three Day Weekend to those who do not have to go into work on Monday!
~Cheers!
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Business Relationships
Beginning last week, Cheers POS was thinking of switching our phone company.
Right now we have one line and are paying close to $65.00 a month for it when all is said and done. If we add another line, we can pay half for each line each month, but, with taxes, it may be roughly the same price as we are paying now. Add to that that in order to get this price, we would have to pre-pay for one year. $65.00 x 12 is $780.00. Though we would have unlimited outbound calls (good for calling liquor stores for sales and calling back people who have left messages or need help with something we could not get to right away), our inbound calls would be capped at 1,000 minutes (16 hours, 45 minutes, roughly) if we went with the $24.99 per month per line pre-pay deal (not good for callers with questions about the system, or, callers who will need help in the future with Cheers POS). If we decide to pay $10.00 more per month, per line, pre-paid, (plus taxes), we can up our inbound call cap to 41 hours and 40 minutes. $839.76 is a lot of money to pay up front for something that may or may not work for us all that time. Who knows if we will use all that time OR if we will grow and need more (if we go over our allotment, we can pay 4 cents each additional minute). [On a side note, why don't computers have the, "cents," symbol? Typewriters used to have this symbol. Have coins been devalued so much that it is not cost efficient to have a key for this? Yes, we can add it in by copying, pasting, and formatting, or typing a series of keys, but, that's just not worth it...as opposed to going off on a rant about it.]
We mention all that to bring The Reader to this: we were looking around for other options and after playing phone tag last week, we got a call from a representative from a competing phone company this Monday. Competitive Company acknowledged that for two lines, they may cost a little more, but,
--a) they do everything the company we are with now does
--b) no contracts
--c) U.S.A. based (Current Company only offers U.S.A. based support for companies with 20+ users)
--d) 09:00 - 21:00 Eastern Time
--e) one point of contact
Pay attention to e). Please re-read e). The guy who contacted us back would be our point of contact if we decide to go with Competitive Company.
There was a certain title he gave us if we chose to go with his company, but, ultimately, he would be our point of contact.
This is HUGE. Cheers POS had a discussion and we have decided this is how we will be. One person for each contact. Our boss has acknowledged how annoying it would be if somebody called in, got the secretary/resident wonder woman who then transferred them over to the sales guy, who set up an appointment, only to have a third person here at Cheers POS call the person back to help him (because Third Guy could do better than Sales). Who wants to deal with a business like that? You never know who you are going to get; it's not personal. FURTHERMORE, The Caller has to explain three different times his or her needs and/or concerns.
Not cool. Totally not cool.
A company like that, one person taking calls only to transfer them so that other people in different departments can take care of certain needs is aiming for efficiency, not relationships -- kind of like how certain box stores recognize cashiers for excellency; they can ring up items and bag them quickly, but, they lack A LOT in the People Skills Department. They make you feel like you are holding up the line when you are putting away your change other method of payment or loading up your cart.
We know, the companies can look at how many people a cashier is ringing up per hour (or day) and measure productivity that way, where as friendliness is not quantifiable (and furthermore, box stores are not going away anytime soon).
However, by having one point of contact, this phone company (we are back to the phone company now) is already establishing a relationship. Even though we have not decided to go with this company (yet), this company is treating us like a person. We can go to this representative during his regular hours and he will know what is happening with our situation and our account. He will get familiar with us.
As stated a few paragraphs ago, Cheers POS will be like this: if a worker calls you and you would like to implement Cheers POS in your liquor store, that person will be YOUR person. This is a good way to do business because business is all about people.
~Cheers!
Right now we have one line and are paying close to $65.00 a month for it when all is said and done. If we add another line, we can pay half for each line each month, but, with taxes, it may be roughly the same price as we are paying now. Add to that that in order to get this price, we would have to pre-pay for one year. $65.00 x 12 is $780.00. Though we would have unlimited outbound calls (good for calling liquor stores for sales and calling back people who have left messages or need help with something we could not get to right away), our inbound calls would be capped at 1,000 minutes (16 hours, 45 minutes, roughly) if we went with the $24.99 per month per line pre-pay deal (not good for callers with questions about the system, or, callers who will need help in the future with Cheers POS). If we decide to pay $10.00 more per month, per line, pre-paid, (plus taxes), we can up our inbound call cap to 41 hours and 40 minutes. $839.76 is a lot of money to pay up front for something that may or may not work for us all that time. Who knows if we will use all that time OR if we will grow and need more (if we go over our allotment, we can pay 4 cents each additional minute). [On a side note, why don't computers have the, "cents," symbol? Typewriters used to have this symbol. Have coins been devalued so much that it is not cost efficient to have a key for this? Yes, we can add it in by copying, pasting, and formatting, or typing a series of keys, but, that's just not worth it...as opposed to going off on a rant about it.]
We mention all that to bring The Reader to this: we were looking around for other options and after playing phone tag last week, we got a call from a representative from a competing phone company this Monday. Competitive Company acknowledged that for two lines, they may cost a little more, but,
--a) they do everything the company we are with now does
--b) no contracts
--c) U.S.A. based (Current Company only offers U.S.A. based support for companies with 20+ users)
--d) 09:00 - 21:00 Eastern Time
--e) one point of contact
Pay attention to e). Please re-read e). The guy who contacted us back would be our point of contact if we decide to go with Competitive Company.
There was a certain title he gave us if we chose to go with his company, but, ultimately, he would be our point of contact.
This is HUGE. Cheers POS had a discussion and we have decided this is how we will be. One person for each contact. Our boss has acknowledged how annoying it would be if somebody called in, got the secretary/resident wonder woman who then transferred them over to the sales guy, who set up an appointment, only to have a third person here at Cheers POS call the person back to help him (because Third Guy could do better than Sales). Who wants to deal with a business like that? You never know who you are going to get; it's not personal. FURTHERMORE, The Caller has to explain three different times his or her needs and/or concerns.
Not cool. Totally not cool.
A company like that, one person taking calls only to transfer them so that other people in different departments can take care of certain needs is aiming for efficiency, not relationships -- kind of like how certain box stores recognize cashiers for excellency; they can ring up items and bag them quickly, but, they lack A LOT in the People Skills Department. They make you feel like you are holding up the line when you are putting away your change other method of payment or loading up your cart.
We know, the companies can look at how many people a cashier is ringing up per hour (or day) and measure productivity that way, where as friendliness is not quantifiable (and furthermore, box stores are not going away anytime soon).
However, by having one point of contact, this phone company (we are back to the phone company now) is already establishing a relationship. Even though we have not decided to go with this company (yet), this company is treating us like a person. We can go to this representative during his regular hours and he will know what is happening with our situation and our account. He will get familiar with us.
As stated a few paragraphs ago, Cheers POS will be like this: if a worker calls you and you would like to implement Cheers POS in your liquor store, that person will be YOUR person. This is a good way to do business because business is all about people.
~Cheers!
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Wastes of Times and Click Bait
We at Cheers POS HATE these.
This cannot be over emphasized.
We are a business, we have a service to provide, we expect quality, we know we need to provide quality. We hate bait & switch, we hate pages that do not deliver what they promise.
We were looking around on Pinterest today to check what great new things are popular. We found nothing of note.
What we found were a semi-fuzzy pin that led to an advertising website (that did not have the featured infographic AND that DID have a disclaimer), a link that led to the main Yahoo! page, but, not the article we wanted to see, a bunch of, 'What to do for your business in 2016,' pins (it involved a lot of reading and looked like the same-ol'-same ol'. What we REALLY cannot stand, though, are the, 'Make Money From Home,' pins/adverts -- if it was really as easy as a website says it was, we would all be doing it.), and one kitchen-hacks article. There were comments on Pinterest saying that the article was not as hack-great as it was proposing. None of these were re-pinned or linked to because they did not deliver the quality they promised.
We would like to point out once again that before we post or share anything, we will TYPICALLY go through it for content. We do not want to contribute to misinformation or inferior content, NOR, really, anything inappropriate or against decency. We know we are a product for liquor stores, and typically liquor stores and bars are not known for reformed and conservative speech, however, we are also a business, and we are, "old school," in that we were taught uneducated people use such language when they have nothing better to say.
We also try to avoid posting links to where there is a lot of click-bait (especially inappropriate and indecent click-bait) on the sides or under the article.
We have found that if there is one thing wrong in the article or infographic, there are more things wrong later in it. It is NEVER just one thing to overlook.
Even now, even with these small things, our reputation as Cheers POS is on the line. We do not want to be thought of as irresponsible BEFORE we start really marketing our wares. We have all seen websites that are unprofessional looking or link to dead links; we refuse to contribute to this. We screen for content, hoping to provide our readers & our followers with quality articles and information.
We have switched over our server. We have updated our cash register page and our receipts so that the checkout process is faster and more convenient. This is atop our already secure sign-in. We are doing little things now so that big things can be accomplished. We expect the same from others. Even if it is just people posting online.
Why waste YOUR time and others' time if your post isn't at least 100%? WHY?!! We cannot comply and we will not forward these postings. We cannot afford to do so.
~Cheers!
This cannot be over emphasized.
We are a business, we have a service to provide, we expect quality, we know we need to provide quality. We hate bait & switch, we hate pages that do not deliver what they promise.
We were looking around on Pinterest today to check what great new things are popular. We found nothing of note.
What we found were a semi-fuzzy pin that led to an advertising website (that did not have the featured infographic AND that DID have a disclaimer), a link that led to the main Yahoo! page, but, not the article we wanted to see, a bunch of, 'What to do for your business in 2016,' pins (it involved a lot of reading and looked like the same-ol'-same ol'. What we REALLY cannot stand, though, are the, 'Make Money From Home,' pins/adverts -- if it was really as easy as a website says it was, we would all be doing it.), and one kitchen-hacks article. There were comments on Pinterest saying that the article was not as hack-great as it was proposing. None of these were re-pinned or linked to because they did not deliver the quality they promised.
We would like to point out once again that before we post or share anything, we will TYPICALLY go through it for content. We do not want to contribute to misinformation or inferior content, NOR, really, anything inappropriate or against decency. We know we are a product for liquor stores, and typically liquor stores and bars are not known for reformed and conservative speech, however, we are also a business, and we are, "old school," in that we were taught uneducated people use such language when they have nothing better to say.
We also try to avoid posting links to where there is a lot of click-bait (especially inappropriate and indecent click-bait) on the sides or under the article.
We have found that if there is one thing wrong in the article or infographic, there are more things wrong later in it. It is NEVER just one thing to overlook.
Even now, even with these small things, our reputation as Cheers POS is on the line. We do not want to be thought of as irresponsible BEFORE we start really marketing our wares. We have all seen websites that are unprofessional looking or link to dead links; we refuse to contribute to this. We screen for content, hoping to provide our readers & our followers with quality articles and information.
We have switched over our server. We have updated our cash register page and our receipts so that the checkout process is faster and more convenient. This is atop our already secure sign-in. We are doing little things now so that big things can be accomplished. We expect the same from others. Even if it is just people posting online.
Why waste YOUR time and others' time if your post isn't at least 100%? WHY?!! We cannot comply and we will not forward these postings. We cannot afford to do so.
~Cheers!
Monday, January 11, 2016
Planning & Progressing
Sometimes things just do not go the way you think they should. You have a plan in mind, but, that's not how the situation progresses.
This situation can explain Cheers POS at the moment. The ideas we started with have evolved into more modern options and the hardware that we were once advertising is no longer what we are providing because we have found and chosen even better options for our system.
Since we are a small start-up, finding good people who share our vision (to partner with), getting the equipment that works best for us, and deciding priorities (EVERYTHING: NOW!!!!), is a bit daunting. We are not an established corporation with a high turnover rate replacing faceless employees with others for whatever reason and outsourcing our calls to other countries or call centers; we have relationships and trust to build.
That takes time.
We have time.
We want everything now, but, that's not how things are happening.
We know we have the best product for our market, but, we know that by the time we REALLY start marketing it on a big scale, it will be even better!!
It will be BETTER than best! It will be...BESTER!!
Right now, we have realized, we need to concentrate on some business things (one can read all the infographics and blog posts one wants, starting up YOUR business is different from any other business and you do not realize what you need until you have need for it, which may set you back in time &/or expenses).
That is what we are doing right now. Please understand, Cheers POS is up and running, fully operational, and able to be purchased, if you would like to go to www.cheerspos.com or give us a call (800) 769-5890; we are not going away ANY time soon!! We know we have a great (the best!) product for our market available, but, right now, we have to focus on internal things.
That is where Cheers POS is right now: priorities are falling perfectly into place. :)
~Cheers!
This situation can explain Cheers POS at the moment. The ideas we started with have evolved into more modern options and the hardware that we were once advertising is no longer what we are providing because we have found and chosen even better options for our system.
Since we are a small start-up, finding good people who share our vision (to partner with), getting the equipment that works best for us, and deciding priorities (EVERYTHING: NOW!!!!), is a bit daunting. We are not an established corporation with a high turnover rate replacing faceless employees with others for whatever reason and outsourcing our calls to other countries or call centers; we have relationships and trust to build.
That takes time.
We have time.
We want everything now, but, that's not how things are happening.
We know we have the best product for our market, but, we know that by the time we REALLY start marketing it on a big scale, it will be even better!!
It will be BETTER than best! It will be...BESTER!!
Right now, we have realized, we need to concentrate on some business things (one can read all the infographics and blog posts one wants, starting up YOUR business is different from any other business and you do not realize what you need until you have need for it, which may set you back in time &/or expenses).
That is what we are doing right now. Please understand, Cheers POS is up and running, fully operational, and able to be purchased, if you would like to go to www.cheerspos.com or give us a call (800) 769-5890; we are not going away ANY time soon!! We know we have a great (the best!) product for our market available, but, right now, we have to focus on internal things.
That is where Cheers POS is right now: priorities are falling perfectly into place. :)
~Cheers!
Thursday, January 7, 2016
What Not To Do At An Interview
Our secretary is looking up articles and infographs about interviews since Cheers POS will be hiring shortly.
She found the following the other day: http://howimetyouremployer.blogspot.com/2013/03/20-ways-to-impress-your-interviewer.html
She was FAR from impressed by it. She has never been in a hiring position, but, she is familiar with the corporate world and office politics. There are some things that we question with this article (click to see a bigger picture). We wonder, as a matter of fact, if this is a joke.
1. Agreed.
2. We will mention, if it is a group assessment interview, is it really worth it? We understand companies trying to get the right people, but, really, this is just trying to get people in their doors. An interview with a big corporate business downtown is soul crushing enough, do you really want the added psychological insight that they already do not view your individuality at this point, BEFORE you are part of their team? They want to pitch to everybody and their uncle their company; do they REALLY think you qualify? Why can't they just do a one-on-one interview with you? Will they compensate you for the drive or other expenses to get there? Of course not.
3. Agreed.
4. Agreed...though, you will be ignored by everybody in the office or work environment...and the Interviewer will be late. We agree with observing the environment, though. This has turned us off to many a job position. The cold, sterile environment giving way to the attitudes of the people there, all knowing they are not appreciated and replaceable is a good thing to encounter when you have your first contact with the company.
5. We find this is only true in the very corporate world in larger cities and suburbs. We have found some people to dress less than business casual (not slobby, though) for some jobs. This surprised us because we have ALWAYS been told dress business professional. Always. WE DO NOT ADVOCATE DRESSING LESS THAN CONSERVATIVE, though we do question this.
6. Eh. Alright.
7. ...Creepy...
8. "Do not fidget," is good advice; all the rest afterwards, we are not sure you should strictly adhere to that.
9. Specific answers are good. We have read recently, regarding both resumes and interviews, to provide ways which you helped a company grow or solved problems...all very well & good if you are management or a CEO, but, if you are Human Resources of Customer Support, you probably do not have anything like that to provide. You may have just came in to work, doing your job, day after day, adhering to policy, not making waves, not having the opportunity to do anything daring, because that was not your job. You may have never problem solved because it was not your position to problem solve, you followed policy and the regulations your company had. And you did. VERY well, as a matter of fact.
10. Ehhhhh....we've heard of taking notes AFTER the interview, once you get back to your vehicle. We are not sure of taking notes DURING the interview, we really do not know how this would come across to the person who can determine your next job. It comes across as arrogant to us. If you did your research on the company (see 1 & 12), unless the interview is an hour or longer, we do not see the need to take notes DURING the interview.
11. If one is needing a better job, does one have the ability (time or money) to obtain a nice pen. If my friend is 20 minutes away, does it really do either of us any good to meet up, even half way, just to borrow said pen? What do they mean, "nice," anyway? We have found that the plastic packs of 20 pens typically write better and longer than the fancier ones.
We find this one almost as stupid as something read years ago along the lines of, 'If you arrive too early for an interview, drive around for a little bit, check out the area, buy some coffee.' Like a friend of our secretary pointed out: Yes, drive around and waste gas and spend money you don't have on coffee.' (We assume the person does not have a job. They may be interviewing to try to get a different or better job.)
12. We have heard this elsewhere.
13. We advocating reviewing it.
14. We have heard this elsewhere. We have implemented it. We do not remember it getting us a job, though.
15. Please note the, "u," in, "coloured," (also see 5). We do not know about the plastic folders advice. Clearly, this advice seems to be for seasoned professionals since we have always been told, unless we have been a big wig with a company for a while, stick to only a one page resume.
17. We have heard this as well. We have asked questions of various interviewers. Our experience has been, though two or three were answered, they were a little rushed and answered in a way they wanted to get us out the door.
19. This seems like good advice.
20. Theoretical statement.
16. & 18. These are included together because they are those with which we most disagree. These come across as a combination of arrogant and creepy. If you do not get the job, wouldn't you be wondering if it was because of speaking like this? This is the type of talk that would set off bells and whistles; as far as hiring goes, we would not hire this person -- (s)he sounds like trouble already, not a team player. This person seems like (s)he would be a cancer to the company and try to cause trouble if (s)he was ever let go.
Our secretary asked a friend what the friend thought about the link. Friend's reply:
--Grin at the interviewer while looking them in the eyes without blinking and then ask him the questions he ahould [sic] ask you. Write down his answers with an expensive fountain pen which just sprayed ink all over you since it is borrowed and you did not know it would attack you. He will remember at that point that you asked before the interview if there would be any witnesses.
Our secretary's reply back:
--And also, act and speak like you already have the job! As a matter of fact, come in the next business day and star working. Give him the signed papers he needs to make this legit.
There is so much advice out there, not all of it good, not all of it works for all people -- it's kind of like a diet.
Read various articles. See what they say, see if they directly contradict each other.
We have found that what helps get a job most -- knowing somebody on the inside.
~Cheers!
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
HAPPY EPIPHANY EVERYBODY!!!
Today is Three Kings Day. A Catholic priest has the ability to bless gold, frankincense, and myrrh this day. The woman who works at the liquor store next door bought a bottle of Goldschläger to be blessed.
True story.
At Cheers POS this morning, our secretary was doing two things:
1. Looking up web-based phone systems, and;
2. Looking up what's happening with the Epiphany this year.
1. If you have any suggestions for a certain cloud pbx, please let us know.
2. We will include some links we found.
Please take this article with a grain of salt; we cannot verify it (plus it repeats itself). We do not know how accurate it is, but, we include it since we found it interesting. ABC News Article Regarding Epiphany Celebrations
Please take this article with the Sifto Canadian, Inc. Salt Mines. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/12082544/What-is-Epiphany-Here-are-10-facts-about-the-history-and-meaning-of-Three-Kings-Day.html
There are other articles we came across that were even more poorly researched, understood, and composed. These are the facts about The Epiphany:
--It's the day celebrated by the Catholic Church of the Magi's arrival to Jesus.
--The Book of Matthew (in the Bible) says that the Wise Men arrived at the house and found, "the child with Mary his Mother," there -- that is, this did NOT happen the day Jesus was born. They came to the house, not the stable. Joseph was not mentioned. When you see the Wise Men in the Nativity, know this is NOT historically accurate (these things bother us).
--The Book of Matthew never says there were three.
--Nor does the Bible ever mention their names.
--This is the first time Jesus manifested Himself to the gentiles; that is why this day is so important.
--It may have taken around two years before the Wise Men (and all their entourage, including beasts of burden) got to Jesus.
--The three gifts are significant:
A: Gold -- Because Jesus is king.
B: Incense -- Because Jesus is priest.
C: Myrrh -- Because Jesus will die. (Myrrh is for anointing a dead body).
And now you know.
And, seriously, if you have a good cloud-based phone provider you are happy with, please let us know.
Thank you, kindly, and please use this day to celebrate (our secretary JUST tried Chartreuse for the first time). For some, it is Christmas (the birth of Jesus Christ), for some, this is the day where they get gifts (Christmas, December 25, is for religion, this day is for gift exchanges). We hope you can do something fun and relaxing this day.
~Cheers!
True story.
At Cheers POS this morning, our secretary was doing two things:
1. Looking up web-based phone systems, and;
2. Looking up what's happening with the Epiphany this year.
1. If you have any suggestions for a certain cloud pbx, please let us know.
2. We will include some links we found.
Please take this article with a grain of salt; we cannot verify it (plus it repeats itself). We do not know how accurate it is, but, we include it since we found it interesting. ABC News Article Regarding Epiphany Celebrations
Please take this article with the Sifto Canadian, Inc. Salt Mines. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/12082544/What-is-Epiphany-Here-are-10-facts-about-the-history-and-meaning-of-Three-Kings-Day.html
There are other articles we came across that were even more poorly researched, understood, and composed. These are the facts about The Epiphany:
--It's the day celebrated by the Catholic Church of the Magi's arrival to Jesus.
--The Book of Matthew (in the Bible) says that the Wise Men arrived at the house and found, "the child with Mary his Mother," there -- that is, this did NOT happen the day Jesus was born. They came to the house, not the stable. Joseph was not mentioned. When you see the Wise Men in the Nativity, know this is NOT historically accurate (these things bother us).
--The Book of Matthew never says there were three.
--Nor does the Bible ever mention their names.
--This is the first time Jesus manifested Himself to the gentiles; that is why this day is so important.
--It may have taken around two years before the Wise Men (and all their entourage, including beasts of burden) got to Jesus.
--The three gifts are significant:
A: Gold -- Because Jesus is king.
B: Incense -- Because Jesus is priest.
C: Myrrh -- Because Jesus will die. (Myrrh is for anointing a dead body).
And now you know.
And, seriously, if you have a good cloud-based phone provider you are happy with, please let us know.
Thank you, kindly, and please use this day to celebrate (our secretary JUST tried Chartreuse for the first time). For some, it is Christmas (the birth of Jesus Christ), for some, this is the day where they get gifts (Christmas, December 25, is for religion, this day is for gift exchanges). We hope you can do something fun and relaxing this day.
~Cheers!
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
The Small Business Tips Post
Seeing as how Cheers POS is still a growing upstart, we have been checking out various articles (mostly from Pinterest) on what interests us.
We share these with you if you have a new business or if you may start one one day.
How to better your SEO in one day: http://thebrandedsolopreneur.com/simple-seo-tips/
Again, we plan to be hiring soon (we called our phone company just yesterday to see what the cost would be to add more lines for this reason), and because of that, this caught our attention -- What Not to Say in an Interview: https://www.themuse.com/advice/7-seemingly-harmless-phrases-you-should-never-ever-say-in-an-interview
Key phrases that it would not hurt to use if you are in a position for Cheers POS:
--Point of Sale System
--Cloud based
--Cloud based point of sale system
--For liquor stores only
Please check out our website for more.
We will keep you updated on our growing successes.
~Cheers!
(Photograph taken from the, "What Not to Say..." article website.)
Monday, January 4, 2016
A New One Just Begun (AND SO MERRY CHRISTMAAAAAASSSS...)
Happy 2016!!
We hope all our followers are having a wonderful new year! Ours has been pretty rockin' here.
Our secretary is typing this from a new chair, on an ergonomically adjustable/hideable keyboard pad. LOTS of new things going on here at Cheers POS!!
We will be adding new positions. Check out our Facebook page for even more information. https://www.facebook.com/liquorpos/?fref=nf (Sorry for the short post, we are getting busy with other things today.)
~Cheers!
We hope all our followers are having a wonderful new year! Ours has been pretty rockin' here.
Our secretary is typing this from a new chair, on an ergonomically adjustable/hideable keyboard pad. LOTS of new things going on here at Cheers POS!!
We will be adding new positions. Check out our Facebook page for even more information. https://www.facebook.com/liquorpos/?fref=nf (Sorry for the short post, we are getting busy with other things today.)
~Cheers!
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