Bell Equipment Limited’s Aftermarket and Product Support Director, Meltus Badenhorst, talks about the role of a network of equipment dealerships in delivering tailored maintenance solutions to fleet owners and tapping into AI for machine health and operational data analysis.
Bell Equipment calls its maintenance offering to owners of its equipment fleet ‘Power by the Hour’ or ‘Service by the Hour’.
These are not just corporate buzzwords. Bell Equipment Limited’s Aftermarket and Product Support Director, Meltus Badenhorst, says that they underline the company’s commitment to maximising machinery uptime for customers.
“We helped our dealers develop tailored maintenance solutions. Under the terms of these arrangements, the dealer is focused on keeping a machine available and reliable for the customer. This allows the customer to focus on what matters to them, which is moving material.”
Typically, as part of the contract, the customer has an extended warranty tailored to a man-on-site contract. Further, depending on the fleet owner’s needs, they might pay a fixed amount every month, pay based on the machine’s operating hours or pay an upfront sum when purchasing the machine.
If a component fails or malfunctions, it will simply be replaced at no additional cost to the fleet owner, helping to ensure uptime and availability.
This also applies to routine servicing, says Badenhorst.
“Through telematics, the dealer informs the customer when the machine is due for a service and schedules it. Again, there is no charge and no need for a phone call from the customer. This reduces the contact points, making the process as efficient as possible.
“Instead of a ‘pull’ system, it becomes a ‘push’ system, putting the onus on the dealer so that the customer can focus on moving material.”
Extending service intervals with technology
As technology evolves, Badenhorst is certain that the company will increase the scope of services offered under its tailored maintenance solutions.
“With new technologies, we can make use of more advanced measurement metrics and sensors on the equipment to further extend service intervals.”
AI in machine health and operational data analysis
Badenhorst reveals that the company is starting to use AI to analyse large volumes of data relating to machine health and operational performance.
So far, the company has identified a significant opportunity in using AI analytics and insights to compare vehicle-specific or customer-specific operating behaviour and usage patterns. This will help identify trends and highlight abnormal patterns more quickly by comparing them with global usage data.
Badenhorst also mentions that Bell Equipment is investigating further AI opportunities, including an exciting initiative to augment its dealers’ service technicians by providing a centralised, AI-powered platform housing all technical material, making it easier and faster for technicians to access and apply information.
