3 Things to Consider When Choosing an IT Cabling Provider
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence — it is to act with yesterday’s logic.”
Peter Drucker
The ability to adapt to change is one of the biggest strengths a company can possess. In today’s always-on, never-slow business environment, sweeping events such as the pandemic, global supply chain issues, and economic fluctuations underscore this maxim like never before.
The IT infrastructure and cabling industry is not immune from these challenges. At NFLEXON, our decades of combined experience have shown us that change is inevitable, and the lessons we have learned are worth sharing. Here, then, are three things to consider when choosing an IT infrastructure and cabling provider.
For this project in Boston, we supplied more than one million feet of NFLEXON Category 6A and OM4 cabling solutions. The development is a 30+ story office tower in a 1.5 million square feet mixed-use area. It features state-of-the-art technologies to increase employee collaboration.
Is your IT cabling provider agile?
Today the businesses that survive and thrive have one thing in common: the ability to be nimble. As business author John Leo Weber says, “Like the wise adage about the blade of grass that bends in the wind, a successful business knows when to bend, when to pivot and change, and when to accommodate forces more powerful than itself.” Agility is vital.
NFLEXON is built to be agile because our customers like it that way. We function as an extension of their staff, assisting with developing and adjusting cable specifications to meet their business needs.
We used lots of agility during the pandemic. For example, for one multi-million-dollar project we produced and inventoried all material for the entire project upfront, which allowed us to respond to changes more effectively and quickly. We collaborated very closely with the contractor to plan work, respond to changes, and navigate pandemic-driven supply chain challenges without delaying the project.
Operating in this manner – to adjust to external circumstances – requires agility. We think it’s essential to be able to quickly adapt to external changes in the market as well as to internal changes once a project gets off the ground. As one of our customers put it, “Products are products. You guys were great to work with. You were easy to work with and it made the job easy.” Said another, “You were very good with fulfillment and performed well while in the middle of a pandemic.”
This Silicon Valley headquarters campus encompasses about 650,000 square feet of office space in multiple buildings, where 3,000+ employees have a workspace. We supplied in excess of one million feet of NFLEXON Category 6A and OM4 cabling solutions.
Is your IT cabling provider flexible?
Flexibility has become essential in every part of business operation. Whether it is needed because of evolving customer demands or changes in business conditions, the ability to adapt to current events must be a vital part of a successful business mindset.
In today’s business environment, customers want the freedom to use their own contractor for cabling services, one that is not necessarily dictated by a restrictive manufacturer contractor program. We offer customers that flexibility, giving them the freedom to use the contractors they prefer to work with instead of only those on an approved contractor list.
NFLEXON Category 6 cabling solutions helped lay the foundation for a national roll-out of retail store locations. The inviting design concept was inspired by the re-creation of moments related to home, work and play for shoppers who entered the stores.
Does your IT cabling provider offer direct-touch, personalized service?
If a business is set up to respond rapidly and flexibly to customer demands, they are more likely to thrive another day to serve and keep these customers. Just as important, they must be hands-on problem solvers.
NFLEXON is built to be nimble. It’s in our DNA and woven throughout our business operations. We quickly adjust to customer needs – unlike large companies where size and internal processes limit their ability.
One of our customers said he was impressed with our expertise and ability to “adjust on the fly to large change orders.” Another told us, “When there were customer issues that needed resolution, no one got excited. We just got together and figured it out.”
Finally, another customer told us that “Support was great. [I] can call and get answers quickly. We are in the business where we need answers quickly; I can’t wait days or weeks.”
This kind of customer feedback is music to our ears. It is what we aim for every day we walk through the door to begin work. However, just as important is knowing that change inevitably lies ahead somewhere down the road. We are prepared to respond with agility, flexibility, and high-touch customer care.
To learn more about making wise choices in IT cabling, sign up for our free webinar, “Does Higher Test Frequency Mean Better Cable?”. The webinar addresses the myths and misinformation in today’s IT cabling world that can cost you time and money.