Taking recovery to a more profitable level.

Recovering mobile devices – and reversing an expensive trend

About the Customer
Built on a corporate philosophy of value and innovation, the company has grown to become one of America's biggest operators in the flat-rate, no-contract consumer segment. Operating through a retail sub-brand, the company has rapidly become a favorite choice for over 7 million wireless customers across North America.

The Partner's Challenge
The average customer's lifestyle can be hard on a wireless device, which means more returned devices. The customer had traditionally managed customer exchanges at their stores, which bit deeply into the program's profitability. When the decision was made to take a fresh look at overall supply chain efficiencies, it was a priority to find a partner to manage the returns process and recover some of the losses being incurred.

The BrightPoint Solution
BrightPoint was committed to building a multi-tiered returns process that would take the burden off our customer's retail organization and recover as much lost revenue as possible. Our recovery program includes:

• Centralized processing at BrightPoint where returned devices are shipped
• Our in-house triage process that checks for manufacturer warranty qualification, and routes warranty credits directly back to the operator
• The refurbishment, testing and re-kitting of returned devices which were not warranty-qualified, for B-stock resale

Results
Handling approximately 60,000 returned mobile devices monthly; BrightPoint has provided our partner with one processing point for all returns coming from retail, Web and indirect dealer networks. The operator now receives more manufacturer warranty credits, much faster, improving cash flow while also realizing additional B-stock revenue. It's the kind of wide-ranging value BrightPoint brings to customers that allows them to continue to bring value to their customers.

We offer:

• Individual Retail Returns – Support and simplify retail returns
• Exchange By Mail – Offer end user device replacement by mail
• Bulk Retail Returns – Align returns process with retailers' standards
• Return Shipment Verification – Ensure the accuracy of returned devices

BrightPoint has developed a refined process to manage inbound returns, so devices are correctly and quickly qualified and slotted into the proper processing channel. This enables rapid turnaround to the customer on repaired devices and maximizes recovery on warranty-eligible units.

We offer:

• Material Quality Inspection – Categorize device and queue its level of repair
• Dead on Arrival Qualification – Maximize dead on arrival credits
• Warranty Qualification – Qualify devices and submit for warranty credit
• Content Clearing – Removal of all user data from a device securely

BrightPoint's breadth of manufacturer certifications, from Level I through IV, across 14 different manufacturers, lets you use a single source for repair services on your entire device portfolio.

We offer:

• Level I-IV Certified Repair – Conduct certified repair on full device portfolio
• Re-Flashing – Install software and re-deploy devices
• Re-Kitting – Assemble components and re-deploy devices
• Refurbishment – Physically prepare devices for resale and re-deployment

Today's high-tech devices carry a proportionately high cost-of-goods price tag. BrightPoint's recycling services help you extract the maximum value from irreparable devices through a variety of industry-leading methods.

We offer:

• Recycling Program – Salvage irreparable devices for value
• Parts Management – Recover device parts for B-stock

Our teams seamlessly manage the final steps in the lifecycle of devices. We efficiently and accurately restock devices in virtual warehouses dedicated our customer's business, providing real-time visibility of B-stock and inventory status at the SKU level.

We offer:

• Re-stocking – Add returned devices back to salable inventory
• Global Redistribution Network – Recoup device and component value through sale