CarMax 1999 Annual Report Download - page 14

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12 CIRCUIT CITY STORES, INC. 1999 ANNUAL REPORT
The POS system automatically notifies the warehouse to pull the
product and have it waiting at the door. Trained warehouse Associates
securely load products into the customer’s vehicle. Sales counselors
also can arrange for home delivery and installation, including weekend
and evening deliveries in most major markets. Roadshop Associates
install automotive electronics in our on-site installation centers.
AN ONGOING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP
Product Service. Our relationship with the customer continues after
the product purchase. Our network of 36 service centers and more than
1,800 technicians provides convenient, factory-authorized repairs,
including in-home repairs for large items such as big-screen televisions
and major appliances. A third-party warranty provider delivers in-
home service for personal computer products. Strong vendor relation-
ships and a nationwide parts inventory speed turnaround on all repairs.
Customer Service Representatives. Should a customer have an issue
that is unresolved through our stores or our product service centers, he
or she has toll-free access to customer service representatives at our
headquarters. These representatives can assist with a quick resolution.
MAKING IT WORK
The key to outstanding performance over the long term is the ability
to deliver on our consumer promises every day. Circuit City achieves
that objective through sales counselor training, ongoing refinements
in product offerings and a commitment to service after the sale. We
also have been aggressive in our behind-the-scenes use of technology
to enhance customer service, operating control and efficiency.
Through continuous upgrades, system enhancements and
improved data storage, our proprietary POS system enables us to sort
the vast amounts of information created by a high-volume business.
CIRCUIT CITY Delivering the offer every day
The result is tighter inventory control and better merchandise buying
decisions. The POS system provides for automatic inventory replen-
ishment from regional distribution centers. In these centers, conveyor
systems and laser bar-code scanners efficiently move merchandise and
reduce labor costs and inventory loss. Our automated music software
distribution center provides cost-effective delivery for this low-margin,
but traffic-driving, category.
The POS system also is integrated into our Customer Service
Information System. CSIS maintains a history of the customer’s major
Circuit City purchases so sales counselors and customers can match new
selections with the customers’ existing products. It also facilitates product
returns and repairs even if a customer has misplaced a receipt. Finally,
CSIS gives customer service representatives quick access to transaction
records, allowing them to rapidly respond to customer issues.
MONITORING OURSELVES
For more than seven years, we have surveyed our customers to moni-
tor our performance and pinpoint areas for improvement. Last year,
we contacted more than 375,000 customers, measuring their satisfac-
tion with literally every area of customer interaction. Additional
research helps to establish benchmarks for comparing our perfor-
mance with that of our competitors.
CONCLUSION
We believe that the attention Circuit City gives to the details and
execution of a multi-faceted, high-service consumer offer positions us
to benefit from the exciting growth being generated by our industry’s
new technologies. By combining our experience with the industry’s
innovations, we believe we can recognize the tremendous potential
of this new digital age.