The First Monday after Spring Break
Kevin Lewis
Rensselaer Computer Repair (RCR)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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Rensselaer Overview
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Educates the leaders of tomorrow for
technologically-based careers
Private institution founded in 1824
6,200 resident students – 5,000 undergraduate,
1,200 graduate
450 faculty, 1400 staff
Schools – Architecture, Engineering, Humanities and
Social Sciences, Management and Technology,
Science
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History of RCR
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Originally named Desktop Repair Group (DRG) in 1997 as a spin off from
the ITS Network Group with 5 employees - Manager, Assistant,
Supervisor, and two Techs
Mobile Computing Program began in 1999 – RCR participated in the
“Pilot” program and “Recommended” program
CIS authorizes two technical FTE positions to support program
Goes on line with Service Assistant work-order support
Shop is reorganized to handle new level of service to Mobile Computing
Program participants
RCR is consistently recognized as a Top 50 Premier Warranty Site and the
staff has been invited to the Business Partner Invitation Conference in
Orlando for 6 of the 7 years the program has been active. Invitation is for
"Top Gun" premier business partners with only 10 % eligible within North
and South America.
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Come on in!
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RCR Staff
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Manager
4 A+ Certified Technicians
3 Customer Service Reps
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Custer’s Last Stand
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Laptops are not like a new car – odd things
happen
RCR handles equipment that can be up to 5
years old
100+ customers on the first Monday after
Spring Break – a lot of people in a short
period of time
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Concerns when the volume increases
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Time
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Interruptions increase routine repair
times
Expectations
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Students accustomed to rapid turn
around or quick tech support are now
faced with increased wait times
Semester pressures may raise
students’ expectations beyond
reasonable levels
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Effective Triage – 3 to 5 minutes
Critical Failures
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System down – can’t be fixed quickly - Technician assigned
Loaner provided
Easy Serv for damage repairs requiring 3 or more major
assemblies per Lenovo guidelines
Non-critical Failures
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Laptop can be used while parts are ordered or repairs can be
performed while customer waits - no loaner provided
Failing component(s) identified and parts ordered
Repairs are scheduled on receipt of replacement parts
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Loaner Inventory
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Loaner Inventory
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Resource Management
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Reassign personnel to increase presence in
bottle neck areas
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Double up on counter staff.
Reassign staff to cover increased traffic – technicians to
front lines
Stagger lunch schedules to insure coverage.
Supply chain - Monitor parts on order to be aware of
backorders which require extended use of loaners and repair
delays. Upgrade critical backorder parts to priority code A.
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Getting The Job Done
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People
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Customer service support personnel
Technicians
Work study students assist with parts, process repairs
send to Easy Serv and delivery of finished equipment
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Troubleshooting -
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Service Assistant -
PC-Doctor, Drive Fitness Test,
BIOS-based hard drive diagnostics (Lenovo guidelines)
a networked online database
of service calls and service history, providing easy data
entry and retrieval of previous calls
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Service Assistant
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Forms
•Preprinted
carbonless loaner
forms with easyto-read entry
points for
customer required
entries
•Easy tear-offs on
Service Assistant
repair forms
identify failed
equipment, or
failed part owners,
as well as
required services,
enabling quick
efficient
Parts
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Eclaim for replacement parts
National Parts Center for non-warranty
replacements
Efficient parts handling
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Scan incoming parts prior to distribution to techs
Scan outgoing parts to enable effective tracking of
required returns (within 30 days), assisting in
monitoring the “ Part Reminder 15 day report” in
Eclaim
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Some Statistics
2403 ThinkPads repaired between May 2006 and May 2007.
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T60s - 429 with a monthly average of 35 (September 06 arrival)
T43p’s - 1219 with a monthly average of 101
T42s - 1184 with a monthly average of 98
Failed Parts
T42’s
LCD panels 158
System boards 139
Hard drives 120
Fans 121
Palmrests 115
DC in connector 102
T43p's
System boards 300
Fans 205
A/C adapters 91
Hard drives 86
Palmrests 95
T60's
Hard drives 102
LCDs 86
Keyboard Bezels 27
System boards 28
Palmrests 27
NOTE: Approximately 20 keyboards are repaired per week which are not reflected in these
statistics because no claims are placed.
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Don’t leave your window open …
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Questions?
http://helpdesk.rpi.edu/rcr
518.276.8178
rcr@rpi.edu
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