Ridgid has been busy at work upgrading their SeeSnake video inspection equipment to smaller, lighter, less expensive, more user friendly and digitally formatted equipment. All the new products now work with either DVD or SD cards, both of which can now be easily uploaded onto a laptop and sent to a new website RIDGIDConnect.com from the jobsite or anywhere. This new web service will then index the videos and other files which can be sent to customers, shared amoung co-workers and kept safe for years to come.
I just watched the Web Cast for the launch of RIDGIDConnect given by Jay Gatz, VP of Strategic Planning and there were some statistics I found interesting in their research. Of those currently using video inspections equipment 60% are already recording digitally on DVD or other media, 51% currently use laptops on the jobsite, 65% said they needed to save the recordings for a year or more and 40% said they needed to share the recordings with other people. It looks like pricing for the service will run between $49 – $129/month which could be worth it for many reasons. Obviously if some 40% are still recording inspections onto VHS this service will not be for everyone but seems like it would be the next logical step in improving efficiency. Checkout the full Ridgid Press Release Below the video:
RIDGID®, a leading manufacturer of hand and power tools including multiple digital inspection products, announces today at AHR Expo® 2010 the launch of RIDGIDConnect™ — a subscription-based, online business tool designed for service professionals and contractors who create or use digital information. A first-of-its-kind platform, RIDGIDConnect provides the ability to share and store digital assets such as diagnostic job site photos and videos, job reports and histories, maintenance records, customer lists and other business files, which in turn simplifies external and internal communication, as well as the recordkeeping process.
“While developing RIDGIDConnect, we conducted hundreds of hours of research with professionals to identify their needs and make sure the tool could easily and quickly be adopted to help manage their digital assets,” said Jay Gatz, vice president of strategic planning, RIDGID. “Based on our research, we were able to develop an online business solution so professionals like plumbers, HVAC technicians and facility managers, have the opportunity to consolidate and access items associated with a particular job in one location, then communicate this information with pertinent parties, thus increasing their effectiveness and efficiency. We like to say it’s an electronic medical record for each of their customers.”
RIDGIDConnect: Share
The “share” aspect of RIDGIDConnect allows professionals to overcome communication challenges previously associated with digital media assets. RIDGIDConnect subscribers have the ability to:
– Prepare and send detailed, professional job reports that include notes and customer details to multiple recipients
– Edit and narrate digital media (videos and photos) to provide concise, easy-to-follow explanations
– Control recipients’ access privileges
RIDGIDConnect: Store
RIDGIDConnect “stores” and protects a professional’s digital assets on a secure and continually backed-up system, including these items:– Detailed customer lists and job histories
– Uploaded digital media from inspection tools (any manufacturer) and digital recording devices
– All business files and records
RIDGIDConnect: Simplify
RIDGIDConnect “simplifies” and bridges the technology gap by:
– Eliminating the need to burn DVDs, CDs or thumb drives
– Lessening the back-and-forth explanation between clients and/or co-workers
– Providing around-the-clock access to records from any location
– Utilizing RIDGIDConnect mobile to conduct business in the field via a smartphoneRIDGIDConnect is available in four subscription plans to suit the needs of businesses and organizations of various sizes. Payments are made on a monthly basis. The subscription plans are:
– Basic ($49.99 per month)
– Plus ($79.99 per month)
– Premier ($129.99 per month)
– Enterprise (based on consultation findings)
To register for a free 30-day trial or for additional information about RIDGIDConnect, visit www.RIDGIDConnect.com.