Biometrics Makes The Sale For Time And Attendance VAR

Before 2001, most of the general public probably didn't know what the word biometrics even meant. Today, more people may know, but that doesn't mean it's an easier sell for a VAR. Sure, acceptance levels are at a high for biometric technologies such as fingerprint or hand recognition. But, try convincing a company's union workers that biometrics needs to be implemented as part of the time and attendance system. It's likely you'll receive some resistance.

Recognize The Opportunities For Biometrics
As with most technologies, the key to selling biometrics is not just having a good product, but having an experienced staff and a proven track record with the technology. Consider the case of VAR TimeTech Canada, Inc. (Mississauga, Ontario). TimeTech's telemarketing staff uncovered a lead at a printing company in Dorval, Quebec called Multiple Packfold. Like thousands of other small businesses, Multiple Packfold used a standard mechanical time clock for the company's 120 employees. When the staff at TimeTech heard this, they immediately knew some of the problems the printing company was probably experiencing. "Customers like this are usually unsure of the accuracy of their punch card information," explained TimeTech's Business Development Manager James Edwards. "Sometimes employees forget to punch in or out, which is common with companies using manual time clocks. Unfortunately though, this means more work for a payroll department. In addition, there is always the possibility buddy punching is occurring."

Do You Have The Experience To Sell Biometrics?
All of these assumptions are common knowledge among VARs selling time and attendance products. And in situations like this, it is usually a biometric device the VAR recommends to solve these problems. This is where the staff experience and proven install base play a key role in winning an account.

The implementation specialists at TimeTech all have at least nine years of experience in time and attendance and biometric products. They use this experience to teach the efficiencies of TimeTech's software and hardware solutions to customers. According to Edwards, this knowledge puts the customer at ease with technology like biometrics. In addition, Edwards said he also includes reps from the biometric hardware manufacturers during the proposal process.

TimeTech's past experiences with this type of installation also contributed to the company securing the Multiple Packfold project. The system consisted of TimeTech's Time Keeper software and a Synel (Mississauga, Ontario) SY-780 bar code biometric data collection terminal. The SY-780 uses fingerprint recognition as its biometric technology.

Use Biometrics To Eliminate More Than Just Buddy Punching
The Time Keeper software was integrated directly into the client's Ceridian payroll system. Every employee was registered on the SY-780 and trained on how to use it. The training took place in four-hour segments during eight days. Edwards said the only thing really unique about the Multiple Packfold project pertained to the shop floor environment in which the Synel terminal was placed. "Due to the customer being in the printing business, the employees were sometimes covered with ink, making it hard for the reader to identify the topography of the employees' fingers," he explained. "To solve this problem, the customer installed a sink beside the data collection terminal for the employees to wash their hands before having their fingers read."

Once the first data terminal was installed and operational, Multiple Packfold decided to install another one at its other location in Toronto. This time, TimeTech only needed to configure the terminal and send it to Multiple Packfold to be installed. The terminal was connected via a modem to the Dorval location. "We told them what they needed in terms of wiring and power sources," Edwards said. "And then, via the software pcAnywhere, we completed all of the software connections, dialed into the system, and did the first poll of data. Everything worked perfectly." The total project required six weeks to complete.

The new Synel terminal not only eliminated the possibility of buddy punching at Multiple Packfold, it eliminated the payroll department's need to input time and attendance data. Furthermore, the company no longer needed to purchase time cards. "We were able to remove the possibility of inaccurate time allocation for individual employees," Edwards said. "The accuracy of the information being fed into the payroll system proved to be the biggest selling point for us," he concluded.