rdware or software configurations that would speed up the process? In this case, a change in software code coupled with a change in the design of the gift certificates to incorporate bar codes that tied a SKU number and a dollar value would certainly seem to make a huge difference on the error rate and make sales audit on the store level and the corporate level much easier. The number of keystrokes required per transaction on the sales floor could also be reduced with this change. The use of real-time POS information would also be beneficial to store management as well as management on the corporate level.For the store level sales audit clerks, the sales audit process should be reviewed to see if software code changes (already suggested for POS) could be modified even further to automate the sales audit procedure where gift certificate information would simply be verified on the store level and passed on electronically to the corporate office eliminating the manual accounting. Receiving new gift certificates on the store level would be a simple matter of scanning the new book verifying receipt. No more manual logs.On the corporate accounting level, there would be very little paper generated during the sales audit process. Procurement of gift certificates could be enhanced reducing the on-hand inventory of gift certificates because management would be able to establish trends in gift certificate sales and order accordingly. Security and control would be significantly enhanced, and, theoretically, every gift certificate in circulation could be tracked individually allowing the company to know, at any moment in time, their gift certificate liability.The important thing to remember when you tackle a problem, regardless of the type, size, company, etc., is to involve the people directly affected by the problem in its resolution. Give them “ownership” of the problem and they will give you all the answers you need to make t...
