How Should the ISB Affect Service Policy?
Apart from the obvious advantages of knowing what you have sold and to whom, you can use the installed base to control service activity. For example, you can refuse service calls for items not in the installed base. The installed base serves as a validation database, since certain programs, such as Call Maintenance, Contract Maintenance, and RMA Maintenance, depend on what is there.
A primary business decision when implementing SSM is determining how the installed base should relate to service policy. Other decisions flow from this major one. There are three basic approaches:
• Limit service calls to an installed base of items you manufacture, distribute, or sell—items already in your item master.
• Limit service calls to an installed base, but include items in the installed base that are not in your item master.
• Do not consider the installed base when taking calls.
Each service organization must set up SSM according to one of these three practices.