Before You Begin:

• If you haven't already, choose an individual to be the project leader for DEX implementation to oversee those employees appointed to address software issues, training issues and DEX failure issues. In our experience, companies that choose a project leader that has an investment in the success of DEX and the authority to make decisions to further that success, are the most pleased with the DEX implementation process.This person is the primary contact for your software and DEX technology suppliers. It is important that your people see DEX as a TOP-down commitment and that retreat is not an option.
• Choose a route supervisor dedicated to driver training. This will help insure that all drivers have received similar instruction. He will spearhead the first 3 routes, because by then he will have trained 3 drivers and probably the next route supervisior.
• Choose a service technician that is in charge of DEX issues. Make sure that this technician can respond the same day to any failed DEX reads. You should also consider providing this technician with a cell phone. There may be issues, especially in the initial stages of DEX implementation, that can be more easily solved if your technician can call us while standing at the machine.
• Plan on updating some machine firmware. When we complete a DEX survey quote for you, we include the recommended software revisions for your DEX enabled machines. These recommendations are based on trouble reports from our customers and follow-up with the manufacturer. These revisions can also be found on our DEX Ready Machine list.

Take the Next Step:

• To begin, we suggest initializing 2 routes. Select routes that are close to the warehouse. If they can be your best and worst driver that's better. Why, because you get a true test of how DEX effects both types of driver and their reconciliation challenges. To begin your list, download and print our Equipment Survey Form. We will use the survey to list everything you will need to DEX these routes. This list will include our products, OEM upgrades and any hardware changes, such as changer swaps, that need to be made.
• Once you have all the equipment needed to DEX, we recommend that you schedule 3 days of training for your service tech and route supervisor. This training will center on the installation and verification of DEX on the first route. After the 3 day training, the technician and supervisor will complete the first route's stragglers and finish the 2nd. This helps to 'burn in' what they learned during training.

What to Expect:

• Just focus on DEX CASH to begin until your CASH counted to DEX CASH readings have a consistent varience of less than 1%. Allow approximately 45-90 days to get the process in place. You should then be able to roll-out 1 route every 3 weeks, depending upon the availability of your route supervisor and DEX technicians.
• Item level success depends on maintaining sufficient product inventory to support the planograms, on every truck. The payoff is automatic pick-tickets and eliminating PAR countdowns, but you must maintain decent inventory support of the planogram for the sales information to be of real value. Sell-out tracking with DEX is important to tuning merchandising which optimizes service levels.
• You could lose 30-40% of your drivers because they can't afford to work for you anymore or they just won't get with the new process. DEX is hard, because it requires the driver to do what he's told, and it can raise service calls by 2%, BUT if you make it through the DEX gauntlet you will undoubtably testify that it was the best thing you have ever done for your business!
• DEX data introduces the opportunity for operators to finally know exactly what cash and currency have been accepted by each machine. However, the accountability process becomes complicated by three important aspects of servicing a machine – change tube replenishment, payment of refunds to customers, and tests performed by repair technicians and route personnel. Download a pdf that discusses the procedural areas that need to be standardized along with some common, optional methods of operation.