Stock or custom? You’re used to making this choice with household items, personal vehicles, and more. But what about your organization’s major mobile ops purchase?
To make such a decision, your team must fully understand the options and what’s truly possible.
Why would I buy off-the-shelf?
For many customers, the desire to take a stock approach stems from wanting to obtain a vehicle similar to those owned by other like-minded organizations. It might also be driven by perception of cost, the desire to reduce complexity, or an urgent need. All are valid considerations.
As you begin your research you may find so-called “turn-key” or used assets that seem to fit the bill. Just be conscious of whether the solution will provide long-term value and serve your mission perfectly, without compromise. In the case of used assets, be wary of not inheriting another organization’s “problem child,” and consider the ease (or difficulty) of future retrofits.
If it’s the best option (and sometimes it is!), Nomad can assist with sourcing quality used assets.
A Running Start: The Platform Option
At Nomad, there aren’t true “floor models” waiting to be driven away (with the exception of a variety of cargo trailer options). Our approach to connected mobile ops is to work with customers to… 1) Diagnose challenges, 2) Design around the mission, and 3) Deliver an integrated solution that fits like a glove.
However, we do keep a robust lot-stock of Tactical Command Vehicle (TCV) shells that can be quickly fitted with the comms, connectivity, surveillance, and other mission-specific gear to serve nearly any application. Same goes for Tactical Communication Trailers (TCT’s), which can be ready to roll with very short lead times. In addition, we’ve built a tremendous number of larger vehicles and trailers on a standardized Incident Command (IC) platform.
The Tactical and IC platforms are both great starting points for a deeper conversation matching the capabilities of a mobile command center to your team’s mission. And your goals are best met when the solution is tailored to serve this purpose.
The tactical platform offers near-limitless configuration options
Drilling Down to Uncover Essential Needs
You might have a rough idea of what your team needs, but not fully understand how these goals can be realized through a mobile command center or other mobile ops solution.
A diagnostic sales process like the one employed at Nomad meets these challenges head-on. During diagnostic discussions, your partner should help you uncover how to:
- Identify team goals, even those the team wasn’t aware of
- Justify your need and move forward
- Create a solution that matches your budget
- Get internal stakeholders on board
- Support long-term team goals
The final outcome should be one your team and your partner arrive at together. Perhaps, rather than investing in one large asset, the team’s needs are better served through smaller trailer-based solutions and man-packable kits that can be managed by a centralized resource. Just one example of how a diagnostic sales process will match the right solution set to your unique mission.
A quality partner will work with your team to ensure all the right people are at the table. These different opinions and perspectives will be invaluable in ensuring your new mobile command center aligns with the needs of the entire team and those you serve. It will also help ward off costly rework down the road.
A good partner will help you get contracting, end users, and other stakeholders aligned
Understanding Timelines
Utilizing industry knowledge, an experienced partner can hasten timelines and help set your team on the right path toward its next mobile command center by using similar vehicles for the industry as a basepoint. From there the process of tapping into your team’s real-world experiences can help flesh out the custom additions necessary to make the final solution in a shorter time frame.
It may also be possible to add these modifications to a lot-stock shell. This can deliver a finished result two to three times faster than a one-off-engineered model. However, following this strategy could limit potential future customization options.
Positioning for Future Success
Lastly, a quality partner will set your team up for long-term success by helping to identify and report on applicable metrics for your new mobile asset. Deployment time, connectivity uptime, maintenance and repair costs, hours-in-use of specific systems… This actionable data shows the value of the investment and helps set up strategy for future purchases, upgrades, and program improvements.
Nomad Total Command (NTC), now in its third full-version release, is an industry-leading software solution that’s in the truck with you to do just that.
Software-based vehicle management, maintenance, and metrics reporting keep everyone in-the-know
Learning More
Ready to learn more about what you should consider when comparing off-the-shelf and mission-driven options for your next mobile asset? We can help. Contact us today.
Nomad doesn’t force you into a box. We build the right box for your mission.
