Customer type: OEM
Operations: Worldwide
Geography: Acal provide support across 8 European Countries
Service engaged: Strategic & Reactive Support
Product types: IBM Midrange and Mainframe equipment.
Overview
Working with a geographically fragmented installed base this customer was looking to resolve the following issues:
1. How could they establish a cost effective distribution infrastructure for supporting clients?
2. How can they manage the service inventory across all of the affected territories?
3. Can they utilise the technical skills of a partner to enhance/support their current offering?
Solution
A Monthly Management Charge solution was introduced across the 8 territories.
The inventory required to support the installed base was procured by Acal Supply Chain and placed strategically in line with Service Level Agreements across Europe.
An EDI system was introduced that linked the service divisions of each country with a multinational Acal account management team making requests fully visible, including progress and track and traceability.
The technical backup provided a number of additiional support functions, including assistance with tender negotiations and workshop and ocmputer room based technical assistance.
A multinational account management team was designated to monitor the daily transactions and inventory replenishment functions.
Benefits
Acal's established European operation was used to leverage existing inventory and infrastructure across the support locations reducing costs for the customer.
Countries with restricted Human Resources were able to refocus activity on new business acquisition and customer service functions.
The technical and product experience of Acal's bid support team has been used by our customer to speed up the response times to tender requests.
The guaranteed availability of product had a significant positive effect on the levels of customer satisfaction.