In our small area within the world of equipment and support, we meet many interesting individuals and teams. All are enthusiastically involved in technology, equipment and capability delivery for many applications. These teams are procuring systems selected based on a wide variety of reasons, often including: brand preference, politics, trends and even the level of technology packed into it; often sadly not based on a logical procurement strategy. Quite probably the current technology considered for development of a commercial domestic use has previously been developed as a variant and used in Defence.
We get asked to recommend or rate a suggested product in a range of technology that the client’s representative has seen. Once engaged, we have sometimes identified that the capability being saught can more effectively be met with a very different solution; often much simpler and more cost effective. In reality, if the original purchase had been made, the equipment would soon be gathering dust, replaced by a more suitable solution as budget allows.
ADVICE
Have you ever heard of these pieces of advice?
1. Never go shopping without a list!
2. Never go food shopping on an empty stomach!
Why is this advice given? Because if we do not follow this advice:
1. We over spend against our budget.
2. We come back with purchased items or services that were not essential.
3. We purchase items or services that we will never use.
In our opinion this advice is just as relevant to equipment capability procurement, as it is to domestic procurement.
More recently, and noticeably more frequently, we are being asked to recommend and provide advice and guidance on unmanned air systems for commercial or security use. This includes clients wishing to purchase a system that they have seen and that they feel that they have a perceived use for. We have to admire the sales and marketing machine that is focused on the potential client’s attraction for new technology and gadgets. At A J S we can of course provide technical advice and guidance on a case by case basis for a specific equipment solution.
Our recommended “best practice” is not to focus on a solution before you know your requirement. Our advice is develop a shopping list first, before you go shopping, or before you engage with a salesperson.
OUR SERVICE
We offer professional and independent equipment and support consultancy services with no affiliation or preference for any particular technology, product or manufacturer. We use proven effective approaches to assist teams or individuals involved in equipment based capability procurement or upgrade. Our methods and approaches implemented have been used by ourselves for many years and are based on the experience of industry and defence “best practice”.
Our support approach can be tailored to suit the scope and complexity required by any client, from a single item £25K capability to a £ Multi Billion solution. We can start to assist you from the very early stage of concept analysis and requirements gathering, through to sucessful introduction into service.
There are many individuals and teams out there making costly mistakes as they procure expensive technological systems. Let us minimise those mistakes by providing advice and guidance based on many years of procuring, operating and supporting major high tech capabilities; and save you and your business time and money.
Call us today to see how we may cost effectively support you and your equipment capability procurement project.
Many systems are certainly not toys and have the potential to present risk to life, health and property. There are rules for where you can and cannot fly. The rules define distances from people, property, and transportation. They define distances from the operator, stipulate within the line of sight of the operator and also maximum heights.
