With a New Year under way and Lynn passing the baton (read her article here), we're posting an update on the "State of the Skurla's" and where the business is going with some perspectives by the new owners - the folks you already know: Jesse Dison and Thomas Greenman:
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It’s an interesting time we live in right now. On the surface, things don’t seem like they’ve changed too much but dig a little deeper and you’ll see changes everywhere. I think that’s part of the problem businesses in Alaska are having – identifying change. As they say, the first step in fixing a problem is identifying the problem, and oh boy do we have problems. First and foremost: labor.
One of the highest compliments we can receive as a business is when one our customers refer us to another business. Laile Fairbairn from Locally Grown Restaurants (Snow City Cafe, Spenard Roadhouse, South Restaurant + Coffehouse, and Crush Bistro) is another one of our vocal customers who referred a new customer who signed up for our new NCA Referral program, and she scored $500 in cash!
If you're one of our amazing customers and refer another local business to sign up with our new EdgeServ POS with NCA (Non-Cash Adjustment) credit card processing, you’ll be doing two amazing things:
For Alaskans, being connected on the internet with each other and the lower 48, is a way of life. But life could be getting better for those with slow speeds as Starlink's new satellite-based internet service is now available for Alaskans. The service is expected to provide around the same speeds and cost to all of rural Alaska as you could expect in have in Anchorage. Starlink isn’t the only big change coming in the way of high-speed internet for Alaskans. Thanks to efforts from the federal government to fund more broadband to Alaska via an infrastructure act, Alaskans can expect to have multiple options for faster, more cost-effective internet access.
“Short Staffed Is Our New Pandemic” was the sign I saw on a door at a busy restaurant in Florida last month while I was on vacation. I thought to myself, wow what a great way to explain a bad situation to hungry patrons. The sign went on to say, “We’re grateful for the staff members that did show up and hope you are too. So please show it by being patient and understanding with all staff members. Thank you, Management.”
From Alaska to Florida, being short staffed is something everyone is dealing with, and not just in the hospitality industry but all manner of industries. One of my recent flights back to Alaska was delayed because they were waiting on a replacement cabin crew member. On another, travelers couldn’t check their bags because no staff were manning the counter (they did show up a little later and used mobile phones to line bust and check folks faster – thank you Alaska Airlines). So where have all the workers gone?
Some industries are hiring more than ever, like the health care industry, with little doubt because as all parts of the country are dealing with increased demand on their services. Not surprisingly, larger companies are also snapping up workers as well, with most being able to offer more pay and benefits to employees looking to make more or for a career change. The result being that small businesses are struggling to keep up, let alone compete with these large companies. Couple that with those same companies still offering remote work, you start to see that it looks more like a migration than a temporary change.
In addition, aging workers are retiring, with some retiring earlier than expected. We are also seeing less people moving to the state, and fewer foreign workers coming in for seasonal jobs. So, while many see the pandemic as being mostly over, for some the effects are still an everyday struggle.
Read more about the labor shortage in Alaska but across the nation:
At Skurla’s, we firmly believe that the right technology and payment solutions can enable Alaskans to go beyond just surviving but grow. Our game changing credit card processing programs can save you up to 99% of your credit card fees – can you see the value in reaching out to us? Visit us at www.skurlas.com or call 907-243-2683.
One of the highest compliments we can receive as a business is when one our customers refer us to another business. Jeanne Reilly at Reilly’s Irish Pub is one of most vocal customers when it comes to referrals and with our new NCA Referral program, she scored $500 in cash! Here’s a photo of our Sales Engineer, Jeff Wood, presenting her with cash. If your one of our amazing customers and refer another local business to sign up with our new EdgeServ POS with NCA (Non-Cash Adjustment) credit card processing, you’ll be doing two amazing things:
Our long time customer, Garcia's in Eagle River, decided to make a big change for their business by switching to our new EdgeServ POS. The in house server allows lightning-fast transactions without having to communicate with the cloud first. This is a big deal for restaurants that rely on speed of service and reliability to keep business moving. This efficiency allows for the ability to upsell food and drinks and turn tables quicker. Customers are even happier with their experience!
Skurla’s recently attended RSPA’s RetailNOW 2022 in Orlando this past month. For us, it’s the “super bowl” of trade shows that gives us a golden opportunity to connect and network with both vendors and other VARs like us. RSPA has been an integral part of our business, helping us become and retain our industry expert status in the verticals we serve. With the pandemic, optimistically in the rearview (or so we hope), we’ve seen the industry change in several ways, as well as the ways VARs like Skurla’s are providing value to their customers. 
The Blue Fox cocktail lounge on Tudor has been a long time "dive" bar popular in the U-MED district in Anchorage for years. Known not just for their drinks and awesome vibe but also their food, karaoke, live music, and great prices.
Skurla’s POS Solutions, in Anchorage, Alaska, has deployed the EdgeServ POS Solution on four train cars for Wilderness Express. Locally owned and operated, Wilderness Express railcars are the most innovative in the travel industry. Custom built for use on the Alaska Railroad, the railcars are among the largest in the world and take tourists from Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali National Park, Fairbanks, and back.
