One of the key elements of maintaining security at commercial establishments is to know and keep a record of who is entering the premises of your business facility. Back in the day, businesses had to rely solely on their security personnel and visitor books to filter and collect visitor information. However, both these avenues of security came with some gaping flaws. With security personnel, there was always a chance of human error and anyone can fill false information into the visitor books. Moreover, manual age verification cannot be fully relied on when it comes to preventing underage drinking, leaving the business at risk of committing a legal offense.
However, times have changed and technology has advanced multifold. With the emergence of driver license scanners, a business selling age-regulated products can now easily avoid the risk of entertaining underage customers and risking their business license.
If you operate or own a business enterprise which sells products or services that are age-regulated, you or your security team has to face the daily hassle of patrons trying to gain entry into your premises or trying to buy something using fake ID cards. It is very hard to distinguish between a fake and original ID with the naked eye, while under the constant pressure of satisfying all customers. You always have to stay on guard and even after that, there is always a risk of failing to comply with the law due to a human error.
The perfect solution to this issue is to own a driver license scanner which can prevent the entry of underage individuals into your premises. Owning a driver's license scanner has multiple benefits apart from verifying the correct age of a customer. However, we will discuss the benefits in detail later on in the article. Firstly let us understand what a driver's license scanner is and how it works.
As suggested by the name, a driver's license scanner scans a driver license or an ID card to verify the age of an individual before selling an age-regulated product or allowing entry into premises such as bars and nightclubs. The scanner verifies the age by reading the information stored in the magnetic stripe or 2D barcode of the driver's license. Once the card is scanned, the stored information is displayed on the scanner's screen of the ID scanner for verification.
Installing an ID scanner for your business will ensure that you comply with the law and prevent the entry of underage persons and the sale of age-regulated products to minors, while at the same time making the venue safer and more secure for your other patrons.
Driver's License Scanners are used at various industries and businesses like liquor stores, convenience stores selling alcohol and cigarettes, gas stations, bars, and nightclubs. Most of the time the reason behind using this device is to prevent the sale of age-regulated products to underage persons. However, there are several other benefits of using driver license scanner in your businesses.
1. Correct Age Verification:
The major advantage of using a driver's license scanner is to correctly identify the age of a patron. The scanner, on reading the information stored in the magnetic stripe or 2D barcode of the card, will display the correct age on the screen of the device. This process is fast and accurate and helps the business owner or manager carry out transactions quickly, increasing customer satisfaction and reducing the wait time.
2. Identifies Fake IDs Accurately:
As stated before, the difference between a well-made fake ID and an original ID is too subtle to identify with the naked eye. Therefore, manual age verification for sale of age-regulated products and entry to adult-only premises is not completely reliable as there is always a chance of human error. Driver's license scanners, on the other hand, can spot a fake ID within seconds of scanning the card.
3. Complying with the Law:
Compliance with the law is essential, especially if you are selling age-regulated items like alcohol or tobacco, or operating a business which dispenses these items, like bars and nightclubs. It depends upon the owner of the business and management to stay proactive and keep a lookout for potential customers who are underage, that can lead to legal issues. Installing a driver's license scanner will help you avoid legal hassles and is the first step to protect your business license from getting canceled.
4. Maintain a Banned Alert List:
Many driver's license scanners allow compliance reporting that enables the user to store the ID information. The stored information will enable you to keep track of each and every customer visiting your business and filter those who cause trouble. These rogue individuals can be entered into the banned alert list. The next time their IDs are scanned before entry or a sale, the management will get notified and he/she can be denied entry. This not only reduces the number of unpleasant incidents taking place within the premises but also guarantees the safety of the patrons and the venue.
In Conclusion:
Although a driver's license scanner comes with multiple benefits, many businesses selling age-regulated products are yet to install them at the POS system due to the price of these devices. While price is a major determinant, business owners must consider the advantages of the device before taking a decision just based on the cost factor. Installing a driver's license scanner is a one-time investment that will prevent the sale of age-regulated products to underage persons and will keep your business safe from legal issues and hassles that might cost you more money for years to come.