____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Alcon
“ It ’ s important for the surgeon to have all the available data to make the best decision at the time they conduct the surgery .”
Enhanced automation
Aside from its new ordering system , Alcon ’ s service engineers are also embracing automation at the back end of operations . “ At present , all of our orders are processed manually , but we ’ re currently implementing software to automate these steps , which will reduce order entry time ,” Troop reveals . “ It means that our service engineers will no longer need to know the exact part numbers to replace or refurbish a product . Instead , we will simply input the customer and the relevant machine , and the system will automatically collate the contract data and evaluate the customer ’ s request , revealing whether a part needs to be replaced , or whether it can be refurbished .
“ It also helps with part substitution ,” he adds . “ If a specific part is not available , it
Once the new system is operating , surgeons will be able to plan around a machine ’ s maintenance , rather than being dictated by it
will look at the parent-child relationship and automatically select the next-best product alternative .” This automated process will provide Alcon with a greater understanding of demand across the supply chain .
With technology and automation at its core , it is unsurprising that when asked about the future of the company , Troop proposes : “ A main aim for the future is to continue our focus on data . The more we can enhance the quality of our existing data , as well as import new analytics , the better .” ■
www . alcon . com scw-mag . com 67