Your POS system is an excellent
tool for handling many functions in your operation. Where most POS
systems fall short, however, is in the crucial area of physical
inventory.
Although many POS vendors and pouring control
systems will tell you they handle physical inventory just fine, in
reality you get one of two flawed options:
1.
Inventory based on the
perpetual inventory that is provided by the POS or pouring system.
That is a theoretical inventory calculated from the sales that
are rung on the POS. In other words, the system takes the five
bottles of Absolut it thinks you sold and subtracts that from the
seven bottles it thinks you had on hand and tells you your inventory
is two bottles.
2.
If you purchased the POS
inventory module, it will allow you to print up count sheets that
help you write in the inventory amounts for your items. The count
sheets must then be painstakingly filled out, and later entered into
the computer by someone.
Either
of these methods are loaded with difficulties and error potential.
For instance:
1. Theoretical
inventory is just that: Theory. It doesn't reveal overpouring,
theft, or comps until it is compared to a physical count.
Only
then can you tell that what the POS says you should have on hand
doesn't match what you actually have on hand. In other words,
when used alone as a tool for understanding and controlling your
losses, theoretical is all but worthless. Do yourself a favor and
take this concept to heart: Theoretical
inventory is NO SUBSTITUTE for regular, accurate physical counts(as any
accountant will tell you). If you're relying solely on theoretical
inventory, your staff is probably taking advantage.
2. Partial
bottles are counted the old way, by 'guesstimating' what remains.
No two people get the same results, so you will always have to take
your results with a grain of salt. What you need is a liquor
inventory system, that removes that guesswork from the equation
(www.bottletot.com)
3.
Manual data entry is
required at several points. This naturally leads to human error and
takes more time than you can spare.
There
is a great deal of misunderstanding in the hospitality industry about
food and Liquor inventory, but it's really quite simple: In an
industry plagued by the theft and waste of its main
revenue-generating products, the only way to keep tight controls is
to implement a thorough, consistent inventory system. Technology has
addressed many of these issues, so instead of settling for unreliable
theoretical inventory processes, you should consider investigating
alternatives. The issue is too important to be left to chance.
There
is now a way, that will directly result in easy stock taking,
tighter controls, total accuracy, absolute uniformity.
Every
sticker will have its own unique measure of tots per bottle.
You
will be able to determine the exact stock at the end of each shift
without
lifting the bottle off the shelf and without
measuring tools.(which can be
conveniently lost for whatever
reason)
Bottletot is now available as computer software allowing
you to choose how many labels, types of bottles etc, you need,
and allows you to create the exact
number of labels
without wastage. Your costs after buying the program is limited
to your PC's printing and cost of peel and stick paper.