Total Door Systems launched a series of videos that detail the complete installation process this week. The videos are available on YouTube and at TotalDoor.com, and are intended to give installers working in the field quick visual guidance, and support the Total Door Training Institute’s in-field training program.
Installation Videos to Launch in March
Total Door Systems will launch new training and service resources in March with a series of videos that will detail the complete installation process. The videos will be available on YouTube and at TotalDoor.com, and are intended to give installers working in the field quick visual guidance. The videos also support Total Door’s in-field training program, which delivers installation training and mentorship for master installers at distributor locations across the nation.
Video Series Details Installation Process
Total Door Systems is expanding our training and service resources with a series of videos that detail every step involved in installing our integrated door systems, and making simple part replacements.
The video series, available in March, will launch on YouTube, and at TotalDoor.com to give installers working in the field quick visual guidance.
The video series comes as Total Door readies to launch its in-field training program. That program will deliver installation training to distributors’ locations across the nation.
New Material, Longer Life in Hanger Rod Update
A switch from stainless steel to a high-carbon spring steel has beefed up a critical part for Total Door Systems: the hanger rod.
The hanger rod needs to be strong enough to support the weight of the door – as much as 200 pounds – and flexible enough to endure the more than one million bends it will experience over a lifetime of openings.
It was a tall order, said Total Door Product Improvement, Design and Testing Engineer Gary Ray. But one that his team saw as an opportunity to leap frog improvements in the part’s performance.
During the rod’s rigorous testing period, Gary more than doubled the weight and stress applied to the part, opening, spinning and dropping the full weight of the door on the rod repeatedly. It never failed.
The new hanger rod has been in production since April. Gary and his team are already looking at how they can improve upon it in the near future.
“The hanger rod is one of the most critical moving components in the door; it has to work,” he said. “We’re always looking to improve all of our components – and we’re still testing revised designs of the hanger rod to continue improvements into the future,” he said.
Meet Jack Robbins: Business Development Manager
Jack Robbins has been a Total Door true believer for nearly 18 years.
Getting his start in 1999 at Engineering Specialty Company, a North Carolina-based distributor, Jack took on two large jobs that specified Total Door Systems. He was hooked.
“The simplicity of the system – the door came with all the components. It is very clean with no obstructions, and it’s a fast product to retrofit that provides unmatched security and fire safety,” he said.
Jack in December joined Total Door Systems as business development manager, helping sales representatives and distributors with his extensive knowledge of the product and how to grow awareness of its benefits across a broad spectrum of applications.
“There really hasn’t been an application that I haven’t tackled with a Total Door System,” Jack said. “I know the product and what it is capable of achieving like the back of my hand.”
Jack is an exciting addition to the team, said Total Door Systems CEO Patricia Yulkowski. The company has worked hard to provide consistent support to its sales and distribution teams, emphasizing open channels of communication. Putting additional team members in place who can help spur growth for everyone was a priority.
“We feel very fortunate to have found the perfect fit for that role in Jack,” Yulkowski said. “He understands the product, the integrity with which we operate, and the needs of our distribution teams.”
Jack agrees. His new role has been a long time in the making, he said.
“When I gave notice at my last job, my former boss looked at me and said, ‘We’ve always known your first love was Total Door.’ I had always said that one day I was going to work for Total Door,” Jack said.
“I want everyone to know that I am here for them and that I will be coming out and getting to know them personally to discover how I can assist them to grow their business.”
New Automated Quoting Tool to Deliver Big Results for Distributors, Sales Reps
Faster turnaround on quotations and a more efficient stream of data and production management is coming to Total Door’s distributor and sales rep portal with the introduction of an online “Configurator” tool, expected to go live towards the end of the first quarter of 2018.
The tool, a customized iteration of Configure One’s CPQ software, will allow any Total Door distributor with an Internet connection to design and quote a door by simply answering as few as a half-dozen questions. The Configurator will provide an accurate quote, as well as a product drawing. The tool allows for further customization, if desired, and automates the quote to production process, cutting red tape and increasing process efficiency and accuracy.
Total Door is offering a series of pre-configured options to help distributors and sales reps showcase the various options to a variety of potential customers.
“All you have to do is to go into the system, select the opening – pair, double egress, single, etc. – the fire rating, the size and the finish and you can get a quote right then,” said Jeanne Kitchen, Total Door Controller and Configurator project director. “You’ll be able to get a quote, which can be saved if they want to use it as a talking point.”
Sales representatives also will have a window into the quoting activity that’s happening in their territory to provide the best support possible, Jeanne said.
The Configurator is currently undergoing rigorous internal testing. Once launched, Total Door will offer a series of webinar training events to teach those new to the tool how to use it. The Configurator and the training will be tied to distributors existing login at TotalDoor.com.
“We’ll offer all of the additional assistance they need to get them comfortable with the tool upon launch,” Jeanne said. “This is a powerful tool and we want everyone to be able to experience its full range of benefits.”
Meet John Pierre – Service Manager
John Pierre has been in manufacturing for more than 25 years. He knows a thing or two about how to make products to exacting standards without sacrificing quality and efficiency on the line.
After more than seven years supervising final assembly at Total Door, John is taking his expertise to the classroom, training distributors and installers on how to properly install Total Door systems. John spent time in the field to better understand what installers encounter on project sites.
“The on-the-ground experience has been invaluable to me,” he said. “You really get a sense of how Total Door Systems fit into an overall design vision, as well as the safety and security of the structure.”
Total Door Systems is the only integrated door system manufacturer that requires certification for field installers. Total Doors are delivered on-site opening ready. The systems’ unparalleled security and flexible design benefits are unique in the industry, but creating the best customer experience begins with proper installation.
“The training is one part of a complete support team that we have at Total Door,” John said. “Our commitment to all of our sales representatives and distributor partners is that we will have their back 100 percent of the time. Our training is a key part of that support.”
Calling for Submissions of Your Favorite Installations
Was there an installation that “wowed” you and your team? Share it with us and we may feature you and the installation on an upcoming email or promotion!
Send a photo (or photos) of your favorite installation and a few words about what made it stand out from the rest of the crowd to sales@totaldoor.com
Meet Gary Deter
Gary Deter, the owner of Architectural Door Consultants, in Laguna Miguel, Calif., is helping to drive the western expansion of Total Door. As the company’s representative for Southern California, Arizona and southern Nevada, Gary has been a key force in identifying and signing on well-respected distributors in a vital part of the country.
“Projects are booming on the west coast,” Gary says, adding that he’s excited to bring Total Door Systems into more of them.
Gary has been in the door and hardware industry for 36 years and added Total Door to his product list two years ago. He said the addition of Total Door products allows him to compete with some of the largest firms on the west coast for every project.
His process of working with distributors is to emphasize direct contact with distributors to foster relationships and a deeper understanding of their specific needs. Gary works with a complete customer-centric approach, which means ensuring that distributors have the right training and support to understand new products, how they relate to their specific markets, and the full spectrum of support options available to them through Total Door.
As part of Total Door’s inaugural Advisory Council, Gary is interested in candid feedback from distributors on the tools and support that would help them work more successfully with Total Door Systems.
“Communication is a two-way street at Total Door,” Gary says, “It’s an important value that we share.”
Elevator Shaft Pressure Standard
The old axiom about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure holds true in an emerging issue regarding pressure parameters in our industry. The lack of a standard pressure parameter for doors that protect elevator shafts during a fire has meant that many doors are subject to as much as 30 – 40 pounds of pressure, an unsustainable amount for nearly any door.
The problem presented itself during a recent project audit in California. Doors were slamming with too much force because the elevator shafts were pressurized twice as high as necessary. Elevator shafts are pressurized to contain smoke and prevent it from spreading to different floors.
Smoke evacuation design is important, but all too often overlooked. The teams in charge of HVAC and door specifications can operate in silos. The lack of communication means that while there are general suggestions on the pressure, the range is too broad to be meaningful, and no standard parameter has emerged to guide the process.
Beyond identifying the right specification, bridging the communication gap and inviting more collaboration with HVAC is the goal. The right spec will maximize door protection and safety, and maintain Total Door’s reputation for excellence – before and after installation.
While Total Door is at the front end of confronting this issue, we will keep you informed of our progress in upcoming newsletters.
