The de facto standard for POS service within most retailers is a 24/7, 4 hour response across all locations, all lanes, all the time.
While there is most certainly a sense of security to be gained as well as a genuine need for some retailers to have a service provider that can respond to problems within 4 hours of alerting them of an issue, the big question emerging now is: Is it necessary that every issue, regardless of severity, be addressed within 4 hours?
The more important question for retailers, especially as retailers look to reduce costs, and run every location as efficiently as possible: Is paying for 4-hour response time economical?
Bottom line is: does it really make sense to spend millions of dollars on yearly maintenance contracts for a same-day premium that might not be necessary for all retailers, all stores, or all equipment?
Well, in our experience, the answer would be a resounding ‘no’, as we have been able to save some customers up to 50% of their current costs simply by taking a closer look at their store and offering alternatives based on their individual service and maintenance needs.
From our standpoint, not every store is the same, which is why customization of service is so important. At tekservePOS, we can align costs with service level received and/or needed, and customize a maintenance program specifically tailored to your store--based on product, season, and time of day.
Here are some money-saving questions to consider before spending top-dollar on a blanket maintenance program that dictates a universal 4-hour turnaround:
•Does it make sense to pay for “round-the-clock” coverage in every store if only a fraction of your stores have a need for a 4-hour turnaround?
•Could you save money by only paying for coverage in the stores that really require it?
•Does it make sense to pay for coverage on every lane when at times there aren’t even enough store associates to operate all lanes—or if only 5 of the 11 lanes are open during the weekdays?
•Could you save money by paying for coverage only during optimum business hours, such as Saturdays from 1-5 pm or even throughout the entire holiday season?
Obviously, saving our customers money is something we feel very strongly about, which is why we have plans to conduct more research around this topic in the future. Until then, we ask that you consider some more money-saving questions and continue the discussion on our LinkedIn Group page, Retail tekSPERTS.
➢ Does every store and every piece of equipment have the same service need at all times of the year?
➢ Does your current service provider provide flex options by seasonality, service level and items within the store?
➢ Could you be saving money while increasing your internal customer experience?
Or, click here to learn more about our flexible maintenance and repair programs that will help you save money and improve customer satisfaction.
