While some in the newsagency channel like to talk down newsagents when it comes to compliance (as happened with this thread recently), the facts show that newsagents are doing quite well.
Of the 2,381 newsagents signed up for XchangeIT, 2,220 are eligible to be considered compliant as it cannot include POS Solutions DOS software and other packages which don’t meet the compliance standards.
The most recent assessment, two weeks ago, indicated that 89.9% of eligible newsagents, 1,996 in fact, were sending sales data. However, only 45% of eligible newsagents sending sales data day in day out on time and without fail and passing what XchangeIT calls their ITC’s – Integrity, Timeliness and Continuity. 55% of newsagents fail this.
This data was provided to me on Monday by XchangeIT.
The big challenge is around continuity. Continuity is about sending the files each day AND the content of the files – that today’s file fits ‘neatly’, in terms of sales quantities, with yesterday’s file and so on. It is essential that all files fit so that a whole of business view can be created. The most common reasons for failure of continuity are system setup or a failure to follow standard processes at the end of the trading day – both are easily fixed.
Newsagency software which meets the XchangeIT standards creates the sales files so that they meet the requirements. The challenges are around setup and execution at the store level.
While the 45% number is not ideal, that 89.9% are sending sales data indicates a better result than some writing here have recently suggested.
Newsagents should talk to their software provider to determine if they have their system setup in the appropriate way to meet industry standards. Each of us getting this right is good not only for our own business but for the newsagency channel as a whole.
Click here for a copy of overall compliance advice from Tower Systems. There is a series of EDI advice sheets on the Tower website with specific information about driving compliance to the XchangeIT standards – rely on these for the detail.
I am surprised at the lack of comment on this post. Here is factual information and a target for newsagents to reach to at least get started.
Works for me. There were a couple of item that we were unaware of. Thank Mark.
Mark,
In this day and age why do we have manually send – why carn’t this magical system simply extract the information each night and send back to exchangeIT…
After all we are paying for itand they dont have any trouble sending us the files…
That way everyone is compliant?
Cheers
Peter
Peter it’s pretty automated if newsagents follow the standards.
Mark, is it safe to assume that the 55% of newsaegents that fail the ITC’s would have been informed of this from xchangeit? Point being, how do we know if we are one of them?
Shayne they will contact you if you fail.
Why would Xchangeit care. Our a/c has justed been blocked due to non payment even though we have paid our a/c on the 9th and emailed the info of payment to them.
Ian,
That happened to me last year.
When I called them up I couldn’t get anyone to help me.
I ended up talking to someone senior that Mark put me on to.
Dean
Dean,
Luckily we got somebody who did help and we have Xchangeit reinstated again.
I have my system set up to send the data at end of day. GG records no issues but Network continually marks me as a continuity fail, or says I am duplicating data. I have sat and watched the process on xchangeit and there seems to be a problem getting through to network most nights. I shut down my pc at night sometimes the data has not gone through after a umber of attemps.