Like a lot of advertising, books on business management, and political messages ginned up in an election year, a lot of “new” things often turn out to be little more than the warmed-over remains of somebody else’s once-original idea. Then, every once in a while, a truly unique concept makes its debut. SERVaccess (www.servaccess.com) claims to be one such idea. Billing itself as “industry’s most automated call management system for service,” the SERVaccess solution automates and coordinates service calls by fostering a dialogue between companies in need of service and a network of independent service technicians qualified to provide it.

SERVaccess is the brainchild of Niels Winther, CEO, and Brian Chapin, president. Winther is a former president of Heidelberg USA. Chapin has a long history on the service side of the graphic arts industry, having headed up several of its largest service organizations for companies including Linotype-Hell, Heidelberg and Tech Services International (Kodak Polychrome Graphics). Other partners include Christopher J. Curran, who serves as vice president of business development, and Flemming Elleboe, who helps select, customize, implement and manage the IT solutions integral to the SERVaccess solution. WhatTheyThink sat down recently with Chapin to learn more about the SERVaccess concept.

WTT: You’ve been involved in the service side of the graphic arts industry for 30 years. What has this experience taught you that you’ve applied in developing the SERVaccess model?