Modern Quarrying Q2 2019

Equipment health is a very important parameter in overall productivity and, consequently, the bottom line of every quarry. It is for this reason that a discussion on the future of service should be of interest to the industry. From a service perspective, there is so much talk about giving customers a “complete offering”, not only in the truck sector, but across the equipment industry as a whole. What exactly does a complete service offering entail? By Munesu Shoko . REDEFINING SERVICE WITH UPTIME IN MIND I n a world where service has become the buzzword of every industry, it has come to epitomise a means of delivering hassle-free value to customers by facilitating outcomes customers want to achieve. As everyone tries to grasp the fundamental concept of service, the equipment supply chain has somehow idealised the “total service provider” model, known in some circles as the “complete offering”. But, what does this entail, given that service, especially in uptime-driven industries like mining and quarrying, continues to take different forms and shapes? Speaking to Modern Quarrying , Mark Erasmus, GM Services at Scania South Africa, says service has evolved over the years, and while everyone talks about a complete offering, there is so much more that needs to happen before the industry can claim to offer a total service provider operating model. However, he agrees that the truck suppliers, in particular, have made some strides in terms of their service offering. He is of the view that while the old adage, sales sell the first truck, and service sells the next 100, is still relevant, a lot has changed as far as what service should entail. “In the old days, the traditional way of looking at service was about just selling a truck and then keep it operational in a reactive approach where suppliers would wait for the customer to book in the vehicle for its next service. This has somehow changed in recent years with suppliers taking a more proactive approach where, for example, they get to locate service workshops and personnel at customer sites to be actively involved in customer operations,” reasons Erasmus. Erasmus says this has further improved in recent years. A case in point is a trend where truck makers and their suppliers are now able to be more interactive in terms of predicting customers’ repair and maintenance (R&M) requirements,

SERVICES

In recent years, truck suppliers like Scania have taken a more proactive approach to service.

replacement cycles and routes. He believes that smart technologies on trucks are making it possible. “Today we have vehicles determining their own service intervals, and what has to be done during that service interval, which effectively reduces the amount of time a truck has to spend in a workshop,” says Erasmus. “It’s all geared at maximising uptime, getting the truck to work, rather than stand in the workshop. If the truck is standing in the workshop, the customer cannot produce, and ultimately impacts their bottom line.” ‘Complete offering’ Erasmus says in today’s operating environment, there is so much talk about selling a “complete offering”. “You hear it across all industries. But what does it mean?” he asks. While he agrees that a lot of ground has been covered in the truck industry as far as service provision is concerned,

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MODERN QUARRYING QUARTER 2 - 2019