You may have heard the term ‘white glove logistics’ but are not completely sure what it refers to, or you perhaps already use this kind of service in your business. Either way, we will explain exactly what this relatively new business sector is all about.
White Glove Logistics
If you have ever been referred by your GP for an MRI scan, it is likely that the machine arrived with medical delivery from Rhenus High Tech, one of the UK’s leading white glove logistics companies. You can imagine the difficulty level of handling such a large and complex piece of equipment and getting it to its final resting position where it can be secured, configured, and tested, ready for its first use.
Wide Range of Technical Equipment
The equipment installed by the white glove logistics technician includes:
- ATM & other banking equipment.
- Fitness equipment.
- Medical equipment.
- Access control systems.
- Advanced robotics.
- Vending & gaming machines.
- Digital signage.
- Touch-screen information boards.
- Data centers.
- Secured telecommunications networks.
As we move into a new dimension of digital tech, with the rollout of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), white glove services will be in great demand, and such is the importance of specialized technicians, the equipment manufacturer will not permit any unauthorized personnel to touch the equipment. If you run a business, check out this blog on why email marketing is still the way to go.
Business Sectors That Rely on White Glove Logistics
There are many sectors that require special logistics support, including:
- Banking & finance – ATMs, note counters and forgery detection equipment.
- Healthcare – Medical equipment such as MRI and CT scanners, laser technology.
- Fitness – All fitness equipment needs white glove handling.
- Manufacturing – Robotics come under the umbrella of white glove technicians.
- IT – Data centre relocation, secure network creation & management.
- Digital signage – All forms of digital signage & touch-screen solutions.
Typically, a white glove technician would specialise in specific equipment, which might be banking or the medical field and part of their working time is spent learning about new equipment in order to be able to work with it. Everything has to be certified when working with expensive technical equipment; the wrong technician could easily damage the equipment beyond repair, such is the complexity.
Great Career Opportunities
For the person who is technically minded and loves a challenge, white glove logistics offers great potential, as it is a rapidly growing sector that demands a high level of application. Those who work with the banking sector must have clearance to handle cash, while the technicians responsible for government-level video conferencing would also have to be vetted.
The future is rosy for white glove logistics and with new tech coming out all the time, the technicians have to keep pace, so you need to have a large capacity to learn new things.
When we are out and about, we see technical equipment that white glove technicians install and maintain; access control systems on the underground, digital vending machines, and touch-screen information signage, being just a few examples.