Customer-driven design and "when to say when."

[CCR5600Design]

Hello, forum friends.

As some of you may know, I work as a product design coordinator for a company that manufactures equipment racks and cabinets for the telecommunications industry. Our frames support servers, routers, switches, power supplies, battery backup systems and a host of other pieces of equipment. Many of our frames have been certified for seismic zone 3 and 4 use and I am very familiar with the GR-63-CORE testing process used for said certification. I am experienced in the production processes we use to manufacture these frames and in the design and development as well. I also have many years experience in sales and dealing directly with customers.

I am having difficulties in offering solutions to customer installation challenges while still maintaining a framework with the integrity to pass the stringent GR-63-CORE testing. Our base frame is plenty stout, but due to its design, some areas that are critical for support are causing accessibility issues with cable, fiber and airflow control. One of my customers asked if we could punch a 3" diameter hole in each of the four corners at the top of the frame to allow them direct access for a 2" diameter bundle of fiber into the interior of the frame. They currently have to bring the fiber into the top of the frame and make a slight jog around a gusset to the location to which they wish to secure it. To punch a 3" hole through the top would effectively render the gusset useless and to redesign the gusset to accommodate a 3" opening would require redesigning other parts of the cabinet significantly, resulting in a frame that must be submitted for seismic testing (at $2500 per day!).

How do you folks deal with customers who want it "just like what you already have there, but different"?



Frustrated...


Ron

[PinkertonD]

How do you folks deal with customers who want it "just like what you already have there, but different"?

Umm, at the risk of stating the obvious, give them what they want. Without customers you don't have a business. Bending and weaving bundles of fiber ain't no picnic. If you can't give them what they want and they obviously do not want to keep struggling navigating around that gusset, they will find someone who can provide.

[jboggs]

In general agreement with Dave, but I would also make sure they understand the ramifications of their request. After all, they are coming to you because you are the professional. Any handyman with a circular saw or a torch can cut a 3" hole in a gusset. But only professionals in the business understand what the unintended consequences of that action might be. We have a saying around here - sometimes you have to give them what they want, not what they ask for.

I might reply with something like, "Yes sir! We can absolutely cut that hole. No problem. You should understand that you will then have a rack that is no longer certified to meet the code. You can take that as it is, or for a cost of $XXXXX we can re-test the revised design with still no guarantee it would meet code. Your choice. Glad to help."

[PinkertonD]

JB,

I think the suggested comment is a little too aggressive. If I were the customer and got that, I would no longer be the customer. Not so much as a handshake or kiss me goodbye. The manufacturer's job is to make sure it meets Code otherwise here is no point in buying from that vendor.

We are in a long recession and companies are scratching for what they can get just to make machinery Lease payments and Payroll. Not the time to be pissed off with specific requirements because it makes the vendor have to work a little harder for the business. I know of three companies that have folded because of that exact attitude.

[RWOLFEJR]

There's always more than one way to skin a cat. Just a thought... Maybe rather than looking at changing the design of your proven cabinet you might be able to look at it with the thought of... "How can I make it easier for these folks to run their wires?" Maybe you could incorporate a guide or dogleg piece of conduit placed to simplify things at their end without altering the cabinets supports?

Side note... When I get frustrated I find it's usually best for me to go grab something to eat. A girlfriend from long ago discovered the correlation between my crabbiness and the time since I was last fed. I've kept that in mind up to this day. I've found that an hour before lunch... wired up on coffee... is not the time to discuss design changes with a customer. After lunch it's easier to dance that dance. Like maybe... "We are glad you brought this wiring difficulty to our attention. Right off the top of my head I'm having some concern about effecting the integrity of the box and its ability to pass "?? code" should we add the 3" holes you requested but hey... Let us take a closer look at this and see what we might be able to do to alleviate your problem."

Look at it this way... When you fix their problem you will become their hero. You'll also increase the likelihood of making a return customer out of them.

Have fun...!

[jboggs]

JB,

I think the suggested comment is a little too aggressive. If I were the customer and got that, I would no longer be the customer. Not so much as a handshake or kiss me goodbye. The manufacturer's job is to make sure it meets Code otherwise here is no point in buying from that vendor.

We are in a long recession and companies are scratching for what they can get just to make machinery Lease payments and Payroll. Not the time to be pissed off with specific requirements because it makes the vendor have to work a little harder for the business. I know of three companies that have folded because of that exact attitude.

I understand your position. We're making different assumptions. I was assuming that "meeting a code" might not be a factor to this customer. You're assuming it is.

[PinkertonD]

the correlation between my crabbiness and the time since I was last fed.
{snip}
...is not the time to discuss design changes with a customer.

Bob, you constantly entertain me with your revelations.

Thanks for the chuckle.

[PinkertonD]

I understand your position. We're making different assumptions. I was assuming that "meeting a code" might not be a factor to this customer. You're assuming it is.

CCR made a fuss about how their cabinets were built to a strict and difficult Code to attain, so I guessed that to-Code cabinets was their market-forte. I suspect if not meeting code was an option, the customer might be buying not-to-Code cheaper somewhere else.

[CCR5600Design]

I took Bob's advice and offered an alternative route for the fiber to enter the top of the frame and showed them some sketches of what I had in mind. They fully understood and accepted the alternate plan.

Thanks, guys.


Ron

[CCR5600Design]

Update:

We submitted our frame for seismic testing. It was found to be in conformance in excess of the minimum required equipment load.

One small problem.... my boss (who was present for the testing procudures) directed the test facility to load the top of the frame with 30# less than the minimum required to simulate overhead cable rack loading. The tests were completed and a document was generated reflecting the cabinet load as tested.

I reviewed the documents and asked my boss, "Weren't we supposed to test this with a 50# top load."

The color ran out of his face...

We retested the frame and it passed, but Mr. Bossman had to fork over the dough for another full series of tests.



My point: It pays to make a gameplan and checklist for all test criteria and refer to said checklist in the event of a question.


Ron

[Marky]

Nice Job Ron