Why Working with a Best-in-Class IT Integration Center and Warehouse Matters

The selection of a managed IT services partner requires thoughtful considerations of several factors. Among those factors are IT project management experience, engineering expertise and customer support. Bailiwick has consistently ranked high in all these areas, but another factor that companies should give equal consideration to is logistics and systems integration.

A robust, high performing integration center and warehouse, one that provides seamless asset tracking, is critical for the successful deployment of a large, multi-site managed IT initiatives. While there has always been a need for a top performing integration center, the pandemic, which led to supply chain shortages and other logistic challenges heightened that need. Having the storage space to handle varying equipment arrivals is essential.

While Bailiwick has always focused on providing exceptional logistics services, we were challenged by our clients to provide even more value. Storing, tracking and shipping their valuable IT assets were no longer enough. Clients wanted to emerge from the pandemic stronger, nimbler and in a better position to deploy multi-site IT integration projects. They needed Bailiwick to take on many of the tasks' companies were struggling to do internally or asking on-site technicians to do.

Bailiwick was up for the challenge, but it was clear that a large investment in an additional facility, staff and equipment was required. An ideal location was soon identified, equipment was ordered, and staff was hired. Within nine-months a new Bailiwick configuration center and warehouse was fully operational in April 2022.

State-of-the-Art Configuration and Consolidation Center

Our configuration and consolidation center gives Bailiwick technicians the ability to prepare digital assets before they are sent to the field, ensuring a smoother installation process. Bailiwick technicians perform tasks such as imaging computers and loading software. We also test equipment before being sent to the site allowing us to identify defected devices. This results in a more efficient installation since technicians in the field are not being asked to perform these complex and time-consuming tasks or deal with faulty equipment.

Configuring 100 devices at one site is immensely more efficient than asking 100 technicians to configure one device in the field. We develop processes that simplify the tasks, and our rates are typically less than that of the installer. Clients appreciate the significant cost savings as well as faster, more successful installations.

Integration Lab

For large, complex installations, customer and Bailiwick engineers can use our integration lab. This facility allows engineers to create a mockup of a typical installation site and simulate an actual installation. Engineers can document processes and procedures that allow them to provide field technicians with a detailed manual to follow. Again, this can result in significant time and cost savings for our clients.

Asset Lifecycle Management

The warehousing of client assets is also critically important. In many cases the equipment for large, multi-site managed IT projects can be valued at several million dollars. Not only is it important to securely store valuable assets, it's important to track their location at every step in the process. Again, seamless asset tracking is crucial.

At Bailiwick, we conduct regular audits of our client's inventory. During our latest inventory audit we were able to identify client's assets with a 99.95% accuracy. That exceptional number doesn't occur by chance. Our robust quality and assurance procedures ensure that assets are accurately tracked from the moment they are received, throughout the configuration process, when they are placed in kits and shipped out to the site.

Clients are increasingly asking us to help with their asset lifecycle management. This involves not only the warehousing and shipping of their assets, but also the return of assets that are removed from our customers' sites. In some cases, we will reconfigure equipment for deployment to another location in our configuration center. In other cases, these assets have exceeded their usefulness by becoming obsolete or damaged beyond repair. Bailiwick will dispose of these assets in an environmentally friendly manner.

Our investment in asset lifecycle management allows Bailiwick to play an essential role in the success of our clients' large scale managed IT initiatives. Our clients appreciate and have grown to expect our ability to be nimble and scalable while maintaining the high level of quality that Bailiwick is known to provide.