| As information technology continues to evolve, it | | | | testing? Again, ask for examples and proof of testing. |
| provides you with bold new opportunities to | | | | - Is there performance monitoring capability in place? |
| revolutionize how your equipment is serviced and | | | | Will you be able to get information later about how |
| supported after it leaves the factory. These service | | | | many people are logging in to use the system? |
| and support opportunities can improve your | | | | 5. Ask about support services and migration roadmaps |
| competitive position by simultaneously increasing | | | | We've all been put on hold or ended up in voice |
| revenue and decreasing costs. A remote asset | | | | mail...and sometimes it's when you needed urgent help. |
| management solution is a vital tool that reduces | | | | Well, the level of product/system support from your |
| troubleshooting & support costs, increases uptime, | | | | supplier is vital to the long term success of your new |
| helps track warranties and manages equipment | | | | equipment monitoring solution. The initial investment is |
| contracts. Equipment information has become the new | | | | the beginning of a relationship with your supplier that will |
| competitive advantage and when choosing the right | | | | span a number of years and, if successful, quite |
| solution for your equipment, it's important to consider | | | | possibly a decade. |
| the factors that lead to long term success. Here are | | | | - How are support calls handled? Is there true 24/7 |
| seven key success factors that will bring your | | | | 365 coverage or is there someone carrying a |
| selection process into focus. | | | | pager...someone that may not answer or may be in a |
| 1. A proven solution. | | | | location where they can't react the way you need |
| 2. A flexible supplier. | | | | them to? |
| 3. Integration into your business system. | | | | - Ask for a visit to the Support or Operations Center |
| 4. Reliable, scalable infrastructure. | | | | department and find out how they staff, train, and |
| 5. Strong support & a migration roadmap. | | | | document their processes. Do they have the capacity |
| 6. Wireless coverage & in-country certifications. | | | | to offer additional services? You may need them |
| 7. Machine2Business = ROI. | | | | someday. |
| 1. Find a proven supplier and solution | | | | - Find out if they have a ticket tracking system to |
| There are many suppliers of remote monitoring | | | | manage incoming issues. |
| systems and they come in different shapes & sizes. | | | | - Ask about how they handle a telemtaics system |
| Some are relatively small regional providers, while | | | | that's older. Some of your systems will be in that |
| others are larger international conglomerates. Some | | | | category some day. |
| are relatively new, with less than 10 years of | | | | - Do they have a migration plan for moving forward |
| experience selling and supporting these kinds of | | | | with future monitoring systems? The solution you |
| systems. Chances are that, unless they've been in the | | | | purchase today will need to evolve as time goes by. |
| telematics system business for more than 10 years, | | | | 6. Look for proof of wireless coverage and |
| they haven't been through several cycles of system | | | | certifications |
| development and maintenance. Look for suppliers that | | | | When it comes to wireless remote monitoring |
| have solid examples of previous customers that have | | | | coverage, there's a wide range of supplier capabilities, |
| successfully implemented the system you're evaluating. | | | | depending on which service provider they use and |
| Be sure it isn't the previous generation system, with a | | | | their commitment to getting real in-country certifications. |
| brand new system promised soon. You don't want to | | | | Some are regional players, some focus on one |
| be the guinea pig for an investment of this size. Ask | | | | continent, and others are capable of supporting nearly |
| about the solution fit to your application. Has the | | | | any continent on the globe. While it's important to |
| solution been successfully implemented by anyone else | | | | realize that no one covers the entire globe (if they did, |
| in this type of application? If not, keep looking. | | | | it would be cost prohibitive) but it's also important to |
| 2. Evaluate the ability to tailor the solution to your | | | | make sure you choose a supplier that has proven |
| application | | | | they can provide coverage where you'll need it, both |
| Your equipment is unique, refined by years of industry | | | | now and in the future. If your equipment is used in a |
| experience and changes to make it work to the level | | | | wide variety of geographic locations, you'll want to |
| that it does today. Why would you want to apply a | | | | verify that the prospective suppliers have a proven |
| one-size-fits-all remote monitoring solution and do | | | | track record for attaining in-country certifications. Ask |
| anything less with this investment? The real-world | | | | for proof of their certifications and be wary of those |
| situations that your equipment is used in require that | | | | that simply say "we can cover it". Since legal in-country |
| the end-to-end remote monitoring solution be tailored to | | | | certifications are expensive to attain, some suppliers |
| really work well and give the value that you're | | | | try to provide coverage illegally. This is not the type of |
| expecting. This may mean interfacing with special | | | | supplier that you want to work with in a long-term |
| sensors on the equipment, figuring out a difficult | | | | relationship nor have your equipment brand associated |
| interface with the existing equipment controller, or | | | | with. |
| creating reports that make sense for you and your | | | | 7. Machine2Business = ROI |
| customers. It may also mean putting your private-label | | | | In the end, the remote equipment monitoring solution |
| on the solution, so you can build more brand loyalty. | | | | must extend beyond the typical M2M data connection |
| What will happen when you discover something new | | | | and provide opportunities to improve your business |
| to interface with in the future? It's critical that you find a | | | | processes. It's these Machine2Business (M2B) |
| supplier that is willing and able to tailor the solution for | | | | process improvement opportunities that deliver the |
| your application, and actually make the final system | | | | needed information to the right person at the right time |
| work the way you expect. Is the supplier just trying to | | | | and give the return on investment (ROI) needed to |
| sell you the technology, or are they working hard to | | | | justify the entire initiative. As you consider the solutions |
| understand your business application and how to get | | | | available, it's important to look for examples of the |
| the most value from this investment? Ask the | | | | vendor coming alongside clients and identifying ways |
| prospective suppliers for specific examples of how | | | | to improve the business processes using a true |
| they tailored their solution for a successful customer. | | | | M2B monitoring solution. Keep in mind that the value |
| Ask for references so you can find out how well the | | | | and ROI often comes from how the end-to-end |
| changes were implemented and whether they met | | | | solution helps across the entire life cycle, from cradle |
| expectations. | | | | to grave. Here are some payback areas to consider |
| 3. Look for flexibility and business system integration | | | | when selecting a solution: |
| capability | | | | - How much warranty cost could be saved by having |
| Often times, investing in an information system creates | | | | a record of the equipment "birthday" in the field (i.e. |
| yet another silo that requires manual labor to bridge. | | | | when the machine has been used for "x" run-hours)? If |
| Manual steps are slow and inefficient, with people | | | | this first-usage birth date were fed into your business |
| logging into multiple systems and making mistakes | | | | system and activated a warranty, what would that |
| when they transfer information from one software | | | | mean to the business? Would equipment owners |
| tool into another. Making an investment in a remote | | | | appreciate getting a "birth certificate" sent to them, |
| equipment monitoring solution isn't any different. Bringing | | | | with that date and the terms of their warranty? |
| the equipment information back into your existing | | | | - How might viewing the fault codes & alerts on-line |
| business system may be the final piece that you need | | | | reduce warranty service trips? |
| in order to streamline the process and maximize the | | | | - How would service notifications, based on usage |
| return on investment. Another consideration is future | | | | rather than calendar, help streamline service scheduling |
| flexibility. Does the supplier have a history of integrating | | | | and reduce costs? |
| with a variety of hardware devices, or are they just | | | | - How might it streamline service and increase parts |
| focused on their own technology? Are they willing to | | | | sales if an equipment owner automatically received a |
| create a gateway to bring data in from another | | | | parts-replacement recommendation via email, based |
| source? Remember, the on-board hardware is just an | | | | on fault codes sent in from the equipment? Imagine the |
| enabler to get the machine information you need. How | | | | equipment owner simply clicking on an Order Now |
| about your long-term needs? Does the supplier allow | | | | button in the email and it feeding an order back into |
| for future enhancements as your needs grow? | | | | your business system. |
| 4. Evaluate the infrastructure behind the system | | | | - How much time could be saved for the technician if |
| If system reliability & scalability is important to you, a | | | | the exact location of the equipment was available, with |
| thorough peek into the infrastructure behind the solution | | | | driving directions? |
| is well worth your time. Imagine finding out later that the | | | | - How would it help a technician if a mobile smart |
| system you've invested in doesn't handle large | | | | phone could display the locations of the equipment with |
| numbers of equipment without slowing down or | | | | alarms that are within a 20 mile radius? |
| crashing. Imagine finding out that the equipment data | | | | - How much would it save if an expensive recall were |
| was accessed by a competitor or internet hacker. | | | | avoided by simply downloading new software or |
| There are several areas that you'll want to investigate | | | | configuration settings to all the equipment in the field? |
| in order to assure that you're happy with the solution | | | | - How much would the resale value increase if there |
| long into the future: | | | | were a complete electronic record of the equipment |
| - Is the entire system reliable? Ask about the | | | | history? Imagine being able to offer the continued |
| expected system up-time. | | | | remote monitoring service to a potential new owner. |
| - Is the data stored in a Tier 1 data center? Is there full | | | | These are a few areas to improve business |
| redundancy for electrical power, internet connections, | | | | processes and realize a strong return that justifies the |
| servers, etc? | | | | investment in a remote asset management solution. |
| - Is the information secure? Ask for a security audit in | | | | Look for a solution vendor that provides a true |
| order to uncover the truth. | | | | M2B solution and is willing to work closely with you |
| - Is the solution scalable? Can it handle larger volumes | | | | to uncover the process improvement opportunities |
| of equipment or heavy usage? Can the solution easily | | | | within your business. Ask for examples of how they've |
| handle new types of equipment or multiple monitoring | | | | done it in the past. Ask how their organization is set up |
| systems? Ask for specific examples. | | | | to provide the kind of expertise you'll need while |
| - Has the telematics system hardware been through | | | | working through the implementation. |
| rigorous environmental and real-world application | | | | |