Technical services and aftermarket support have become an increasingly important battleground for technology manufacturers as the expectations of consumers and end-users continue to rise. Rising to meet them is Qcom, a support partner which delivers these services for some of the world’s most leading technology brands. In the light of award-winning success in Acquisition International’s Global Excellence Awards, named as Most Outstanding Technical Outsourcing Company, 2020 – Europe, we took a closer look to find out more.
When it comes to providing a technology product, the need to ensure that the product is exceptional is not the only consideration. The business behind both pre- and postsales technical service and support is one that has proven lucrative to those willing to work for it. With many global manufacturers seeking alternatives to providing their own local support infrastructures in every territory, and smaller businesses often not having the capacity to carry out this work inhouse, the importance of companies like Qcom cannot be overstated.
Qcom operates as a technical services and aftermarket support partner to some of the world’s leading technology brands. Working alongside manufacturers on a global and domestic scale, the company is typically engaged by clients looking to provide a complete warranty and technical service capacity where none currently exists; by those wanting to free technical staff to focus on the core of the business’ operations as opposed to support; or by those one-off projects like a product recall or upgrade, which needs a rapid response that in-house teams aren’t able to provide.
Qcom is able to deliver a solution that works for each individual case, working as a total outsource, selective outsource or project partner, and providing a bespoke package of pre-sales and aftermarket services for each client.
These services can include customer helpdesk and technical support, installation, configuration, field repair, preventative maintenance, warranty management, workshop repair, inventory and logistics.
Where Qcom excels is in the range of technologies it supports. While some specialise in specific areas, this is a business that excels in delivering support for products as diverse as laser, thermal transfer and inkjet printers, Customer Engagement Technology like kiosks and EPOS, click-and-collect lockers, handheld and mobile devices, security and smart parking meters amongst others.
The core values behind Qcom go part of the way to explaining Qcom’s tremendous and sustained success. Technical, service and operational excellence are the basis on which Qcom is built. Technical excellence is critical, underscoring a commitment to recruiting, training and developing the world-class service provided. Service excellence is a key part of the promise that Qcom make to not only understand, but to represent a business in its entirety as a brand ambassador. Operational excellence is what ensures that this technical service is delivered consistently, and the golden thread that ties all three together is a company-wide desire to always go the extra mile.
This approach has always served Qcom well, with clients not only positively feeding this back, but recommending Qcom to other businesses. This word of mouth recommendation is one of the most useful tools that Qcom has at its disposal, carrying a great deal of weight from clients who in some cases have been with the company for more than a decade. Of course, it is one of the many methods which Qcom sources new clients with, with direct approaches through promotional activity, events and good, old-fashioned sales calls serving the same purpose.
The heart of the business is, of course, found in the staff who must deliver these services on a daily basis. A highly trained team of engineers and technical consultants provides customers with on-site repair and technical support across the whole of the UK and Europe. This team is employed full-time to ensure that Qcom’s customers only receive support from the best in the business. The crucial difference between Qcom and its competitors is that it trusts its workforce to do its job, recruiting for service as well as technical excellence. By putting processes in place to empower these experts, it’s no surprise that they are keen to use initiative to go the extra mile and deliver enviable results for their customers.
The world of technology is constantly changing, and that means Qcom must change too. It is currently working on broadening its technology coverage, ensuring that the range and flexibility of the services meets the constantly evolving needs of clients. This sits alongside the importance of identifying the next big development in the industry. Geographically, demand for services within Mainland Europe has increased recently, and Qcom has invested significantly in its capacity to handle this demand. Despite already delivering services into seventeen European countries, there are signs that this will grow even further in the coming twelve months. The final aspect of growth that Qcom must contend with is that of customers expecting and pushing for ever faster responses. In an always-on economy, it falls to companies like Qcom to meet this requirement and be available to offer services at unusual times, such as weekends, evenings or on same-day to help manufacturers meet these increasing demands.
The expansion of the Internet of Things, not to mention increasing use of RFID technology, presents whole new frontiers to a company like Qcom. Having spent forty years supporting new technologies, it’s no surprise that the Qcom team has few concerns about staying ahead of this technological curve. Their strong track record of developing solutions to support these new concepts means that they have no anxieties about meeting these new challenges head on.
For the team at Qcom, the most important thing is providing an excellent service that not only reflects well on them, but on the
brands that they are representing. This care and attention to details is just one of the many things that has elevated the company to its considerable success.
Company: Qcom Outsourcing LTD
Contact: Neil Anderson
Website: www.qcom.co.uk