For Asda success is all about innovation, product development and excellent customer care. So when it came to upgrading their cashless payment system, they knew they’d found a like-minded partner in VMC. ASDA’s cashless payment system is used by their colleagues to make all on-site food and make refreshment purchases across 361 stores and 24 distribution depots. With their existing cashless system becoming dated, they knew it was time to make changes. With so much riding on the changeover Asda knew finding a new partner required careful consideration and an in-depth market analysis. After a tough, year-long tender process, they chose VMC.
With our new cashless system in place colleagues can load a cash value onto their cards to build up an 'electronic purse' and make purchases across all their restaurants and vending machines from HQ to stores to distribution depots.
The system is easy to use, reliable and offers huge scope for future developments. A touch pad catering till system, which is easy to clean and change prices - and different from customer restaurants – has earned particular praise. Head of Asda’s Commercial Department, Jim Murphy says “Even if a catering till goes down you can use a separate mini till which can be taken from back of house - so there is flexibility and a contingency plan in place,” he explained. “This is an extra benefit which VMC introduced. It is vital in keeping the catering operation going even if a till goes down. VMC is solution focused and this was very apparent throughout the tender process. They view problems as opportunities.”
Reducing waiting time and costs
The new system has reduced vending machine downtime significantly and there is a quick-fix solution should a card reader develop a problem. Jim explained: “The thing that switched me onto VMC was that I could see a big reduction in maintenance costs. We can pull out a card reader and replace it in minutes if a problem occurs. Therefore downtime is kept to an absolute minimum. The previous process involved sending an engineer out which would normally take hours, not minutes.
“Now the reader can be replaced extremely quickly which is vital for stores and depots which trade 24 hours a day. It really comes into its own when the hot food restaurant service has closed through the night.” He declared: “We really liked the plug and play concept and could see the immediate advantages. The other main attraction about VMC was that whatever problems and issues we threw at them, each time their technical guys came back with innovative solutions. “We have found VMC to be both understanding and flexible. It is very reassuring to know you are dealing with a company that really cares about its customers.”
Ditto, Jim.
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