Good feedback guys, thanks. The employees I've discussed it with so far are between indifference and actually liking the added security. The rash of recent burglaries has them a little spooked, I think.
I hyped the security angles and insurance savings but also mentioned the obvious supervision benefits as well. This bit of potential news followed a rule change that I made for the same purpose. From now on; one of the men in the kitchen will accompany my manager when she checks the basement door at night... which must be locked by 8:00 as well.
I'm satisified that my employees are fine with it... and am thinking about the customers. For a few extra dollars; they do make unabtrusive cameras that would likely go largely unnoticed by the customers. But, I wonder if those who did notice them would find that sneaky and/or underhanded. I think I'm going to go ahead with the normal (if small) cameras and pre-program my staff with common sense answers if anyone should ask. Frankly, I think I might be over-thinking; I've dined out literally thousands of times and I can't recall ever seeing a camera anywhere, despite knowing I've probably been in front of hundreds of of them and just never noticed.
Legally, camaras are cool, as long as they don't record sound. For sound; you need permission from any and all who may be recorded or its a invasion of privacy. Strange distinction IMO; but that's but that's how the law sees it.
Last night I attended the Port Washington 5:01 Club meeting (area who's who meet for drinks last Thursday of each month at 5:01), and made a half a dozen good contacts. A retired lady from the Historical Society assured me she has seen a picture of Wooster Harrison (Founder of Port in 1835... I was previously told no such picture exists), and promised to track it down either in the Port archives or the Museum in Milwaukee-> she could recall for certain which had it.
I also met the organizers of "Fish Day". This is quite a to-do. On fish day Port Washington attracts some 60,000 tourists and sells them 10,000 pounds of Cod in 12 hours flat.
Aparently; everyone with a liquor lisence makes a killing that day.:wink: I'll probably donate a couple of my kids along with some dough to help bring it about. It is 100% non-profit, with a budget of $160,000... and that doesn't include the additional law enforcement that is provided free of charge. Quite a to-do indeed.
I met another popular lady who had previously tended bar in Port for a decade before becoming a Professional Marketing Associate. Everyone seemed to love her; and she was telling everyone she'd be tending bar for me opening day... So be it. She told me I couldn't afford her, but that she would help in emergencies for a price. Works for me.
I also got to tip a few back with the Ozaukee County Sherriff, which I figure is never a bad thing. He was happy to hear we won't be running the kind of establishment that requires law enforcement on a regular basis.
Then I met a local I/O Tech company owner who tells me she can build bridges between my restaurant software, microsoft, quickbooks and maybe even the security cameras to automate tasks and eliminate wasted man-hours. Cool.
The host of this Month's gathering was the owner of the Port Hotel. This is an historic (1905) Hotel that has recently undergone a ground up restoration. Very, very well done. They also serve the best food in town, as near as I've been able to determine. She tells me that she's thrilled to have the opportunity to recommend another quality establishment for her guests, who naturally won't eat
every meal at the in house restaurant. We'll be getting together to discuss some joint promotions; much like the package deals we put together with the Washinton House and our Cedarburg facility... who sends us half of our business in the off season. Awesome!
Not only did I make some great contacts; the organizer of the 5:01 Club tells me I can host a meeting in the near future! I love these small communities. Everyone seems to pull for each other, as opposed to the cut-throat practices you grow accustomed to in Florida. Yeeks, I'm rambling again...
Make-shift version was available on normal 8 1/2 by 11 paper, which we're still using as I tackle other problems. All and all, it's been pretty smooth compared to too many horror stories of other's folly's I've heard.
Lot's of oohs and ahhs that tell me I'll be seeing them again. The man is a machine... and the new Sou Chef is makes a tiramisu that makes all other tiramisu's feel inferior (really). Way to early to predict our success or doom, but I'm satisfied with our first 3 days performance... and then some.
