Electrical Contracting News (ECN) September 2017 | Page 61

TEST & MEASUREMENT
WHAT’S TESTING
THE TESTERS?
SPECIAL
FEATURE
Jobs that require a
warranty cannot be
completed without a
certifi er.
Following research into common test and measurement challenges facing the industry,
Tim Widdershoven, global marketing manager at Ideal Networks, explores what’s
making work diffi cult for those installing and troubleshooting data cable today.
1. Costly cable certifi ers
Anyone installing or working with data
cable knows that cable certifi ers are an
expensive piece of kit. Most cable installers
feel they are a necessary and unavoidable
capital expense, however, purchasing
several certifi ers can pose cash fl ow
problems, or occupy budget that may
have been better spent on other projects
or equipment. This cash fl ow issue has
a knock-on effect, reducing spending
fl exibility within the business.
In fact, Ideal Networks’ research
found that equipment can deliver a poor
return on investment (ROI), particularly
for businesses with less certifi er usage.
In these cases, the fi xed purchase cost
of a certifi er can be an almost crippling
capital expense. ROI is further reduced in
businesses where separate test equipment
is being purchased for working with copper
and fi bre cable.
2. Sharing testers
To reduce the quantity of certifi ers
purchased, the research found that many
businesses try to share them between their
workforce. Rather than equipping each van
with a certifi er, equipment is couriered out
to a job site as and when it is needed.
‘To reduce
the quantity
of certifi ers
purchased,
the research
found
that many
businesses
try to
share them
between
their
workforce.’
Unfortunately, the costs and
administration involved in shipping
certifi ers to various locations can
amount to a considerable expense, as
well as causing delays in carrying out
and completing jobs. Jobs that require a
warranty cannot be completed without
a certifi er, but if all units are in use
elsewhere, the installer simply can’t carry
out this task and can’t bill for it. Plus, if a
job runs over, it can prevent installers from
moving onto other jobs.
3. Data sharing
The research discovered that sometimes
installers must send the certifi er back to
the offi ce for test data to be transferred.
Customers can only be given a warranty
once this has been done. Data cable
installers going from job to job on the road
face similar issues, sometimes waiting for
days before fi nding a suffi cient internet
connection to upload the test data, so
reports can be issued and the job billed.
According to the research, the time
from testing to invoicing can be up to two
weeks. These delays inevitably hurt cash
fl ow. Both these data sharing scenarios
also risk the loss of test data, resulting in
further delays and reduced margins.
4. Unfair upgrades
Some of those interviewed were frustrated
that support was being discontinued for
certifi ers that they purchased only recently.
With certifi ers being such a signifi cant
capital outlay, many businesses simply
cannot upgrade their certifi er, despite this
seeming like the only option.
5. Unexpected costs
Unplanned costs associated with repairs
and maintenance were identifi ed as a
diffi culty for some businesses. Even those
happy with their certifi er suggested that
budgeting for annual calibrations, repair
costs, replacement parts, shipping costs,
technical support and training was diffi cult.
In a worst-case scenario, these costs
can prove prohibitively expensive, leading to
a lack of equipment availability, impacting
productivity and risking extended customer
downtime. To avoid these issues, many
data cable installers suggested they would
prefer to opt for a fairly-priced care plan.
6. Too few testers
Despite the challenge that investment
in certifiers can pose to cash flow, many
installers felt that having more certifiers
September 2017 | 61