EXAMPLES:
SPECIAL SERVICES

Problem.   A company, producing specialized server-based computer software, wanted to offer a new, ready-to-go Turnkey package, comprising a small server unit with their software pre-installed, pre-configured, and tested.   The goal was to have a product, ready to plug-in and use when received.

One of the owners contacted T-21 and said, "The idea is that a customer would order the server-software package, give us their configuration specifications.   On-delivery, they just plug it in and use it.   The problem is that we don't have the facilities to perform the work.   So, we wondered if we could outsource it with you, to see how the product works-out in the market, then take another look at it in a year or so."
 

Action.    Their T-21 Team Manager (TM) appointed a Project Development Team to analyze the proposal and delineate the procedures, personnel, logistics and costs.   The Team's report was delivered to the company within the same month.

The owners accepted the proposal and the TM established an Operational Team to develop and run the service.   Initially, one server unit, the software installation master, and installation guides were sent to their Team.   The company agreed to support the T-21 Team with any technical help required, to ensure a quality product.

Actual operations began less than thirty days later, as new orders began to arrive.   New server equipment was shipped to T-21, where the software was installed and configured, according to the customer specifications.   Each software installation was tested and verified.   Then, the unit went through a 100 hour burn-in test, to help assure reliability.   Finally, it was shipped by T-21, directly to the customer.   
 

Results.  In only a few months, the company found that the package was well received by their customers.   After completion of the one-year test period, they extended the contract with T-21 for another year.   One of the owners commented, "This is a great product.   It's put us way ahead of our competitors.   And outsourcing it with you made it pretty easy for us to do."
 

Problem.   An importer of handheld computerized games contacted T-21 about a problem with re-packaging and shipping.   Their bulk imports from the Far East had all materials written in a foreign language.   They had to break-bulk, un-package, test each unit, insert English language instructions, reseal the product in their boxes, then re-pack and send them to their central shipping point.   They were short of space for this, had problems finding reasonably priced facilities in their area, and had experienced many failures in their testing and re-packaging.

The CEO said, "We've got to do something to streamline this and concentrate on expanding and promoting our product lines.   So, we thought about you folks.   Would you want to look into taking this over for us?"
 

Plan.   His T-21 Team Manager (TM) appointed a Development Team, to analyze the situation and report options and costs.   Three weeks later, a proposal was sent to the company, providing for facilities, insurance, staffing, training, quality control testing, and management for the whole process.

The plan allowed the company to drop-ship whole product orders to a T-21 location, where each unit would be unpacked, tested, supplied with English language instructions, and re-sealed.   When dealer orders came in, the units would be shipped directly from T-21's facility to the buyers.

After review and discussion, the company agreed to a two-year trial for the process.
 

Action.   In less than ninety days, T-21 had the facility ready and the staff trained.   All shipments were then switched directly to the new T-21 facility, where our Operations Team performed the required steps for the importer and then re-shipped the units to buyers.  
 

Results.   After three months of operation, product defect and error rates were reduced by almost half, turn-around time was 23% faster, and total costs were 18% less than the company had experienced, when performing the work themselves.   The CEO remarked, "Hey, the costs are down, it's faster, and ...", he laughed, "... it's out of my hair.  I love it."   He continued, saying that he'd like to consider T-21 taking over more of their product lines as they expand.
 

Problem.   A Tier-1 aircraft parts manufacturer was undergoing ISO-9000™ quality program certification.   Their records were stored, in boxes - in somewhat loose, date-order.   However, a new accident investigation requirement mandated that they must be able to rapidly produce past manufacturing records by:  Job-Number, Invoice-Number, Part-Number, Buyer, or Materials Supplier.   Timely retrieval had often been a problem, so they looked to T-21 for help.
 

Plan.   Their Team Manager (TM) established a Special Services Development Team for the project, who helped the manufacturer establish a document scanning process and computer database for all new records at their site.   However, the problem of incorporating the enormous amount of older records into the new database still remained;  each one had to be accurately scanned and indexed.

T-21 proposed establishing a one-time Project Team to scan and index all of their past physical records into a computer database, verify all entries against the original paperwork, and ship the electronic records to the company for inclusion in their new database system.
 

Results.   A T-21 Operational Team was trained and began capturing the most recent records, first - then worked backwards, sequentially, on the remainder.   To spread out costs for the company, the project operated with a small staff over an extended period.

Periodically, the validated database record entries, created by T-21, were integrated into the company's system.   After T-21's work was completed and integrated into the system, the manufacturer could almost instantly retrieve any record by: Job-Number, Invoice-Number, Part-Number, Buyer, Materials Supplier, and / or Date.

The manufacturer received their ISO-9000™ Certification, due, in part, to the Document Management System and records data, produced by T-21.   The General Manager told his TM that they receive many compliments on the system from prospective customers.   In addition, other Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers often ask for a demonstration of the system.