As a leader in Standard 3 EDS implementation and support, Smiths Detection’s experienced teams get ready for action.
Michael Cavanaugh, Smiths Detection’s Vice President of Global Service and Digital Solutions, explains what sets his team apart. “Our goal as a global services team: strive for 100% operational availability.”
Proactive, responsive, caring – these are words that customers use when describing Smiths Detection’s service and support team. Michael Cavanaugh, Smiths Detection’s Vice President of Global Service and Digital Solutions, is passionate about delivering. “We have a Six Sigma Quality mindset,” he points out. “We truly consider any system downtime during customers’ operational hours a defect.”
Over the next few years, Cavanaugh’s team, in partnership with qualified London Heathrow technicians and engineers, will install and support forty-five CTX 9800 DSi™ EDS units for screening in-gauge baggage and seventeen HI-SCAN 10080 XCT scanners for screening out-of-gauge baggage. These systems are all part of the more than 3,900 CT EDS units Smiths Detection has deployed worldwide.
In fact, throughout the UK and around the world, Smiths Detection’s service teams support 90% of the world’s busiest airports. These field service engineers and technicians service both Smiths Detection systems, as well as other manufacturers’ and competitors’ equipment. In either case, delivering the highest levels of service excellence is the top priority.
“Over the past few years, we’ve made significant investments in our infrastructure to ensure we’re meeting the needs of our customers at the local and national levels. Today, we have about a hundred local depots and five distribution centers around the world,” explains Cavanaugh. “We’re proud that much of our fielded equipment has been in service for more than ten years, with some equipment installed, functioning and under service contracts for more than twenty years.”
The top advice Cavanaugh has to offer airports evaluating different EDS suppliers? “Select a trusted security partner with a proven track record of service excellence. Once your Standard 3 system is installed, you need to ensure it runs reliably for years to come. While we strive for flawless installation and operations, the truth is we will encounter problems over the life of our relationship. The true measure of a service organisation is whether they stick with you until they have resolved the problems – no matter who is responsible.”
One of Smiths Detection’s field service engineers working on a CTX 9800 DSiTM.
Some other key elements to consider are proactive communication, outreach, and responsiveness. “Our customers value that we openly communicate not only about the positive things we’re doing, but we’re also upfront about any challenges we foresee, and what we’re doing to solve them.”
In the end, Cavanaugh concludes it’s all about service personnel that have the airport’s interests at heart. “How do they care about the operational environment? How do they interact and integrate on-site? You can tell when teams take pride in what they do and are always willing to go the extra mile. Customers appreciate these efforts and trust we’ll continue to deliver on all our promises.”
