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We're known for our consistently high level of excellence with every single installation, delivering against challenging deadlines across the globe. This article explains how we do it.
In the 1950s, almost 160 years after we were established, we made the strategic decision to move from a UK business to one operating on a global scale. As the world economy started to get back on its feet after the Second World War, brands rapidly started taking on a global dimension, and with increased international travel, both for business and leisure, everyone started to become more brand-literate.
In turn, companies that had their origins in, say, the US, Germany or the Far East, realised that their brand identities needed to speak to an audience beyond their native countries. With this came another realisation, that their corporate branding and company signs needed to ‘translate’ across continents.
Today, Pearce Signs delivers global brand implementation for a diverse portfolio of corporates, many of which are based in several continents. So when they’re mapping out a company sign roll-out, or need to activate one as a consequence of a merger or acquisition, they need speed and rapid implementation - but without compromising on quality.
Underpinning our global delivery framework is a robust network of local and regional manufacturers and installers. These are companies and trades people who we have forged long standing relationships with and who understand our demand for consistency and quality. I fact, in order for them to become a Pearce Signs partner, they are assessed and vetted to ensure they meet our exacting standards, at every stage of the manufacturing and installation process.
For any global company sign rollout, milestone planning is essential, especially when we have to manage so many different time zones. That said, many of the phases (design, prototype, manufacturing and installation) happen concurrently across different time zones, which makes continually assessing progress, and overcoming challenges and obstacles even more important.
Timescales can depend on a number of variables - project scope (the number of sites), product mix (external and internal signs, illumination, internal place making, graphics) and geography (countries and continents). The most important practice in this regard is communication. Constant communication. Take a look at our DXC Technology project which required an ambitious global activation within a challenging 50 week timeframe.
We know that a global company sign rollout is not just a major project management exercise, but a major investment too - so the easiest way to reassure our clients that everything is under control is via our cloud-based client portal which gives them 24/7 access to programme status and key milestones. Through this, our clients can review and approve both drawings and quotations. And, as the project moves forward, they can track it across each installation site.
Once a contract is awarded, we enter what we call the “mobilisation phase” which is where our global delivery team takes ownership of this critical stage in the company sign rollout process. Several key elements are set up to ensure we stay on track against the delivery timeline:
Project-specific parameters
Communication channels and lines of reporting
Escalation routes for upward reporting
Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators
Project progress frequency meetings and reporting protocols
Each of these is designed, individually and collectively, to ensure we stay on track financially and on time, without compromising on quality and consistency - which are the two core values which drive our global brand rollouts. We want every company sign installation to be of the same consistent standard as the next.
This is also where our quality controls come into play. All our partners are required to provide control samples for Pearce approval. These are based on the initial client approved prototypes and first articles and then, once these progress to manufacturing, we constantly check their consistency with in-progress manufacturing photos and site visits by our field services teams.
We never forget, no matter how large the scope of the project, that it’s the granular local level that really matters. This is where our in-country partners take on responsibility for navigating our way through all the many different planning regulations and the logistics of moving goods from one place to the next. A great example of this is how we delivered an ambitious company signage rollout for Lear Corporation where the permit constraints for its Morocco location were particularly intricate.
Above all, what we bring to each of our global projects is our wealth of expertise and experience, which we’ve accumulated since the birth of globalisation back in the 50s. A successful global brand rollout involves ensuring that every key department and stakeholder is engaged in the process at every stage.
"A really good example of one of our most ambitious projects was the global rebranding for Japanese technology brand NTT across 326 locations in 69 countries over a tight 7 month period."
With a finance team in London, a design team based in Johannesburg, Procurement spread throughout India, and their Global Sourcing Team in Dallas, this project required ultra efficient communications channels and a careful acknowledgment of different agendas and site requirements.
At the heart of everything we do is our collaborative approach, working alongside our partners, and their own teams, to deliver robust, durable consistency. Globally.
If you’re considering a global company sign roll out, you know to talk to us about how we can help you.
Call us today on 0115 940 9620 or email hello@pearcesigns.com.
