#1 You Have Little to No Analytics or Reporting Features

First, and perhaps most important in 2022, we should talk about reporting and analytics. Many businesses in RMA industries require thorough analytics to best understand where their costs are going, product quality and how their company can adjust (or grow) going forward.

Your software’s analytics features should fit your organization like a glove, utilizing simple dashboards and modification options to quickly obtain the necessary data for reporting. If your company relies on reporting but your analytics system is overly complex or the reports are difficult to process, you should reconsider your approach.

#2 Your User Interface & Employee Portals Are Unbranded

These days, branding is key if you want customers and partners to remember you. Whether you’re an OEM, a third-party contractor, or a repair service entrepreneur, consistency in your brand is key for successful internal and external relations.

In other words, the user interface for customers, partners, and employees should be consistent with your brand. Does your RMA software enable this feature? When it comes time to wrap up a transaction or update ticket statuses, the user shouldn’t feel like they’ve been siloed onto a completely different application than where they first started.

What’s more, user interface aesthetics that are personalized to meet your branding needs also help maintain a sense of comfortability for the user, and they help your company exhibit a more professional appearance.

#3 Your CRM System Is Outdated

Keeping track of customer information has never been more important. An outdated customer relationship management (CRM) system will harm your returns or repair process with these common issues:

The list could go on. Furthermore, modern forms of digital marketing (like email and paid ads) rely on the accuracy of customer profiles to be a worthy endeavor for stakeholders. So, a faulty or otherwise slow CRM system can harm your business not just on the processing level but in terms of outreach.

#4 You’re Struggling With Chaotic Inventory Management

It’s likely that your investment in returns or repair services is largely in your replacement products (and parts) as well as your employees. But it shouldn’t end there. A supportive inventory management system will ensure accurate processes and protect your investment. 

We’re talking about efficient ordering, transfers, access to real-time inventory information, and cross-platform transaction visibility. If your inventory management process is a pain point, it will trick outward and affect every part of your operation.

#5 Your Software Partner Requires You to Purchase New Hardware

Don’t get us wrong, upgrading your hardware can be worthwhile if your current systems are detrimental to your success. But some software businesses require a complete hardware overhaul company-wide just to use their product. In other words, these partners require a significant investment in addition to the costs of software licensing and employee training.

If you’re getting the ball rolling on a new partnership and the other company mentions buying mass amounts of hardware from them directly, you may want to look at other options. To some extent, your software should adapt to your business and not the other way around.