Communications services provider, Granite Telecommunications has sped up testing time and reduced unnecessary costs by using the SignalTEK™ NT network transmission tester from IDEAL Networks. Since equipping each of its 17 technicians with the tester, the company has been able to deliver proof of performance reports accurately and instantly, reducing the previous delivery time by three days.
Granite Telecommunications, a leading communications services provider to multi-location businesses and government entities based in the US and Canada, requires PDF test reports to demonstrate proof of performance to clients, including all moves, additions, and changes to work undertaken. With teams working all over the US and Canada, it is vitally important that installers have access to the correct technology and equipment to enable transfer of the test data from the job site.
“Faults can occur from post installation damage or changes. Referring to test reports at the time of installation is essential to prove work was completed correctly and helps to steer troubleshooting in the right direction,” says Dan Puffer, Project Management Supervisor for Granite.
In the past this information could be delayed while waiting for test reports to be sent to the central office by the field technicians. “Previously, technicians would have to conduct the tests, then download the results to a laptop or PC at a later time before emailing them to the office for collation into the customer report.,” says Dan, explaining that test reports would take three days to arrive on average, delaying work tickets from being closed and preventing jobs from being invoiced.
To complicate matters further, the installers and technicians were using various equipment from a total of eight different types of tester manufacturers. Therefore, to create the customer reports, the software for each type of tester had to be installed on a PC so that every set of results could be read and formatted, and a final report could then be compiled.
Dan explains “We originally thought we would need to buy expensive certifiers for the work we were undertaking. However, we realized that the SignalTEK NT was more affordable and more than sufficient for creating reports to demonstrate good Ethernet connectivity which was what we needed to show customers.”
Equipped across the fleet with SignalTEK NT alongside the IDEAL AnyWARE app, Granite technicians can now send test data back to the office on the same day as the job is completed, allowing network traffic performance reports to be provided to clients right away – a time saving of three days per job. Due to this quick turnaround and no need for re-testing, work tickets are now closed out more quickly, saving both time and money.
“The IDEAL AnyWARE app has completely transformed the way we work at no additional cost. It almost feels like we receive the test data in real time – which in turn means we get our deliverables back to the client much more quickly,” says Dan.
“Customers can not only see the evidence that work has been finished to the standards agreed, but can also be reassured that the job has been completed in a suitable timeframe. The improved reporting process has removed the inconvenience and delay of re-testing, both of which could cause client dissatisfaction in the past,” concludes Dan.
