Since the beginning of the pandemic, the customers of TALEX have been trying to reorganize their business activities according to government guidelines. The basic task has become to equip employees with IT equipment that allows them to work from home. Despite great difficulties in the global computer market, we have managed to complete orders for the supply and installation of over 2,800 notebooks ready for remote work.
Each device was prepared according to the customer’s internal procedures in our “factory”. This process is called STAGING*. Due to our experience in conducting mass rollouts, procedures developed over the years and extensive technical infrastructure, we were able to carry out all these tasks respecting all safety rules that were announced for pandemic. Also this time, the experience in the implementation of such services brought measurable benefits. Regardless of the difficulties that currently affect our operations too, we try to keep our customers satisfied and make them feel that they can always rely on us. We also want to share the conclusions from the last 5 weeks and propose actions that can facilitate the transition to remote working.
* STAGING_Personalisation of equipment for the user.PDF
How COVID-19 verified the IT needs of our customers
In order to maintain the continuity of key processes enforced by a pandemic situation, customers started to report their hardware and service needs, which can be summarized in 4 points:
- Production and delivery of as many laptops/mobile devices as possible in the shortest possible time,
- Quick repair and reconfiguration of used units from the warehouse in order to raise their standard or treat them for further use,
- Possibility of the purchase of intervention mobile devices
- Express logistics service for external deliveries
Our customers’ original estimates concerned in total about 500 devices to be personalised and delivered within a short time. These estimates have changed very quickly and diametrically.
What changes we had to implement to meet our customers’ requirements
In order to meet our clients’ needs we have instantly adapted to the situation and implemented the following changes:
- We expanded our production capacity by creating new temporary workstations with full infrastructure (additional 46 workstations).
- We started production in a continuous mode without waiting for applications (ready-made laptops to be delivered before the formal order of the client).
- We prepared new images for new models of devices containing new drivers as well as system and network solutions for remote operation.
- We adjusted the STAGING process – the installation of the application was moved to the Contact Center team, who when contacting the user after delivery of the device, installed the necessary additional applications required by the user to work in a remote environment.
- Each production is preceded by a stage of testing new images, system and network solutions (prepared by customers) – often resulting in hours of searching for causes of failures and stopping production.
- We switched to the 7a.m.-7 p.m. half-shift work in key weeks along with weekend work, if necessary.
- We have speeded up the assessment of the technical condition for the used equipment from the warehouse in order to identify units suitable for further operation.
- We have started up the back-up assembly facilities in Warsaw and Wrocław and relocated parts of the equipment to them to maintain continuity of operation in case of a quarantine stage for the employees in Poznań.
- We presented an offer for the intervention purchase of 1,000 laptops. The offer was accepted and realized.
How we managed to cope with this challenge is shown by the numbers
- We personalized, launched and released about 2,770 laptops/nettops
- We reconfigured and retrofitted about 600 new and used devices
- We have received and are carrying out an order for staging over 7,200 terminals
- We have received about 1,000 devices from external intervention supplies
- We have completed the move of the warehouse from TKT to CLM (total approx. 25,000 resources)
- We have disposed of over 5,000 resources
- We have demagnetised over 3,000 media
- We have ensured continuity of operations for the Company and its Clients
As a proposal for the future, we can recommend to our clients:
- Your employees should be equipped with mobile/portable devices such as a laptop or nettop with access to VPN infrastructure.
- If it is not possible to equip all your employees with laptops, you need to think about a Disaster Recovery Office where you can start your business processes.
- Access to data/applications should be based on cloud solutions (see Talex Data Center offer).
- You should consider the possibility and method of certification of private devices in your home – certification for business activity (creating verification and certification applications).
- It is worth to think about keeping a small stock of laptops in a warehouse in order to launch them immediately in case of an urgent need.
- The offers should be prepared taking into account the devices available on the market with the possibility of changing the parameters (outside the processor) already at the production/installation stage after purchase. Such a solution allows to increase the capabilities of the equipment, reducing costs through expansion.
- Consider using door-to-door deliveries (house, branch) with courier services as part of standard service.
- Consider preparing more personalized installation packages to ensure that as much as possible finished product comes out of production – without involving additional teams, which reduces working time.
If you need support for personalisation and delivery, please contact: expert@talex.pl.
