This reporting procedure will ensure that our customer is updated on all aspects of their business with Phoenix thus ensuring that correct decisions are taken so that the customer maximises full leverage from their IT procurement.
Account Managers are responsible for controlling all aspects of the account and will produce reports on agreed dates incorporating information from all activities of the business e.g. sales-out, customer services, technical and financial information. This reporting procedure will ensure that our customer is updated on all aspects of their business with Phoenix thus ensuring that correct decisions are taken so that the customer maximises full leverage from their IT procurement.
Phoenix sales staff work together as a team to satisfy our customers' requirements in the most professional, friendly and efficient way. All sales staff undertake our unique 2 month induction programme before joining the internal sales team. After this period Phoenix continue to invest in training in line with our Investors in People Certification and as such, technical and product knowledge levels are second to none across all our Internal Sales Team and our Account Managers.
Phoenix sales personnel are rewarded and motivated individually and as a team, so there is never any reason for you to lose contact with Phoenix. Each time you call in, you will always be able to talk to someone who is genuinely interested in your business and not be routed through a voice-mail system.
Our Internal Sales Team log any activity on your account, using our bespoke open systems to ensure that information is not mislaid or overlooked. You can expect the same competitive pricing and high levels of customer focus from everyone you speak to.
We are proud of the high standards we have set ourselves internally, and believe that our efficiency and professionalism have made a major contribution to our success.
There is an increasing awareness that costs are incurred whenever systems are unavailable for use. As companies become more reliant on the information and resources provided by the developing information technology revolution then the costs of having these systems un-operational for any length of time increases proportionately whereby highly paid staff are simply unable to do their job.
The costs of PC ownership must be measured not only in terms of the initial investment but also in the ability to enable tasks to be completed in a cost effective manner. To this aim Phoenix can provide a comprehensive client oriented support agreement to minimise this risk area.
The service level support agreements of Phoenix are designed to maximise system usage and to minimise disruption. A guaranteed level of service is agreed with the customer after analysing and discussing their particular requirements. To ensure that this level of service is delivered each agreement is closely monitored and escalation procedures are clearly defined. The customer will be informed automatically of any unforeseen problems that may arise and be notified of a time for their resolution.
Software and hardware support are managed by the Phoenix Technical Centre and the national field maintenance team, respectively.
The Technical Centre
The Technical Centre is dedicated to providing our clients with a high level of software and hardware support together with a technical consultancy service. This support is delivered by immediate access to the telephone hotline, where a response will be provided by a member of the technical services team qualified to answer all common software and hardware problems. There are three levels of service available depending on the response time required and the product portfolio covered. All support analysts hold relevant industry standard certifications and have access to the direct lines of the help desks of premier suppliers and manufacturers giving us instant support and, in most cases, instant fixes.
Technical consultancy is provided by fully qualified consultants who specialise in specific networking and communication environments and who undergo continuous training by the leading manufacturers. These consultants enable Phoenix to provide an unlimited level of technical hotline support via escalation from the technical services team. This also gives customers an in-depth information and solutions service within a separate proactive support contract. Enhanced response times can be achieved by arranging a remote diagnostics facility that enables our analysts to directly access and rectify system faults without a site visit.
Maintenance
The company’s field maintenance engineers are highly trained and skilled with a wealth of knowledge making them much more than just repair personnel.
They can diagnose system faults, communicate on a range of platforms and advise the best solution to most problems. Their experience in the field of networking and communications has proved a valuable asset given the growth of organisational-wide networks. Our maintenance engineers provide a nationwide coverage and are contactable through our service centre control. Phoenix can also provide dedicated engineers to work on-site at our customers' premises as an integrated part of their IT services department to provide expertise and guidance in the implementation of their corporate strategy. Where the equipment is not easily repaired on site or where the client can be returned to work quicker with the use of a replacement system, the faulty unit is sent to the national repair centre of Phoenix. This centre provides a fast, comprehensive and flexible range of repair services unique within the industry. The national repair centre's technicians use the very latest fault diagnosis technology available at the centre, like our maintenance operation as a whole, it is an authorised repair centre for all the major hardware vendors supported by Phoenix. This means that, where required, we can build manufacturers' warranties into our service contracts making Phoenix's particularly cost effective.
Configuration
We offer a full configuration service for commissioning add-on products, peripherals, standard and bespoke software to ensure that our customers receive equipment that is ready for immediate use within their IT environment.
Our Technical Service Centre has developed rigorous controls to maintain an anti-static environment that can be a major contributor to the prevention of early life component failures. The configuration quality control system incorporates six major controls. Multiple systems can be configured automatically to our clients' specifications by fully qualified technical services personnel and has a capacity of 500 systems per day. These client configuration specifications will be stored and updated on the configuration server of Phoenix. During these processes all system units are swept with the latest revisions of anti-virus software before leaving the configuration area. During a multi-system configuration program systems will be selected at random and quarantined to undergo further testing to guarantee the quality of the shipment.
Equipment that has been passed during the configuration procedure will then continue through to the distribution area. Equipment can be asset labelled and security tagged. Reports may be generated to provide our customers with a better knowledge and control of the geographical spread of their IT investment.
Procurement Team
The Phoenix Procurement Team are focused on maintaining a 97% next working day fulfilment target. Our bespoke business system, which incorporates a state of the art purchasing module takes real time feeds from all the major manufacturers and European Distributors and identifies the chosen product from the cheapest supplier that has stock. This innovative system clearly offers significant benefits in regard to ensuring that our customers receive short lead times and the most competitive and up to date pricing.
The Procurement Team work closely with all the key manufacturers and distributors to ensure we are aware of product road maps and special promotions which are then fed into the Phoenix e-Trader e-commerce solution and business systems.
Customer Services
Although it is our aim that all products should reach our customers in excellent condition there may be times when you need to contact the Phoenix Customer Services Team. Their aim is to ensure that customer specific requirements or issues are handled in a proactive fashion to ensure the customer receives the best possible resolution to their requirements.
Whilst working within the terms of the manufacturer's warranty, we endeavour to use our experience and relationships with manufacturers and distributors to obtain the best possible outcome for the customer with regard to their individual circumstances.
All products shipped by Phoenix are bar coded. This bar code incorporates the products serial number and ensures quick and accurate identification of the products origin and final destination. From this information the Customer Services Team and Internal Sales Department can identify the date of despatch, customers order number, delivery address, value and contact details, as this information is all stored electronically within our core business system.
The Customer Services Team may be contacted by e-mail, e-Trader (where the customer can log their own product return), fax or by simply making a telephone call.
Finance
Through its continued commitment to the provision of an excellent service to its customers, Phoenix has maintained an impressive growth in a competitive environment sustaining its self-funding status. Tight control of working capital has permitted the financing of this high growth through retained earnings to secure a sound financial base. The increase in growth has been complemented by an increase in personnel to ensure service levels are maintained. Phoenix places great emphasis on its greatest asset – its people – to guarantee that they acquire the necessary skill sets to enable them to reach their potential within the company. Phoenix believes that customer satisfaction, leading to profits, makes a successful company.
Customer partnerships have been fundamental in the strong growth of the company since its incorporation. Our Finance Department consists of three teams. The Purchase Ledger Team is responsible for processing, checking and payment of our supplier invoices. Their aim is to promote excellent working relationships with all suppliers thus ensuring that any queries are addressed in a timely manner. The Credit Control Team is responsible for ensuring timely payment of customer invoices, the handling of invoice queries and dealing with new customer account applications. Phoenix have a policy of insuring all its customers accounts through one of the leading credit insurers, Coface UK, part of the Coface Group who operate in 99 countries and who are rated AA by Fitch IBCA. Once the completed application form has been received from the customer, Phoenix can then request credit clearance instantly from Coface UK by use of the on-line system, Cofanet. Decisions are available within minutes on the vast majority of credit requests made thus ensuring that there is no delay in processing a new customers order.
The Commercial Accounting Team, which reports to the Finance Director are responsible for producing commercial reports and providing the Board with data that assists in ensuring the commercial aim of the business is being achieved.
Marketing
The Phoenix Marketing Team work closely with key IT Manufacturers to co-ordinate and implement joint focused marketing campaigns that incorporate the philosophies of the company. The aim of the department is to support the sales team in communicating important developments within the industry and to promote all Phoenix services and its 86,000 product lines to its valued existing and potential new customers.
The Phoenix Marketing Team endeavour to incorporate innovative ideas from its customers that will help to promote Phoenix as the preferred technology partner and therefore to enhance the bespoke services we provide.
Logistics
The Phoenix Logistics team is totally committed to achieving next day delivery on our 86,000 product lines. Our key focus is on accuracy and efficiency ensuring that our customers can expect to receive goods in less than twenty-four hours from the time of their original order. Customer specified configured systems can be delivered within forty-eight hours.
Our impressive distribution performance is monitored continually to ensure that we maintain a 92% success rate and this information is incorporated in commercial reports presented to the Board to ensure a key business objective is being achieved.
Our distribution partners logistics facilities are some of the largest in the UK holding a stock value of ?26 million on a daily basis and are integrated into the Phoenix core business system to enable the Purchasing and Customer Service Teams to track not only our shipments but also our manufacturers and distributors deliveries to Phoenix.
To eliminate human error prior to shipment, a final quality procedure is carried out where the bar coded products are scanned and checked against the despatch note before leaving the facility with security tape in place to reduce the risk of theft.
In addition to national couriers Phoenix also have their own delivery fleet that is used for specific roll-out projects, customers with special delivery requirements, for example people with disabilities or delivery to desk requirements.
The confidence of Phoenix in these lead-times is best illustrated in our growing nationwide contract roll-out programs where we issue a contractually guaranteed service level to ensure our continued preferred partner status with our customers.
