Many state and federal laws limit the sales and admittance of people under the age of 21 or 18 for a variety of products and services. Business must comply with the rules and regulations or face consequences. As a result, they take the time to check that each patron attempting to participate or make a purchase is of age by viewing identification cards. This is a time consuming process that may hinder customer service by creating long lines while people wait for their turn.
Purpose
Patrons must be 21 years old to consume or purchase alcohol in the US. They must be 18 to purchase tobacco products or lottery tickets. Certain movies restrict the audience to those age 17 or older. The legal age for participation in many activities involving insurance policies is 18 or 21, depending on the event. This includes skydiving, car rental and bungee jumping.
Efficiency
One way to remedy the long lines that frequently form at the entrance or checkout of an establishment is for the business to use an ID scanner. Rather than the employee having to search each identification card for the birth date and do the math, the device does both with a quick swipe. The magnetic strip located on the back of most state and military issued ID cards is read by a scanner to automatically locate and calculate the age of the would-be participant.
Method
There are a variety of electronic ID checkers that can be used to increase speed and efficiency. Depending on the setup of the establishment, these devices can be placed where they are needed the most. A portable ID checker, for example, can be toted around by an employee at a club with several entrances. Multiple members of the security team can stand at the doors and check identification before patrons enter. As different entry points are opened or closed, the personnel can be shifted around as needed. The portable device is light enough carry in the hand without having to affix it to a countertop or stand. Stationary machines can be placed at checkout lines in grocery or convenient stores. The clerk can swipe cards without having to leave the register area.
Features
Aside from saving time for customers and employees, many ID checkers have other features that help businesses run more efficiently. One model has an alert that notifies the employee using the scanner when someone's ID has already been processed by that device within that same day or evening. This electronic feature is helpful to identify patrons that have already paid a cover charge at the door. Double charging customers is poor customer service and can be prevented. This can also be used at nightclubs where several different would-be patrons attempt to enter using the same license. After each one enters, a friend will go outside and "pass back" the card, giving it to another person within the group still waiting for entry.
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