It’s a hidden treasure.  Flexibility is often very difficult to find… but when you do, it’s golden.

Of course, policies and procedures have their place, and in many cases they’re there for a good reason.

But not if it hinders getting your job done the fastest, most affordable way possible.

Imagine if you sent your part for repair, only to find out it was going to take a month longer than you expected.

Why?  Because someone at that company, at some point, decided they needed to order from just one supplier.  And that supplier doesn’t have the part available… even though it’s available elsewhere.

It’s enough to make you scream!

Great repair stations will use their best judgment to make decisions and solve problems with a win-win solution, even if it means bending the company rules a little.

This kind of flexibility doesn’t require that your MRO go to yoga class three times a week. It’s just the triumph of common sense over obsolete or irrelevant company guidelines or well-meaning company rules that just don’t apply to your situation.

One of the best examples comes from right here at Skylink Asset Repair Care.  We’ll bend over backwards to drive down your repair costs through proper piece part acquisitions. This may require additional time to source your part…

...OR maybe we cannibalize other units to get the right piece part and get your repair back to you on time.

We like to give you options and work with you to achieve your goals.

In a word, we’re flexible.

And, the more flexible an MRO is, the more they’ll work with you to deliver on budget or on time, even if they hit a problem.

So, just how do you assess if your repair station is flexible enough for your needs?  

Ask what would happen if...

When you’re talking with a repair station you’re considering, don’t hesitate to ask them what would happen in some given scenarios. How they answer your question, and how many options they give you, will be a good indicator of how flexible they’re going to be if an issue arises.

If they refer to company rules books or talk about “standard procedure,” though, you might keep shopping.  The ideal repair partner will know that taking care of their customer--you--requires some flexibility.

How do they handle “micro-flexibility” challenges?

It happens. A truck is late. A shipment is delayed. Maybe there’s an unexpected surge in demand.  How does your partner handle these common but critical issues?

Things go wrong during the repair process.  It’s an unfortunate fact. How the repair station handles issues when they arise makes all the difference, though.

Some repair stations simply revert to their policies. They say, “Tough.”  They leave you waiting, getting more frustrated every day.

A flexible repair partner knows how to work around these issues. They call in other vendors. They arrange other shipping options.

Most importantly, they tell you what they’re doing so you know what to expect.

Do they solve problems?

Your repair partner should solve problems, not create them.

Some repair stations will actively look for solutions.  Maybe they have piece parts available already, but their processes require them to order new from their vendor.

Their process will cause delays and cost you money.  

A good repair partner will use what’s available to them to solve problems, even if it means cannibalizing other units to get the parts they need. Remember, you come first, not the policies and procedures that get in the way of getting a job done.

What are the options?

Options are good.  Really good.

A true repair partner knows that, and will offer them up front.

Maybe they know there’s a surge in demand for a piece part, and they’re going to have trouble getting a new one.  How they handle this situation says a lot about what you can expect.

Worst case? You send in your part, only to find out after the fact that the repair will be delayed because of high demand.

More commonly, a repair station might tell you there’s a lot of demand, and it’s going to be a while. That’s the only route they’ll take.

A good repair partner will give you options.

Maybe they explain that there’s a surge in demand, and that there could be a delay… BUT, they can source a refurbished part to cut down lead time, OR they could expedite delivery for a higher cost.

By giving you options, your repair partner puts the choice in your hands and lets you--not their policy docs--decide what’s best for your needs.