Construction World June 2016

Theunes van der Westhuizen, area manager for connected services.

our trucks so that the customer can focus on running and building their business.” Drivers of success A key aspect of Scania’s services to customers is to improve the quality and behaviour of drivers. For this purpose, a two-day product knowledge training course is offered for drivers at the company’s driving academy. Training on site is also an option. “The value of this process lies in combining our training with the monitoring capacity of our fleet information system,” says Van der Westhuizen. “We educate the driver using real vehicles, which tracks their performance during training; the idea is for

the employers to be able to compare the behaviour in the training session with their performance after training – when they are back on the job.” He said that this helps to track the learning process and ensure that the skills are being applied in the workplace – where they really count. It also brings hard data to bear on the employers’ assessment of driver quality, so that the right employees can be targeted with the appropriate follow-up training. “Driver behaviour is a vital aspect of the complete solution that we want to provide to our customers, and we integrate this with the information that the fleet management system is providing,” he states. “The sale of

the truck to the customer is only the begin- ning of an ongoing relationship that needs constant attention and engagement.” Contracted services Scania provides contracted services as a comprehensive package to cover the cost of repairs and maintenance of the range of construction and other vehicles in the range. “There are various options that we offer customers, including extended warranties, to ensure the maximum possible up-time – which is often the first priority for contractors working on tight construction deadlines,” he says. “This gives the owner peace of mind, knowing that their monthly costs are fixed and that the vehicles will operate at peak performance with little risk of unforeseen down-time.” The value of these arrangements is not limited to smaller operators with minimal infrastructure, according to Van der West- huizen; even larger companies with their own workshops can make good use of these offerings. “If you are a large construction company, for instance, with your own workshop facilities, Scania can even take over the management of your workshop activities in accordance with your specific requirements, carrying out the necessary maintenance and repairs so that you can focus on your core business. We obviously have a depth of capacity and expertise in working on our vehicles, as well as the neces- sary systems and tools, so for us it is easier to ensure the high levels of up-time that the customer would like,” he concludes.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JUNE 2016