Customized Quality Assurance Solutions Enhance Efficiency for Multisite Installation Project

THE CLIENT

Our client is a leading North American-based, single-source provider of intelligent automated material handling solutions that drive distribution and fulfillment productivity for retailers, manufacturers, and logistics providers around the world. They design, manufacture, integrate and install complete material handling automation solutions for a variety of top e-commerce, logistics and distribution end-users.

THE CHALLENGE

Our client was awarded a contract to install automated lines in 16 distribution warehouses across North America. Historically, the end-user would perform all necessary Quality Assurance (QA) low and high-volume testing, to ensure the line ran smoothly. However, due to a rapid increase in e-commerce shopping, the end-customer no longer had the capacity to self-perform the necessary testing to keep expansion projects on time and budget. 

In order to keep the installation project on time and on-budget, and ensure there was no disruption to the end-customer’s business, our client needed a partner who was capable of overseeing this additional work.

THE SOLUTION

Aerotek built a customized solution that allowed our client to offload its Quality Assurance (QA) testing function at each of its 16 sites across North America.
For each site, Aerotek developed a customized timeline to ensure resources were identified and hired in advance of the scheduled kickoff. At each site a supervisor was hired in advance of the remaining 25 Quality Technicians. This phased approach to onboarding enabled the supervisor to learn the specific requirements of their facility and integrate with site leadership, allowing them to arrange the necessary safety training, orientation and logistics for our technicians.

Aerotek’s supervisor acted as an extension of the client’s team to ensure training was completed on time. This approach decreased time to productivity by enabling our contract employees to immediately have a positive impact on the installation project.

To further streamline onboarding, we provided inventory management and distribution of all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) necessary to ensure our quality technicians were equipped and ready to start day-one on site. PPE provided was tailored to site-specific requirements, and included but not limited to: safety glasses, vest, hardhat, lens protectors, and powder-coated gloves.

Our solution was designed to be flexible, which allowed our supervisors to identify additional areas our contract employees could support the project and ensure timelines were met. In these instances, we were able to provide additional PPE outside of what was functionally required for QA testing to include: cut-level gloves, microfiber rags, paint brushes, mops and brooms.

As the sole provider of testing services across all 16 sites, Aerotek was able to learn what worked and what didn’t at each site and apply what we learned across North America. This rapid feedback made our support more effective and efficient across the board. 

With a dedicated Delivery Manager (DM), we were able to build on previous experiences to assure headcount and performance metrics were met on time throughout multiple projects within the US and Canada. Our site supervisors used weekly meetings with the client’s site leadership to gather feedback, discuss project timelines and performance.

Aerotek’s dedicated DM developed customized project closeout procedures. These procedures included a meeting hosted by our site supervisor where they review final project performance, financials, ensure all contract functions are completed and submitted related to the end of the project. Additionally, our DM gathered details from each project close out meeting, consolidating findings and implementing holistic project improvements to ensure efficiency in future projects. 

Knowing this was a finite project, Aerotek took an intentional approach to offboarding of our contract employees. Aerotek prides itself on providing continuous opportunity to our contract employees and through our 250 field offices, we are able to effectively redeploy our quality technicians upon completion of each project. 

RESULTS

Faced with installation project timelines and an end user with evolving operational needs, Aerotek designed a bulk-pricing solution to satisfy QA low and high-volume testing requirements across 16 North American locations. Our bulk pricing solution provided cost-transparency, allowing our client to effectively manage budgetary impacts throughout the lifecycle of the project. 

In a restricted labor market, Aerotek was able to build a flexible solution designed to meet the client’s project-based needs. We built site-specific teams ensuring testing requirements were achieved, while helping to identify additional value-added areas of support to ensure project timelines were met. 

Our solution effectively offboarded a critical function of the installation project, allowing our client to focus on other mission-critical installation tasks. Our site supervisors led and directed daily tasks, extending operational efficiency for the client.