What does an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) mean to your business? Put it another way, have you considered the likely consequences of no installation, the wrong installation, or worse, the wrong UPS partner? In sectors as diverse as retailing, finance and e-commerce, business relies on power continuity and power quality more than ever. With thousands, if not millions, of electronic transactions taking place in the time it takes to read this sentence, there's never been so much at stake - or so much to gain from choosing the right UPS partner.
Not just another equipment installer
For sure, most of us understand the importance of uninterrupted power supply and conditioning of the mains electrical current to keep business running and making money. With reliable, clean power (24/7, of course, and no power problems such as sags, brownouts or spikes) you can focus on business knowing that continuity is virtually guaranteed and valuable equipment is protected from damage and data corruption. That's why, as a power consumer, or an equipment reseller in power protection, your choice of UPS supplier is truly business critical.
Choosing a UPS supplier involves much more than merely finding a contractor to install the inverters, bypasses, power conditioning and other technology between a critical load and its AC power source. When it comes to designing, installing and maintaining your power protection solution, or choosing a UPS manufacturer as a channel partner, your shortlisting criteria must go deeper into their experience, capability and future potential - as well as their ability to save you from the potentially astronomical costs of 'finding your own way'.
Sector knowledge is vital
Firstly, do they know their subject and do they specialise in it? It's an obvious question that goes beyond textbook knowledge of UPS technology to a hard-earned knowledge of your sector and its unique challenges. Equally, as an actual or potential reseller, it's essential that your prospective UPS manufacturer knows and understands your target markets - and can demonstrate this to your satisfaction.
Next, you must establish whether they have the range of products and services you need, the research and development expertise, and the industry history that delivers credibility and assures continuity as your markets evolve. Whatever your business, the opportunity to share in an established UPS success story and enjoy market-leading products and services - bodes well for your future partnership.
Added value is everything
In the UPS world, added value is everything - from first meeting to long after the physical installation is complete. Almost anyone with a bit of capital and a smattering of technical knowledge can sell UPS hardware. But a true UPS partner will do much more - through the design, installation and operation phases and into as yet unforeseeable futures.
Rather than just providing one-size-fits-all solutions, major players, such as Riello UPS, should automatically bring depth and breadth of experience to a company's power protection needs - while all the time adding value through design, installation, maintenance, warranty, extended warranty and ongoing consultancy services. What's more, these suppliers will have the ability to understand the power protection needs of today's - and tomorrow's - businesses. Not all power protection businesses are equal when it comes to doing this successfully.
A genuinely consultative approach
As well as years of practical experience and a clear future vision, the right UPS provider will make a genuinely consultative sale - the kind that regularly helps even the largest multinationals refine their UPS requirements into more cost-effective and business-enhancing solutions.
And when you've arrived at the optimum solution, your chosen UPS supplier shouldn't tie you into technology that will be incompatible with future, as yet unspecified, expansion. Sadly, and expensively, it happens all too often as expanding businesses discover, too late, the limitations of existing tied-in installations. In this situation, your ideal UPS partner should have the technical expertise to enable expansion without having to start from scratch. Not all do. What's more, demonstrating this speaks volumes about the openness of their approach to your business - and their corporate self-confidence in not resorting to restrictive proprietary solutions.
Matching your company culture
Finally, as well as hardware, experience and technical ability, there are the softer, less easily quantified aspects of your future business relationship. For instance, you need to be sure that, whether you're a power consumer or a technology reseller, your UPS supplier will be able to grow with your business, share your aspirations and complement your company culture. It's a key differentiator, separating the most successful power protection players from the also-rans.
Get your decision right and you'll be embarking on a long, rewarding and financially successful relationship. Get it wrong, and the price is likely to be much more than just incorrectly specified equipment or loss of face.
