Durable Smartphones Increase Technicians' Work Flow Efficiency
Customer Need
Tri-State Compressed Air Systems, Inc. provides services and industrial air compressors to large manufacturers across Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Illinois with technicians available 24/7. Because thousands of customers are dependent on their air compressors to keep critical business equipment functional, Tri-State needed to provide its technicians with durable mobile devices that increased their performance efficiently to reduce customer downtime.
The Solution
The Samsung Galaxy S active smartphones provide Tri-State service technicians with the out-of-the-box durability they need for working at job sites where water, bumps and drops are everyday hazards. The phones’ long-lasting battery life allows technicians to work long hours even when they aren’t near a power source, and their high-resolution cameras ensure superb photos, even in low light or other sub-optimal conditions.
Out-of-the-box durability and long-lasting battery life
Results
The Galaxy S active smartphones enable Tri-State to outperform the competition. Using the camera to take high-quality pictures in harsh conditions, technicians can quickly repair systems or address warranty issues. Customers save tens of thousands of dollars by getting their manufacturing equipment back in working order faster or having their warranty claims approved more quickly, as Tri-State reaps the advantages of mobile devices that can withstand tough working conditions.
Since 1982, Tri-State Compressed Air Systems has been dedicated to meeting its customers’ needs by providing timely service and quality products. Tri-State’s experienced staff is familiar with and stocks parts for all manufacturers of air compressors, blowers, vacuum pumps and air dryers.
Customers rely on Tri-State to help maximize the uptime and efficiency of their plants’ compressed air systems. Tri-State meets these expectations with technicians available 24/7 to diagnose and repair their customers’ systems as fast as possible.
“Air compressor systems are the heart and soul of a factory,” says Patrick Siegel, general manager of Tri-State. “If the air compressor goes down, it can mean a hundred thousand to millions of dollars of lost production. We have to be able to quickly diagnose on the spot.”
The Customer Need
A Mobile Device to Withstand Harsh Environments
Typically operating in environments that are extremely hot, dirty, oily or wet, Tri-State technicians have their work cut out for them. They work in every type of manufacturing facility imaginable — from wastewater plants and fish farms to automotive and medical facilities. Working near molten steel, gallons of oil, pools of water or high voltages of electricity is all part of a day’s work.
“It’s a stressful job,” says Siegel. “Technicians have to drain oil out, change filters, and they need to be able to call us or suppliers for support or wiring diagrams. They can’t always go back and wash their hands before using the phones. Often they’re wearing rubber gloves with leather on top, or their hands are wet and oily and they still need the ability to dial.”
Sometimes technicians are on jobs for hours with no opportunity to change phones or charge the ones they have, which can be a real issue. Not only do technicians need their phones powered up so they can do their jobs — whether it’s taking photos of a warranty issue or discussing repairs with a supplier — but with customers expecting 24/7 support, technicians need to be able to take calls day or night and move rapidly from one job to the next.
Tri-State’s previous devices could not withstand the harsh work environment
Technicians use their phones extensively to take photos and send and access information from suppliers. However, the installation sites of most air compressor systems are dark, and servicing them often involves trying to get pictures of serial numbers on equipment that’s small, dark, dirty, covered in sludge or in a tight space.
Tri-State had tried several types of mobile devices, but none had been up to the task. In previous years, they went through a lot of phones that couldn’t withstand harsh working environments. They often ran into problems with battery life, and getting a good photograph on past phones was “hell on earth,” according to Siegel. Tri-State needed a more durable phone to survive the rough working conditions, but they also needed one with better performance capabilities to help them do their jobs more effectively and to reduce system downtime for customers.
“Having reliable technology helps our customers trust us.”
– Patrick Siegel, General Manager, Tri-State Compressed Air Systems, Inc.
The Solution:
The Galaxy S Active Takes up the Challenge
The Samsung Galaxy S active smartphone was built for the types of challenging environments that Tri-State technicians submit their phones to every day. Engineered to be durable and water-resistant in up to 5 feet of water for as long as 30 minutes, with an IP68 rating that protects it from spills and splashes, the Galaxy S active quickly proved it could take the heat — or the oil, water, drops and bumps that Tri-State technicians have to contend with in the course of their work.
In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S active series comes with some serious battery power. With a large 4,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S7 active can last throughout the entire day — sometimes even two depending on usage. The phones also support fast wireless charging and can go from 0 to 60 percent in less than 30 minutes. For Tri-State, this extensive battery life means their technicians can go from one job to the next without having to take time out to charge their devices.
Another major challenge for Tri-State is the need to take photos in tough conditions. “For every compressor we sell, we’re required to send specific pictures of the installation, including the electric connections, temperature of the room — all the data — to the supplier before they will approve the installation and issue a warranty,” says Siegel. In addition to repair systems, technicians often need to send detailed pictures to suppliers for help in diagnosing and repairing the systems.
With a large 4,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S7 active can last throughout the entire day
With the Galaxy S active’s revolutionary dual-pixel imaging technology, swift auto-focus, bigger pixels and a wider aperture to capture light, getting even the toughest photos is now easy. “Customers will have machines go down and our technicians will have to cut open the oil filters and try to catch little fragments of metal floating around,” says Siegel. “Trying to get a clear picture on other phones was almost impossible. It’s incredible to now get very clear pictures in such low light and challenging conditions.”
Another useful feature of the Galaxy S active smartphone is its screen quality. “Our technicians have to look at wiring diagrams,” says Siegel. “These are hard enough to read on a computer, let alone a mobile screen.” But, as Siegel and his technicians have discovered, the Galaxy S active’s high-quality screen has made it easy to see even the smallest of details.
Finally, with its high-quality speakers and its responsive touch sensor, technicians can make calls with wet, oily or gloved fingers, and can hear what someone is saying on the other end even in loud rooms with up to 110 decibels of noise.
The Technology:
Samsung Galaxy Smartphones
Galaxy S Series
Flagship smartphone line for enterprise productivity, performance and security.
Galaxy S7 active
Ruggedly built, military-grade exterior that’s made to endure some of the harshest, dirtiest and most challenging work environments.
The Result:
Major Performance Improvements and Faster Service Times
Since introducing the Samsung Galaxy S active, Tri-State has noticed a significant decline in the number of mobile devices that need replacement due to drops, bumps and moisture that are a standard part of their technicians’ working environment.
“In previous years, we would go through a lot of phones,” says Siegel, who’s responsible for replacing or repairing damaged phones. “But the guys who received Galaxy S active phones, I haven’t heard from them in months.”
More importantly, the Galaxy S active smartphones have allowed Tri-State to gain a competitive edge. “In an environment where relationships are everything and you need to be able to get in touch with people whenever and wherever you are, having a phone with a fast enough processor and a long battery life has been critical,” says Siegel. “Being able to get ahold of people quickly, get good pictures and get emails, it puts us head and shoulders above the competition with these phones.”
“The initial roll out has gone so well that those that don’t yet have the Galaxy S active smartphones are trying to break theirs so they can get one.” – Patrick Siegel, General Manager, Tri-State Compressed Air Systems, Inc.
This extra performance power has also allowed technicians to do their jobs better and faster. Kaeser Compressors, Tri-State’s air compressor supplier, has felt comfortable enough with the quality of the pictures and with Tri-State’s technology to allow them to take and submit photos for warranty issues themselves. Now, Siegel explains, “our customers have enjoyed hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings because of the better pictures we’re able to get so the supplier can judge whether to cover a claim.”
Furthermore, the technicians’ ability to talk with suppliers, clearly hear the conversation and read detailed diagrams on their mobile devices has helped make service calls faster and smoother. “It’s a timed drill getting a system back up,” says Siegel. “Often we’re dealing with piece rate workers and every minute the system is down they’re not getting paid. The company is also losing money. Being able to move quickly is critical.”
“The initial roll out has gone so well,” jokes Siegel, “that those that don’t yet have the Galaxy S active smartphones are trying to break theirs so they can get one.” But Siegel is quick to point out that the benefits provided by the Galaxy S active have made a huge difference in enhancing customer satisfaction and improving employee efficiency. “It’s those little things — thinking about the phones the technicians are using and how they are treating their customers — that are the big things that help separate us from the competition,” he notes. “Having reliable technology helps our customers trust us.”
