Picker beefs up scanner service with remote diagnostics upgrade

Facility handles service calls by phone

Picker International is launching a new program this month designedto improve its ability to respond to customer service calls remotely.Called the Telapath Resource Hub, the new facility will serveas a central location for Picker's remote diagnostics program.

Telapath Resource Hub consists of a group of service engineersand applications specialists based at Picker's headquarters inCleveland. The hub's primary responsibility is to handle servicecalls that can be resolved without dispatching a field serviceengineer to the site, according to Bob Trebar, service marketingmanager.

Customer service calls to Picker are screened and those thatare good candidates for resolution by phone are routed to TelapathResource Hub. The specialists at the hub are equipped with thefull range of Picker's remote diagnostics programs, Trebar said.They will be able to log on to the customer's system, pull datafrom the system and analyze the data while talking the customerthrough the problem.

"The value is that some percentage of the calls will beresolved without sending someone to service the system on site,decreasing the repair time and getting the customer up faster,"Trebar said.

Trebar estimates that Picker can resolve 20% to 30% of servicecalls without dispatching a field engineer.

Telapath Resource Hub has been integrated with Picker's existingremote diagnostics program, which relies on field engineers withlaptop computers running diagnostics from the field.

The center is open during normal business hours. Picker mayexpand the hours of operation depending on demand, Trebar said.