The theme of a recent call-in show on CBC radio dealt with the wave of small and mid-size businesses that were participating in offering coupons to consumers. In return for handing out coupons, these businesses were told that is was a form of free advertising. There are lots of bargain-hunters looking for the cheapest and best deals and these businesses should not expect customer loyalty. If the business participating in the coupon campaign does not have what the bargain hunters are looking for in terms of price, they will go on to the next company. Price is then the single driving force behind the consumer participating in these coupon deals.

Some of the consumers who called in complained that upon arrival at the participating businesses, the products that they were hoping to scoop up with their coupons were all gone. Others said their coupons were not honoured and they were asked to purchase a higher priced item. Business owners on the other hand, lamented that the bargain-hunters wanted products of greater value and higher price points, but did not want to pay for them.

While companies have been sending out coupons to consumers for many years, companies like Groupon and the TV show “Extreme Couponing” has made it trendy to collect coupons.  Janice M. is a contributing blogger to the site “Talking Cents” she recently wrote a piece titled “To Clip or Not to Clip? The Great Coupon Debate.” Here is an excerpt of that blog:

“People love coupons. As you know, if you read my recent grocery challenge update, I am not one of those people. Not only are coupons not necessary for a thrifty lifestyle, but they can even be detrimental to your wallet and your budget. According to Nielson Clearing House (NCH), 78% of consumers report using coupons on a regular basis. This stat alone implies that my stand on coupons is not parallel with the majority. Although plenty of you won’t agree with me, the following are a few reasons why I don’t clip coupons.

More often than not the coupons out there provide a discount on the items that are the priciest. Therefore, you are not getting the best deal on a specific item (i.e. cereal) you are just getting a discounted price on the already higher priced, premium item (i.e. brand name cereal). I’ve seen it first-hand (as I know I’ve mentioned before). I’ve clipped the coupon, gone to the store, and realized that I can get the same item (different brand) at a cheaper price without using a coupon.”

Shopping for consumer items like frozen pizza, ice-cream and chocolate bars with coupons is one thing. When shopping for a time and attendance system the coupon bargain-hunter mentality should not apply.  A time and attendance software streamlines payroll, increases productivity and is a long term investment. While it is true that some of the basics might be similar, the manner in which an employee time management application computes data is different. Moreover, implementation and after-sales support should also play a large role when comparing software solutions.

At ATS, we do not sell a one size fits all cloud-based time and attendance system. That’s why we remain committed to offering a broad range of workforce management solutions that give companies flexibility and choice.

To learn more about ATS cloud time and attendance solutions, go to our website.