30% Sales Lift Overnight: How Phoenix Organization Used DTiQ to Stop Theft and Strengthen Culture 

 

At a Glance 

Customer: Phoenix Organization
Brands: 40 Burger King, 6 Denny’s, Taco Bell Cantina (South Florida)
Key Challenges: Theft, lack of visibility into transactions, incident response
Solutions: VIDEOiQ with POS integration, 360iQ platform, incident management
Results: 

• Eliminated $40–50K in theft at a single location 
• Improved same-store sales by 20–30% after removing theft 
• Reduced voids from ~3% of sales to under 1% 
• Faster incident response through mobile cloud access 
• Improved employee accountability and culture 

 

About Phoenix Organization 

Phoenix Organization is a multi-brand operator in South Florida with a diverse restaurant portfolio that includes Burger King, Denny’s, and a Taco Bell Cantina on the beach. Partner Rachel Levins oversees HR, training, and operations. Having worked her way up from drive-thru to Director of Operations, Rachel knows firsthand what it takes to keep restaurants running smoothly—and where revenue can slip away. 

 

The Challenge 

Like many multi-unit operators, Phoenix Organization faced mounting losses from theft and operational inefficiencies. Rachel recalls: 

“I knew we were leaving money on the table. Theft doesn’t just drain your bottom line; it hurts your culture. We were tracking voids, reconciling POS data across systems, and reviewing hours of camera footage. It was time-consuming, complicated, and still left gaps.” 

Before DTiQ, voids accounted for nearly 3% of sales. On top of that, resolving incidents like slip-and-falls meant pulling video manually from outdated systems, slowing response time, and costing the team valuable hours. 

 

The DTiQ Platform in Action 

Phoenix Organization relies on multiple DTiQ products to keep operations running efficiently across dozens of locations: 

• 360iQ Platform
  Rachel calls 360iQ her “go-to system” — accessible anytime, anywhere. Whether it’s reviewing an incident on her phone on a Sunday afternoon or checking performance reports, she uses 360iQ daily to manage both risk and culture. 
• VIDEOiQ with POS Integration
  The transaction overlay has been a game-changer. Rachel explains: 

“Seeing every keystroke on the screen while the video runs is invaluable. I can confirm whether a void was legitimate or tied to theft in seconds. None of your competitors can match that.” 

• Incident Management
  Slip-and-fall claims once required digging through multiple systems. Now, Rachel can pull, clip, and share cloud video instantly with her legal team. 

“If I get an incident report, I don’t wait until Monday. I handle it right there on my phone. That responsiveness saves us time and risk.” 

• Training & Culture
  Rachel created internal training videos using DTiQ footage, positioning the platform not just as a loss-prevention tool but as a way to celebrate great behavior. 

“We tell employees: this isn’t just about catching mistakes — it’s about recognizing when you’re in uniform, serving customers properly, and doing things right.” 

• Future-Focused Innovations
  Phoenix Organization is also piloting RushReady AI to improve speed of service in the drive-thru, and Rachel sees promise in expanding tools like SmartDispute for chargeback resolution. 

 

The Results 

Since rolling out DTiQ across legacy locations, Phoenix Organization has seen measurable improvements: 

• $Up to $50K theft uncovered in a single location, with consistent recovery across others 
• Voids reduced below 1%, cutting waste and fraud significantly 
• 20% sales lift in certain stores after removing theft 
• Incident response in real time, protecting guests and reducing legal risk 

Perhaps just as important, Rachel notes, DTiQ has helped strengthen culture: 

“We’re no longer the easy target. Employees know we run an honorable business, and DTiQ helps us protect that. If you want to grow with us, great. But if you’re here to steal, you won’t last.” 

 

Looking Ahead 

Rachel continues to test new DTiQ innovations like AI-driven performance insights and sees further potential in drive-thru monitoring and dispute resolution tools. 

“Every time your competitors call me, I tell them the same thing: I don’t have time to test your system. I’m doing fine over here. DTiQ works, the service is excellent, and the ROI is undeniable.” 

 

Key Takeaway 

By choosing DTiQ, Phoenix Organization transformed loss prevention from a cost center into a culture-building, revenue-protecting advantage—proving that visibility and accountability are essential to running profitable, people-focused restaurants. 

 

About High Noon Restaurant Group 

High Noon is a proud Popeyes operator with 104 locations across Louisiana and Mississippi. Known for promoting from within and cultivating strong teams, they consistently deliver standout guest experiences—and rely on smart tech to protect what they’ve built. 

 

The Challenge 

Shrink is a persistent threat in QSRs, especially with thin margins. High Noon had DTiQ in place to prevent and respond to loss, theft, and fraud fast. 

When SmartAudit™ flagged suspicious refund activity, both DTiQ and High Noon responded immediately. 

 

The Story 

In May 2024, DTiQ’s SmartAudit™ detected a major spike in cash refunds—over a 600% increase just 13 days into the month—at a single Popeyes location operated by High Noon Restaurant Group. 

The investigation uncovered an employee stealing over $1,000 in cash at a single Popeyes location and fraudulently issuing cash refunds using a manager’s ID (the manager was not involved) and pocketing the money. Had this gone undetected, losses could have topped $24,000 in just six months, totaling to $48,000 annually. 

Thanks to the audit, local law enforcement got involved and discovered the employee was a wanted fugitive, facing $75,000 in outstanding bail for fraud-related charges. 

 

The Outcome 

SmartAudit™ provided clear video and transactional evidence, resulting in: 

• Immediate termination of the employee 
• Refund levels quickly normalizing 
• Law enforcement identifying the suspect as a wanted criminal with prior fraud charges 

Together, DTiQ and High Noon restored operations and prevented further loss—demonstrating the power of proactive monitoring. 

 

From the Client 

As the IT Director overseeing all hardware and software for High Noon Restaurant Group, which operates 104 Popeyes locations across Louisiana and Mississippi and is one of the top five Popeyes franchisees in America, I can confidently say DTiQ has been a game-changer for us. 

One of the standout features is SmartAudit™, which provides real-time alerts and clear video paired with transactional data. This combination has been invaluable in catching fraud quickly, but it also helps us improve training, guest experience, and compliance. Instead of spending hours pulling reports or footage, I get actionable insights right away, saving me critical time. 

With DTiQ in place across all our restaurants, we know we have consistent protection and visibility at scale. For us, it’s not just about preventing theft, it’s about building smarter, more secure operations that support our growth and deliver a strong return on investment. 

– Jordy Hill, Information Technology Director @ High Noon Restaurant Group 

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Through video quality, cloud storage, audits, and a reliable partnership. 

 

Overview 

Sarku Japan, a fast-growing quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand with over 170 U.S. locations, operates from its headquarters in Canada—making visibility and oversight across borders a daily challenge. From internal theft and customer complaints to managing complex U.S. regulations and mall infrastructure, the team needed a smarter way to stay in control. 

Enter DTiQ: a technology partner that offers more than just cameras. With a powerful combination of video surveillance, SmartAudits™, POS integration, and hands-on support, DTiQ helped Sarku turn fragmented oversight into a scalable, proactive risk management system. 

 

The Challenge 

When Robert Coon joined Sarku Japan in 2007, he quickly uncovered systemic issues that were costing the company thousands. At the time, store surveillance relied on outdated videotapes that had to be physically shipped to headquarters. Many of those tapes would arrive damaged, tampered with, or simply missing—especially when employees had something to hide. 

Managing customer complaints was equally manual. Verifying if staff had said something inappropriate, or if a refund was handled properly, often came down to hearsay. 

To move forward, Robert needed more than just better technology—he needed a reliable partner to help him protect the business. 

 

The Solution 

In 2010, Sarku started testing DTiQ (then DTT) in a few stores. What stood out immediately wasn’t just the quality of the technology—it was the relationship. DTiQ offered a no-risk trial, installed the systems at no cost up front, and committed to proving their value 

As confidence grew, so did adoption. Sarku rolled out: 

• IP & analog-compatible video systems, tailored to mall environments with low bandwidth 
• SmartAudit™, a human-reviewed audit tool that flags behaviors like theft, poor customer service, or safety violations 
• POS integration, which overlays transaction data on video footage for fast, clear investigations 
• Cloud video storage, which became vital after break-ins where DVRs were stolen or destroyed 

Robert’s team began to solve problems faster; with evidence they could trust. 

“Before DTiQ, we were relying on hope and VHS tapes. Now, we have proof. We can pinpoint when something happened, what was said, and who was involved.” 

 — Robert Coon, Risk Lead (Retired), Sarku Japan 

 

Implementation & Support 

Over the years, the partnership evolved—but one thing remained consistent: the people behind the technology. 

From the very beginning, DTiQ assigned dedicated reps who listened, responded quickly, and adapted solutions to fit Sarku’s complex needs. One standout has been Merlin, a DTiQ support specialist who’s become so integral that Robert jokingly refers to him as “an honorary Sarku employee.” 

“Merlin––he’s basically an employee of ours. Without him, we would have been lost many times. The guy gets on our situation ASAP. No matter what the problem is, he gets on top of issues right away and treats our problems like his own.” 

 — Robert Coon 

Beyond support, DTiQ also empowered Sarku to co-create solutions. When Robert raised concerns about break-ins and DVR tampering, DTiQ introduced cloud-based camera backups—an innovation that started with Sarku and is now standard across DTiQ’s customer base. 

 

Results 

Stronger Oversight, Smarter Investigations 

Faster Theft Detection: SmartAudits™ identified cash theft that would have otherwise gone unnoticed for months. In one case, DTiQ’s audit caught a recurring refund scam—saving Sarku from extended financial loss. 

Evidence-Backed Investigations: High-resolution footage, synced with POS data, allowed Robert’s team to build full case files—complete with timestamps and transaction records. These were handed off to law enforcement with complete confidence. 

• Sarku has experienced a loss rate well below the industry average. 

Proactive Store Management: SmartAudits™, a customizable ten-question remote audit of each of your locations, also flagged seemingly minor issues like back doors left open or employees using phones on the job. These early warnings helped regional managers correct behaviors before they became bigger problems. Our customers create a rule-based distribution of findings, ensuring that each team member receives the information they need to succeed. 

• The average SmartAudit™ score across Sarku locations is above the internal benchmark of 80%. 

Operational Integration:

• Over the past 90 days, the account has been active every single day: refunds remain consistently low, underscoring both employee compliance and effective deterrence. 

 

Relationship-Driven Trust 

For Sarku Japan, it wasn’t just about catching bad actors—it was about building a system that prevented issues in the first place. DTiQ’s consistent support and relationship-focused approach gave him peace of mind. 

“There are cheaper systems out there. But when you know someone has your back—and the tech works—you don’t switch.” 

 — Robert Coon 

 

Looking Ahead 

With Robert entering retirement, a new risk leader has stepped in. But the foundation is solid. 

Before leaving, Robert is introducing his successor to DTiQ, personally taking him through stores and setting up the next phase of the relationship. The torch has been passed with confidence. 

Sarku’s current Director of Risk Management, Edward Chong, is now working closely with DTiQ as the brand prepares for aggressive expansion and franchising—with DTiQ’s systems as a standard in all new builds. 

“As we grow, DTiQ grows with us. We’re not just buying technology—we’re building a smarter, safer business.” 

 — Edward Chong 

 

Final Word 

This isn’t just a vendor relationship. For over a decade, DTiQ has acted as Sarku’s extra set of eyes, ears, and support—helping the brand maintain integrity, reduce loss, and scale with confidence. 

With the right technology and the right people, Sarku Japan didn’t just solve operational problems—they built a safer, smarter, more resilient business. 

Introduction

J&L Sandwiches, INC., a Subway franchise operator, is committed to delivering top-tier customer service and operational efficiency across its locations. With over 37 years in the industry and 21 locations, Owner, Jim Cagle understands the importance of maintaining high standards to drive customer satisfaction and business success. To achieve these goals, J&L Sandwiches partnered with DTiQ, a leader in video surveillance and business analytics, to optimize their operations.

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Challenges

Operating multiple Subway locations presents unique challenges, particularly in ensuring consistency in service, adherence to operational procedures, and managing loss prevention. Jim Cagle recognized the need for a solution that could provide actionable insights and real-time monitoring to address these challenges effectively.

• Loss Prevention: Jim was concerned about shrinkage, destruction, and employee theft, impacting his bottom line. Despite his best efforts, the lack of a reliable monitoring system made it difficult to identify and address these issues efficiently.

“We were robbed a couple of times, we had vandalism where they threw rocks through the window, or somebody broke in. The cameras really helped tremendously in all those instances. You can pull the footage for the police. We’ve watched people and knew exactly who they were when they were breaking into our store at night. Sometimes they were our employees.”

• Operational Efficiency: Running multiple locations, Jim struggled to maintain consistent operational standards across all his stores. He needed a tool that could provide insights into various aspects of his business, from customer service to cleanliness, to ensure that each location met Subway’s high standards.

• Customer Experience: Jim understood that a positive customer experience was key to his stores’ success. However, without real-time feedback, it was challenging to ensure that every customer interaction met his expectations.

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Solution

J&L Sandwiches implemented DTiQ’s security solutions, which combines video surveillance with advanced analytics. This system allows Jim and his management team to monitor operations across all Subway locations remotely, ensuring that every store adheres to the company’s high standards.

“We’ve got DTiQ in every store.”

“We mainly focus on when an employee does something on the POS such as a suspicious ring-in, an override, or a comp, you know, an employee meal—things like that.”

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‍Results

Since partnering with DTiQ, J&L Sandwiches has seen significant improvements in overall efficiency and customer satisfaction. The real-time insights provided by DTiQ’s platform have enabled Jim and his team to address issues proactively, resulting in a reduction in operational inconsistencies and improved staff performance.

Moreover, the ability to review footage has strengthened J&L Sandwiches’ loss prevention efforts, ensuring that any discrepancies are promptly addressed.

• Improved Loss Prevention: With DTiQ’s advanced surveillance and analytics, Jim can quickly identify instances of theft and other forms of shrinkage. The ability to monitor employee behavior has led to greater accountability and a marked reduction in losses.

“One time, our GM noticed her bread count was off. The cameras caught an employee making four foot-longs for his buddies but only ringing in a bag of chips and a drink. We fired him, but it’s situations like these where DTiQ’s system really proves its worth.”

“We watched a guy one night taking orders with the camera right over the register. He never closed the drawer on cash deals—he’d take the money, turn around, and stick it in his tip jar. DTiQ’s system caught it all.”

“The system works really well, and it’s exactly what the city wanted in case of robberies.”

• Enhanced Operational Efficiency: DTiQ’s dashboard has allowed Jim to oversee key performance metrics in real-time. By tracking cleanliness, customer service, and policy adherence, he can ensure that all his stores operate smoothly.

• Elevated Customer Experience and Incident Management: Through continuous monitoring of customer interactions, Jim can maintain high service standards and prepare for scenarios where more information is needed to identify the source of the problem.

“We had a customer/employee communication incident that would have cost us $10,000 if it wasn’t for DTiQ.”

“The best thing was that we could handle customer comments and complaints against an employee—you want to see what happened and who’s telling the truth. Just because it’s a customer doesn’t mean they’re telling you the truth, which, many times, they weren’t. They get upset, have a bad day, and say things. So, the cameras helped tremendously.”

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Conclusion

DTiQ has empowered J&L Sandwiches, INC. to enhance its operational efficiency, reduce theft and shrinkage, deflect destruction, prepare for incidents, and uphold its commitment to delivering exceptional service across all Subway locations. With the continued support of DTiQ’s solutions, Jim Cagle is confident in maintaining and even exceeding the high standards that his customers have come to expect. Through the prevention of loss, a culture of evidence was created.

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About DTiQ

DTiQ is a leading provider of video surveillance and business analytics solutions designed to help businesses optimize operations, enhance customer service, and improve loss prevention. With a focus on delivering actionable insights, DTiQ serves a wide range of industries, including quick-service restaurants, retail, and convenience stores.

I have been in the restaurant business for 30 years and always believed in security systems. Previously we worked with a vendor that we were not happy with at all. When I received a call from DTiQ and watched a demo, I was excited about the potential of the service.

There were several other restaurant concepts and operators using the system and I heard some very positive reviews.

DTiQ System Utilization

We were interested in surveillance for several reasons; most importantly:

• Employee productivity
• Improvement of internal controls to reduce theft
• Protection for employees
• Internal and external security

Over the past couple of years I’ve seen DTiQ’s technology continue to improve and I find myself using the system more and more. They make it really easy.

SmartAudit™ Reports

The biggest selling point for me is the SmartAudit.™ As technology has developed, one important thing I learned is that camera systems are only good if someone is watching what is going on. I don’t have enough staff to handle watching video at all my stores everyday but DTiQ’s SmartAudit™ team handles that for me. Now, if an employee or customer does something wrong, I know about it. The staff knows they’re being watched and that makes the system really valuable to me.

I share the reports with the whole team and display them at staff meetings. They are great for pointing out opportunities for improvement but can also be used to reward employees for good Speed of Service and exemplary customer service.

“I encourage operators to sign up for 1 audit per week. It’s a constant reminder that we have a tool available to us to help improve performance.”

The End-of-Month reports on the portal are also great for showing store trends. They tell us where we are doing well and where we could use some work.

Because of the audits, we were able to identify several instances of internal theft. We’ve also had incidents where guests have complained about an employee and, upon review of video, it was revealed that our employees did everything by the book; the guests were actually out of line. In those scenarios, the system saved multiple employees their jobs.

I encourage operators to sign up for 1 audit per week. It’s a constant reminder that we have a tool available to us to help improve performance. It keeps our staff honest and, in combination with POS integration, helps us to ensure that transactions are being properly rung up.

MyDTT™ Portal

I’m a frequent user of MyDTT™, which I access mainly for Live View. I like the Custom View feature because I can see what’s going on at multiple stores from 1 screen. I have 1 setup that shows me the registers from 6 stores at once so I can get an idea of how busy they all are.

I also use it for Recorded Video Search if there’s an incident or question about something. I’m actually in the middle of an investigation because of an incident with our loyalty card program. We recognized that an employee was fraudulently using a loyalty card to take advantage of free food. We are only able to pinpoint which employee did this because of the video and POS data. Without it we would not be able to verify any of the details. What bothers me most about this is not that our employee was getting free food but that our customers were being denied access to the program.

Financial Impact

Compared to other Qdoba groups, we have improved about 1% on food costs since installing the DTiQ system. I think this can be attributed to a combination of things including product theft, issues with portioning, or ringing up transactions inaccurately. One of the most common problems was that employees would add Guacamole to dishes without adding it to the transaction. That can equate to a significant amount of money and product that goes unaccounted for.

Final Thoughts

I’m a big fan of DTiQ overall and especially impressed with the Support team. In fact, I’ve used DTiQ as an example of good customer service in conversations with other vendors. Anytime we have had an issue they have responded immediately.

In my situation, operating 13 restaurants over 3 states, DTiQ is a necessity. I can’t drop into all the locations every day but this system, including SmartAudit™, POS integration, and audio, has really increased my comfort level with remote markets. I almost feel like I’m there to an extent. In the past there was a concern about expanding our enterprise because you couldn’t easily manage it; that’s no longer an issue today.

See how this Multi-Unit QSR Operator got time and money back by implementing an outsourced loss prevention program

Summary

Third-party delivery is an integral part of most quick-service restaurant (QSR) operations. As an example, this multi-unit operator averages 36% of their orders from third-party ordering services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub.

Unfortunately, this multi-unit operator, like most QSRs, struggled with third-party delivery chargebacks that averaged over $500 a month per location despite having a well-trained team that promptly and diligently prepared food orders. When you consider that QSR users are typically charged a fee by the third-party delivery platform, restaurants can end up losing money on an order if the cost of the entire order is disputed. That doesn’t even account for the cost of food that is sent to the customer.

This Multi-Unit Operator implemented 360iQ by DTiQ and immediately saw major savings

The Challenge

The misuse of third-party delivery chargebacks continues to explode — all over the internet, people share their “hacks” for getting free meals by complaining in order to receive a free meal.

This so-called “life hack” was costing this Multi-Unit Operator upwards of $500 monthly per location and required up to 30 hours to challenge each chargeback. They knew they had to act fast to reduce the cost and efficiently dispute chargebacks.

The key? Finding technology that allowed them to quickly and easily prove they successfully filled each order.

Cue 360iQ by DTiQ.

The Solution

Since implementing 360iQ’s Video and POS integration solution that ties every transaction back to its corresponding video, this Multi-Unit Operator has won over 70% of their chargeback disputes — resulting in savings of over $3,065 monthly. The savings on this win are significant — their monthly chargebacks dropped from $500 to $150 per location.

DTiQ’s RISA+ feature allows our customers to easily share video footage of events and incidents in a universal file format with external users such as law enforcement and third-party service delivery vendors. DTiQ’s solution saves users a lot of time because they can share video footage remotely and avoid going on-site to manually create flash drives or CDs.

With easily accessible video, the Multi-Unit Operator quickly creates video evidence to prove they completed their order in-full and on-time. Users look at the order time of the chargeback to promptly pull video footage showing the order was completed properly. The video footage is shared with the third-party delivery service provider to dispute chargebacks.

“Receiving chargebacks, whether from customers themselves or third-party delivery services, is a growing issue in our industry, and DTiQ’s RISA+ feature allows us to counteract these in real time. RISA+ has become part of our stores’ day-to-day tasks to ensure we aren’t losing money on our sales through companies like DoorDash and UberEats. We’re able to download video footage to show the accurate orders going out directly from the 360iQ platform and easily share it for disputes. Without RISA+, our stores wouldn’t be winning nearly as many chargeback disputes.”

Multi-Unit QSR Operator

The Outcome

This Multi-Unit Operator’s team was thrilled with some of the major outcomes they saw after implementing 360iQ at all 9 of their locations, including:

• Major decrease in time associated with disputes.
• ~No more traveling to the individual location to pull video, scrub footage to find the incident, request the video from their provider, pay for the video request, wait for the download, and then finally share.
• ~Now, they can access the transaction date and time while easily uploading and storing the video in the cloud to share with the third-party deliver service providers during the dispute process.
• Winning over 70% of the dispute cases by sharing video resulting in $3,065 per month in savings across 9 locations

Timeline with DTiQ

• Restaurant receives chargeback
• Team uses 360iQ to create a cloud video archive
• Video is shared with a third-party platform to prove order was accurate
• Chargeback dispute won

Time to chargeback dispute win: 20 minutes

Timeline without DTiQ

• Restaurant receives chargeback
• Team must request and pay for individual video footage from a third-party company
• Team must wait 24+ hours to receive individual video footage
• Video is shared with a third-party platform to prove order was accurate
• Chargeback dispute won

Time to chargeback dispute win: minimum 30 hours

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Operator Background

I’ve been in the restaurant business for 9 years and was started out as an investor. As we grew, I took on a bigger role handling more of the operations side. I have been a Capriotti’s store owner for 4 years.

I never really thought about surveillance/loss prevention until I was introduced to DTiQ through a SUBWAY® deal with one of my partners. So far my experience with DTiQ has been great; I especially recall the smooth sales process and my very helpful account executive. I utilize the system in all 17 of my stores.

Surveillance as a Deterrent

We are on the cameras a lot, looking at different situations so we can know what’s going on in each store at any given moment. I also like that I can monitor from my office, my phone, and anywhere else. Employees know they’re being watched, so it’s a good deterrent. Of course we’ll still catch them on their phones or slacking off from time to time, but at least now we know and can do something about it. It does keep people honest.

“It’s difficult to say where specific financial returns have come from, but DTiQ has definitely made an impact in various areas.”

Using the System

It’s difficult to say where specific financial returns have come from, but DTiQ has definitely made an impact in various areas. The video footage and SmartAudit™ reports in particular have caught a ton of transaction fraud and stealing, including someone walking out the door with the safe. The audits are very good and can be customized as needed; we are always changing the questions to make them better and more applicable to our operation.

DTiQ has been helpful in terms of product and inventory tracking. I’m buying a store next week, and the current staff completes inventory checks about once a month. When inventory isn’t tracked carefully enough, the employees are usually getting away with some product theft. At my stores, I typically count about 17 different items of inventory on a daily basis and have a detailed weekly and monthly system as well. After about 6 weeks with DTiQ in a new location, none of the people that were employed to start with are still working there. They can no longer get away with their old tricks and either get caught stealing or quit.

Audio Integration

We use the audio a lot, both to protect our employees and to take our customer service to the next level. One day, we had a customer call and tell us that the manager made a racial slur toward his wife. He was extremely adamant about it, so I contacted DTiQ support to request the video and audio. There was nothing there! The customer was just looking for a refund and free food.

When I called him back, I said, “Look sir, this is interesting. My security team just sent the video and audio clips –“ He immediately interrupted and replied, “What do you mean, audio?” I told him we have cameras with audio integration throughout the store so we can protect our employees and verify any incident claims. I heard a “click” and realized he had hung up. The audio really comes in handy!

Final Thoughts

DTiQ is something we need to run our business – similar to other services like Internet, cable TV, etcetera. It’s a quality system that an operator should really want to have, especially as the technology improves. Overall, DTiQ helps me sleep better at night.

DTiQ Uncovers Internal Theft at SUBWAY® Store

I have been a DTiQ customer since 2007. At that time I did not have any interest in the SmartAudit™ service. A recent experience at one of my stores taught me otherwise. If I’d signed up for the service at that time, I could have potentially prevented significant cash loss.

Back in October, I received a complimentary SmartAudit™ from DTiQ that indicated possible fraud. I requested a more thorough look into the situation and DTiQ’s Forensic Investigation clearly indicated that an employee had been ringing up fraudulent transactions dating back to July of 2012. Approximately $13.00 per hour worked was stolen over a 15 month timeframe.

“There’s a cost to having DTiQ of course but the system pays for itself over and over and over again because I’m able to catch and prevent fraud.”

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The Process

The employee managed to pocket money using the item correct feature on our registers. She rang up items ordered and stated the amount to the customer; while the customer was gathering cash, she item corrected the tender to $0. The employee would collect cash from the customer and place it in the register, then calculate the customer’s change.

While doing cash balances, where cash was to be placed in an envelope, the employee was seen on camera keeping some bills on a shelf, not in the envelope. At the end of her shift, she’d retrieve the loose cash and place it in her purse or jacket.

Looking at the POS transactions from this employee’s shift, it was clear that the majority of cash transactions were item corrected. If a credit card was used for payment, all red negatives from the last few cash transactions were visible. This is how DTiQ was able to quantify all item corrects.

In the event that a customer asked for a receipt, the employee would have to re-ring the transaction without item correcting. So, receipts and credit card transactions posed a barrier for her scheme.

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Admitting Theft + Filing a Report

I contacted the employee over the phone and stated that she was terminated for stealing. She did not question it. A couple of weeks later, she sent me a text message admitting to stealing.

At the end of December I filed a report with the police department and was able to give them a flash drive with DTiQ’s Forensic Investigation and video clips showing the employee taking money. It was a very complete package.

If the employee admits to stealing only $1,000 it is considered a felony. I did also file an insurance claim and I know they will be going after her to recoup their losses.

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A Learning Experience

I know there is fraud going on at every restaurant in the world in different ways. It is up to the owner to determine how much they want to know. How much time, effort, and money do they want to spend on uncovering it? Do the potential findings outweigh the cost of the system? Now, I can confidently say that those costs are justifiable.

If I had been signed up for SmartAudits™ when I first installed the DTiQ system years ago, this employee would not have lasted a month. As an operator, you think you have a good employee but can never be sure. Once you get away with something it’s hard to stop; you become more and more greedy and the sky’s the limit. When no one’s catching you, you build a routine. This employee had been stealing month after month and created an additional income for herself.

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DTiQ Loss Prevention Services

I’ll be signing up for SmartAudits™ this month as a result of this whole experience. I used to think I could handle Loss Prevention myself; but, I don’t actually do it. Whatever I pay per month for these services is justifiable; it will save me money in the long run.

There’s a cost to having DTiQ of course but the system pays for itself over and over and over again because I’m able to catch and prevent fraud.

I recently talked with DTiQ’s Business Consulting Group and will be meeting with a consultant again soon for additional training. They will soon have me setup to receive an email notification every time a transaction includes an item correct with a $0 balance tender. Training is all about setting parameters and identifying what you want to be alerted about.

I think that I’ll see more of the same issues at my stores moving forward as well as a great deal of Sweethearting. I know it’s going on but haven’t been able to call people out on it.

With SmartAudit™ in place last year, I would’ve been aware of various problems at my stores. As a Franchisee, if you are not going to look for issues and monitor your operation regularly and consistently, then you need to hire someone to do it. I’m very confident that DTiQ is the right partner for my business.

Operator Background

I have always worked for Wendy’s in different capacities and purchased my two stores approximately 20 years ago. I started as an hourly employee in Hays, Kansas, then spent 10 years on the marketing side of the corporation, and subsequently became an operator. I’ve been using DTiQ in both my locations for almost 4 years.

“With DTiQ, all it takes is one phone call and their technicians take care of the problem, either remotely or by visiting the store. There’s no DIY necessary.”

Why DTiQ?

Our initial surveillance systems were sold by local IT and security providers, but they never worked properly. I would wrestle with the companies to get technical support and hardware repaired until the warranty was finally up, after which I would begin looking for a new solution. I don’t have time to untangle wires or make sure everything is properly plugged in, so I needed a provider with top-notch customer service. With DTiQ, all it takes is one phone call and their technicians take care of the problem, either remotely or by visiting the store. There’s no DIY necessary.

The DTiQ Experience

DTiQ has met every one of my expectations. From installation, to customer service, to tech support, there have been no hiccups and DTiQ makes everything really easy. We’ve captured people breaking in, caught employees stealing, used footage to verify customer complaint issues, and disputed worker’s comp claims. DTiQ has a great system in place for pulling specific footage and we are always able to easily provide evidence for police reports. We have cameras and audio in the back office to monitor employee-manager conferences and eliminate the potential for he-said, she said problems.

Benefits of Remote Viewing

From an operator standpoint, if you walk into your store and immediately hear someone calling your name, that’s a sign that things aren’t running smoothly. If all employees are doing their jobs efficiently and there are no major issues, there is reason for your arrival to be identified. DTiQ remote view gives us the chance to look in on each store unannounced and see what’s really taking place when we’re not there. It gives us a better scope of the business from the time the door is unlocked in the morning to the hour it’s secured at night. Remote viewing really helps us figure out the dedication level of various employees, particularly those at management level. Are they performing their role with best interests in mind for the operation, or are they slacking off and becoming unproductive while they think they’re unsupervised? Remote view allows us to uncover positive and negative employee activity.

SmartAudit™ & Triggers

We take our SmartAudit™ reports very seriously. They act as another set of eyes to look at each store and detect areas for improvement. We can identify slip and fall potential, food safety issues, product mishandling, customer service snags, and much more. I love that we can make the reports as detailed and as customized as we want. For instance, we’re currently struggling with employees misusing the back door, so we requested that specialists take a look at that area each time an audit is performed.

We also installed a back door trigger so we can review photos every time the back door is opened. These help us figure out why the door is open: is it a scheduled trash run? Is the manager supervising? Or are employees just walking in and out for breaks, which in turn causes a security issue?

DTiQ in Real Life Situations

We don’t watch our cameras 24/7, but one night we happened to flip them on and saw a brown paper bag sitting right outside the back door. Naturally, this rose some suspicions, so someone went by the store and discovered that the bag contained a bottle of alcohol. We called the manager on duty and asked about it; apparently an employee had purchased the alcohol from a convenience store while on a break, then brought it in the store. The manager didn’t want the alcohol inside, so she took the bottle and placed it next to the back door.

This would have been a tricky issue if we didn’t have the capability to play back footage – how would we have verified if the manager was telling the truth? Because of DTiQ, we knew that the she did everything correctly and that the employee was in the wrong. No questions were left unanswered.

Final Thoughts

I would recommend DTiQ because of its reliability. You really get what you pay for – unless you can afford your own on-call IT consultant, what good is it to have a Walmart system that doesn’t work? DTiQ works 24/7 – in the time I’ve been using the system, it’s never gone down.

Business Transformation Case Study

I operate 5 Cinnabon and 5 Auntie Anne’s Locations. For my company, DTiQ represents an unbiased opportunity to learn about what’s really happening in all of my locations.

How Did You Learn About DTiQ?

I first heard about DTiQ at a FOCUS Brands Tradeshow years ago. I was impressed with their ability to offer POS Video Integration, and I decided to try them. I’ve been a happy customer ever since.

Over the years, I’ve seen DTiQ’s relationship with FOCUS Brands strengthen, which has improved the services they’ve been able to offer me as a franchisee. Specifically, they are now the only loss prevention company that offers POS Video Integration with Revel POS.

“One of the best parts about DTiQ is the service they provide. The Account Executive I work with, Rick Lopresti, is by far the best of any vendor I partner with. My relationship with DTiQ is completely hassle-free, thanks in large part to his dedication.”

What Are the Benefits of DTiQ?

DTiQ offers FOCUS Brands Franchisees the ability to review an unbiased account of any incident that occurs. It gives you peace of mind, knowing that even if you’re not physically in one of your locations, you can be virtually present at that location and react to any situation.

For me, this service has been invaluable when it comes to things like resolving customer complaints, cash discrepancies, slip-and-falls, or workers compensation claims.

I can use DTiQ to make informed decisions in regards to those incidents.

How Has DTiQ Been Effective?

The day before I wrote this case study, one of my locations was broken into. The first call I made was to DTiQ.

I was instantly connected with a service representative who walked me through gathering court-admissible footage and submitting it to the police. I’m confident that the police will be able to identify and apprehend a suspect because of the video surveillance I had in place.

In addition, I can use DTiQ’s video surveillance to show my insurance company that the store in question had followed all operational security procedures prior to the break-in. Having DTiQ in a situation like this means there is no going back-and-forth with insurance or the police. I can submit the video evidence and show them what happened in crystal clear HD quality video.

Final Thoughts

Overall, DTiQ has been a perfect fit for our business. I believe that because you can customize their services to meet your specific needs as a business owner. For example, with their SmartAudit™ service, you can request that their auditors look for specific things, like excessive employee cell phone use or uniform violations. It’s completely customizable.

In addition, I’ve found DTiQ’s employees to be easy to work with and knowledgeable about loss prevention. They are a great resource for any FOCUS Brands Franchisee.