34
CASESTUDY
VODAFONE RETAIL BOOST SALES,
CUTS IN-STORE PRINT COSTS
Printed material plays an important part in every stage of Vodafone Retail’s
sales process, from encouraging potential customers into its stores, to the
supply of customised sales proposals and the printing of service contracts.
E
ach year, each of Vodafone Retail’s 351 stores on Vodafone selected Lexmark X342 MFPs, with a
average prints 45,000 A4 pages and thousands print speed of 25 pages per minute, that were twice
of sheets of pre-printed stationery on a mix of as fast as the machines they replaced, have a fast
We’ve been
devices, including three single-function, black and white ½ rst-page-out time of 10 seconds and high-capacity
able to react
(B&W) printers in the sales and demonstration areas cartridges (6,000 pages at 5% coverage) for lower
more quickly
and a B&W multifunction printer (MFP) in the back running costs.
of ½ ce. Lexmark reduced the total cost of printing
to market
However, it became increasingly clear that further by customising the printer drivers to make
conditions.
Vodafone’s existing ¾ eet of Brother MFC9870 MFPs consumables last longer. “During the roll-out, we asked
Our ability to
was no longer up to the task, so when the MFP Lexmark if there was anything else we could do to
support contract came up for renewal, Vodafone keep print costs down. They analysed the types of
be reactive
worked with Fujitsu Services and its preferred print document we print and reduced the toner density
and get key
provider, Lexmark to see how in-store printing could setting to a level that was appropriate for all of our
messages out
be improved. output. We have now changed the printer settings in a
David Hemmings, Vodafone Retail systems manager number of trial stores, helping cartridges to last even
quickly has
explained: “The Brother machines have a power longer,” said Hemmings.
certainly had a
module that sticks out the back and is prone to “Previously we would centralise the production
positive effect.
damage if you push the paper tray in so hard that it of marketing material and send it out through an
slams into the wall behind. This was the cause of a large outsourced company. This worked from a cost-
number of call-outs. savings point of view, but it was dif ½ cult to react
“The key thing for us was to identify devices that quickly to market changes. Now we send a PDF ½ le
were ½ t for purpose and retail-hardened i.e. capable to the branches and they print ad-hoc offers and
of withstanding the knocks and heavy use that retail marketing messages there and then,” he said, While the
environments entail,” added Hemmings. “They had to combination of high-yield toner cartridges and toner-
have two trays – one for blank paper and one for pre- saving measures also enabled Vodafone to cut print
printed paper – and they had to be fast and easy to costs by 25%, he added that “the Lexmark devices are
use. A customer will already have spent 15-20 minutes very, very good. They are reliable, so we are not seeing
completing an agreement and won’t want to stay in so many basic faults. Maintenance calls have come
the store for any longer than necessary.” down by 85% and chargeable repairs have also come
down signi ½ cantly”.
Hemmings also said that the ability to print key
messages and offers in-store and hand them out on
the High Street has enabled Vodafone to react instantly
to offers from rivals, giving them a competitive edge
in a saturated market. He observed: “We have seen a
huge increase in footfall by being able to react more
quickly to market conditions. In 2008, Vodafone had
its best ever Christmas on the High Street, which was
remarkable considering the economic conditions. Our
ability to be reactive and get key messages out quickly
has certainly had a positive effect.”
Vodafone is now turning its attention to the
printers used in the sales area. It currently has a mix
of HP, Brother and Lexmark devices, but as these are
coming to the end of their life this year, these too will
be replaced, giving Vodafone Retail the opportunity to
make further improvements to printing in its stores.
RETAIL TECHNOLOGY AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009
034 Case Study.indd 34 15/9/09 1:34:37 pm
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