CAMPBELL, CALIF. - February
14, 2007 - Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies today announced that Alliance
Management (Avanel, NJ), a Dunkin' Donuts franchisee with 30 stores in Middlesex,
Mercer and Cherry Hill counties in New Jersey, is using HandPunch biometric
readers in 27 of the stores, with three more pending, to record time and attendance
information from their over 300 employees. The HandPunch readers are automating
time recording and controlling labor costs.
"We were using timecards but had numerous problems with them, including
employees losing their cards. Plus, our time clocks were old and had to be replaced,"
explains Margaret Hanna, office manager for Alliance Management. "The new
HandPunch readers have made payroll much easier. We were able to eliminate one
employee whose job it was to gather and review payroll records. Since biometric
timekeeping takes less time and lets us reduce one position, we have saved money
and got payback within months."
"This Dunkin' Donuts franchise wanted more accurate, automated record keeping
and to control labor costs," adds Fred Overbeck of Automated Time Concepts
(Glen Head, NY), the integrator. "The stores have lower-paid employees
with a high turnover and were concerned with buddy-punching, in which one employee
clocks in or out for another. We started deploying the HandPunch readers approximately
a year ago.
"HandPunch readers are the most reliable and easy to use," continues
Overbeck. "Fingerscan readers are not consistent plus the HandPunch is
more tolerant to subtle changes, such as sugar- or dough-coated hands."
Now, instead of filling out or punching timecards, employees simply place their
hands on the HandPunch. It automatically takes a three-dimensional reading of
the size and shape of the employee's hand and verifies the user's identity in
less than one second. Employees use the units twice a day, to punch in and out.
Store managers edit the punches and forward pay files to the company's in-house
payroll department, which uses QuickBooks. Payroll is done bi-weekly.
"Problems we were having with the timecard system have been alleviated,"
Hanna reports. "The first and last thing an employee does each day is go
to the HandPunch. All employees use it, including office administration.
"We now get our time sheets and time reports all on one sheet. The biometric
system is much easier to use. Importantly, we've had no complaints or problems
with the readers."