Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1456062
80 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2022 the opportunity to the supplier. is task is easier with an objective partner that is knowl- edgeable about the PCB landscape. Technical Resources to Assist in Decisions One of the casualties of the drop in the num- ber of independent PCB shops is the trusted partner that was willing (and able) to invest time and expertise in its customers. Early in the industry, this was how PCBs were sold. Today, those customer-focused technical resources are not considered profitable as more of the outside-facing resources are dedicated to pure sales. ere is no doubt that good salespeo- ple are concerned, smart, and available to the customers. ese attributes are perfect for their profession. Unfortunately, understand- ing PCBs to a level that is required to offer design assistance to the customer (on a time- table they need) takes two things: the years of experience at a technical level (not just know- ing the buzz words), and having a job descrip- tion that is dedicated to customer support. e knowledgeable technical resources within today's fab shops are their most precious asset and diverting them to spend hours with design engineers is not practical. In the modern mar- ket, it is more critical than ever that the PCB supplier has in-country resources that are technically com- petent and view its pri- mary responsibility as sup- porting design engineers. However, addressing this customer need is seldom a part of the acquisition strategy. Third-party Problem Resolution e value of an inde- pendent partner to handle problem resolution cannot be overstated. e simple fact is that when a business-critical issue happens with a supplier, the top resources of the company are imme- diately re-directed to resolving the dispute. It would be a very rare company that had execu- tives with the authority to make critical deci- sions that were not urgently needed within the business. e c onclusion i s that when a c ompany is looking for solutions and stability in the PCB market, it is wise to consider a partner rela- tionship that does not have a vested interest in their physical investment. It is also wise to determine the value-added services that a part- ner brings that can improve long term oppor- tunities for the customer. My recommendation is a partner with in-country experts, long-term business stability, and domestic and interna- tional relationships to offer the "best" solution, not just "their" solution. SMT007 Visit ICAPE Group online. Stanley Bentley is the technical director for ICAPE Group in the Americas. He is a 50-year vet- eran of the electronics industry. He is a registered professional engineer.