Making the Move: TEMPOE, a Leading Provider of No Credit Required Shopping, Puts Retail within Reach

We provide low-cost options in our industry. Our offerings are flexible and give maximum choice. It’s easy and fast for everyone involved – the retailer, the consumer, and for our employees: Chris Garrido

Payment options have come a long way since the advent of online shopping. Today, customers expect variety in payment methods to match a range of goods online and want to be able to use a particular payment method of their choice.

In view of the above mentioned, we are delighted to present TEMPOE – dedicated to providing no credit required shopping solutions that offer various payment options. It offers a leasing program that enables consumers to make payments, renew the lease, return the item, or purchase the item in early buyouts. The company’s program enables customers to make purchases in the areas of furniture, appliances, electronics, jewelry, and automotive.

TEMPOE was established in 2009 and is headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Interview Excerpt: Chris Garrido, Founder/CEO

Why was the company set up? And how did you expand your company and its offerings over the years?

TEMPOE was originally envisioned to serve the retailer that has cash and credit constrained consumers unable to complete a sale due to their lack of available credit. We have always stayed true to that mission but enhanced it to be The Obvious Choice for retailers, consumers, and stakeholders. We do this through a seamless integration at the point-of-sale, whether for brick-and-mortar, eCommerce, or mobile transactions.

We now have a fantastic network of associates and partners that are able to service consumers and enable them to obtain the products they need and want without regard to their FICO score or waiting for credit approvals. Retailers have the confidence to know that they can gain a loyal customer, and consumers keep coming back.

Five years ago, mobile transactions were limited. Now they’re a prerequisite of the market. We have evolved into an ease-of-use platform with offerings such as our ‘Text-to-Apply’ enrollment. 

What kind of responses have you received from your consumers over the years? How have they motivated you to shape your offerings/grow the company?

In the beginning, it was a one-size-fits-all approach. Retailers, consumers, and partners had to conform to our business practice to be serviced. Early on we realized that our retail partner was our customer, and their customers will always be their customers, not TEMPOE’s – that means we have an exponential obligation for service.  

Another point of change was how we handle returns and collections. We don’t have – nor do we want to have – rental or retail stores re-selling our returns. We strive to have the consumer satisfy their needs with our services and that of our retail partners, and then repeat the process. We offer a ‘repeat business model’, not a singular transaction. That drives our Obvious Choice service culture. 

What challenges did you face in your initial years? What can your peers learn from it?

Simply that it’s much easier to lease products and pay the retailers than it is to ensure that you set the consumer up to successfully pay for the transaction. Small but critically important points differentiate TEMPOE from its competitors. Our retailers win through easier transactions at the register and faster funding; consumers win when they can meet their obligations. Our financial model is a win-win for everyone.

If you have to list five factors that have been/are the biggest asset to your organization, what would they be and why?

Quality of Retail Partners – Our partners are trying to change the face of retail and its presentations. We do not accept a sub-standard service provider.

Quality of our Transaction – We provide low-cost options in our industry. Our offerings are flexible and give maximum choice. It’s easy and fast for everyone involved – the retailer, the consumer, and for TEMPOE employees.

Quality of Associates – TEMPOE is a fun place to have a career with people that truly care about each other, the clients, and consumers. Our Vice President of Operations, Quincy Sterling, has joined the organization to drive our vision of a “best in class” customer experience.

Industry Experience in each Function – Our team leaders have current and lengthy experience in their areas. We are not all from the same industry, but our varied industries and experiences allow for multi-pronged approaches to solving problems. 

Singular Mission – To be The Obvious Choice for connecting retailers and consumers in an omnichannel platform, e-commerce, and mobile experience.

What do you feel are the reasons behind your company’s reputation?

We have made some errors in the early years that caused us to stumble on the service side. We admit it.

Now, we ask for feedback and act upon it. Our reputation as an industry leader is earned through hard work and evaluation. We are innovators and are truly interested in our partners’ overall success – help them achieve success beyond our services offered.  

We are problem solvers, we care, and most importantly, we are partners, not vendors or suppliers. 

inTEMPOE: A Product

The groundbreaking technology TEMPOE delivers through its inTEMPOE product helps to drive repeat business for its retailers. inTEMPOE is a comprehensive, single-source technology for speedy integration with retailer support systems, including e-commerce, point-of-sale (POS) systems, mobile apps, or kiosks. The ready-to-use platform allows full integration of TEMPOE technology with retailer systems without invasive infrastructure changes, abundant and costly human resources, or delayed speed-to-market.

How do you and your company contribute to the global IT platform and society at large?

I don’t want to be so presumptuous as to say that we alter the global IT structure. We are innovators in our industry and how technology can be used and leveraged to achieve an extraordinary shopping experience for those who had nowhere else to turn. 

We provide a competitive example of how underserved, financially responsible customers can have access to mainstream retail products. We helped force changes in the consumer finance sector, and we do it in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Do you have any new products ready to be/getting ready to be launched?

We certainly do, but nothing we are ready to pull the curtain back on just yet. It’s very exciting.

As a question on sustainability, where do you see your company a couple of years from now?

We want to deliver solutions and provide new convenience through all manners of platforms and shoppers.

CEO – The Man Behind The Operation: A Brief Background

Chris Garrido: Chris Garrido is an industry leader in the credit-challenged consumer market with over 25 years of experience in consumer leasing. His passion is to create a culture of responsibility to advance TEMPOE’s retail partners and customers.

Mr Garrido earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the SMU Cox School of Business.

“With a laser focus on performance and simplicity, TEMPOE has emerged as the leader in integration across a multi-channel retail environment.”