Next
Generation OEM Service Partners Includes Design,
Integration, Manufacturing, Assembly Private Label and
Logistics Solutions Under One Roof
By
Roger Nadow, Sales Manager, CSS Laboratories
When a
company that created in-store, camera download stations
needed a partner to manufacture, assemble, warehouse and
ship their product, they partnered with CSS Laboratories.
CREATING
A NEW PRODUCT
Providing
customers the ability to download, edit and print digital
photographs from a disposable digital camera at a
stand-alone kiosk requires computing hardware that can stand
up to the rigors of general retail use. In the case of this
particular manufacturer, these kiosk stations would be
staffed by store employees, the equipment would have to
perform with minimal training – so that retail store
employees could use it – and provide an interface that was
easy to use – so that customers would not have to wait
long periods of time for picture uploads.
Each
station required not only the sturdy, external casing
necessary for repeated public use, but also internal
hardware that was as fail-safe as possible with limited
maintenance. Each unit also needed to be assembled, tested,
branded, warehoused and shipped to retail outlets on an
ongoing basis according to a schedule dictated by sales.
CUSTOMIZED
MANUFACTURING
CSS
Laboratories is a privately held global
manufacturer and supplier of desktop and server solutions,
rack mount computers, custom design and development
services, and integration services.
When the
creator of the camera download stations approached CSS
Laboratories, they had a plan for the configuration of the
system, but found that the specifications they had in mind
were either not available from the usual, large-volume
suppliers, or the cost for a customized solution was
prohibitive.
In stark
contrast to this approach, CSS Laboratories encouraged the
innovations of the client, and was able to configure both
the external encasement and interior hardware to suit the
both the client’s blueprint and business plan.
This
custom-engineering approach partnered engineers at CSS
Laboratories with those of the client to design and test all
possible avenues to achieve a product that was
cost-effective and eventually boasted a six to eight percent
industry failure rate.
During the
development and manufacturing phases CSS Laboratories worked
with the client on several levels:
The
product’s stand-alone nature required a desktop-style box,
but the industry has trended toward nearly exclusive use of
tower cases. Because CSS Laboratories maintains strong
relationships within the supply chain, they were able to
negotiate a long-term contract with a off-shore manufacturer
to continue to supply desktop boxes at the rate of
approximately 5,000 chassis annually.
CSS
Laboratories maintains an ongoing dialogue with all
suppliers in order to anticipate and avoid parts
obsolescence – such as upcoming driver changes – and
monitors quality and performance statistics across the
industry.
The
client’s specifications include imbedded software
packages. Because software upgrades are an ongoing process,
CSS Laboratories works with the client to schedule attendant
hardware upgrades that would allow for overlapping system
replacement minimizing “out of order” stations in retail
locations. This advance strategy eliminates software
downtime, which could otherwise result in as much as a
120-day lapse in production and fulfillment and adversely
affect the bottom line.
BRANDING
AND DELIVERY OF PRODUCT
CSS
Laboratories worked with the client’s marketing and sales
department to create exterior branding – such as paint,
logos, labeling and user instructions – resulting in
considerable cost reduction for the client as they were not
required to ship to a secondary vendor.
In order to
ship product within days of an order receipt, CSS
Laboratories maintains a ready inventory of retail-ready
systems and has the capacity to ship either a single system
or as many as 250 on short notice. Each system is bar-coded
and CSS Laboratories tracks the equipment door-to-door in
order to ensure security and delivery.
By
warehousing and shipping the kiosks for the client, CSS
Laboratories offers economies in both logistics and cost.
ONGOING
PERFORMANCE AND SERVICE
The depth
of CSS Laboratories’ testing standards – from interior
interface to environmental stress testing – is reflected
in the product’s low industry failure rate of six to eight
percent. The industry average is 36 to 37 percent. In
addition to a lower than usual industry mean time between
failures, this comprehensive quality control has resulted in
longer product life cycles.
Each of the
systems carries a complete service and warranty package,
which exceeds industry standards.
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