Digitization offers great opportunities for companies. Not only in the technology sector, but in many industries. Equipment dealers can stand out from the competition by making use of new possibilities.
The possibilities for equipment dealers
More and more houses are equipped with smart technology. With the phone in your hand, you have complete control over your house. Set the temperature, turn on machines in your kitchen, operate your shutters or see who is at your front door. But technological innovations are also playing an increasingly important role in businesses.
Equipment dealers can make use of this as well. Think for instance about collecting data from machines and installations. This way you can remotely note which malfunction a machine has or what the hour reading of a truck is. You can also give customers access to a portal where they can view all information about their equipment objects. Order confirmations and invoices, which objects they have rented, when service visits are scheduled. And you can enable customers to schedule a visit from a service technician or to order spare parts.
There are also more and more companies that discover and apply virtual reality and augmented reality. Often for entertainment purposes, but as an equipment dealer you can use it for training your staff. At Stihl, for example, you can use VR glasses to learn how to handle a chainsaw. And augmented reality is used at Stihl to disassemble equipment and inspect the components from all angles, which increases the technical understanding.
Competitive advantage
Digitization can provide great benefits for your organization.
- Make a difference by excelling in service: With digitization you can excel in service and make your customers happy. For example: remotely check the problem of a machine, so that you can immediately send the right technician with the required spare parts. Or: enable customers to order spare parts 24/7 or to schedule a service visit.
- More information, which enhances your decision-making: Perfect insight into hour readings, meter readings, locations and failure codes gives you more control over your equipment and supports your decision-making. For example, when maintenance is required, which repair jobs you need to carry out or what costs you must charge.
- Training becomes fun and your people improve: The example of virtual reality and augmented reality shows how an equipment dealer can improve the training of service technicians and make it more fun.
A Chief Digital Officer?
To appoint a Chief Digital Officer might be a bridge too far for equipment dealers, but it is important to put digitization on the agenda. Discuss how your organization can make use of smart technology. Stay informed about developments in digitization, robotization and automation. And particularly how this is applied in your industry. The sales, rental and service of serial numbered equipment is a very competitive industry, where every opportunity to distinguish yourself from the competition is worth investigating.
Philip van Kemenade is marketing manager at Dysel and is in contact with software end users every day.
