OVERVIEW

There is no off the shelf package that supports the challenges of running an evaluation pool. The nature of the business activity is that attention to detail is paramount and good clear expectation setting that is well communicated is vital… without these attributes what should be a Business Winning process leaves a trail of disillusioned potential customers who have been moved backwards, rather than forwards, in their intention to buy. And of course the results required can only be achieved if the software application being used matches extremely closely the well defined processes and the user’s requirements in those process areas, AND organises the information in a way that allows users to be very effective and efficient and able to focus on the transactions that need attention to stay on track. 

ADDEMS

Added Dimension’s ADDEMS system is a purpose built application specifically designed, and organically grown over the years, to meet all the challenges of managing evaluation programs, and providing service to all the involved personnel and interested parties. It integrates all the front-end evaluation arranging processes with back end logistics processes, and these are all organised with focussing on setting good expectations and meeting them, as a primary objective. The attention to detail includes

1. setting up detailed box contents listings for every product, flagging the ones that need to be sent out with the product, and those that should be kept back…all this to make sure that as well as keeping equipment fully functioning, we are keeping equipment complete as new.
2. for each inventory item, building up a record of every shipment it has been on, and the detail of the engineering test that has been carried out on the way out to, and on the way in from every loan
3. Every loan record has a call log history, with every relevant email filed to it, and with every next step action assigned to the appropriate member of the loan management team
 

The processes supported by the application include availability searching, creating new loans, sales or rentals, placing orders for new equipment, receiving in new equipment or receiving in equipment from collections, picking, shipping and arranging transport, engineer testing, racking away in the warehouse, generating picking lists , packing lists, despatch notes, drivers paperwork, quotes, invoices….In fact every aspect of the business activity.

In addition ADDEMS allows Added Dimension to replicate our Vendor Client’s organisation structure of people, and the line-up of the product range…and this is fundamental to making the reporting back activity that is done, line up to the Client’s own performance measure structure. 

ADDEMS has evolved greatly over the last 10 years, and will evolve more over the next 10. Added Dimension has benefited greatly from the relationship with its software development partner, Aspen Software.

BRANDING

Aligning a service like providing customers with Evaluation equipment, directly to the Vendor Client’s brand is a strongly preferred option from the Clients themselves. EMail is the main communication device and many process areas have system generated email output… eg confirming evaluation details, or confirming equipment collection details. Using a domain name of evaluationteam.co uk, enables the loan management team to adopt email addresses in the format jeff@hp.evaluationteam.co.ukor jeff@dell.evaluationteam.co.ukthe html email itself being formatted with appropriate logos and colour schemes. 

Our web systems are also branded as per the Client we are working for, and our web-input form is set up in a way that makes it easily customisable to increase the alignment to the Client’s organisation

WEB INPUT

Added Dimension has long felt that it is inappropriate to enforce one methodology for organising loans…our view has been the best way of organising evaluation requests, is probably whatever is deemed  the easiest way for the Client’s sales team . So a forwarded email is fine, a preformatted form is fine, a phone call followed by an email is fine.

HOWEVER we have thought it appropriate to develop a web input form, as an optional method of specifying a loan request. The approach we have taken is to make this a very customisable web form…. Branded, of course, but also recognising the very different Sales structures that exist within and between the various Clients we support.

There is of course fast access to availability via Added Dimension’s web based proprietary SpecCheckerPlus search tool, and the option of setting as mandatory, the input on the nature and size of the business opportunity that the equipment loan is supporting. 

Being web based means access to the form can be pushed out to the far reaches of the Clients’ partner’s organisation….. and the processing structure deals with an authorisation process which can structured in a way that best suits each organisation that we are working for.

SpecCheckerPlus

Nowadays there is such a proliferation of slightly differentiated product on the market its hard to keep up with all the differences. The SpecCheckerPlus web based search tool enables the user to operate the equivalent of a filtered spreadsheet on a web page….. where the rows of data being shown are all the different product numbers, and the columns are an extensive list of product features and attributes. A few mouse clicks will enable the user to narrow down on the list of products that match their priorities with regard the product specification they are looking for AND check availability at the same time

WEB SIGN OFF

An essential step for almost all evaluations requires that the User signs up T’s & C’s to affirm that they will exercise a duty of care over the product whilst they have it on their site, and take responsibility should there be any damage. This bit of administration can slow down the progress of the evaluation if it relies on a print off, sign, and faxback methodology. Added Dimensions web based evaluation sign up means this admin step can be completed in just a few seconds, allowing the Sales team to strike while the iron is hot 

REPORTS

Behind the screens of our ADDEMS system there is SQL database and built into our systems is a good quality report writer, which is used every day to feedback information on some aspect or other the evaluation pool activity. Our philosophy is that the information about a clients loan pool activity should be completely open as far as the Client is concerned. For those that want to see all the detail we can make available pivot tables with everything in it….. for those that want less there are hundreds of reports in our repertoire all targeted at looking at particular areas for results. 

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Logging in to our web application will provide access to reports that can be scheduled to run and appear in your Email in-tray hands free, OR the information can be run real time, live onto your desktop. The My Evaluations page on our website, will provide access to all the activity that you are involved with and quick access to a whole range of essential information about the evaluation program.