Press Releases 2005
Press Releases 2005
May 2005 - Service and maintenance THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF AFTER-SALES SERVICE
Andrew Elliot, sales and marketing director, Toyota Industrial Equipment Europe, discusses the importance of after-sales service when purchasing a forklift.
"As the role of the forklift is ever more important, providing greater levels of after-sales service and support has become paramount. The increase in Just in Time (JIT) operations means that forklifts are now under pressure to work harder than before. Ensuring that they are as reliable as possible is essential.
"Customers are now looking for a complete package when they purchase a forklift. In addition to the truck itself, customers require a comprehensive service agreement which ensures a high level of support. As a result, forklift manufacturers need to work closely with their customers to provide a service contract which is tailored to a company's specific needs. Not only will this lead to maximum productivity, but reduced costs through more uptime.
"For intensive, 24-hour operations, a fast and efficient service is vital. Uptime has to be kept to a maximum to ensure productivity is as high as possible. This has resulted in resident engineers at many large operations. By providing an engineer who is available on-site, every day, forklifts can be serviced and maintained in the quickest times possible. Often, a forklift supplier will work with the customer to develop specific maintenance areas for their engineers to work in. These engineers can also train the operators to check their trucks before each shift and log any problems, which further increases efficiency.
"As part of after-sales service, forklift suppliers must work in partnership with their customers to analyse their fleets and establish any inefficiencies. This will allow companies to identify ways in which fleet sizes can be reduced. This may involve agreeing quicker response times to ensure fewer trucks are out of action at any one time, or in some cases, replacing older trucks with newer models to increase reliability.
"The importance of after-sales service has resulted in significant investment in training for engineers. Service engineers should have advanced technical skills, tailored to their products to ensure maximum uptime and even greater productivity.
"With many customers operating in multiple locations, a strong service network is also essential as is the availability of parts. Customers need to know that they can receive the parts they need within 24-hours and that there is a locally based engineer close to their location. This also means a guaranteed quality of service so that businesses do not need to make separate arrangements for different sites.
"After-sales service should also make a significant contribution to workplace safety. In some cases this includes assisting with driver training. Forklift suppliers can work with their customers to audit their sites and understand all the risks pertinent to that location, and ensure that daily checks are relentlessly implemented. Suppliers can provide driver training which ensures operators have a greater understanding of the operating limits of material handling equipment. The necessary skills are developed to perform at maximum efficiency with less damage to stock, equipment and pallets, making the business more profitable.
"Forklift suppliers should also carry our regular inspections of trucks to ensure they remain suitable for use and are maintained safely.
"It is clear that the role of after-sales service continues to increase. A wide range of elements can now be incorporated to ensure customers are running the safest, most reliable and efficient forklifts. Forklift suppliers must continue to build strong relationships with their customers to develop tailored service agreements that will lead to even greater levels of productivity."