MOBILE FUN SOURCES DISCONTINUED GPS RECEIVERS FOR SCOTTISH POWER’S FIELD COMMUNICATION DEVICES.
The leading mobile accessories retailer sourced GPS receivers that were no longer available at other retailers, so SP Energy Networks could continue using their Field Communication Devices to improve customer service and respond quickly to keep the nation’s lights on and save money through recycled technology.
As part of the Iberdrola Group, a world leader in renewable energy, Scottish Power’s business unit, SP EnergyNetworks, owns and operates the electricity transmission and distribution network in the south of Scotland and the distribution network in Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales. Inspecting, maintaining and repairing the underground and overhead electrical equipment and network assets that transport electricity to around 3 million homes and businesses, Scottish Power recently upgraded its Field Communications Devices to maintain its commitment to improving customer service and network performance.
As part of the upgrade, Scottish Power required specific GPS receivers and mounts for handheld devices to ensure that its vehicle fleet reached the location of network problems quickly. After months of disappointment from other mobile accessories retailers, who no longer stocked the products that Scottish Power wanted, Mobile Fun stepped in to source the required devices. Mobile Fun used its close relationships with international suppliers to source the correct GPS receivers that went with SP Energy Network’s existing technology, being recycled for use by the fleet.
Christine says: “It’s part of my job to keep costs under control while also focusing on maintaining our exceptional customer service and the safety and efficiency of our staff. The idea behind us requesting specific GPS receivers and cradles that were no longer stocked by other suppliers was to recycle old technology we already had, saving money and extending the technology’s life.”
Christine needed Nokia Bluetooth LD-4W GPS receivers and contacted several accessory retailers to provide them, with no success: “The GPS receivers we wanted were unfortunately discontinued by many suppliers. As we knew they were the ones best suited to the technology we were recycling, we refused to change what we wanted even though they were no longer stocked by our usual suppliers.”
After months of searching, and disappointment, Christine turned to leading mobile accessories retailer Mobile Fun who tested several GPS receivers to ensure that they were indeed the best devices for the upgraded fleet’s needs. Keeping Scottish Power informed every step of the way, Mobile Fun sourced the Nokia Bluetooth LD-4W GPS receivers plus 250 Brodit Active holders with tilt swivel. Since their installation, the upgraded fleet’s efficiency has increased significantly.
Christine continues: “Thankfully, I contacted Mobile Fun, who found the necessary GPS receivers in next to no time, even though they were end of line. I had almost given up hope that we would ever find them but I was reluctant to stop looking as I knew someone had to have the devices we wanted for the technology we were recycling. Not only did Mobile Fun source the GPS receivers we needed, when no-one else did, they were also able to offer us an advisory service to confirm the LD-4Ws were the right devices for our needs. The costs saved by Mobile Fun sourcing the cradles we needed meant we didn’t have to buy brand new technology. Mobile Fun simply stepped in to work with us in sourcing a suitable and sustainable replacement, which ensured we could keep our field staff on the move, reducing time and resources spent finding locations.”
Jeff Fairclough at Scottish Power says: “I was really impressed by Mobile Fun’s efficient customer service team, especially our contact Janet, who was helpful and really went out of her way to resolve our problem. I know that, no matter what I might need in the future, Janet will exhaust every possibility to source exactly what we need.”
Janet Maxwell, Corporate Account Manager at Mobile Fun, comments: “Scottish Power’s problem is not such an unusual one. Many companies are recycling old stock to cut costs and, because technology is so fast moving, with numerous new devices being released regularly, more often than not chosen devices can go out of stock before they have been installed in a fleet as big as SP Energy Network’s. To help companies stay ahead of the game, mobile accessories retailers need to be able to supply them with what they need, when they need it, even if it is discontinued stock. The Nokia Bluetooth LD-4W GPS receivers and Brodit Active holders I found for Christine and Jeff are just one part of our expansive range of mobile accessories and devices. We are able to source a full selection of cradles for devices including Blackberry’s, iPhones and Nokias as well as stocking over 7,000 other products, meaning Mobile Fun can provide you with the exact device you need, without delay.”
Having achieved what she set out to do, Christine is in no doubt who she has to thank for helping to make SP Energy Network’s fleet reach their destinations more efficiently: “I will continue to use Mobile Fun and would recommend them in an instant. The personal touch they offer by providing you with a personal corporate account manager, and their willingness to go further than other similar retailers, is so important to busy companies like ours. Time is money and the complimentary research they did to ensure what we wanted was the right choice was extensive and much appreciated. I am so happy with the service we received from Mobile Fun, as well as the quick delivery and their competitive prices, that I will come back to them for our mobile needs in the future.”