One year ahead

Simon Tetlow, Scan’s Director of Sales Channels and Marketing, sets the scene with a welcome note and overview of his first 12 months within the business. Simon joined Scan from Oki UK following 18 year’s service. He has brought his industry knowledge and experience to Scan, to support Elan our CEO in aligning the sales teams to key verticals and ensure we continue to elevate customer service within the business.

I have now been at Scan for just over 12 months and thoroughly enjoying my time here. In an already fast moving industry I wanted to share some of the initiatives and enhancements which have been made to the team during the few past months.

Our 3XS philosophy is integral to the Scan Vision and encompasses Best Specification, Best Service and Satisfied Customers. This Vision has now been rolled out across all the structure and connects with supporting our Teammates and holistically developing them to be agile, resilient and open to learning. We have already seen evidence of increased collaboration with all departments which helps us to deliver the best customer experience.

Within our sales structure we have 4 teams -

• Retail
• Mail Order
• E-Commerce
• SCAN Managed Accounts (SMA)

Within the SMA Team we have a mix of Enterprise and Public Sector end users. All our customers are aligned to the Sector and Account Management strategy which was implemented some months ago. This ensures we provide a first class service from Teammates who understand your business sector and have access to the Scan Business Units, delivering expertise from industry qualified experts.

Our Business Units are -

• ProAudio
• ProVideo
• ProGraphics
• Enterprise, including -
  • Deep Learning and AI
  • Cloud workstation
  • Commercial VR
  • Storage
  • Networking
  • Security
  • Servers
  • Digital Signage

To aid with the introduction of the above I have recruited 2 Business Development Managers who have a proven track record within our industry and can provide support and consultative advice on the Scan propositions. I would encourage face to face engagement with the Business Units and BDM’s if any of the above are of interest to you and your business.

In addition to the increase in headcount for the sales division it is also key that other departments are reviewed and can continue to support our business as we grow. With this in mind Marketing has received more focus and Charlotte Hodgen joined us in April this year as Brand Manager. Charlotte (Lotty) has focused the team in line with our sales strategy and implemented marketing/communication plans which ensure our sales teams and clients are aware of Industry Breakthroughs and Key Messaging.

More recently she has been developing case studies on our solutions which end users have implemented. One which springs to mind is the implementation of a 3XS cloud and physical hardware solution for Willmott Dixon. The solution has enabled Willmott Dixon to reduce customer sign off from 4-6 weeks to 2 days, whilst still maintaining a traceable approval process. More details on the project can be viewed in our detailed case study.

Willmott Dixon Case Study

Read about our installed solution for Willmott Dixon and hear first hand how SCAN can help with your cloud information requirements.

Founded in 1852, Willmott Dixon is one of the largest privately owned companies who are leading the way within the AEC industry focusing on the environment and communities they work in. Working with Willmott Dixon, the Scan and ebb3 team developed a hardware and cloud based solution to meet the needs of a traditional industry moving into the future of technology. Below, Gary Scott, Head of Digital Construction from Willmott Dixon explains how he worked with the team at Scan to implement a solution which would add value to the service offered to their clients.

What were the initial objectives for the solution Scan installed?
We spoke to Scan and ebb3 as we were looking for a more efficient on site solution in terms of cost and time savings. In addition to our key objectives we were also looking for a way of improving and increasing our customer approval and engagement in projects.

What has been the impact of the solution now it is installed?
On site PC’s can be stolen, damaged and restrictive in terms of accessibility to BIM models and other data sources we need to access directly on site or with customers. The solution implemented by the team at Scan and ebb3 has proved not only to be cost effective as we only replace a Raspberry Pi rather than an expensive workstation in the case of any damage or theft but it’s also easily transportable to different sites and locations. The most impactful improvement has been the reduction in customer sign off time from 4-6 weeks to 2 days, whilst still maintaining a traceable approval process. The traditional method of agreeing changes on site, amending designs, uploading files etc has been drastically reduced with the direct cloud access to the BIM and data sources needed, from wherever we are located. This has meant a fast and flexible sign off process for all involved, with direct instant access available for not only Willmott Dixon, but our suppliers and more importantly our customers.

How did the Scan and ebb3 team help with implementation?
The expertise and knowledge of the team provided us with a mix of traditional hardware, combined with cloud services. We were provided with a proof of concept trial which gave us a hands on insight into the solution and how we could use it.

What have you been most impressed with?
Aside from the improved sign off process and the onsite solution, the usability of the system has also aided the roll out across the business. It has been a cost effective, user friendly solution for the company to implement and the benefits were felt immediately.

Is there anything else you would like to comment on?
This technology has been transformational to our project team’s ability to engage with BIM models and other data sources. It has exploded the teams understanding, and highlights errors and improvements well before we commence onsite. We have also extended out this facility to our customers, who use this system to better understand the design at various stages, signoff proposals, and communicate better with their internal and external stakeholders. This technology ultimately drives collaboration, which is paramount to a successful construction project.

Gary Scott Head of Digital Construction – Willmott Dixon Cobham LCO.

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Out and about in the industry

Throughout 2018 the marketing team have supported Scan’s business units with attendance to 40 leading industry events. Attendance has been key to building brand awareness in key verticals, identifying new partnerships and building relationships with existing Vendors. Key highlights from the events have included:

Media Production Show (MPS):12th – 13th June

Attended by our Pro Video team, the MPS show focused upon promoting our video production process – shoot, edit, grade, deliver, supported by Windows 10 Pro. Through effective pre, during and post show marketing activity as well as one on one show interaction and lead generation, MPS was a platform we used to educate the industry on the importance and benefits of upgrading to and using Windows 10 Pro. Our team promoted a 3XS powered workstation, integrated with Windows 10 Pro, within a Adobe focused post-production workflow, which has seen our in-house brand established as an industry standard for creative pros.

Deep Learning in Healthcare (DLH): 20th - 21st September

With the growth in AI, our presence within the industry is becoming ever increasingly important. We partnered with NetApp, a leading provider of cloud data service, who introduced us to the Re-work Deep Learning in Healthcare event. Our objective for the event was to strengthen our position within the Healthcare sector and promote the AI Ecosystem we have developed. Working with NetApp we also focused upon the value in our partnership with NetApp within the process, through demonstrations and collateral.

Digital Construction Week (DCW): 17th – 18th October

This was the first time Scan had exhibited at DCW, therefore in collaboration with Ebb3, Intel, HTC and Fuzor we took the opportunity to demonstrate the application and use of Commercial VR, 3XS Cloud and 3XS Workstations for the AEC industry. Working with Intel we focused on the systems inside utilising Intel Core i7 and the 3XS workstation systems. Utilising the Vive Pro Kit we had an interactive VR booth, which demonstrated the use of VR in Health & safety on site. We also had Fuzor software demonstrations and a live 3XS Cloud workstation online on the stand to show the effectiveness, speed and performance.

GTC Europe: 9th – 11th October

As an Elite Partner with NVIDIA we exhibited at GTC in Munich to demonstrate our AI Ecosystem and also talk through the AI Journey of Train – Develop – Inference. As a Platinum sponsor our team were involved in Partner Panels, DGX User Groups and industry seminars. The event began with a keynote speech by Jensen Huang, where he announced key product launches, new projects and strategic partnerships. On the Scan stand we had live demonstrations with software partners including Robovision (NVIDIA Rising Start of 2018), OmniSci, Planet Ai and H2O.ai. Although the highlight of the show was an exclusive visit from Jensen Huang. Have a look at our Business Youtube channel for the daily highlights, including the exclusive interview with Jensen.

TekSpek – 3XS Cloud Workstations

This year has seen our 3XS Cloud Workstation offering mature significantly delivering multiple benefits and value into our customers. We are now delivering CAD and Visualisation applications from our Datacentre and via the cloud into our Architect, Engineering and Construction clients in particular.

Willmott Dixon engaged with Scan to assist them in finding an alternative solution to workstations onsite. Onsite workstations can be damaged, stolen and potentially time consuming for customer engagement, as well as expensive, with a potential of breach of security if stolen.

Gary Scott, head of Digital Construction at Willmott Dixon explains why the solution was ‘Cloud’ technology is much hyped and talked about and whilst we are sure our 3XS CloudWorkstation platform will exceed your requirements and compare favourably with your existing physical hardware performance, a free trial is available to you and I’d encourage you to experience this for yourself…

Industry Focus: Inside AI

Deep learning and AI is transforming productivity and time to results for many companies, in a variety of industry sectors and Scan Computers is at the forefront of this fourth industrial revolution within the UK. Scan have created an Ecosystem of partners in this field to offer the full solution from deep learning hardware, storage, fast connectivity, software solutions, data scientists through to education and proof of concept.

With AI and deep learning being a new concept for many businesses and industry sectors, our aim at Scan is to support customers through their AI journey. We make what is inherently complex - simple, firstly by helping customers shape their deep learning & AI plans and then building, configuring and optimising the hardware with a bespoke software solution, supported by the storage and connectivity requirements. To this end we speak about an AI journey that we know works:

Proof of Concept – In addition and as a starting point, we are able to offer any of our AI solutions for customer on a PoC basis, guided and supported by our expert teams, either on premise or via private cloud. Get in touch today if you're interested in exploring how Scan can assist you on your AI journey or to enquire about our guided Proof of Concept.