Cochran Electric Takes Latest Technology Into The Field
Like other areas in our technology-driven world, the job site has seen its share of
changes in recent years. Once strictly the domain of two-way radios, hardcopy
blueprints and handwritten order sheets are now becoming tools of the past. In their place
we're seeing more laptop computers, digital cameras and handheld PDA’s.
Until recently, computers were rarely seen outside of the engineering and architectural department. Not anymore. With advancements in more powerful computer chips, high-speed Internet services and digital-imaging technology—the industry is changing rapidly.
To illustrate this transformation, consider the case of Jay Justice, a Field Service Technician for Cochran Electric. "I was called to a job at the Des Moines branch of Bank of America a couple weeks ago to install a cable to the drive-up ATM. I started looking for the junction box but couldn’t find it anywhere. After awhile I went back to my truck and pulled up a copy of the plans from my computer. Sure enough, the junction box was in a location I never expected.”
Jay adds, "In the past, this kind of problem would mean leaving the job site and driving all the way back to the office. Now, I’m able to get all the information I need right from the cab of my truck.”
The digital camera also works as a time saving tool. Jay explains. “Now, if I’ve got a question about a damaged piece of equipment, I don’t have to waste time explaining the problem over the phone, I take a picture and send it back to the office electronically. Most of the time I get an answer within a few minutes.”
To Jay’s customers the digital camera serves a different purpose. “If you’re not an electrician, the terminology we use can be very confusing, so the pictures are more like a visual aid for them. They help my customers understand the extent of the work, and why it was done.”
Jay now admits he’s a convert to this new way of doing business. "I've been in this job for over 25 years and if you were to tell me a few years ago that I'd be showing up at a job site with a laptop computer, digital camera and a palm pilot, I would have said your crazy. But to tell you the truth, now I can’t imagine doing my job any other way."
Cochran is the first Electrical Contractor in the Puget Sound region to furnish all of their field technicians with this latest technology. Mike Watts, Project Manager for Banking Services at Cochran explains why. “We’ve always tried to stay on top of the latest trends in our industry and we view these new products as another set of tools to help our technicians do their jobs more efficiently.”
Cochran now digitizes all of their drawings and archives them on CD Rom. “The initial costs of digitizing are substantial, but we think the overall savings, not just to us, but to our customers, makes it a smart long term investment,” Mike added.
Cochran’s goal is to have a paperless document management system within the next two years. Larry Couch, VP of Operations explains why, “The importance of paper work in this industry hasn't changed, but the way we transmit and track it has. There’s no denying that a paperless system is a much more effective way of doing business.”
By taking advantage of the latest technologies, companies like Cochran are able to streamline the way information is processed as it travels to and from the technicians in the field. They understand that in the years to come, the successful companies will be those willing to embrace the latest innovations and use them to simplify communications. As a result, they become more efficient, which in turn creates real value for the customer.
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