|
In the past 5 years, we have seen enormous advances in DVR video surveillance technology. Not only has the quality gone way up, but the cost has also come down. So it may be time to take a look at the video system you have protecting your facilities. Have you ever been watching the news and saw the picture of a robbery suspect or saw video of inventory shaking off the shelves during an earthquake and thought, how are you supposed to tell what is going on? Being armed with quality video is a great step. Before jumping in and buying a new system, make sure you ask yourself some questions. The answers will guide you with making a good decision and get you the most value for your dollars.
Question 1 – What kind of system do I currently have and am I happy with it?
If you find yourself complaining that you can’t seem to find a store selling video tapes for your "tape machine", then you have likely reached critical mass. It is time to upgrade! Look back at the situations in which you had to use your video system to look back in time and find some video. How often do you get video that you can use? If the answer is less than 75%, maybe it is time to upgrad. Are your cameras black and white? It might be time to upgrade. A video system, while it can be a deterrent, ultimately, if you can’t get good footage which helps you, then it is time to upgrade.
Question 2 – Where do I want to get video from, inside? Outside? Both?
Camera types will vary depending on desired quality, light exposure from canopy lights, head lights, or the sun, so keep in mind there is not one camera which will solve all your problems. Be careful when selecting equipment to meet the varying needs in diriment areas of your business.
Question 3 – What is your budget and how long will the payback be?
Believe it or not, the payback might be much sooner than you think. Have you ever had a pump hit and not know who did it? It only takes one major incident and the video system has paid for itself. One retail robbery which results in quality video for the police to catch the bad guy, then the new system is paid for. Right? Catch one cashier skimming a little off the top and you have likely just recovered your investment. Now ask yourself, does the deterrent of good quality video prevent the problem from happening in the first place? Likely so in many cases. If the system cost $199 from the big box store, you will get very little out the system. Also if the system is $20,000, do you really need a system with that many bells and whistles?
Question 4 – What do I want from a system?
How about checking in from your smart phone to make sure your employees are actually working or to see if it is raining heavy at a remote site which might explain that Veeder-Root alarm? Or remote access from a PC to record an incident? How about HD video to get a license plate? How about long-term storage? Maybe system alerts to tell you the system is not recording or a camera is down? Or motion detection recording to save space on your hard drives interest you? How about capturing a screen shot when a transaction occurs at your cardlock? Want to remotely move a camera from your iPhone? There are many very helpful features available now.
Question 5 – Where do I want cameras?
Well obviously you’re going to want cameras in locations to cover the problem areas, but also consider a shot(s) which gets the big picture as well as the entire lot or entire store. Get shots of cashier activity, customer faces, cash drawer, underground storage tanks, dispensers, and dead zones--like behind the building. With the HD quality available now, you can install less cameras and get more picture. This means in an area which you currently have two tight shots to get detail, you may be able to replace them with a camera that can get a clearer shot without being so zoomed in. Don’t forget the entrance/exit for possible license plates.
Here are some tips;
Use your video as a sales tool for cardlock. Customers like knowing their employees are protected with video. Maintain the video system. Don’t just turn it on and walk away. Check the camera angles regularly, adjust them if needed such as when you move gondolas of install new equipment. Educate yourself on the potential of the system. If a camera goes out, fix it as soon as possible.
While there are many decisions to make to get a system which will be a productive tool for you into the future, be careful not to overspend and conversely, don’t go cheap. Hopefully you will never need to use video from your system, but what if?
Article Provided By:
Brian Decker
POC 2014 Speaker
Retail and Cardlock Operations Manager
1903 Durfee Ave
South El Monte, CA 91733
626 926-3257 (cell) |
|
|
May 1-2, 2015
The CIOMPAC 16th Annual Destruction Derby is back for the... well... 16th year. If you've attended before, you know the sites, the sounds, and the smells. If you've never joined us you're really missing out!
The main event is open to the public for a small fee. We offer in-your-face car-on-car destruction, good food, fireworks, and an event you won't forget. Our members may enjoy showing up a day or two earlier for family fun, networking, free food, and an all-around good time. We have plenty of room for your RV and this event won't cost you anything (unless you want to purchase a pre-built car to smash or you'd rather not get your hands dirty and just want to take a little spin in the booze cruise).
If
you are planning on joining us, please download the registration form and send
it back to alley@cioma.com.
This form is primarily for our planning purposes, so we make sure we show up
with enough grub. It helps us a TON if you send in your registration form in
advance. Thank you! If you're interested in advertising, sponsorship, or
driving at Derby, you can find those forms below as well. For Derby schedule, visit the CIOMA website by clicking here.
|
|
Everyone seems to use their mobile phone . . . everywhere and all day long. And more and more, employees are using their phones to be productive at work.
To tap into this trend, we have launched We Card NOW™. It's a workplace tool, and we've loaded it with some of We Card's most popular items (updated uniquely for Smartphones), such as:
eCalendar
It's just like We Card's Age of Purchase Calendar that many retailers use at the point-of-sale when carding customers - but it's now on your phone! Select which state you're in and choose the calendar you'd like to use (tobacco, alcohol, a combined tobacco-alcohol or e Cig/Vapor calendar.)
Age Calculator
Another great tool to use when carding a customer. This one calculates exact ages when you enter a customer's date-of-birth and it indicates whether it's "OKAY TO SELL" or "DO NOT SELL" for Tobacco, Vapor and Alcohol products. Very handy and it's state law specific as well. And where we know the local law, like New York City's minimum age of 21, we have that factored in too!
Carding Tips
You can never have enough reinforcement of training and awareness of how to handle underage attempts at purchasing age-restricted products. We've included some top tips and a few training games . . . and we'll add more on down the line.
One of our first We Card NOW™ users told us this:
Thank you for easy tools to keep our employees up to date and refreshed on what to do and what not to do! We have been through every scenario and the We Card program has been a great reminder source!
Try it out for yourself, and let us know what you think.
Better yet, if you have an idea or something specific you'd like to see inside We Card NOW™, tell us. We'll seriously consider adding it because we want it to be useful to you.
Thanks again.
Doug Anderson
President
The We Card Program, Inc.
Visit the We Card website |
|
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tesoro Corp <TSO.N> and Marathon Petroleum Corp's <MPC.N> contingency plans to employ replacement workers at two of their refineries after union employees hit the picket lines are under scrutiny by inspectors in both Kentucky and California, officials of the two states said Wednesday.
Kentucky's Labor Department opened an investigation into Marathon’s Catlettsburg refinery after it received a compliance complaint on Monday, a day after union workers walked out, agency spokesman Daniel Lowry said.
Lowry said the investigation involves health and safety issues.
Marathon spokesman Brandon Daniels said the company is cooperating with the investigation, but said he had no further information.
In California, the state's Department of Industrial Relations had planned a routine inspection at Tesoro's Carson refinery before the strike, and decided to use the time to also check the qualifications of the replacement workers once the strike occurred, agency spokeswoman Julia Bernstein said Wednesday.
The state has not sent inspectors to Tesoro's other refinery, in Martinez, which was shut due to the strike, she said.
Tesoro did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The California refineries are among nine facilities represented by the USW where workers have hit the picket lines. Eight of the plants have remained operational with replacement workers.
The U.S. Department of Labor has an open investigation that dates back into Marathon's Galveston Bay facility, which is among the refineries where strikes have occurred, a department spokesman said. The investigation started on Dec 10, before the strikes and stems from a complaint regarding the recording of workplace injuries, the spokesman said.
Galveston Bay is the only Texas facility with an open investigation.
Officials in Washington, where workers have walked out at Tesoro's Anacortes refinery, did not respond to questions about whether the facility was visited by inspectors. Often, a complaint or an incident gets the attention of state and federal inspectors.
Since the walkout on Sunday, Tesoro's Carson refinery has reported two unexpected unit upsets to state regulators.
Further walkouts may be ordered at some of the other 63 refineries and chemical plants if advances are not made, the union has said. The walkouts are in support of a nationwide pact that would cover 30,000 workers and mark the industry's first big strike since 1980.
Lynne Hancock, spokeswoman for the USW, said the replacement workers lack the rigorous training that USW workers receive.
"They know the ins and outs of these facilities, and have years of training," she said. "The people inside now don’t have that advantage."
News Release provided by:
Jarrett Renshaw
|
|
Did you know according to OSHA 1910.151 workplaces should have adequate first aid supplies stored in an area where they are readily available for emergency access? In an effort to help businesses protect their employees and meet regulatory requirements, G&K Services is now offering a first aid program to all customers in the US. All of G&K’s first aid cabinet solutions either meet or exceed OSHA regulations and contain all ten items required to meet ANSI standards. G&K’s unique first aid solutions dispense supplies one at a time, controlling excess usage and overstocking costs. Customers can expect predictable billing with a simple weekly flat rate. This program is backed by G&K Services’ customer promise and commitment to service excellence with a G&K representative regularly servicing the first aid cabinets, to make sure they remain fully stocked. Other new products include portable first aid kits, ideal for use in vehicles, blood borne pathogen kits, and a first responder eye wash station. OSHA 1910.151 can be viewed in its entirety by clicking the link below.
To learn more about this cost-effective and fully managed solution visit http://www.gkservices.com/first-aid-program.
Article Provided By:
G&K Services, Inc.
About G&K Services, Inc.
G&K Services, Inc. is a service-focused market leader of branded uniform and facility services programs in the United States, and is the largest such provider in Canada. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, G&K Services has 7,800 employees serving approximately 170,000 customer locations from 165 facilities in North America. G&K Services is a publicly held company traded over the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol GK and is a component of the Standard & Poor’s SmallCap 600 Index. For more information visit www.gkservices.com.
For more information on CIOMA’s endorsed program for Uniform Rental & Facility Services, please contact:
G&K Services, Inc.
Leslie Kipnis, 949-877-2750
National Account Executive
|
|
We want to hear from you!
As part of CIOMA's ongoing commitment to strengthening the experience of our members, CIOMA is proud to announce that we are finalizing the details of putting together a series of educational sessions that we hope will provide you with solutions that encompass the needs of both your business and your clients. We want to further engage you as we work on providing an elevated level of service as part of our amazing slate of member benefits.
As such, we sent an you an email last month requesting your participation in a brief 2-question survey regarding our new education initiative. We are still awaiting responses from our members. You can access the survey by clicking here. If you have any questions, please contact Colin Alley at alley@cioma.com.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this important questionnaire and for sharing your valuable insight.
|
|
Thank you for reading CIOMA’s Insider newsletter! It’s been a whole year since we published our very first issue of the Insider.
In keeping with CIOMA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the experience of our members, we’d love to hear your feedback. Tell us what is important to you and what we can do to improve our communications.
You can send your comments to Catherina (Trina) Isidro, Director of Operations, Member & Program Services via email at isidro@cioma.com. We will do our very best to keep you informed about current and relevant issues regarding your industry.
|
|
If you have not gotten a chance to renew your membership with CIOMA for 2015, this serves as a reminder to renew your dues as soon as possible. If you would like to continue receiving CIOMA’s monthly Insider newsletter, please make sure you contact our office and renew today. This will be your last Insider newsletter issue unless you are a current member, as all unpaid memberships will be suspended on March 15, 2015.
Membership dues allow CIOMA to address emerging issues in this rapidly shifting environment and to provide members with critical updates and timely resources on new legislative and policy changes that may impact your business.
Thank you to all CIOMA members for your ongoing commitment and support to the association. We attribute our success to our committed and engaged members who have been, and continue to be, the heart of our association.
For questions, please contact:
Catherina "Trina" Isidro
Director, Operations, Member & Program Services
California Independent Oil Marketers Association
3835 North Freeway Blvd, Suite 240
Sacramento, CA 95834-1955
Main: (916) 646-5999 | Direct: (916) 830-1398
|
|
Henner Tank Lines, Inc.
Phone: (707) 450-0129
Contact: Doug Henner
Email: doug@hennertanklines.com
Henner Tank Lines, Inc. was founded in July 2006 and maintains over two decades of experience in the fuel industry. With our terminal based in Vacaville, CA, which is on the cusp of both Solano and Yolo Counties, it enables us to serve the Greater Bay Area including the East Bay, as well as the Sacramento area with ease.
Henner Tank Lines, Inc. is dedicated to hiring only trained, qualified drivers as we strive to ensure the highest level of safety within our fleet as well as our "Pride Driven Performance."
Loomis Tank Lines
Phone: (707) 450-0129
Contact: John Allen
Email: john_l_allen@ml.com
Tank Tech, Inc.
Phone: (573) 620-1957
Contact: Jonathan McNeely
Email: jonathan@tanktech.com
Tank Tech, Inc. is one of the largest and most respected tank inspection and upgrade corporations in business today! With an international reach Tank Tech has maintained its high standards of safety and customer satisfaction since 1985, providing decades of experience and a staff of fully trained professionals, we offer our services throughout all 50 United States and other countries. At Tank Tech, we are recognized experts in ethanol compatibility, tank inspections, repairs, as well as single and double-wall secondary containment upgrades.
|
