Manufacturers often struggle with the operational challenges of a large portfolio rollout. When efficiency, costs and customers are on the line, companies can benefit from using an outsourced installation partner to manage those complexities – and, in most cases, deliver an even more efficient and streamlined installation process.
The benefits of partnering with an experienced outsourced installation partner like Vixxo include:
1) Increase the Bandwidth of Your Sales Team and Move to Bid Quicker
Our current business environment requires both speed and flexibility when launching products when attempting to sell your product and launch it across your customers’ sites. A sales team needs to be able to assess the sites and understand their layouts, create a quote, and articulate a pilot scenario with enough detail to build confidence in your ability to deliver. All of this needs to be done with a quick turnaround. Getting bids out quickly is essential to making sales and, with an installation partner handling quotes and part of your overall proposal, the sales department can focus on reinforcing the value proposition of your product and interacting with customers.
When managing installations internally, as a customer moves close to a closed sale, companies need to quickly prioritize their current workforce to put the essential pieces together. This process of constantly refocusing your internal resources to either prepare the detailed information within a proposal or creating and executing a rollout plan can create strain in the company that hinders other important operations. When expanding to more stores or customers in a short timeframe, using a partner to handle the planning and logistics of the installation means less disruption to the regular, day-to-day operations of the sales team.
2) Scalability: Reduce Operational Burdens, Project Time & Overhead Costs
When sales outpace your operational infrastructure, an outsourced partner can quickly scale to meet the needs of a manufacturer and eliminates the internal disruptions described above. The key is to build a sustainable solution for the product with one line of communication for installs, maintenance and warranties. This type of end-to-end workflow allows the manufacturer to appoint one person to communicate with the outsourced partner – a partner who already has an experienced team in place. Further, having this type of solution essentially eliminates the need for you to conduct any direct hiring and training. Vixxo has the operational ability, project managers and experienced installers ready to go, so manufacturers can hit the ground running.
Manufacturers are in the business of product innovation, not facilities management, and an outsourced partner is much more cost-effective than building a full in-house operational team to manage the installation of your products. Companies can focus on what they do best while relying on a trusted partner for assessment, installation and documentation. Vixxo can quickly scale the operation up or down while maintaining quality and consistency.
3) Realize Revenue Faster and Improve Your Bottom Line
If you, as a manufacturer, don’t have the operational reach and resources to drive an effective high-volume rollout, a commercial installation partner can greatly reduce the time it takes to ramp up and complete the installation process.
An outsourced partner has the infrastructure and contacts in place to leverage their buying power through an established provider network, which will drive down installation costs. This time and cost-saving solution can get your products up and running quickly, getting you to the true finish line of a sale.
When an installation project is completed (and fully invoiced) faster, the revenue from the project is realized sooner and can be reinvested in the business to bootstrap future growth.
4) Build a Sustainable Solution for Your Product & 5) Protect Your Customers
One component to customer satisfaction is a well-coordinated rollout and installation process. A trusted partner can provide companies with a customer-oriented process that is detailed and focused on deliverables, visibility, transparency and accountability. The entire process should be communicated with real-time updates, data and even pictures of installation sites. If there are problems in the process, a trusted installation partner will take accountability, fix the problems and make sure they don’t happen again.
With an outsourced installation project management solution, you can be confident your rollout is being overseen by a seasoned veteran. Installation projects have a lot of moving parts and your partner will execute and document the training, scheduling and project closing, all the while reacting to the challenges and opportunities that are bound to arise with experience and knowledge.
Is a manufacturing installation partner right for your company?
Companies need to assess their needs to determine if an outsourced installation partner is a right approach by looking at their budget and sales goals.
Questions to ask include:
- Do you have in-house resources, operational footprint and scale to execute large rollouts?
- Is this something your company does on a daily basis?
- Can you manage the quality and timeline in an effective manner?
- What is the fastest way to get your product to market or complete the installation?
Among the many advantages of working with an outsourced partner is the low-risk and low-cost ease of entry. Any company looking to expand their operations can try working with a partner with minimal associated costs through an initial pilot program or defined geographic region that fits how you segment your customers. This flexibility to “test the waters” before a full partnership makes an outsourced partner a great solution for manufacturers.
Additional Resources for OEMs and Facility Managers:
- Outsourced Installation Infographic - Download Vixxo's visual overview of the potential benefits of partnering with a dedicated installation partner
- Talk to our team - If you have an impending large-scale rollout in your near future or want to explore your options as you plan for growth, our team can walk you through how we can help!
