It’s the sixth installment of our S.T.A.R.T.S.S. blog series! To learn more about this series, click here to read the introductory post.
Today we’re discussing: Training
Though it might not be immediately obvious, the training for an installation and service technician, could end up costing you a great deal more than you initially budgeted for the project.
The Benefits of a Competent Service Technician
When you purchase a security entrance, you expect it to be installed correctly, to function properly and to require only routine maintenance. In the infrequent case of an issue, you have the expectation that your service technician will be competent, professional, knowledgeable and efficient.
None of this is too much to hope for – as long as your installer and technician have been properly trained, receive regular training updates and have access to a full array of resources to ensure they are prepared to handle any sort of issue quickly and correctly.
But what happens when this isn’t the case?
In fact, the impact of a robust training program (or the lack of one) is so great, it should be one of the primary considerations you make during the consideration process when purchasing new security entrances.
Training Before the Installation Process
Beginning right at the installation, you can see where training makes a difference. An integrator or dealer who has been well trained by the manufacturer can work quickly and efficiently during the installation process to solve any challenges that arise without having to spend hours on the phone with Technical Support. The extra hours an installer spends scratching their heads or waiting on the phone will end up costing you, the end user, either in added fees or simply in the valuable time of your own staff. If the entrance is an important access point for employees or the public, these people will be inconvenienced, which can impact the corporate brand.
Training for Ongoing Service and Maintenance
Beyond the installation itself, manufacturer training continues to have an important effect throughout the life of the entrance. By providing knowledgeable and timely service, your integrator or service technician can help to greatly increase the useful life of your security entrances. Their ability to answer questions as they come up will save on additional service visits – you never want your provider to have to roll a truck for something that could have been handled in a phone call. If a visit is needed, remember that time is money – the longer the service takes, the more it costs.
In addition, the continuous and proper functioning of your entrances has an impact on your outward image, as noted above. Having to place cones, tape or other barriers on a large and important entry point makes a negative impression that cannot be overstated. You can easily imagine how this would look to an important visitor or client – something you always want to avoid.
What Training Does Your Manufacturer Offer?
When choosing new security entrances, you can minimize these issues by ensuring your manufacturer offers a full array of training tools for dealers and integrators. These should include resources like webinars, on-site training and regular in-house training at the factory to keep technicians up-to-date on new technologies. Programs for installers should include technical training on installation, service, planned maintenance and post-installation issues.
An added bonus is end user training and pre-installation orientation to help with everyday operation, troubleshooting and daily maintenance.
The time to think about training and maintenance is before you make your choice on which manufacturer to consider. Go beyond questions about features, benefits and cost and ask what kind of training the manufacturer provides to support the customer. Your ultimate satisfaction with the product, and the long-term success of the installation, depends on it.
Stay tuned for Topic #6: Service.
