Digitization offers wonderful opportunities for businesses. Not only in the technology sector, but in numerous industries. Equipment dealers who apply new capabilities can make the difference over the competition.
The opportunities for equipment dealers
More and more homes are equipped with smart technology. With phone in hand, you can have complete control over your home. Change the temperature, turn on kitchen appliances, operate blinds or see who is at your door. But technological innovations are also playing an increasing role in business.
Equipment dealers can also take advantage of this. Consider, for example, collecting data from machines and equipment. For example, you can already see remotely what malfunction a machine has or what the hours of a truck are. You can also give customers access to a portal where they can view all the information about their equipment objects. Order confirmations and invoices, which objects they have rented, when service is scheduled. You can also give customers the ability to schedule a mechanic or order parts.
Also, more and more companies are discovering and applying virtual reality and augmented reality. Often for entertainment, but as an equipment dealer, you can apply it for training your people. At Stihl for example, you can learn how to handle a chainsaw with VR glasses on. And augmented reality is used at Stihl to disassemble equipment and see the parts from all angles, enhancing technical understanding.
Competitive advantage
Digitization can bring some significant benefits to your organization.
- Making a difference by excelling in service: With digitalization, you can excel in service and make customers happy. For example: knowing remotely all the problem of a machine, so you can immediately send the right mechanic with the right parts. Or: giving customers the ability to order parts or schedule an appointment 24/7.
- More information that allows you to make better decisions: Perfect insight into hours, meter readings, locations and error messages gives you more control over your equipment and supports you in making decisions. For example, when maintenance is required, which repairs you need to carry out or which costs you need to charge.
- Training becomes fun and your people get better: The example of virtual reality and augmented reality shows how, as an equipment dealer, you can make training your service technicians more enjoyable and better.
A chief digital officer?
It may be going a bit far as an equipment dealer to have a Chief Digital Officer appoint, but it is important to put digitization on the agenda. Discuss together how to use smart technology in your business. Stay abreast of developments in digitization, robotization and automation. Especially how this is being applied in your industry. The sale, rental and service of serial numbered equipment is a highly competitive industry, where any way to differentiate yourself from the competition is worth exploring.
Philip van Kemenade is marketing manager at Dysel and has daily contact with end users of software.
