HOT TOPIC
a difficulty for some businesses.
Even those happy with their
cer tifier product, and its price,
sug gested that budgeting for
annual calibrations, repair costs,
replacement par ts, shipping
costs, technical suppor t and
training was extremely difficult.
In a worst case scenario, these
unforeseen costs can prove
prohibitively expensive and lead
to a lack of equipment availability,
impacting productivity and risking
extended customer downtime.
To avoid these issues while
minimising costs and providing
protection from unplanned
expenditure, many data cable
installers sug gested they would
prefer to opt for a fairly priced
care plan.
More testers are needed…
or are they?
When specifically asked what
would make their life easier,
often installers stated that they
wished they could have more
testers. Despite the challenge
that investment in certifiers can
potentially pose to cash flow, many
specified that they would like more
certifiers within their fleet.
18 | July 2017
When specifically
asked what would
make their life
easier, often
installers stated
that they wished
they could have
more testers.
This response is particularly
in teresting, as analysis of the
work carried out by the data cable
installers within the research,
showed that cable certifiers are
actually needed far less than one
might assume. In reality, it is only in
25 per cent of jobs that clients and
building specifications typically
require cable manufacturer
warranties, and therefore require
use of a certifier.
The research suggests that
many data cable installers do not
realise that they could in fact use
a cable and network transmission
tester on the majority of jobs.
75 per cent of the time, where
a warranty is not needed, the
proof of per formance reports
produced by this type of tester
can be shared with clients.
Importantly, these testers are
far more affordable and, in most
organisations, it would be feasible
for all installers to have their own.
So, what can be done?
The feedback from the data cable
installers interviewed, clearly
shows that selecting the right type
and quantity of equipment is vitally
important for ensuring profitable,
flexible data cable installation
operations. With the support of
equipment suppliers, companies
need to closely interrogate the
work they carry out and match
their certifier and tester needs to
this to make cost savings.
For example, Ideal Networks
recently worked with a customer
in the US on selecting a smarter
mix of testing equipment, saving $1
million as a result.
In addition, the research
demonstrates how data cable
installation businesses are
changing. Far from being an
added bonus, mobile data sharing
is becoming a must-have to
ensure productive and profitable
operations. Also, nowadays,
up-front investment in large
quantities of certifiers is just
not always feasible, especially
on a large scale. As businesses
try increasingly to move their
investment in test equipment
from a capital expenditure to
operational expenditure, it is
crucial for test and measurement
equipment suppliers to respond
effectively to these changes.
For further information visit:
www.idealnetworks.net