For Matthews Intelligent Information , it is all about accountability, predictability and satisfaction. The key facts include:
- Communication underpins installation approach
- Strict 6-step methodology for ensuring good results for the customer’s business and process needs
According to Mark Dingley, head of Matthews’ Identifications Systems Group (IDS), the successful companies can base their success upon an operating formula. Following a strict procedure gives them accountability for what they’re doing, and predictability in everything proceeding as, when and how it should, which both lead to customer satisfaction. And it is communication that underpins that approach.
Many years ago, Matthews Intelligent Information had formalised this into a 6-step methodology:
- Propose
- Design
- Build
- Test
- Install
- Support
Dingley says the strict processes in Matthews Intelligent Information’s methodology meant that one could look at any installation and see a pattern.
In case of the carton coding installations at National Foods, for instance, stage 2 of Matthews Intelligent Information’s methodology, known as design, includes solution architecture. The system they had designed gives National Foods the ability to print and apply bar codes to a shipper, with SSCC capabilities for the future along with complete integration across all production lines. iDSnet gave them extra advantages instead of mere compliance.
Or there is the customer test of Matthews Intelligent Information’s new production line, part of stage 5, the physical installation. All the planning in the previous stages were evident, when the operators at Kerry Ingredients, for instance, tested their new line and enjoyed the simplicity and functionality.
Even before Matthews Intelligent Information proposed a complex solution to a prospective customer, their ‘CPM’ review process ensures that a team of people have reviewed their intended solution to ensure that it will meet all of the customers’ expectations. It is not left to Matthews Intelligent Information’s sales engineers alone. When the order is received, their ‘CHOP’ process ensures they have a formal hand over of all technical and commercial information from the sales team to the project management and installation teams.
Dingley says Matthews Intelligent Information’s project-management protocol is to have a dedicated project engineer for each and every project. That single person takes ownership of the whole process, to ensure every coding and labelling solution they contract to deliver is ‘on time, in full and on budget’. The project managers keep their customers updated at every stage of the fulfilment process and are also available to answer any of the customer’s questions; so the customer knows exactly where they are at throughout the project’s delivery. That is from project planning, the very first part of stage 1 the proposal, through to hardware and software support, the last part of stage 6.
Dingley says the methodology began as a wish list, rooted in customer satisfaction. Each stage was developed as a part of Matthews Intelligent Information’s Customer Care Journey. The entire process is designed to ensure they deliver on time and to customer satisfaction.
Matthews Intelligent Information have gone through a rigorous process, but continuous improvement is also high on the list. Dingley says fundamental to the methodology is having resources in the right locations that include equipment and people.
IDS are a dedicated in-house team of software and automation engineers. And equipment wise, their methodology makes sure parts are where they should be throughout the whole project-delivery cycle: from how equipment is received in-house, how they put it in for quality control, how they ship it out to the customer, to how it is installed. And all of this relies on communication.