Case Study: Luxury Retailer
Ricoh is enabling this global retailer to strengthen customer experience by managing their point-of-sale technology.
About the Customer
This luxury retailer has been a staple to generations of consumers for iconic designs in clothing, shoes, purses, perfumes, and more. With hundreds of retail stores worldwide and an active online shopper base, elevating the omnichannel customer experience is a constant high priority.
Challenge
Lack of standardized IT processes
Inconsistent point-of-sale technology
Need for a single, global IT support provider
Eager to reduce number of subcontractors
This retailer’s IT leadership was looking for a single supplier for global service delivery to build an exceptional omnichannel experience. With both internal teams and a wide array of third-party contractors handling point-of-sale (POS) technology, building a unified experience was a challenge. Each country had its own delivery model and processes, which resulted in varying levels of support in countries and regions around the globe.
If there was a disruption caused by POS technology, retail employees would sometimes get mired in troubleshooting issues, which led to time away from customers and an interrupted and inconsistent brand experience. The retailer also had to manage multiple contracts and vendor relationships, wasting valuable time and resources.
Seeking a single vendor to harmonize and standardize a new level of omnichannel service delivery for their stores globally, the retailer issued an RFP to find a single partner that could anticipate their needs with a digital-first mindset.
Solution
By assessing in-store processes, interviewing employees, and inspecting their POS lifecycle, Ricoh proposed a standardized service model that would drastically improve the sales process and reduce servicing costs.
Assessed POS technology to pinpoint pain points and identify best solutions
Managed IT delivery and POS lifecycle support to ensure ease of use and consistency across stores
Provided hardware break/fix and replacement
Produced a report on condition of all technology globally
Because the customer’s executive management team had limited visibility of technology in use, Ricoh performed a rigorous assessment of their POS system, proposed and implemented a standardized service model.
We assumed responsibility for front- and back-of-house point-of-sale (POS) assets and related technology — with our team providing incident support, maintenance, and management for all the global retail stores. One of the key reasons the retailer selected Ricoh was the strength and global footprint of our Managed Services organization, having the distinct ability to deliver the necessary level of service at scale without the use of sub-contractors.
Our POS lifecycle support service for the retailer encompasses both hardware, break/fix and related technology (spare logistics, warranty, repairs, and replacements for POS workstations, servers, cash drawers, printers, scanners, laptops, tablets, phones). Our service team can seamlessly swap troublesome devices for repair to keep registers up and running. We track and report on the conditions of all relevant technology while maintaining strict service level agreements globally.
Results
New hardware and IT infrastructure to support seamless customer service
Ricoh support 7 days/week with an enhanced SLA target of 4-8 hours
Improved satisfaction and comfort by consolidating under one provider
Consistent reports allow the retailer to better understand and improve processes
By elevating service quality, our team gave the luxury retailer greater control over the customer experience and alleviated the burden of managing multiple contracts and vendors, while also reducing overall servicing costs.
Before the partnership with Ricoh, reporting on technology at the global level was not an option for the retailer, but their team now has access to detailed reports on IT and technology conditions at their fingertips.
Through Ricoh, the luxury retailer receives reliable and responsive POS support 7 days a week, with resolution for high priority issues within 4-8 hours. While SLAs vary slightly based on individual store needs and size, Ricoh maintains level of service above the guaranteed 90%.
Having a single provider accommodate billing based on the local currency of all international locations was a necessity. By choosing Ricoh, this global retailer can continue to focus on its customers, brand development, and iconic fashion designs while we focus on service delivery and maximizing uptime.