BlueFront Update

August 2008

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 you with feature hints and tips to ensure that you get the most from your Emrox solution.

Following our safe return from summer holidays we are bringing you in this issue:

News - BlueFront expansion in Europe.
Product Testimonial - Emrox Supplier.
Hints and Tips - Emrox search result export feature.
Power Features - Emrox Store's 4 routines.

BlueFront Update will be issued on a monthly basis and back copies will also be available on our main website http://www.bluefront.com/newsletter.

News - BlueFront expansion in Europe

Photo of Christoph Pangritz In addition to opening a sales office in the UK earlier this year, a further new sales office has recently been opened in Hamburg, Germany. Our new Country Manager at BlueFront Germany is Christoph Pangritz. Christoph has long experience in the mobile telecomms and consumer electronics sectors in a number of roles for Panasonic and Olivetti including: product and service management and also technical and sales support. BlueFront Germany contact information can be found at www.bluefront.com/contact/germany/

BlueFront are now establishing a strong presence with major players in the British and German markets and are receiving very positive responses from potential customers.

During our market research in Germany recently, a leading mobile chain shop manager told us, “Service is often the main reason why customers to review their mobile contract subscription”. He added, “Emrox Store is the key to improve the service process, the communication flow and Customer Satisfaction.”

Further details about Emrox Store can be found at www.bluefront.com/products/pdf/Emrox_Store_Product_Sheet.pdf

Emrox Supplier logo

A Product Testimonial for Emrox Supplier

By Lars Steffensen

Nordic Service Manager, Operations, Sony Nordic a/s

"Sony Nordic has been using Emrox Supplier already for a couple of years in Denmark and Sweden and with great satisfaction. Sony Nordic makes use of Emrox Supplier for 2 purposes, namely:

1. Low-cost exchanges reported directly from shops, and,
2. Reporting of non-repairable service jobs from Sony’s service network.

Firstly, Low-cost exchanges reported directly from the shops – This allows the dealer in a simple manner to handle the warranty exchange and in a simple and uniform way report the defective products to Sony.

The second purpose which Sony Nordic is using Emrox Supplier is “Reporting from the service network about non- repairable service jobs - When the workshop realise that a product can not be repaired for some reason, then the workshop report it to Sony using Emrox Supplier, with information about the dealer which sold the product and the reason for not being able to repair the product.

With Emrox Supplier it is very simple to see who is responsible for next step, by using the Follow-up function in Emrox. By using Emrox we can manage the claims received from the market in a simple manner and Emrox gives the possibility to make validation of a claim by one person at Sony and another person can make the decision to issue credit or to exchange products.

Emrox gives a good overview of all claims handled and it is easy to search for historical information.”

Hints and Tips - Emrox search results export feature:

Did you know that it is possible to export your search results to Excel or in csv format? The majority of day-to-day service management routines are covered by Emrox Follow-up (which we featured in July’s edition of BlueFront Update). However, there can be ad-hoc or periodic requirements to handle, manipulate, or merge data from Emrox in external programs (e.g. spreadsheets and databases). Examples might be: you need to create a report in spreadsheet format on all orders where loan objects have not been returned, or you need to review all swap item stock.

All Emrox Network products (e.g. Supplier, Store, Workshop, etc.) have the ability to export search results directly into Excel. The search result contains selected order data that can be sorted and processed further in Excel. Alternatively the search result can be exported as a csv file for import into other programs. So using the search function to find the orders and then exporting your results to your management system can really save time in producing reports and enhances the power of Emrox through sharing or re-use of data.

This export feature is enabled by means of a license, which must be provided by BlueFront. Please contact your local sales office for more information.

Special offer! For a limited period only, we will waive the licence fee for all orders for the export feature received by BlueFront Sales, up to 30 September 2008.

Power Features - Emrox Store's 4 routines.

Emrox Store is a highly effective service management tool, designed for retail chains and independent stores to handle all of the many varied types of customer returns. One of the main reasons that our customers choose to use Emrox Store, is its ability to use the same simple routine to manage all products, from all manufacturers. A chain or store with a wide range of products often has 50 to 60 (or more ...) different routines which are necessary to provide service for all product lines.

Two examples might be:

Example 1 - A Mobile Phone Operator chain:

One routine for Nokia GSM mobiles (all UK regions)
A different routine for Nokia 3G mobiles (all UK regions)
A different routine for Sony Ericsson mobiles (in Greater London and the South East)
A different routine for Sony Ericsson mobiles (in the rest of the UK)
And many more routines for other manufacturers mobiles and accessories...

Example 2 - A Consumer Electronics retail chain (or store):

One routine for Sony plasma TVs
A different routine for Apple I-pods
A different routine for Pioneer sat-navs
A different routine for Panasonic Blue-Ray recorders
And many more routines for other products...

So, how does Emrox Store turn the typically complex range of service routines into four simple steps???

As a part of Emrox Store's configuration process, your chain's or store's Service Manager (with support from BlueFront) configures Emrox Store with all of the varied routines that are required by your product manufacturers (and/ or their regional service agents). After configuration, all your staff need to do is to follow Emrox's four simple routines:

Step 1. New service order – register a new service order when the customer returns a faulty product,

Step 2. Outgoing delivery (a regular routine in every shop) – send faulty products to service or return centres,

Step 3. Incoming delivery – check in repaired product(s) from service centres (Emrox automatically sends messages to the customers to inform that their repaired products are ready for collection),

Step 4. Close order – When the customer visits the store to pick up their product, shop staff can easily complete the service order. Emrox Store even reminds staff to collect any loan product, or if there is payment is required before the order can be closed.

These four Emrox Store routines transform a typically very complicated challenge into a very simple routine work. This simplifies the burden on your staff and significantly reduces training for your new staff; and more importantly, ensures that your customers always get the very best service!