Choice Logistics Hosts Annual Field Service Awards

NEW YORK, May 2, 007 – Choice Logistics, the global leader in mission-critical service logistics and supply chain solutions, hosted the Third Annual Field Service Awards during the Field Service 2007 event in Las Vegas last week.  The ceremony recognized companies that have excelled in field service innovation and excellence. 

“Choice was honored to present this year’s Field Service 2007 awards,” said John Miller, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Choice Logistics.  “The service and logistics executives represented demonstrate expertise and thought leadership that bring new opportunities to the high-tech industry.  Everyone in the industry benefits as these leaders continue to push the envelope in developing new ways to deliver superior service, processes and systems.”
 
The process began eight months ago when Jonathan Massoud of Worldwide Business Research (WBR) assembled the Awards Advisory Board to evaluate and judge the nominees.  The Advisory Board included Mike Niesen, Heidelberg USA; Brian Lucyk, Avaya; Khristen Chapin, Integrated Solutions Magazine; and Ed Meskil, Mobile Enterprise Magazine

Companies were invited to submit nominations for the most innovative applications in any of four categories:  Best Service and Support Strategy Implemented in 2007; Seamless Technology Implementation and Deployment to Increase Service and Support Levels; Most Innovative Approach to Service Delivery; and Service Leader Of The Year.  Nominations were accepted for three months from January to April.  The Advisory Board awarded the categories as follows:

Category 1 - Best Service and Support Strategy Implemented in 2007
Carilion Clinic
Carilion made several significant improvements.  The company reduced its call volume by 11% monthly, representing approximately 700 calls, a savings of $25,000, in September 2006 alone.  Carilion’s internal clients are impressed with faster response times, resulting in a nearly 10% improvement in customer satisfaction.  In addition to dramatically improved response times, Carilion facilitated prioritization based upon severity levels, helping the company’s staff meet or exceed service levels and getting more tickets closed per technician.

Category 2 - Seamless Technology Implementation and Deployment to Increase Service and Support Levels
Juniper Networks
By implementing a technology to manage its parts inventory, this investment is now in-line with clearly-understood customer-support requirements.  Juniper Networks has greater visibility to excess stock levels that can be shifted to depots where the material may be more optimally utilized. OTD (On Time Delivery) has improved significantly, by as much as 27%, customer satisfaction increased 10%, customer dissatisfaction/red alerts decreased by 40%, and material availability increased by 15%.

Category 3 -  Most Innovative Approach To Service Delivery
Gem Plumbing and Heating
As a result of an innovative, new approach to service delivery, Gem Plumbing grew its service business unit sales from $7.5 million in 2002 to more than $21 million in 2006.  Customer service reps now answer 98% of all customer calls within five seconds.  Repeat business rate has grown from 40% to just almost 70%.  The company meets its two-hour appointment windows 95% of the time, with an industry standard of only 50%.  The customer satisfaction rate is at an all time high of 95%, up from 85% in 1999.  

Category 4 - Service Leader Of The Year
Mac-Gray
Mac-Gray automated its entire manual dispatching functions generating a cost savings that recovered the initial investment within 18 to 24 months. Mac-Gray has grown its business to 63,000 customers in 24 locations with 250 technicians and no manual dispatch functions. Improvements include: technicians close 10 to 12 calls per day versus 8 to 10 previously;  call resolution reduced from three and a half days to two;  Cost savings of one hour per day, per technician in dispatching.

About Choice Logistics
Choice Logistics is the global service partner for mission critical logistics. With over 300 strategic stocking locations (SSLs) around the world and 24x7x365 logistics services, Choice Logistics provides customized, same-day solutions with an integrated approach to strategic inventory management. Choice’s people, processes and systems provide the speed and flexibility to address the challenges and opportunities to support leading companies with two- to four-hour parts demands.  Avaya, Cisco, EMC, Equant, Hitachi Data Systems, and others have selected Choice as their preferred global provider of outsourced logistics.  To learn more about Choice Logistics, visit www.choicelogistics.com; call (800) 593-2108, or e-mail info@choicelogistics.com.