RSA Online: Important Information For Aspiring Suppliers And Servers Of Alcohol

The hospitality industry is a fun and exciting field that also provides numerous opportunities for employment. However, just like with any job, there are certain obligations that workers in this industry must uphold, and one of the most important is the responsible distribution and serving of alcohol-containing beverages. Each country has its own rules with regard to alcohol service, workers in this field of business must acquire a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certification from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) duly approved and accredited by the authorities.

For those who are thinking of acquiring an RSA certificate, there are basically three ways to get the necessary training: the first is by face-to-face instruction with accredited training institutions; the second is by correspondence through Open training and Education Network (OTEN); and the last is through online courses. RSA Online is a popular alternative because it is convenient for most workers and it may be less costly than face-to-face training. For individuals who are planning on taking an RSA course online, here are a few important points that you must know first:

Individuals required to have RSA certification. As mentioned earlier, everyone who wishes to work in the hospitality industry, particularly those is establishments licensed to distribute alcohol, must acquire an RSA certificate. Besides the servers and waiting staff, this group also includes managers; staff involved in the sale of alcohol, such as promotional staff; club directors and volunteers with liquor service responsibilities; and security officers who are responsible for controlling crowds.

Coverage of the course. The online course covers the following topics: laws and regulations concerning alcohol consumption and distribution, responsible preparation and service of drinks, the server/supplier's responsibilities, how to recognise alcohol intoxication, and also how to refuse alcohol service.

States and territories that accept RSA certification from an online course. Currently, Queensland, West Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia are the only states in Australia that accept RSA certification obtained through online courses. New South Wales previously did not accept certification from online courses; however, the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) in NSW has recently started a one-year trial of online RSA courses. As such, RSA Sydney training organisations can provide online certification training granted they are approved by the state. Authorities in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory do accept certifications acquired online; however, trainees must check first whether their course provider has been approved by these states' governing bodies. Victoria authorities do not accept RSA certifications from online courses, and as such, RSA in Melbourne schools can only offer face-to-face training.

Battery Operated Candles for Your Restaurant - Setting the Right Ambiance

If you own your own restaurant or are thinking of opening your own eating establishment, then you know that the setting or the atmosphere of that restaurant is extremely important. There are many who consider the setting or the ambiance just as important as the hospitality and service offered at your eating establishment, so you will want to make sure you do what you can to create the perfect ambiance for your guests.
There are a number of ways that you can do this, and one of the most old fashioned yet proven solutions to creating a great atmosphere in virtually any restaurant setting is to use candlelight. Candlelight has long been a way to create a warm, inviting and romantic mood in restaurants and although it is popular, using candles does often come with some drawbacks. Many times when restaurants decide to invest in candles they find that this can be a much more costly venture than they ever imagined. It will take a couple of candles per table per night to keep candlelight going as most candles burn down quickly. Over time this can lead to a lot of money. Also your wait staff will need to be in charge of making sure the candles are always lit and that there is always a fresh candle in place; which can be a big hassle in terms of wasting time.
Additionally, many eateries are finding that while romantic candlelight can often be a serious fire hazard. That beautiful candle you have on the table may seem beautiful but if you have guests who are careless or guests with kids, the candle can be very dangerous. This is why more and more restaurants are turning to battery operated candles. These candles are easy to use and can be instantly placed on the table and left alone for hours. Also they are much more affordable as once you buy battery operated candles you don't have to worry about replacing them night after night. There are many of these candles that are actually rechargeable as well meaning you don't even have to buy new batteries.
Finally there is no need to worry about safety hazards as although these candles give off a soft romantic glow, there is no fire involved meaning no need to worry about your safety or the safety of your guests. With battery operated candles more and more eating establishments are finding that there is an easy and more affordable way to get that beautiful and inviting ambiance they have always wanted. All you need to do is find the right size and style of battery operated candles for your establishment.

Technology Tips for Restaurants and Retailers After Sandy Damage

a Laundry List of Technology To Do's for Restaurants and Retailers
If your business has experienced either significant or minimal damage after Sandy and you are likely overwhelmed about the necessary steps to take to get back to normal.
If you're a restaurateur, bar, grocery or retail business owner and your business and your location sustained physical damage during the hurricane, your technology equipment may not be functioning properly or could be completely destroyed.
Businesses are often hardest hit financially, after a disaster, and the luxury of purchasing new equipment to get systems back up and running again may not be in the cards. Before throwing in the towel and spending what's left of your precious capital or taking out loans to purchase new equipment there are some steps you can take to evaluate the extent of the damage and hopefully, save some dough.
Below are some technology tips for recovering your electronic devices. In all cases, be sure to consult an expert when electronic devices have been submerged in water or damaged by fire and take all safety precautions necessary.
First things first!
Make sure all your devices have power -- Check routers, network switches, modems, etc. Check each cable thoroughly to rule out extensive water or fire damage, severed cables etc.
Check phone lines - Make sure you can get a dial tone by switching out phone handsets. It's possible one handset was damaged and another was not. Check with your neighbors and call your local phone company to rule out system-wide outages in your area.
It's important to remember if you have existing warranties on your devices. They may be covered in the event of a disaster. Now is the time the minimal payment you made up front for the warranty pays off!
Triage for Computers & POS Systems
The good news is if your computer doesn't have power, it doesn't necessarily mean it's completely dead. Check the power supply of your computer first, by removing it and installing it in another computer. If the test computer doesn't power up, you may have quickly determined the problem. The cost of a new power supply pales in comparison to buying a new computer, so you may have just saved hundreds performing this test.
If you feel confident in your ability to diagnose further issues, you can also test the computer's motherboard.
Finally, if your computer has power but it's not turning on or your operating system doesn't start, the problem may be more difficult to diagnose. Contact your I.T. company for service.
POS Software
Sometimes sudden power loss can cause your database to become corrupt and cause problems during operation. After checking all your network devices, if your POS system is still not operating properly, it could mean database corruption. In this case, contact your POS provider. There are simple diagnostic tests a POS software provider can perform to restore your software to working capacity.
Backup your database
Backing up your database is crucial even when there's no threat of natural disaster. If you hadn't setup an automatic backup schedule before there is no better time than now! Depending on your software package, you should be able to set the system to prompt you to take automatic backups at times when it won't interfere with your peak business hours. If you're not sure if the backup system you've set up is covering all business crucial information, consult an I.T. professional for help.
If you've managed to power up your computers and POS systems after a disaster and they are working properly. Now is the time to backup all systems immediately to prevent any future database loss. Intermittent power loss after a disaster can still cause problems for your electronic devices, so seize the opportunity to preserve data now. For databases bigger than 50MB, you will likely need an external hard drive. This is an added cost but still more cost effective than having to start from scratch. If your database size is smaller than 50MB a backup can be done online through free cloud-based storage services.
Credit Card Processing
Perhaps the most important consideration after a disruption to your electronic devices, being able to process credit cards again will have a direct impact on your business' bottom line.
If your credit card machine is not working, make sure your devices have power and your phone lines are working. If power has been restored but transactions are not being processed, contact your credit card machine manufacturer or I.T. vendor.
If you were processing credit cards through your point of sale software it may be a simple adjustment of settings to process transactions again. As an alternative, your merchant services provider may be able to provide you with a temporary external machine until the software glitches have been resolved.
Surveillance Systems
To make sure all your cameras are working, check each one to confirm they didn't get disconnected from their respective power supply. Following this, if some of your cameras are not showing on your main screen, there may have been damage to the camera itself. You can easily interchange working cameras in the positions of the non-working ones to rule out damage to the cables themselves and confirm there is, in fact, a problem with the camera itself.
If your DVR is not showing all of your cameras, there could be physical damage to the DVR's hard drive, in which case you may need to replace your hard drive or contact your manufacturer for support.

Overwhelmed with the Laundry List?
A restaurant, bar, supermarket or retail store often uses multiple electronic devices, hardware and software to run a smooth and cost-efficient business operation. In times following disaster one disruption to your systems can make or break your efforts to getting back to business, literally. It's difficult at times like these to coordinate calls and on-site visits with various service providers between while conducting daily operations.
RetailAid understands your frustration and we're here to help. RetailAid is a "One-Stop-Solution" for all your technology needs and we pride ourselves in helping businesses get their systems back up and running as quick as possible and at the lowest possible cost.Feel free to contact us for any questions you may have or schedule a visit for a professional consultation in-line with your budget.