Since early 2008 AIDE has been in collaboration with Brother, a global manufacturer of printers and multifunctional devices. At that time several providers were working with Brother on basic premises, but at the present time Brother has permanently transferred the work of its service centers to be managed by AIDE on receipt of favorable reporting mechanisms. The flexibility of the structure as set up allows effective responses to changes in the market and sales volumes, allowing for a successful resolution of ongoing tasks. These years have seen the creation of a portal for several providers to work together, customer call-out servicing has been set up and staff training organized. Currently we are working on a new payment system for work in the service centers, expanding our contract territory and setting up a single warehouse for spare parts.

Target

At the primary stage we had to coordinate the work of all providers within a single accounting system: formalize reporting and provide control mechanisms for each repair task. After successfully implementing the system we had to raise the service level and reduce work completion times, while ensuring the transparency of warranty and subcontracted repairs.

Tasks in the first stage

  • Setting up a network of service centers
  • Connecting the network of centers to a single accounting system
  • Servicing requests for call-out repairs
  • Expanding the contract territory
  • Designing and planning a spare parts warehouse
  • Introduction of a differentiated system of warranty repair payments

Aspects of the work

In 2008, when our collaboration had only just begun, Brother already had service providers in Russia, but the reporting algorithms in place at the time were not suitable for increasing turnover. AIDE proposed its own accounting system whose functionality allowed repair work to be monitored at all stages, and formalized reporting on the work of the network to be delivered. From the outset AIDE's functions were limited to coordinating autonomous providers, but its efficient work results gradually brought the network's management into AIDE's purview. In the thirteen years we have been working together, ongoing tasks to do with sales turnover and market changes have changed dramatically: now we select new partners through our own InVendor resource, provide administrative support for the system and help solve current and strategic tasks. 2017 saw the launch of our call-out service, and right now we are working on expanding our contract territory and stock replenishment.

Why does Brother need this?

For several years Brother's service providers worked within AIDE's unified portal: the client received a single control point and the possibility for responding effectively to any difficulties in the repair process, facilitating a relationship with the customer based on trust. It was the functionality of its own accounting systems that persuaded Brother in its choice: subsequently, when integrated services proved their effectiveness, the company transferred all of its service maintenance provision to AIDE, a move which saw the creation of a central spare parts warehouse, setting up of call-out repairs and the launch of technical and administrative support for service centers. The contract was concluded as a result of AIDE's successful work with major Japanese brands: Fujifilm, OKI, Toshiba and Canon.

Results

  • Reporting on repair work has been optimized: from an Excel spreadsheet to a single accounting system.
  • A real-time system of repair monitoring has been developed and launched.
  • The number of repeat requests has been reduced.
  • Call-out repairs through a hot line have been organized.
  • A central spare parts warehouse has been set up.

Setting up a service network for Fujifilm

The year 2005 marks the start of cooperation between AIDE and Marubeni, a Japanese trading house responsible for promoting Fujifilm on the Russian market.

Read the case Setting up a service network for Fujifilm