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Arbitrator Sales, Product Development, & Support Services

Toughbook Arbitrator 360 In-Car Video Solution

Arbitrator Mobile Digital Video System

Panasonic is a traditional hardware manufacturer of ruggedized laptops.  After developing a new in-car video evidence capture system and back-end server software for the law enforcement market, they encountered several issues. 

The sales teams were not prepared to sell such a complex solution.  They historically sold laptop computers, a much simpler sale.  New product required radically different approach in style and tactics. Team was forced to sell to different target groups within clients’ organizations.  For these reasons, the sales force was reluctant to sell the product.  Consequently, Panasonic’s product fell behind its competitors in features and market share.

Other problems included the fact that PSC had no applicable experience in software development, and implementations were often undertaken by untrained technicians resulting in incorrect installations and countless customer issues.   Additionally, the US-based help desk staff failed to effectively troubleshoot or resolve client issues because they had minimal knowledge of how the system worked.

 

PSC's Challenge

PSC decided to introduce a new version, which required major upgrades in hardware and a complete redesign and rewrite of the software.  Complexities in this solution touched practically every current technology in use in mobile and client server computing.  Japanese factory had no market expertise,  and there was little to no project management within assigned team.  Cultural and technical barriers were monumental, and the product future was in serious jeopardy.

 

How did Top Gun help?

We met with the executive team to understand how strategic objectives, tactical limitations, and organizational/political environment could help or inhibit the project.  Top Gun simultaneously tackled multiple fronts of attack, including sales, technical support, product planning, and product development.  Here’s what we did:   

 

Sales

We created a new message and restored the sales team’s confidence. 

Technical support

Top Gun developed and staffed a complete technical help desk to support inbound calls from users and resellers.  We designed standards and formal operating procedures for product installation and support information.  Trained and certified technicians doing the work.  This increased customer satisfaction, lowered costs, and decreased the number of help desk calls.

Product planning

Our team engaged local sales representatives and existing clients to understand market needs and competitors’ advantages.  This became the foundation for a product specification jointly developed by Top Gun, PSC, and the factory in Japan.

Product development

Led development team consisting of Top Gun, the Panasonic factory, and their software developers to create the “Mark 2”.  Team created hardware, firmware, front-end and back-end software, wireless communication and file transport, and complex multi-tier server architecture.  Group designed services to install new clients and convert existing ones.

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