BlueFront Update
March 2009
Welcome to BlueFront Update!
BlueFront Update is a newsletter which is designed to: keep you up to date with developments at BlueFront, bring you news of new Emrox solutions, provide updated information on existing Emrox solutions, advise details about software update releases, and to supply our clients with best practise hints and tips to ensure they get the best value from their Emrox solutions.
From this issue BlueFront Update will be published on a quarterly basis and back copies are available on our main website at http://www.bluefront.com/newsletter.
In this issue:
1. News - The Phone House Telecom GmbH sign contract with BlueFront Germany GmbH.
2. New Product Features - "Shared Chain History" and "Pick-up Request" in Emrox Store.
3. Hints and Tips - Follow Up (2) Repair Cost Estimates best practice in Emrox Store.
4. Software Update - Emrox.net 2.1.5 update.
1. News - The Phone House GmbH sign contract with BlueFront Germany GmbH
The Phone House Telecom GmbH, the leading retail chain for mobile phones, accessories, and laptops in Germany is implementing Emrox Store as their new software solution for managing all types of customer returns across all of their stores (both directly owned and franchised).
As part of the solution, automated communication will be provided with their service and logistics partners to minimise repair TAT (turn around time). Customers will have access to their repair status via the internet and will have the option to receive updates by automated messaging (email and/or SMS). Role-out is targeted to be completed in all stores by the end of April.
[The Phone House is a part of the UK's Carphone Warehouse Group PLC, Europe's leading independent retailer of mobile phones and services, with over 2,400 stores in 9 countries. The Phone House (Germany) is the second country division of The Phone House to choose BlueFront's Emrox Store as their preferred solution for the management of customer returns in addition to The Phone House (Sweden)].
In the picture (from left to right):
Christoph Pangritz, Country Manager - BlueFront Germany GmbH
Reinhard Johanterwage, Key Account Manager Repairs - The Phone House Telecom GmbH
Hakon Ingvaldsen, Chief Executive International Operations – BlueFront AB
2. New Product Features - "Shared Chain History" and "Pick-up Request" in Emrox Store.
Shared Chain History
When registering a new service in-store, it is now possible for a store to see if the same product has been repaired before; even if it has been returned to another store in the store chain (providing the stores in question have been configured as “Shared Chains” in their HQ Chain Account).
This new feature can enhance customer experience. For example, let's say a customer has previously returned their mobile handset to their local store for repair, and later, they return their mobile for a further repair to another store (maybe in the city near their work). In this example the store can see the previous history and can decide if necessary to repair or perhaps replace the handset (subject of course to chain policy).
The “Shared chain” feature can be ordered by your account contact or at BlueFront support.
Pick-up Request
The latest release of Emrox Store now provides full connection to our external communication portal Emrox Communication Central (ECC). This has enabled a new feature “Pick-up Request” to be developed, which can be implemented with your service and/or logistic partners.
“Pick-up request” is a smart function that will automatically order a logistics collection when a previously agreed number of returns are ready for collection for repair by a service partner. The “Pick-up request” variable settings are: the "trigger" number of repairs (e.g. 3), and also the maximum age of oldest repair (e.g. 3 days).
This new feature provides an opportunity for stores to negotiate price reductions with their service partners (or even free collection) by making returns in batches - rather than individually, which is more efficient for their service partner. The maximum age setting ensures that returns are collected automatically even if the trigger quantity has not been reached in order to ensure the required TAT level.
To obtain more information, contact your account contact or BlueFront support.
3. Hints and Tips - Follow Up (2) Repair Cost Estimates best practice in Emrox Store.
In Emrox Store - Follow up, if you have any Repair Cost Estimates to handle from one of your workshops this will be indicated in the pending task list.
It is possible to either handle repair cost estimates in bulk (if you are familiar with your workshop pricing); or they can be handled individually. When you handle in bulk, you send prices with your standard mark-up (that is set up in your Emrox Store or Chain account), and the customer messages will be based on the standard Cost Estimate template that is set up in your account.
1. Bulk Routine method:
First, go to the “Follow Up” page in Emrox Store,Click on the “Unanswered Cost Estimates” task,
All Cost estimates are automatically sent to your customers by e-mail or SMS, depending on the options they chose when they registered their return.
2. Individual routine method:
To individually handle a Repair Cost Estimate, open the order required, check that mark-up price and failure description are OK, and send the estimate! When the Customer receives a Cost Estimate most templates ask the customer to log into Emrox Customer Access. In Emrox Customer Access, your customer can respond to the Cost Estimate and the workshop will get the information directly.
If the customer chooses to call the store, or to drop by the store to advise their instructions regarding their repair cost estimate, it is also easy to enter this directly in their return order in Emrox Store in the folder “Prices”.
4. Software update - Emrox.net 2.1.5
This new update was made on March 23 in order to upgrade our data communication protocols. This has now enabled us to provide fully automated, multi-path data exchange with external systems (e.g. service and logistics partners, insurance partners, etc.) via our SOMOS external communication protocol. Full details of the SOMOS protocol are available on request from your account contact.
Copyright (c) 2009 BlueFront AB. All rights reserved.