With competition in the collegiate retail industry continuously increasing, college stores need to maintain top-quality customer service to stand out from the crowd. So, when Utah Valley University Bookstore recently sent out an RFP for a new system, that’s one of the first aspects that they took into consideration.
“We were looking for technology capable of helping us expand upon our current level of customer service with new features to offer to our students, such as mobility,” Louise Bridge, general manager, explained. “We were also very focused on finding a system that was PCI compliant and could help us easily develop a strong online presence though a webpage.”
After hearing on-campus presentations from three distinct systems providers, UVU Bookstore found the MBS System to be the best fit for their specific needs.
“We’ve had a great relationship with MBS for several years and that played a role in our decision,” she said. “But, it ultimately came down to the technology and their system was superior in the features that we needed.”
From the start, Bridge was astounded at the implementation team’s estimated installation date.
“When MBS told me that we were going to have the system live in three weeks, I thought they must be kidding!” she admitted. “But, we did it! They were great!”
Throughout implementation, the store’s staff was trained on the system to ensure they would be ready to make the transition.
“They taught us so much in such a short period of time and it was very hands-on, which helped a lot,” Bridge added. “The POS is very intuitive so we learned that in no time! There were several modules, however, that we’ve never had before, so there was a bit of a learning curve. In the end, they’ve made our job so much easier though, so it’s all worth it!”
After becoming accustomed to the systems’ extensive available features, the staff has found many benefits.
“Inventory is so much simpler now,” she said. “The cashiers love the fact that the registers are touch screen, and students love that they allow us to take debit cards. We had pinpads before, but they would frequently go down and would only accept credit, so that’s been wonderful and has really enhanced our perception on campus!”
Although she appreciates the enhanced functionality the system has brought to the store, Bridge attributes much of the success of her MBS partnership to the continued support she’s received.
“It’s been unbelievable, we’re very pleased,” she explained. “I can’t say enough positive things about the support, the service, and the system in general. It’s exactly what we needed and we’re very glad we made the decision that we did!”
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