BUILDING A RETAIL HARDWARE SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR A NATIONAL FOOTWEAR RETAILER
CUSTOMER SINCE: 2013
DESCRIPTION: Nationwide Footwear Retailer
INITIAL INQUIRY: Mobile Printers
SERVICES:
PRODUCTS:
THE PROBLEM
At TRG, retail is in our DNA. From managing and supporting devices employees use across retail showroom floors to enhancing the payment technology retailers use for more efficient transactions and meeting customers’ changing preferences, building retail hardware support programs and watching retailers reap the rewards is what we do best.
And for this nationwide footwear retailer, that’s exactly what we did. Our relationship began in 2013. At the time, the company had been using a variety of hardware solutions throughout its retail locations. As a result, they were also working with a number of different partners for procurement, repair, support and installation.
The customer found that working with all of these providers and devices was becoming challenging and expensive and selected TRG as its new retail hardware support partner. This allowed the company to consolidate their hardware suppliers while also saving money on devices and support by working with a single service provider.
THE SOLUTION
One of our first projects with the customer was a new technology rollout. We assisted with the transition from stationary printers to mobile printers, allowing employees to produce receipts, labels and other printed items from anywhere in the store.
From there, the retail hardware support program quickly expanded to include handheld devices, mobile phones, tablets and more. The retailer had been using iPads throughout their stores, but because these devices weren’t designed for rugged use, there were often accidental breaks and damage. Additionally, the tablets didn’t have an integrated scanner, it was difficult for employees to use them to scan and show products. Additionally, unannounced OS updates for the tablets were causing various problems.
To solve this problem, TRG helped the company evaluate several mobile computers. This provided employees with a more rugged device and the functionality they needed to find information from anywhere on the retail floor while also saving them the headache of unplanned OS updates. We also helped lock the devices down, improving their security and ensuring devices were only able to be used for retail purposes.
But as retailers know, meeting customers where they’re at and being able to process a transaction outside of the checkout lane is also critical to optimizing the customer experience. To ensure employees had what they needed, TRG also helped integrate new payment terminals. This allowed employees to use only one device for POS transactions, scanning product barcodes and more from anywhere in a store. This also enabled employees to use the devices to communicate throughout the store rather than having to find one another in person — increasing productivity across the board.
In all of these scenarios, TRG supplied the hardware and provided complete staging, kitting, configuration, and deployment services for all of the retailer’s locations. This ensured the company had a single point of contact and ensured all devices were accounted for, arrived on time and were able to be put to immediate use.
We also began managing equipment service. For units that are out-of-warranty or covered under our in-warranty repair authorizations, we perform the repair ourselves. If the item is in-warranty or we are not authorized, we manage the logistics to and from the OEM.
THE RESULT
TRG continues to provide comprehensive retail hardware support for this national company and its more than 500 stores across the country. We manage all device deployments as well as repairs for mobile printers, tablets, payment devices, handheld scanners, phones and more. As a result, the retailer has been able to save a significant amount of money and uptime has increased across the board.
We’re grateful to this retailer for their trust and business, and we look forward to continuing to support them with their retail technology needs for years to come. If your company — whether retail or another industry — has experienced any of the challenges described here, or you’re looking for a custom retail hardware support solution, contact TRG today to learn how we can help.
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About TRG
TRG is a global managed solutions provider focused on mobility, point of sale and payments. With facilities across the United States, Canada and Europe, we provide the most comprehensive suite of lifecycle management services – from warehouse to boardroom and deployment to retirement. Our mission is to Make Technology Simple, helping customers accelerate projects, drive application success, improve employee/customer experience and maximize ROI. We’re relentless in our drive to find innovative, effective ways to enhance customer operations and challenge conventional thinking along the way. Learn more about why The Difference Is Us at www.trgsolutions.com.