Contractors Utilize the Focal Point Field Service Team for Its Personal Touch

Focal Point has been known for creating and manufacturing commercial luminaires for over 20 years. Its approach to lighting goes beyond illumination with human-centric designs that improve commercial environments. The methods used to achieve this approach permeate the organization from engineering and assembly to the team of field service representatives.

In the need-it-now world of today, contractors are utilizing the Focal Point Field Service team for their knowledge and responsiveness. A group of professionals with backgrounds in luminaire manufacturing or as electricians, in addition to Rich Shilkaitis, director of customer service, have the expertise to achieve the desired outcome for commercial projects in the U.S. and Canada.

“We have a great, high performing technical team that understands the value of finding the right answers to get a job done. Their diverse backgrounds allow them to bring different perspectives to the table,” says Shilkaitis, who has spent 15 years in manufacturing, including the last three with Focal Point.

“Our team is well-rounded and they thrive on providing a personal touch to all our customers. Our vertically integrated operations allow us to respond to most inquiries the same day, whether it is sending replacement parts, providing installation tips or troubleshooting assistance. The Field Service team has access not only to our manufacturing facility and inventory for quick-turn parts, they can also draw from the knowledge of our engineering team and staff electrician to get customers the answers they need. Depending on the project, sometimes we will partner and travel together to visit a jobsite, especially when it is a job with a short turnaround time.”

Additionally, Focal Point updated its website earlier this year and added a Contractor Zone section. A popular area is Jobsite Conveniences, which offers information on a variety of features Focal Point offers and is geared towards saving contractors time and money on any job.

These features include labeling; bulk packaging to reduce waste; installation videos hosted on its YouTube Channel; and a specification-grade contractor luminaire package that assists with selecting luminaires to outfit a complete space, available via Quickship.

“The contractors we have heard from enjoy these conveniences, but our Field Service team is our greatest resource for contractors,” Shilkaitis says. “The nature of involving field service is often a result of something that went wrong or can’t be solved without help. We embrace the direct interaction with contractors. There are times when one of our team members will just grab a camera, head to the factory, demonstrate the solution and send it to the customer. A 30-second clip is often very helpful and just what they need to see to get the job done.”

Shilkaitis says his phone rings often about the Quickship program that offers contractors 5- and 10-day shipping options.

“They are really popular, especially the 5-day program. We have plans to expand our 5-day program with the introduction of additional luminaires in the near future.”

Shilkaitis recommends visiting the Contractor Zone to learn more about the Field Service Reference Guide and the various cut sheets and installation instructions that are available, as well as the freight claims process. Focal Point puts as much information as possible at its customers’ fingertips, but also makes sure that when help is needed, its team is ready to answer the call.

“We stand behind our product and we take a lot of pride in keeping people happy. So it is really satisfying to hear customers tell us our team is the best in the industry,” Shikaitis says. “We feel confident that if you have installation questions about one of our products, we can help with our quick-acting Field Service team.”

To contact the Focal Point Field Service team, call (773) 247-9494 and select option 2, or send an email to [email protected].