This article explains troubleshooting steps to use if an individual Beacon stops functioning correctly. Generally, Beacons are classified as inoperable if it stops checking in to CoreKinect and AuctionTrac for at least 24 hours. If this happens, it's important to identify why the Beacon has stopped working.
If a large number of Beacons stop working at the same time, check the gateway using this article.
Damaged Beacons
If a Beacon was damaged on the lot, the Beacon will not be replaced. This generally includes situations where a vehicle ran over a Beacon or a Beacon stopped working after being dropped.
Verify if the Beacon was associated with a vehicle.
Optional: Disassociate the Beacon from the vehicle.
For details, see here.
You'll need to manually enter the beacon serial code.Remove the Beacon from the physical inventory.
Set it aside in the location for damaged Beacons.Remove from Beacon from the AuctionTrac inventory.
A. Open the GPS Beacon Management Dashboard.
B. Change the Beacon status to Damaged.
The Beacon status is updated. You can now discard the Beacon.
Bad Beacons
If a Beacon stopped working for an unknown reason, following these steps.
1. Check for a GPS Signal on the vehicle.
A. Move the vehicle to a location with a clear view of the sky.
B. Wait 24 hours and verify if a GPS location was reported.
If the Beacon starts working, the device is fine.
2. Check for a GPS Signal from the Gateway.
A. Remove the Beacon from the vehicle.
B. Move the Beacon to a location with a clear line of sight to a Gateway.
C. Wait 15 minutes and verify if a stop/move event was recorded
- If the Beacon starts working, the device is fine.
- If the Beacon doesn't record the event, use the RMA Return process below.
3. Disassociate the defective Beacon from the vehicle.
For details, see here.
You'll need to manually enter the beacon serial code.
4. Associate a new Beacon with the vehicle in AuctionTrac.
For details, see here.
5. Confirm a Stop/Move event for the vehicle.
6. Remove the defective Beacon from the physical inventory.
Set it aside in the location for defective Beacons.
This should be a diffent location than you store damaged Beacons.
7. Remove from defective Beacon from the AuctionTrac inventory.
A. Open the GPS Beacon Management Dashboard.
B. Change the Beacon status to Out of Service.
Return defective Beacons using the RMA Return Process below.
RMA Return Process
After 25 beacons are ready to be returned to CoreKinect.
Contact CoreKinect for an authorization number and shipping information.
Name: Kareem Hraish
Email: kareem@corekinect.com
Phone: 480-677-9686Collect Beacons and ship per instructions from CoreKinect.
Update the Beacon in the AuctionTrac.
A. Open the GPS Beacon Management Dashboard.
B. Change the Beacon status to RMA.
RMA Return Follow Up Process
After returning beacons, CoreKinect will ship any replacement Beacons. If a returned Beacon was determined to be damaged, they will not return a replacement.
After receiving the replacements, wait until the Auto Detection service identifies the Beacon is on the lot. If the Beacon isn't detected within 24 hours of being returned, following the troubleshooting flow listed above.
After the Beacons are recognized, you'll need to update the status in the GPS Beacon Management Dashboard for ALL the beacons you sent back during the RMA process. For example, if 25 Beacons were sent to CoreKinect but they only return 23, you would update the status of 23 beacons to Replaced and the status of the other 2 Beacons to Damaged.
RMA Replacement Process
Update the replaced Beacons in AuctionTrac.
A. Open the GPS Beacon Management Dashboard.
B. Identify the oldest RMA Beacon.
C. Change the Beacon status to Replaced.
D. Repeat this for every replaced Beacon.Update any non-replaced Beacons in AuctionTrac.
A. Open the GPS Beacon Management Dashboard.
B. Identify an RMA Beacon.
C. Change the Beacon status to Damaged.
D. Repeat this for every non-replaced Beacon.
Appendix: CoreKinect Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) Procedure
CoreKinect shall, at its option and at its expense, repair, replace or issue a credit for Nonconforming Products returned to CoreKinect during the warranty period pursuant to the RMA Procedure below.
Through collaboration with the Customer & CoreKinect, parties shall indicate a specific number of units that are failing.
An RMA authorization number as well as shipping account information will then be generated for the return. An RMA number will be provided to the Customer prior to return shipment and must be displayed on the shipping container as well as on the packing slip or attached to the returned product.
All returned units must be shipped via standard ground using the shipping account information provided.
CoreKinect shall pay for all transportation costs on valid nonconforming product returns, and for return shipping back to the Customer; provided, however, that the Customer shall pay these costs plus a reasonable handling charge for invalid or “no defect found” returns.
Once units are received, the units will go into Quarantine for Quality/Engineering review.
Pending the outcome of the review, a workscope will be created for units deemed repairable.
Repairable units are then released to operations and scheduled for repair.
Once units are working properly, they will be shipped back to the Customer.
TAT could vary significantly on a per unit basis, depending on what the root cause of the failure is, and the corresponding workscope to repair the component.
Note: Due to the importance of the S/N traceability to individual sites, an RMA number must be attached to all returned products from various sites. This will allow the manufacturer the ability to process reworks while keeping impact to new production output to a minimum.