About NextConnect
Services and Installation Methodology
NextConnect personnel have a longstanding proven record of accomplishment of providing National Program Management that allows us to meet project deadlines for our customers and in conjunction with our partners and the solutions they bring for total turn-key solutions. We have better than fifteen years of experience helping customers and partners in both the SMB and Enterprise marketplace, successfully implementing projects in the commercial, medical, and government arenas.
Our Services Include:
- IT Infrastructure Consulting and Design
- Data, Voice, and Fiber-Optic Cabling
- Wireless Systems
- Telecom / VoIP
- Surveillance and Access Control
- Audio Visual
- Comprehensive Program Management
We accomplish this through a variety of processes and methodologies that allow us to manage each engaement specific to the needs of that project and client. Initially, we confer with our client to fully understand their goals and objectives for the given project or group of projects. Once we have a clear understanding of the project, NextConnect will then complete a comprehensive scope of work and a cost-effective pricing proposal for client approval. The scope of work will be designed to fully implement the customer wishes and will also follow all industry standards for the specific product or service being implemented. Site surveys may be completed to gather site information and for multiple-site rollouts, beta sites are often completed to refine the project scope.
Once we have approval and proper accounting items (Client PO, Accounts Payable information, etc.) are in place to move forward with the project, a specific NextConnect Program Team is assigned to the engagement based on matching internal skill sets with what the specific requirement for each project are. These project personnel will include and overall Program Manager to oversee the project and act as management escalation, a Project Specialist as the main point of contact with the client, and other support personnel as necessary. Project personnel have a wealth of experience, both in terms of understanding the technology as well as many years of experience working within the various technologies we implement.
After assignment of the Program Team, meetings are held internally to review the scope of work and other items such as project schedule, implementation guidelines, and escalation procedures to ensure the entire team have a clear understand of the client needs. Conference calls or meetings with the client are scheduled to review the project and a scheduled is set for reporting to the client at various intervals. One the project is thoroughly reviewed, it is turned over to the Program Team, led primarily by the Program Manager to implement. Having a dedicated Project Team assigned to each client top provide a single point of contact helps develop a close working relationship that strengthens over time. Key in the delivery of the project is dissemination of the customer scope and needs to the technician in the field. Standardized Installation and Service Packets are created that include in detail the customer-approved scope for the technician in the field. The Program Team then has responsibility to assure that the technician fully understands the scope of the project or service prior to assignment and dispatch to any site.
We accomplish our thorough management of projects through an array of internal checks and balances along with newly created and updated proprietary customized databases with vendor partner and specific site information. These databases along with our well-defined project delivery mechanism ensure excellent project tracking and delivery. The vendor database includes all of our partner and other vendor information we have gathered through years of work and personal relationships with numerous service and installation companies. This allows us to maintain and update vendor information based on their skill sets, certifications, track historical project data, maintain specific insurance requirements, and to rank them based on all the information within the database. The project tracking database contains all the engagement and customer specific information. This is from our initial contact with both the customer and the vendor partner as well as any and all notes that are acquired through the course of any installation all the way through to completion and billing. This is also where we utilize our project delivery mechanism so we always have our pulse on what is happening for all the various projects we are working on at any given time. This allows for a quick snapshot of installation and service activity and allows the project personnel to start their day understanding exactly what items need to be addressed for scheduling, material coordination, follow-up for completion and deliverables, or other project specific project management activities.
Each installation or service engagement is approved by the designated client on-site contact through the use of an Installer and Customer Approval Form. At the close of each installation or service call, the technician on site shows all work performed to the designated site contact. The Installer and Customer Approval Form notes a checklist of installation or service items that the technician initials and signs as complete and reviews with the site contact. The form is signed by the site contact also as proof of successful installation or service completion. Installer and Customer Approval Forms are part of the standard deliverables for any project and are presented with final invoicing for the site.
By utilizing the various processes and methodologies, the internal databases, the strengths of our Program Managers along with the industry experience of our Sales and Account Management teams, we have proven over time that we can be highly successful in the fast paced ever changing world of technology and the successful installations that help make all of it work.