4 Ways Remote Service Boosts Product Reliability Score

As an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of medical equipment, maintaining product reliability is crucial for sustaining a positive reputation and ensuring customer satisfaction. A product reliability score defines the probability that a device will perform its designated function when subjected to varying conditions over a period of time. Naturally, a high product reliability score is desirable for OEMs who need to keep equipment up and running.

Remote service models are incredibly effective at boosting the product reliability score for OEMs and, thus, advancing consumer brand perception. This article will explore four ways remote diagnostics and service support can impact reliability scores.

1. Consistent Reliability

Managing the compute system that supports a device is complicated. When it’s a medical device, system support is made more complex. Like all devices, medical systems are impacted by hardware and software reliability issues.

Once a system leaves a warehouse and is installed in its environment, there is typically a loss of control from a service perspective. When there are issues, machines often must be removed from the environment for servicing. This results in major downtime as it can take days for support to be ready to come to pick the machine up for service to begin with, and time spent actually servicing the device can vary widely before the device finally returns to the environment.

Alternatively, a smart remote service model means that most problems that occur can be solved via remote connectivity. Many problems that are related to hardware and software issues can be diagnosed and addressed entirely remotely, eliminating the need to send a device offsite, which also reduces downtime.

2. Faster Response Time & Expense Reduction

Delays in system fixes can impact the bottom line. When healthcare machinery has hardware or software issues that make it inoperable, that machine has to be taken out of the field and cannot generate any of the revenue it was initially scheduled to. 

Slow support also negatively impacts brand perception and product reliability score. This can make it increasingly difficult to sell to new customers and keep old ones. With remote connectivity, however, you are able to quickly remedy the issue while keeping your customers satisfied.

3. Clarity with Process

If an error isn’t recurring, it can be unclear what steps need to be taken when it pops up. What small steps can be taken to fix the error, who to talk to about it, and where to start is all unknown with new problems. Connecting with a remote service team makes it easier to diagnose the issue and then rely on the service team’s processes for fixing.

Since the service team will likely have encountered the same issue in the past, they generally have more thorough processes and knowledge documents to reference for solving the problem and ensuring it doesn’t come back again.

4. Improved Customer Experience

With remote support capabilities, when service is necessary it’s far easier to get connected with the servicer. Remote servicing allows easy diagnosis, eliminating time-consuming issues that can be resolved efficiently once identified. Additionally, the path to getting connected with the servicer is far simpler when there is a clear process on remote servicing

Device reliability is crucial. Remote connectivity can boost this by enabling consistent reliability, reducing response time and expenses, clarity with processes, and improved customer experience. If your compute supplier doesn’t provide remote support, it’s worth exploring as an option to ensure uptime excellence for your healthcare systems.

Explore how remote connectivity can boost your product reliability score in this resource.