Digital Signage Need To Know: How an LED Sign Manufacturer's Approach to Support Can Affect Your Reputation

-Scott Hofheins

Other Topics in this Series

• Design, Engineering and Installations
• Business Growth

When you sell a product, you are linking your organization’s good name to the quality and operation of that product. As I mentioned in my post earlier this year, it takes a host of talented people to produce a quality product.  Likewise, supporting that product before, during, and after the delivery is extremely important to a successful long term LED sign program

Your reputation as an LED sign dealer depends on quality product, with quality support. End users depend on the same to ensure their public image is maintained on the LED display. There are different approaches manufacturers can take with regards to support.  Some work well, and others don’t.

That’s Not in My Job Description

This is a hands off approach that can be very frustrating for dealers and end users alike. Calls to the manufacturer are answered by technicians who are trained to operate in limited capacity, where the goal is to pass the responsibility to the dealer as quickly as possible.

Veering from the set script and job description is not allowed, and making exceptions or going the “extra mile” is rare. This makes both the dealers and end users feel undervalued as customers; being treated as if it’s a privilege to associate with the manufacturer at all.

A good manufacturer recognizes the value that every single customer brings to the table. They are not afraid, and more importantly well equipped, to go the extra mile for their dealers and end users. They can customize their support strategy according to your organizations needs. Issues with signs are not automatically assumed to be the fault of the dealer or end user, and they have a genuine interest in the successful operation of any sign, big or small.

We Don’t Live Here

Overseas manufacturers, or “manufacturers” who ship whole units directly from overseas suppliers often have a difficult time offering quality support.  In many cases, the design and engineering is also sourced overseas. This means any real issues with the product will take a lot longer to fix, simply because they are relying on engineers who are asleep when everyone in the USA is awake.

Replacement parts, and long term part caches also suffer for the same reasons. Until someone invents a transporter, or free jet fuel, it will take time and money to move hardware across the ocean. In the mean time, dealers and end users are stuck waiting for delayed parts and non-operational signs that reflect poorly on their respective organizations.

Manufacturers who design, engineer, develop and produce in the USA are much more capable to provide timely support and knowledgeable staff. When level 1 technicians run across an unfamiliar issue, or a possible production problem they can physically walk to the engineering dept to get a solution immediately. Parts are stocked locally, and inventory for legacy product is managed correctly. Technical staff have direct access to the RMA, engineering, production and  sales teams to provide the best service possible. It is extremely important that your support staff are trained, reside in, and operate from the USA.

The Mystery of Organization

A poorly organized support structure will result in poorly organized support. Support calls are tracked with outdated systems, and RMA parts are misplaced or shipped with the wrong parts. The manufacture is slow to respond to production wide issues, continually shipping product with the same problems over and over again.

The ability to offer quality proactive support, software trainings, updates and a well organized support structure will act as a tangible confirmation that the dealer, or end user’s trust was well placed. This will greatly enhance the reputation of both, as the sign operates consistently over the long haul, and any issues that arise are dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Cheap product, quick sales, large profit margins and low quality LED signs may temporarily  increase the bottom line, but your reputation will suffer and those gains will eventually be followed by significant losses. There are great US manufacturers out there in many shapes and sizes, so do your research and make sure you get one that’s willing to be a partner in building your reputation.

-SH

I hope this post has been informative and helpful. As usual, I welcome ALL constructive comments. Please feel free to comment and add anything I’ve missed, or additional tips you may have regarding this topic. Please visit www.vantageled.com for many other resources, white papers, and of course: Great looking LED Signs!

**All posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

Thank you!

-Deacon Wardlow

Thank you. I've seen it on shopping bags, at the tag-end of emails, cards, texts, and (surprisingly, on rare occasions) on the lips of my daughters... usually when I've gotten them a treat or the latest weird-sounding band's CD (yes, kids still listen to CDs). The power of those two words together is impressive.

This week, in the USA, we're celebrating Thanksgiving. This is one of my personal favorites for holidays. Friends and family gather together from far and wide to celebrate the things they have to be thankful for.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, the readers, clients of Vantage LED, friends and family of those who work for, with, and alongside us. You drive us forward and have given us many opportunities to be the resource the industry wants and needs to get straight answers and information as well as awesome systems. If you have a moment, checkout the press release regarding the newest software we've developed in collaboration with Spectacular Media: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/11/prweb10116746.htm

Great things are in the works. We're glad you're a part of it. Please drop us an email, give us a call, and let us know what you want to know more of. Scott, Mike and I will be here to help you along the path and ensure you don't get lost or misdirected. Digital Signage (especially LED sign systems) aren't as complicated as others would have you believe. Thank you and have a happy Thanksgiving weekend (wherever you are in the world). If you can, take a moment to reach out to someone who might have a little less to be thankful for and spread the goodness.

*I invite you to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

Quality Control for LED Sign Supply Chains

Anyone who has experienced the unique challenges of trying to source product or components overseas will tell you it is not for the weak spirited. Even Apple, one of the most successful companies in the world today is not immune to troubles with oversea suppliers (see here). The logistical, cultural, linguistic, and engineering aspects of sourcing products overseas do not always align correctly. Although It’s safe to say that virtually every LED sign manufacturer uses some components that are sourced from overseas manufactures in one way or another, not all of them have been able to control the quality of these components effectively. This post is written mainly for sign companies who are considering buying “direct” from overseas suppliers, but it will also be educational for end users who are in the market for an LED sign.

Quality control is hard to manage when you're working with factories that are 7000 miles away. It can be done, but it takes a balanced approach and a major commitment by the US based organization. When you buy from organizations that do this well, you significantly decrease your risk of getting a sub-par product and ultimately save time and money by avoiding lengthy service issues and sign outages. However, when you buy from an organization that does this poorly or manufactures most of their LED sign overseas, the risk of poor quality product increases greatly. Here are some reasons why:

Limited Oversight
US distributors or manufacturers who do not have direct contract with the supplier find themselves completely at the mercy of their quality control system...if one exists at all. It is crucial to have direct contact with the suppliers, the ability to meet face to face, speak the language, and to know the right people. There are a large number of overseas component suppliers, but a smaller number of good suppliers out there. Knowing the right supplier to use, and having a good relationship with them is key to a successful quality control program.

Component Swapping
This is something that continues to plague distributors of overseas products. Mike’s last blog post addressed some important aspects of this issue (see here). Many overseas manufacturers will build the sample product (and even the first production run) with high quality components. The initial product seems to work well, and the distributor puts more orders in. This is where many manufacturers will start to swap out the internal components with less expensive alternatives over time. This is done without notifying the US distributor and the end result is a sub-par product that may work initially, but fail miserably after only 1-2 years of service.

Inconsistent Product
Distributors that do not have the resources to design, engineer, and oversee production find out very quickly that their product will be changed to suite the needs of the overseas supplier, without consultation. Component locations, LED Binning (color grading), connector locations, and physical materials are common areas for unannounced changes.


Multiple Sources
When US manufacturers rely too heavily on a single source for a particular component, they lose the ability to respond to product shortages quickly and effectively. The ability to demand quality control is also diminished if the manufacturer doesn’t have an alternate supplier to go to if the quality suffers.


Over the past 5-6 years, sourcing overseas suppliers has expanded in a way not friendly to the sign distributor, or the end users themselves. Unfortunately many sign companies believed they had found a perfect solution to increase profit margins by “going direct” to an overseas manufacturer. However, they did not realize what it really takes to reliably source, produce, and bring components into the US while maintaining the quality expected by today's consumer.

In my opinion, the best manufacturers commit the resources and spend the money needed to support a solid high quality supply chain. They don’t source the entire production overseas, but only the components that make sense. They develop relationships with the best suppliers, and work with them directly. Controlling the quality of the supply chain is an important aspect of our industry and must be actively addressed by the manufacturer. Doing this effectively benefits everyone, including the end users who ultimately feel the effects of a good, or bad supply chain.


-Scott Hofheins


I hope this post has been informative and helpful. As usual, I welcome ALL constructive comments. Please feel free to comment and add anything I’ve missed, or additional tips you may have regarding this topic. Please visit www.vantageled.com for many other resources, white papers, and of course: Great looking LED Signs!

**All posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.