Purchasing new commercial refrigeration equipment is an investment in the future of your convenience store or retail outlet. However, many store operators and financial managers overlook the hidden costs that accumulate during a unit’s lifetime.
Even those who factor indirect costs into capital equipment purchases may have a limited amount of information. For example, gathering the information may be hampered by distance. Commercial refrigerators may be at one of several retail sites while the analyst is offsite at a central office or regional headquarters.
The information may also need to be collected manually from several commercial refrigerators dispersed widely over a geographic area, multiple locations or even a large retail space. This requires several staff members to perform regular performance checks, collate relevant information and report back to headquarters. The information that is collected may not be precise and or may be dated by the time it is analyzed and reported.
Imbera Link was designed to help retail operators address these challenges. This innovative feature of Imbera products aims to reduce the hidden Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of commercial refrigeration equipment.
Uncovering Total Cost of Ownership with Innovative Technology
The TCO model reveals all of the costs associated with owning commercial refrigeration equipment over the unit’s lifetime. These costs go beyond the the initial purchase price and include the costs of installation, operation, energy, labor, maintenance and upgrades.
There can even be hidden costs within these categories. For example, staff training can be a hidden labor cost and maintenance can result in lost productivity while equipment is out of service. Energy costs can also include the costs of heating and cooling infrastructure. Furthermore, there are indirect costs related to the environmental impact, depreciation and disposal of commercial refrigeration equipment.
Imbera Link addresses these challenges by providing real-time information to customers at the point-of sale. Imbera Link monitors usage of commercial refrigeration equipment at convenience stores, retail outlets, small format stores and supermarkets. This advanced technology continuously gathers data from equipment, electronically connects multiple units stationed in a retail space, issues alerts and automatically generates reports.
Optimize Cooler Performance at the Point of Sale
By understanding what happens at the point of sale customers can optimize cooler performance and identify potential costs before they become expensive issues. Managers can adjust operations accordingly to control expenses, prevent equipment malfunctions and reduce the likelihood of equipment loss.
Imbera Link’s connectivity extends from the warehouse to the retail floor. Imbera Link’s database identifies coolers that are housed in the warehouse. This database is updated when the cooler is stationed at the point of sale. If the cooler is relocated, Imbera Link will note this change. Once positioned at the point of sale, Imbera Link tracks energy consumption so commercial refrigeration equipment can be operated at the ideal temperature to keep food safe.
Store operators can extract even greater value from their investment by pairing Imbera Link with Polaris. Polaris was developed by Indica, a creative research agency that works hand in hand with Imbera. Polaris enables Imbera Link to monitor the performance of products, planograms, promotions and prices so managers can evaluate what is working and adjust what is not working.
Imbera Link is just one of the many recent innovations deployed by Imbera to translate technology into tangible benefits for its customers throughout the value chain.
