The effective rollout and installation of equipment can among the most important ‘moments of truth’ for any technology manufacturer or distributor.
A smooth and timely transition from purchase order to operation will set the right tone for a long and successful customer relationship.
Delays or mistakes risk setting things off on the wrong foot, creating discontent among end users, hampering future sales growth or, worse still, leading to the cancellation of existing orders.
Rollouts vary significantly in scale and complexity: from a single site with one or two units to a nationwide project with thousands; from the technical delivery of standalone or plug-and-play products to the full-service installation, connection and configuration of leading-edge networked technologies.
What they all have in common is the stages that should be considered in the planning process, and the resourcing and expertise required to successfully implement them.
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Qcom’s technology installation projects are planned across five stages: inventory & logistics; assembly; site surveys; installation; and support.
Simple technical delivery projects may require support in just one or two of these areas.
But as rollout projects grow in size and complexity, our ability to provide a complete end-to-end turnkey solution becomes pivotal to effective and reliable project delivery.
1. Inventory & Logistics
Large rollout projects often require the receipt, handling and onward dispatch of products to each individual installation site. Qcom’s state-of-the-art storage facilities include dedicated staging areas where products can be worked on as soon as they arrive. Our storage warehouses have clean and anti-static rooms, providing appropriate conditions for high-tech products and preventing any faults, accidents, or damage.
Transport to installation sites also needs to be safe. Qcom works with preferred logistics partners using specialist vehicles rigged with strapping points and padding to keep even the most delicate technology secure. Depending on product size and location factors, units may require specialist handling technology form power pushers to scissor lifts or stair robots.
2. Assembly
These specialist facilities also allow us to provide in-house assembly and sub-assembly support on projects.
This can include hardware assembly (panel and cabinet building or cable and wiring assembly) or software loading and configuration.
Dedicated test facilities are also vital, allowing us to identify any issues or faulty mechanics in our pre-check procedures. This significantly reduces the risk of any issues or complications during each onsite installation.
3. Site surveys
Installation locations are likely to differ greatly in size and layout, as well as in practical arrangements for parking, access and opening hours.
Advance site surveys allow us to check not just these physical factors, but also power, connectivity and any other issues specific to the equipment.
By investing properly in the site survey process we are able to make bespoke local arrangements for each and every installation. This allows us not only to plan the most efficient installation schedules, but also to be confident in their reliable delivery.
4.Installation
Working to processes agreed with the manufacturer or distributor, existing equipment can be decommissioned and removed before new equipment is unpacked and placed.
Physical installation is typically followed by connection to power and networks, software installation, configuration and testing.
Basic operator training is often provided to an onsite user or representative.
5. Support
New technology and/or new users inevitably means teething problems. Qcom can support its rollout projects with as much or as little technical support as the product and client requires.
Our telephone helpdesk support can provide an efficient and highly effective customer advice and ‘snagging’ service on new technology. Our technical filter process means up to 80% of problems – whether technical or user error – can be resolved over the telephone.
Our nationwide engineering network means we can also back that up with rapid-response field support, from swap out replacements through to comprehensive programmes of preventative maintenance or aftermarket warranty support.
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All our installation projects are built on proven procedures and processes which have been agreed in advance with the client.
But no matter how rigorous the planning, the overall quality of the project delivery is ultimately dictated by the quality of each and every individual installation.
And this ultimately rests in the hands of the engineers and support teams who carry them out.
Qcom engineers and technical consultants are experienced, manufacturer-trained and certified to work on even the most advanced systems. Continuous training ensures these skills are maintained at the highest level.
Working alongside them are specialists for every process. To ensure the right price-point for every installation, for example, we offer a tiered service that provides engineers and technical consultants for higher-end installations, and technical couriers to implement simpler devices.
But technical excellence is not enough. Installations can be a critical customer touchpoint – often the first time that hundreds or thousands of end users will have encountered and engaged with the manufacturer and its products.
This makes service excellence every bit as important as technical excellence.
Qcom’s service culture is built on the understanding that, with each and every onsite installation, we have ‘your brand in our hands’.
Our engineers are recruited for attitude and a service mindset, as well as technical aptitude. Successful installation projects require engineers, consultants and technical couriers who can work with people as well as technology.
To build on this, our training and development programmes are shaped by our commitment to ‘going the extra mile’.
This fosters and encourages a right-first-time attention to detail, and a proactive approach to problem solving which allows us to better manage the issues that will inevitably arise through the course of large technology rollouts.
Qcom has decades of experience in delivering best practice technology rollouts and installations for technology manufacturers and distributors across many sectors.
From simple technical deliveries through to the widescale installation of new and leading-edge technologies, these projects make up a significant proportion of our portfolio.
Our free e-guide Installation & Technical Delivery: Ensuring a Successful Rollout for Your Technology Products explores these issues in more detail.
Click here to read more installation and sales support case studies.
Or Contact Qcom today to discuss your technology rollout and installation requirements.