A successful retail technology rollout relies on a thorough site survey and comprehensive structured cabling project plan supported by a detailed installation plan for each retail store, whether it is a retail store remodel or new store opening, or technology rollout. Parts kitting is an important aspect of retail rollout preparation to ensure on-time installation with minimal impact on store operations or rollout schedules.
What does component kitting mean?
For our technical and field services teams, component kitting is an integral part of retail rollout project management. It is the process of identifying specific parts in appropriate quantities necessary for the complete assembly of a discrete component in the overall rollout plan. For example, it can be all of the cables and connectors required for a sub-component in the structured cabling project plan, or the parts necessary for provisioning a Point of Sale (POS) station or a digital kiosk. For a kit to be effective, it must include or be accompanied by a step-by-step assembly plan that is clear and meaningful to a structured cable installer, a POS technician or a telecommunications installer.
An outstanding example of product kitting that most people are familiar with can be found in consumer retail giant IKEA, and its assemble-yourself furniture products. For every page in the assembly manual, there is a new package of hardware identified by a symbol.
At Telecommunications Design, we are the IKEA of retail rollout preparation. We serialize and tag every component, pre-label faceplates, extension label telephones. We have some of the best field technicians and on-site project managers in the business, but we do all we can prior to the install to ensure that they don’t have to do too much thinking about the installation, and can work to ensure that the client is informed and content with the progress.
Why not just drop ship to each store and do this work on the floor?
One of the fundamentals of our approach to retail rollout project management is our belief that making decisions in the best interests of our client is in our own best interests. Our clients depend on high-traffic retail for the bulk of their revenue, and any influence that might impact revenue is cause for concern.
When we kit our projects in our own shop, we can guarantee that all of the parts necessary for the task will be in each kit, and they will be the same parts in every kit. This provides uniform installation across all locations.
When parts are brought in on-site for a hurried installation, then the BOM’s may not be accurate. Support documentation will not conform to the existing installation, which can impair the effectiveness of support and help desk personnel. When we kit our parts, we find out about shortages in time to replace with the correct part. We correct issues with a particular physical plant (which we know about from our comprehensive site survey) before we ship the installation kit. Reducing the opportunity for errors effectively reduces our client’s risk in what for them is an expensive and potentially risky endeavor without our experience at reducing risk in the rollout.
Our commitment to your retail technology rollout
Kitting is just one aspect of Telecommunications Designs commitment to your retail technology rollout. From the first meeting through our comprehensive post-installation support, we plan, evaluate, recommend and communicate in our efforts to be a contributor to every client’s success.
Have a big retail technology rollout project? Contact us, we’d like to help!
Call us at (707) 303-8270
