In recent years, wireless connectivity has become essential to our daily lives, whether at work or home. It allows us to connect to the internet, share files, and communicate with others without the limitations of physical cables.
Organizations with widespread operations, such as hospitals, warehouses, offices, and educational institutions, rely on wireless connectivity to ensure seamless communication. However, a wireless survey is vital to optimize wireless connectivity and provide a reliable network.
That’s where FNG comes in.
In this episode of Channel Insider: Partner POV, host Katie Bavoso delved into a conversation with Greg Upton, FNG’s Sales & Business Development Director, exploring the importance of wireless surveys and how FNG’s services can help businesses save costs and optimize their wireless networks.
Upton sheds light on the significance of wireless solutions, their impact on various industries, and the strategies employed by FNG to build strong client relationships.
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What is FNG?
FNG stands for Fortitude Nicsa Global Ltd. The company provides 24/7 IT support services in over 150 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and America. Their services include hardware maintenance, wireless surveys, professional services, and onsite dispatch.
“There are four different areas that we work within, hardware maintenance, which is typically the kind of hardware that you would find within a data center; we also do a lot of wireless services and then professional services, so we provide engineers on site to a lot of our clients globally,” Upton said.
“The type of things that we do day-to-day can vary from break-fix, so going onsite to fix something that’s broken to install in new equipment, to network refreshes. We have various different projects that we work on and then finally, staff augmentation, so we provide IT resources to our customers. We try to provide an agile solution to meet their needs so whenever they need an IT resource on site, whether that be short-term, long-term, once a week, five days a week, however they want, ours is to provide that service. We augment that for them.”
FNG’s ideal customers and verticals
FNG operates within various domains and serves a wide range of industries. Upton mentioned that they are fortunate to work with diverse clients, from financial to manufacturing and office buildings. This diversity in clientele showcases FNG’s flexibility and expertise in catering to different industry needs.
“We work in a lot of different industries, from financial to manufacturing to office-type buildings. We’re quite lucky in that respect that we can and do work with very different clients. I think what we really are starting to specialize in is wireless service. The demand that we’re seeing for that is massively increasing,” explained Upton.
Upton emphasized that FNG is starting to specialize in wireless services due to the increasing demand they are witnessing. He mentioneded using a tool called Ekahau, which “combines AI and expert input to optimize access point placements within a building to get the best performance that can be tailored to client’s requirements.” This specialization aligns with the growing reliance on wireless connectivity across industries.
Benefits of FNG’s wireless surveys
FNG’s wireless surveys provide tangible benefits to clients, such as reducing hardware installation costs by ensuring optimal access point placements. Upton mentioned that improper designs can lead to channel interference issues, highlighting the importance of FNG’s expertise in avoiding such problems. By providing efficient wireless solutions, FNG helps clients enhance network performance and reduce unnecessary expenses.
The rise in demand for wireless surveys
The proliferation of IoT devices and the increasing demand for high-speed and reliable wireless networks are compelling businesses to invest in comprehensive wireless surveys.
“Why do you think you’ve seen more pathways towards people wanting these wireless services?” Katie asked.
Upton highlighted that the increasing demand for wireless surveys is driven by the need to optimize network performance and reduce costs.
He emphasized wireless surveys’ role in identifying potential improvement areas, optimizing network performance, and enhancing productivity and user experience. Upton mentioned the competitive advantage gained by companies that invest in robust wireless infrastructure, making wireless surveys an essential service for businesses looking to stay ahead in their respective markets.
“Managers are realizing that they can now see what used to be invisible and what we can provide to them by utilizing this tool (Ekahau) is we go on-site, we can do a survey, we can either design a brand new network for them, or remediate a network that isn’t performing,” Upton said. “We can put it on a piece of paper, send it to them, and say this stuff used to be invisible, but you can now see what’s going on, how each access point is performing, you can see if there are any environmental factors impacting your network or any channel interference.”
He emphasizes the importance of addressing coverage gaps, capacity issues, and potential sources of interference to ensure seamless wireless connectivity.
Using Ekahau, a “market-leading tool” for wireless survey
Upton highlighted Ekahau as their market-leading tool for conducting wireless surveys. He explained, “That’s certainly the market-leading tool and the one that our customers tend to ask for.”
Ekahau is known for its AI auto planner, integrated optimizer, automated channel planner, and various other features that make it a preferred choice for wireless surveying. By leveraging Ekahau, FNG can optimize access point placements, simulate network performance, and provide detailed insights to clients on their wireless infrastructure.
“There are various reasons to pick [Ekahau] for ourselves. It saves us time, so we can reduce that cost to our customers. We’re not spending as much time doing a survey or a design; the tool’s doing a lot of the hard work for us.”
Saving up to 50% with FNG
Upton shared a success story involving a US-based company with a warehouse in the UK. Initially, the company planned to replace its existing access points with new ones without conducting a survey or remediating its current network. However, FNG proposed performing a wireless survey to optimize its infrastructure and provide a more cost-effective solution.
After the survey, FNG identified that the company could reduce its hardware spending by about 50%. The company had initially planned to install 150 access points, but FNG’s survey and design revealed that only about 50% of that number was necessary for optimal network performance.
Working with FNG
Clients who work with FNG can benefit from their extensive industry experience and commitment to delivering high-quality services. FNG’s ability to tailor solutions to meet each client’s unique requirements, such as reducing hardware costs and optimizing network performance through wireless surveys, showcases its dedication to providing value-added services. Clients looking to work with FNG can visit their website for more information.
Be sure to catch Katie Bavoso and Greg Upton’s insights in the video or podcast above. Hit like and subscribe to stay connected with our latest interviews and special content!
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