by Brianna Crandall — August 15, 2014—Nationwide security provider ADT recently announced a new Food and Beverage Solutions Bundle as part of the company’s strategic plan to deliver customized security and automation solutions to address the most common needs and concerns of business owners within particular industries. In addition to a recently announced Retail Solutions Bundle, the company also has further plans to deliver bundled solutions for small business owners of clinics, doctors’ or professional services offices, and mechanic shops.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one in six Americans falls ill each year from foodborne diseases, underscoring major concern for small business owners in the food and beverage industry. Taking the wide gamut of threats into consideration, the new Food and Beverage Solutions Bundle is intended to help solve the most pressing issues that keep restaurant and bar owners up at night — from food safety and energy usage, to the safety of their customers and employees, and the security of their cash and other assets.
The customized portfolio includes the ability to remotely control small appliances and monitor motion detection, door and window entry and video surveillance with event-triggered notifications. Additionally, smart thermostat features enable climate management throughout the premise, while freezer and refrigerator sensors can send alerts when temperature levels spike and breach a pre-programmed range, reducing the potential for food spoilage and increasing overall peace of mind.
“Our café is in a historic building that is a focal point of the close-knit Grandin community and a hub for customers to enjoy hearty, locally-sourced food with good company,” said Alan Porter, owner of Lil’ Black River Café in Grandin, Missouri. “ADT has provided us with the peace of mind to focus on what we love to do — serve great food to great people — rather than worrying about potential theft or property damage. With multiple solutions installed throughout our cafe, we have around-the-clock visibility into our kitchen, refrigerator, dining room and basement, from anywhere, at anytime.”
The Food and Beverage Solutions Bundle addresses key security and productivity concerns across the foodservice industry ranging from food spoilage to sweethearting and inventory theft, including the need to:
- Increase food safety and standards: ADT’s new bundle can help business owners control their business environment through thermostat and small appliance control, as well as monitor the critical temperatures of their food inventory, helping to prevent perishable inventory from premature spoilage. Through remotely accessible video services, business owners can monitor sensitive merchandise and food preparation and ensure consistent hygiene standards are met by all of their employees.
- Remotely monitor and control: ADT Pulse Interactive Business Solutions allows business owners to remotely control and monitor all aspects of their business, whether they are physically on-site or not, including: regulating premise climate, monitoring deliveries, arming/disarming alarm systems, and even turning lights on and off — all from any Internet-enabled device, including smartphones and tablets. Through Pulse, business owners can also schedule customized notifications via text or e-mail when specific activities take place in their café or restaurant, such as activity in a restricted area like a back office or inventory room.
- Efficiently protect customers and inventory: Event-triggered video recordings and alerts help business owners monitor deliveries, inventory conditions and sensitive business areas, helping to reduce the risk of stock damage and employee and customer theft. These video monitoring capabilities can help to mitigate some of the common behaviors that hurt the bottom line, such as “sweethearting,” a major source of overall revenue loss.
