You may have heard the term ‘white glove logistics’ and wondered as to the meaning, or you might already be using such services in your business. The term ‘white glove’ refers to the need for specialist handling, which is essential when dealing with highly technical equipment and white glove logistics is all about the transportation, handling, installation and calibration of technical equipment.
White Glove Services
A leading UK white glove logistics provider such as Rhenus High Tech would offer the following services:
- Final Mile Delivery – Large technical equipment is delivered to a pre-agreed location near the final destination and the white glove team take over, manoeuvring the equipment into place before securing it and setting up ready for calibration. Hospital equipment such as MRI and CT scanners would be installed by white glove technicians who are certified by the OEM to handle the equipment.
- Asset Recovery – This might involve collecting a company’s IT hardware from multiple locations, replacing the old hardware with new units and disposing of the old equipment according to WEEE directives.
- Reverse Logistics – When a piece of equipment breaks down or is no longer required, the white glove technicians disassemble it and transport it to either the OEM or to a recycling plant. Reverse logistics is usually required after equipment has been used in a demo contract and the equipment is returned to the manufacturer. Here is an article that highlights how virtual tours can be used for promotional purposes.
- Data Centre Relocation – Every single business collects their valuable data and after a few years, you need to expand or relocate your data centre, which comes in the domain of the white glove logistics company. Data centres must have perfect climate control, which would also be part of the project and when relocating a data centre, the white glove technicians are certified to carry out the work.
- Hi-Tech Warehousing – Warehouse storage and distribution systems really do streamline your processes and such equipment require specialised handling and installation. Another service offered is technical equipment storage, as the provider would have several warehouse facilities that are designed for the equipment, and you can rest assured that the equipment will remain safe and secure until you need it.
- Demo Equipment Logistics – When technical equipment is delivered to the customer, it is installed and calibrated, ready for use and when the contract expires, the white glove team would return and carry out reverse logistics. This is common in the healthcare sector, when MRI and Ultrasound equipment is installed for demonstration for an agreed period of time.
- Pre-Staging & Configuration – There are times when equipment needs to be tested prior to being sent to the customer, which is yet another service the white glove logistics company offers. The last thing you need is for the equipment to arrive at the client’s site, only to find it isn’t working and pre-staging & configuration eliminates the chance of this happening.
The white glove logistics industry provides essential services for many sectors and should you ever require such a service, Google is your best friend.