New Clients
What to expect

First, let us thank you for your interest in The Hudson Group and we welcome you to the growing family of forward-thinking industry leaders who are putting technology to work for them! If you are not yet a Hudson client, but are thinking about what is involved in transitioning to Hudson systems, then this information should prove insightful. At any time, if you have a question, please contact our Business Development staff for a quick answer.

Now, regardless of what aspects of the Hudson suite you are integrating into your business, getting a new client up and running with our applications, products and services is a process we take very seriously and approach thoroughly. This is basically a six step process. Here is what you can expect:

Discovery Document
Hudson needs information
Assuming now that you have agreed to commercial terms, it is time to set the stage for your setup and installation. Before Hudson can begin building and customizing a new system for you, we need to know as much about your business as you can possibly provide. No detail is really too small - we want to know it ALL! We provide you with the Hudson Discovery Document which we ask you to complete. It will help you to provide some of the first bits of information we are looking for. If you find yourself completing this form, and you have something specific you are wondering if we need to know, the answer is YES! Attach additional sheets with as much information as you can provide.

Installation Overview
Configuring the details
Your Hudson project manager and the systems engineering team will take all the submitted information and begin building your system. Hudson does not have a "default" or standard product that you buy. Each system is custom built and configured for each client. There are many rules and settings to configure on your behalf. Many questions will arise within the systems engineering staff and you will be contacted for answers and information. The quicker you respond with information, the sooner your system will be available and the better it will suit your business needs. This process is detailed, is different for each and every client but can usually be accomplished in a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on your company size and the data you are able to provide to Hudson. You will then be shown the system and a thorough review will be offered. Adjustments and tweeks to the configuration will be made. We invite you to download and review a copy of our Installation Process Overview.

Warm-Up
practice, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
The single most important item that will streamline and improve your ability to transition to a new system is the degree to which your staff tests and uses the new system. Adjusting to a different application may appear difficult at first for your staff and the first reservation you enter will take several minutes. The next five or so will go quicker, and by the time you have done a dozen, you will be an old pro! The degree of "pain" experienced by your staff during the Go-Live process is inversely related to the amount of practice you have completed with the new system. Lots of practice = No pain! How many is enough? The clients with the most successful transitions to Hudson systems have entered hundreds or even thousands of test reservations, and dispatchers have dispatched hundreds of test vehicles. Hudson system engineers continue to tweek your system as you specify items in need of modification.

Go-Live
Putting plans into action
Assuming you have used and are now comfortable with your customized Hudson system, your staff will be eager to make the cutover from your previous system. These events are usually exciting and invigorating. Though there will be tense moments during the day, you will live through it and will be glad you made the change. Hudson will work with you in the days leading up to, during and immediately after the Go-Live date to ensure a smooth transition process. We will explain options and make suggestions based on years of experience at helping many clients through the transition process.

After Go-Live
Ongoing follow-up and support
During this stage of the installation process, you will transition from your assigned project manager over to our Tech Support team. This process begins with the receipt of a New Client Transition Letter from the head of our Tech Support Team. These individuals are available 24 / 7 / 365 to answer your routine and emegency support needs, should they arise. During business hours, you call or email our support department for same day or next day answers. If it positively has to be addressed now, then our emergency line will connect you to the on-call technician any time of the day or night. Feel free to review Hudson's Escalation Procedures which outlines the most efficient way to work with our Tech Support department.

This is also the stage when you begin to learn more about what Hudson has to offer. You will consider adding new features and functionality to your system as determined by your business needs. The Hudson suite is extensive and we try not to overwhelm you at the very beginning when you are still trying to learn. Now that you are comfortable and ready to grow, we will help you grow in ways you never imagined! If you would like to know what other modules might be available to you, please contact our Business Development team.

Document Quick-Links - Quick access to documents referenced above

Hardware Requirements Document

Hudson Discovery Document

Hudson Installation Process Overview

New Client Transition Letter

Hudson Escalation Procedures