Alr - Field Trip Report

ALR - Field Trip Report

Please note all information is from personal communication with Maryanne Berger at ALR on March 9th, 2018.

1. List at least 7 types of organizations (e.g., owner, subcontractor, ...) that ALR interacts with directly or indirectly (suppliers or customers), explain the nature of each of these interactions, and map out the supply system.

• Owner: ALR indirectly interacts with the owner by providing support to their architects or lighting designers. On occasion, though ALR interacts with the owner directly.

• Architect: ALR can provide support to the architect either directly or indirectly. When a lighting designer is hired by the architect, then ALR could offer them indirect support (via the lighting designer or electrical engineers). In cases where the architects do the lighting design themselves then, ALR could provide direct advice to them.
• Electrical Engineer: ALR interacts with the electrical engineers directly. They provide design assist capabilities and bring to them the latest products offered by their manufacturers.

• Lighting Designer: ALR interacts with lighting designers when they get involved in the early stages of a project. In those instances they interact directly with the designers and help them put together or optimize their fixture schedules.

• Electrical Contractor: ALR also interacts indirectly with electrical contractors, since they ultimately install the fixtures that ALR helped specify and kit. Additionally, they serve as a communication link to the manufacturer.

• Electrical Distributor: ALR interacts directly with the electrical distributors as only the distributors take purchase orders from the electrical contractors. Therefore, the only way for ALR’s manufacturers to sell, is if purchase orders come to them via distributors.

• Manufacturers: ALR interacts directly with manufacturers. By representing manufacturers, ALR is essentially their agent.

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       Figure 1: Lighting fixture supply chain

2. Select 3 of these organizations and for each one do the following:

Name and describe (in a paragraph) 5 ways in which ALR offers value to that organization You may use Lucy’s “50 Ways” for inspiration but don’t be limited by that list. Note: avoid listing the same 5 ways for each.

Manufacturers

ALR provides value to the manufacturers in multiple ways. First, they provide marketing services that promote their client’s products. They serve as their agent by informing designers about their products as well as hosting “Lunch and Learns”. Additionally, ALR helps factories with coordination between them and distributors. ALR also helps manufacturers with long-term planning by getting involved in projects at the design stage and being able to forewarn their clients of future orders that will likely come in. After a project is completed, ALR continues to serve as a point of contact between manufacturers and owners. Whenever there is an issue with warranties, for example, ALR takes care of communicating with the owners on behalf of their factories. ALR’s responsiveness and reliability adds tremendous value to their manufacturers as their reputation carries onto the products and the manufacturers that they represent.