Servicing for success

Champion Compressors national service manager, Daryl Edwards, explains how the latest technology can be leveraged to improve servicing efficiency and effectiveness.
A great many aspects of the compressed-air systems service industry have remained entrenched in the past for too long. However, with a little help from technology, it is possible to streamline operations and improve service processes, delivering a win-win scenario for both the customer and the service provider alike. Here, the customer will benefit from a faster response and turnaround of parts - and ultimately a more reliable compressed-air system - while the service provider will enjoy greater operational efficiencies.

Scheduling for success
The enhancement of the control function of regional service centres is the key to provide peerless support to both the end-users and the service technicians in that area. From these control centres, all planning and scheduling activities can be managed. The use of a separate central call centre can enhance the efficiency of the control centre operation, by rationalising incoming enquiries and requests for assistance.
However, the use of call centres needs to be correctly managed if a business is to utilise its service to the best advantage. It is not uncommon for customers to have bad experiences with call centres. Too often, call centre personnel have little knowledge of customers’ requirements, or knowledge of the business they are supporting. It is therefore essential for the call centre function to be carefully controlled. When the service centres get this right, the call centre performs as an integral element of the servicing network, and the customers will not even be aware their calls have been routed through a call centre.
Moreover, when effectively utilised, call centres can assist the control centres with the scheduling of customer-servicing activities. With access to the service-due database, the call centre is able to initiate contact with end-users, and feed their responses back to the control centre to arrange an appointment.

ESD for everything
To improve the efficient use of the technicians’ time, leading service providers are increasingly providing their field-based technicians with customised wireless hand-held electronic service devices (ESDs). When software for these is developed specifically for the compressed air service provider and its customers, the ESDs can deliver unprecedented improvements to information flow throughout the service process. Historically, too much of technicians’ time has been taken up with administrative activities. Now, technology can be leveraged to perform these necessary functions more quickly and more accurately than previously possible.
ESDs have the functionality to operate as both a mobile phone and a mobile device to manage customer equipment information. The technicians themselves are not required to request the data they need for their scheduled jobs. The regional control centre handling the technicians’ workload will assign jobs to the technicians by ‘pushing’ customers’ equipment records to the technicians’ ESDs. Each morning, when the technicians turn their ESDs on, they will automatically download the jobs for that day—obviously saving time.

Taking stock
Just as the parts used in routine servicing are tracked through the technicians’ ESDs, so a nationwide computerised stock system keeps track of all stock items across the country. This system calculates itemised turnover from the previous 12 months and - factoring-in lead-times - enables parts to be re-ordered automatically. This fully integrated system facilitates real-time updating of stock information every time a part is used.
For direct ordering of parts by the end-user, an online-ordering system provides the most convenience. This alerts the control centre of the expected parts-arrival date at the customer’s site, thereby enabling the coordination of a technician’s site visit to complete the installation work. By this means, the end-user can receive replacement parts and have them installed with minimal equipment downtime.
Similarly, to minimise downtime during airend rebuilds, forward-thinking compressed-air systems solutions providers are now concentrating airend-rebuild operations in a single national centre. By pooling expertise and concentrating airend stocks at one location, compressed-air service providers are better able to offer a true exchange service.
When a customer requires a rebuild, the local control centre arranges for a replacement airend to be freighted to them from the national airend-rebuild facility. It also schedules a technician to exchange the old airend for the new. The old airend is then freighted back to the rebuild centre, where it is rebuilt and stored for future use. This setup results in a greatly accelerated turnaround for the end-user, with compressed-air equipment downtime honed to a minimum.
Through investment in better facilities such as this, in new technology and in improved operational procedures, there is vast scope for improvements to be made in compressed-air systems service industry.

For more information visit: www.championcompressors.com.au