There is a relatively new sector emerging as new and innovative tech arrives; the white glove logistics business specialises in the transportation and installation of technical equipment, using manufacturer-approved technicians who are trained to work on complex technical equipment.
A good example would be a massive MRI scanner that must be positioned and secured in a hospital, then configured and tested, ready for use. The manufacturer is justifiably concerned about who touches their products, therefore the logistics provider would be manufacturer-approved to handle, install, configure and test complex equipment.
Here are some of the business sectors that rely on white glove solutions.
- Banking & Finance – Next time you use an ATM, spare a thought for the team that transported the equipment to the site and installed it, then connected to the banking secure network and tested, ready for use. The telecommunications systems used at stock exchanges are usually managed by the white glove team, including the security.
- Medical – Most of the technical equipment you see in hospitals is installed by white glove technicians, such as those from Rhenus High Tech, the UK’s leading white glove logistics provider. Dental and medical equipment of all kinds are the domain of a specialist logistics company.
- Health & Fitness – Complex fitness machines must be calibrated and added to the network and the technicians train to work with specific makes and are manufacturer-approved. The majority of health machines adopt touch-screen technology and use is monitored through a digital network. More and more people are working out to YouTube fitness videos, which is a reflection of the trend for a healthy lifestyle.
- Retail – Touch-screen info boards and digital signage are installed by the white glove technicians and you see this kind of technology in your local shopping mall already if you look around. As we move into a cashless society, online secure payment gateways need to be created and the white glove sector services this.
- Access Control Systems – We see these at sports stadiums, train stations and other venues, while installation and maintenance are the task of the white glove team of technicians. Rush hour puts a great demand on the mechanical aspects of access control systems and regular repairs are needed at all hours of the day.
Final Mile Delivery & Installation
Bulky and heavy technical equipment leaves the factory and is delivered to the white glove team, who receive the consignment close to its final destination and they manoeuvre the equipment into place and secure it to the floor. The job doesn’t end there, as the technicians configure the equipment and carry out tests before finally handing over to the customer.
Data Centres
They are everywhere, huge warehouses with rows of servers and cooling systems, which the white glove technician can install, remove or replace data centres. When a company expands, they might wish to relocate their data centre, or possibly add to the network, giving more storage capability. After a period of years, a data centre would be obsolete and the white glove logistics provider is called in to remove and dispose of WEEE, while also replacing with new servers.
The white glove logistics company is fully able to transport, install and configure technical equipment of many kinds.