, business we live or die by our last service call and it’s vital that everyone within our business understands the value of a happy customer.” Regarding the future of the firm, Neil states that Qcom is looking at broadening its technology coverage, as well as increasingly offering services into the European market place. Expanded working hours are something which the company has implemented to improve its customer service. “As well as broadening our technology coverage we are increasingly offering services into the European market place and we see good growth for us there. At the same time, customers in an always-on society are looking for quicker support, 24x7. Qcom has recently enhanced its weekend, evening and same day offerings to meet these increasing customer expectations.” Contact: Neil Anderson Contact Email:
[email protected] Address: 3 Hampton Park, Wassage Way, Hampton Lovett Industrial Estate, Droitwich, WR9 0NX, UK Phone: +44 (0)1905 827650 Qcom is a leading provider of outsourced technical support to equipment manufacturers and their channel throughout the UK and Europe. We invited Neil Anderson to tell us a bit more about the firm the secrets behind its recent success. Most Innovative Technical Support Company - Europe Qcom offers a wide range of solutions including: technical helpdesks, commissioning, installation, technical training, warranty cover, workshop repairs and field service across a growing range of technologies. The firm is well known for its support of barcoding and auto ID equipment; however, the company also provides solutions for print and apply systems, customer engagement technology, ticketing equipment, EPoS and telecoms. Neil outlines the firms overall mission and the steps that Qcom plans to take to achieve this. “Put simply, our overall mission is to maintain our position as the leading provider of outsourced technical solutions while expanding our services into new technologies and geographical locations. To achieve this, we must continue to invest in developing the expert skills of our existing team as well as recruiting talented new team members.” Setting itself aside from its competitors within the business, the company has many skills which mark it out as the best possible option for existing and prospective clients. Qcom possesses a wealth of experience within the technology industry and has built a strong reputation based on the quality service it provides, something Neil is keen to point out. “Here at Qcom we have worked within the technology industry for 40 years, building a reputation based on quality and earning accredited service provider status for many leading manufacturers. What sets Qcom apart is our customer focus. We believe outsourcing should be relational rather than transactional, for us it’s about forming a long-term strategic partnership, working with our partners to craft solutions that will really benefit them in the short- term and in the long-term.” The technology industry is ever changing meaning companies must ensure they are ready to embrace any new developments and be prepared for any challenges which they may encounter. Neil gives us a brief overview of the industry in the firm’s region, as well as listing specific challenges affecting the business. “To ensure we meet our clients’ needs, Qcom focuses on four key technology verticals: printer technology (such as lasers, thermal transfer, and inkjet); customer engagement technology (kiosks, digital signage, epos); print and production equipment (coding, labelling, processing technology on production lines) and mobility (handheld terminals, tablets, WiFi networks). All these sectors are growing at the moment and manufacturers are facing challenges to ensure their after- sales customer service meets customer expectations. This is where Qcom’s outsource solution can help them resolve these challenges.” Neil also explained the techniques that Qcom and its staff employ in order to stay ahead of emerging developments, such as monitoring trends and researching products. Importantly, the company works hard to ensure staff provide a high standard of customer service for its clients. “Standing still is not an option. We’re always watching the latest technology trends and researching product life-cycles. Every product goes through 4 key stages; first they emerge, then they grow, consolidate and mature. The same product will require different support solutions at each of these stages and our solutions must be developed in line with this. We pay particular focus to the skill sets of our service team, running a comprehensive training programme with an emphasis on transferable skills. This allows us to provide our customers with the services that they need for their products.” In order to provide quality customer service, Neil and the firm’s staff must be prepared to meet any possible client demand or request. Staff at Qcom are always looking to improve on their skills and the service they provide, with the company providing personal training programmes to enable this. “Qcom subscribes to Kaizen’s theory of continuous improvement and every member of our team, from apprentices to onsite engineers, has a personalised training and development programme with a strong focus on customer service. As a service based