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We’ve all been had our share of kitchen fails during the worst times possible — when there’s a house full of people starved for that big holiday meal. While it may be harder to recover from a pack of dogs running off with your turkey (thanks Christmas Story), there are many steps you can take to reduce the chances of having to whip up a meal with ingredients from the closest convenience store. Here are a few:

Clean Oven Well in Advance of Holiday Cooking

If you’re one of the many people who hate even the thought of cleaning an oven and mostly only do it when moving, don’t start now! Malfunctions are likely to happen if an oven’s self-cleaning mode hasn’t been regularly activated.

A major cleaning should be done at least a couple of months before the holidays whether you’re using the self-cleaning function or regular spray cleaner. Cleaners can leave harsh residues that can take some time to dissipate.

For an easy, quick cleaning if time has run out, you could opt to just scrape off build up and then wipe down the racks and sides with a wet cloth. To help keep oven cleaning more manageable in the future, consider using heat resistant oven mats. They sit on the floor of the oven to catch food particles and can be cleaned or replaced as needed.

Dishwashers Need Love Too

Unless you want to spend hours washing dishes by hand, your dishwasher is going to be a life saver so show it some love (and minimize problems):

1. Follow Detergent Directions – Overfilling the detergent dispenser doesn’t get dishes cleaner, and can damage the inner workings of the dishwasher.
2. Discard Large Food Particles – Big chunks of food can clog jets, but…
3. Don’t Clean Before Cleaning – Believe it or not, dishes don’t get “extra clean” when you scrub them to perfection before loading. Dishwasher detergent enzymes actually need a little (emphasis on “little”) residue to activate and work properly.
4. Jump Start the Heat – Turn on hot water in the sink nearest the dishwasher to help get steaming water going when starting the cycle.

Get That Fridge Organized for Leftover Extravaganzas

Be sure to stock up on reusable plastic or glass (for the eco-conscious) containers ahead of time for inevitable leftovers. If you’re feeling generous and have a lot of food, use freezer bags to send leftovers home with guests.

For less hassle on the big day, clean out your refrigerator in the days before the big meal so it’s easier to store more. Just know that the more you have to store, the less air will flow through the fridge. Also, foods that could go in the freezer but you want ready access to should be placed in the rear of the fridge where the cold air duct is. Food that shouldn’t freeze can be stored closer to the door where air is warmer.

Ice, Ice Baby (couldn’t resist)

Ice is one of those things you’re always sending someone out to get more of. To keep the ice flowing and Uncle Roy happy, consider emptying out the ice compartment a few days ahead of your meal and refill with good, fresh ice. Ice that’s been stagnating in the freezer can easily pick up the taste of anything else stored there. Put the fresh ice into plastic bags to shield it from circulating air and store in the freezer.

Hopefully these tips will help, but when something does go wrong, try not to sweat it. A burnt turkey or shortage of ice cubes won’t ruin time you get to spend with family and friends!

Encompass’ core business is Simply Parts. We don’t design or manufacturer goods. All our solutions revolve around parts in some way and have for 65+ years. Please download our brochure to see why Encompass is an industry-leading parts supplier.

To repair or replace is one of the greatest quandaries regularly affecting the reverse logistics industry. Consumers are inundated with various formulas and advice on whether to repair the refrigerator that’s not cooling or the dryer that’s not heating – or upgrade to the latest model.

When the economy is flourishing, consumers tend to lean toward replacement. Their existing model suddenly seems obsolete when a flashier version hits the market, especially if the current unit is not functioning properly.

The most common rule of thumb is to opt for repair if the cost is less than 50% of the new purchase price. Underwriters follow a similar rule when determining whether to replace or repair a product under warranty. However, while financial considerations are certainly high priority, some businesses and consumers also place value on eco-friendly solutions to minimize the harmful impact of e-waste.

SourceToday reports that more than 40 million tons of e-waste are annually generated worldwide. By the year 2050, global e-waste production could reach 120 million tons annually if current trends continue. According to The World Health Organization (WHO), e-waste emits numerous toxic materials such as lead, cadmium, chromium, brominated flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Humans get exposure to these toxins by inhaling fumes, as well as from accumulation of chemicals in soil, water and food.

Right to Repair

The service repair industry is currently benefiting from “right to repair” efforts at both the state and federal levels. Groups pushing to maximize repair opportunities claim some manufacturers make it nearly impossible to fix their goods so they can sell new products instead.

Proposed legislation typically requires manufacturers to provide service manuals and diagnostic software, as well as make replacement parts available to increase repair capabilities for DIY consumers and professional service techs alike. New laws are intended to both prevent e-waste and increase competition among repair providers.

Industry Developments

To meet demand, the repair industry continues to improve with new technology and operational processes. Some repair depots have employed advanced test equipment that passively tests circuit boards to determine out-of-tolerance conditions. This enables more detailed troubleshooting and helps make repairs more viable since costly, often hard-to-find test fixtures aren’t needed.

With software enhancements delivering real-time tracking throughout the repair cycle, automated status updates can be provided to keep customers/end users informed – minimizing time-consuming calls and update requests.

Repair Challenges and Solutions

Repair providers are not without their own unique challenges. They are constantly under pressure to reduce turn times and increase yield within constraints of shipping time and expense. They often have to compete against depots offering cheap flat rate pricing regardless of labor and part costs.

Additionally, not all repairs are equal. While some only require fast, less expensive “fluff and buff” service, others are much more complex, requiring additional time, effort and pricey components.

To combat these common issues, many depots have found creative ways to keep costs down to enable more economical repairs. Using parts harvested from non-repairable products is one way to offset costs of high-dollar components like circuit boards. Repairing such boards is also critical to maintaining a strong parts supply chain to increase repairs.

To simplify shipping to depot facilities, service providers are often partnering with freight carriers to offer convenient product drop off and pick up locations. Continually reviewing and negotiating favorable freight rates is another important way to control costs and help make repairs more financially feasible.

Assessing Repair Partners

There are several key factors to consider when selecting a repair partner. First, prior to engagement, it’s critical to outline specific services required, performance expectations and business rules. One of the most important aspects of this process includes determining the economical price point for repair, plus product disposition options when the maximum is exceeded.

Establishing metrics for repair yield, cost, turnaround time, quality and other indicators are necessary to adequately evaluate performance. Depots should be able to document each step of the repair process for accountability and then deliver extensive reporting to gauge performance. By measuring all facets of the repair operation, depots should be striving to continually improve and meet or exceed service level expectations.

Position for Success

With both strong financial and environmental cases to be made for repair, momentum is growing on the side of repair providers. Those leveraging new technology, highly-efficient practices and strategic pricing will be best positioned to take advantage of right to repair laws and succeed against competitors.

Encompass New Customer Packet

Parts Management User Guide

Encompass New Customer Packet

Course Details

April 25, 2019, 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Fee, Lunch Included:
$199.99 (By March 15, 2019)
$249.99 (After March 15, 2019)

REGISTER NOW

NOTE: No shows and cancellations after April 20, 2019, will be charged the full cost of registration.

Running any type of service operation comes with many daily challenges. To help you effectively manage your business, Encompass has teamed with the pros from Fred’s Appliance Academy to lead this class. It will cover a number of topics to help keep your repair business running smoothly:

• Charging for services
• Marketing to the local service area
• Recruiting and training new office and field tech staff
• Part inventory management
• Warranty billing workflows
• Routing technicians
• Managing customer communication

This will be an interactive course with brainstorming workflows and solutions to start making a difference for you and your customers in 2019 and beyond. Please click here for additional details provided by Fred’s.

A company brand is not just a logo on a T-shirt. It’s the flag for your company and represents the value you bring to the marketplace. Please see our contributed article on this topic in the most recent magazine of the Reverse Logistics Association.

Please note all Encompass locations will close at 3:00 pm Eastern on Monday, Dec. 31. We will be closed on Jan. 1, 2019. This timing coincides with the last pick ups for the day by both UPS and FedEx:

• UPS will only pick up Air and International orders on Dec. 31. No ground packages will be picked up or delivered.
• FedEx will pick up Ground and Air packages on Dec. 31, although only Air packages will be transported. All Ground packages will remain at the terminal until Wednesday, Jan. 2.

On behalf of the entire Encompass team, we wish you and your family a wonderful, joyous holiday!

Encompass will soon have a tool to steer you in the right direction!

We’re close to launching an app designed to help simplify your business and enhance the consumer experience. Built exclusively for our customers, this new technology is designed to:

• Increase first time repairs
• Reduce inventory costs
• Improve cash flow
• Streamline replenishment

You already know Encompass has one of the most diverse parts inventories in the U.S. And that we strive to be a convenient one-stop source for all your repair parts needs. We can’t wait to show you how we drive efficiency, so please stay tuned!

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