18 / 52
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
FEBRUARY
2017
16
COVER STORY
Contractors learn the
VALUE OF TOTAL SOLUTIONS
By Paul Crankshaw
Service-driven
Even the most durable trucks need
care and assistance to ensure
flawless operations. Scania’s total
solution provides this, with services
including: A Fleet Management
System that provides flexible
data packages to increase the
productivity of fleets; an extensive
repair and maintenance network;
rental trucks to meet peak demand;
roadside assistance; remote
diagnostics; finance and insurance;
and driver training.
Slimmer operating margins are also
pushing contractors to take full advantage
of modern truck technologies – as well
as the range of product options and
services that make for a revenue-
generating investment.
For Scania South Africa, this means
working with customers to develop a
tailored product that will suit their specific
application, and supporting the customer
with finance, insurance and a service
network that is aligned with their needs.
Finance for truck acquisition can be
arranged through Scania Finance, with
flexible solutions that ensure predictable
costs and manageable risks over the
entire life cycle of each vehicle. Scania’s
extensive network of dealers and support
services – from repair and maintenance to
roadside assistance and parts availability
– optimises machine uptime and builds
enterprise sustainability among customers.
Total solution
With a well-established long-haul pop-
ulation in South Africa – it commands over
a fifth of SA’s market share – Scania is now
seeing steady volume growth in the
construction sector.
“It’s not just about having a reliable
product, it’s about having the total solution
– which is what the customers in the
construction industry are requesting,”
said Alexander Taftman, General Manager
for Pre-Sales, Segment Support &
Marketing at Scania Southern Africa.
“What is really important to construction
customers is uptime and payload; uptime
cannot be guaranteed only by the best
product – you have to have the best
support package too.
Taftman emphasised that the margins
in construction were narrow, so vehicles
needed to be optimised according to
their application.
“For instance, every kilogramme of
weight saved in the body specification can
allow a better payload that will generate
more income for a contractor,” he said. “Our
approach is to ensure that we address each
of the many sub-applications within the
construction sector with a range of models
and specifications, to suit each customer’s
specific operations.”
The focus on uptime among contractors
also means that customers require an
original equipment manufacturer and
supplier that will partner with them in
managing their overall fleet performance
and maintenance, said Mark Erasmus,
General Manager for Scania Services.
“Customers want to be able to share the
responsibility with the original equipment
manufacturer – who has the tools and
expertise – for a fixed, regular sum for
which they can budget,” said Erasmus.
“Many argue that maintaining a truck fleet
is not their core business, and they prefer a
full service contract.”
One of the responses to this requirement
is Scania’s Fleet Management System
which offers a range of flexible service
packages such as Monitoring, Control
and Data Access, that allow customers to
focus on other important aspects of their
business operations.
Uptime pressure
“With construction becoming so much more
competitive, customers are under a great
deal of pressure to ensure more uptime,”
he said. “For instance, they increasingly
don’t have the luxury of time and distance
to take trucks out of operation for extended
periods for maintenance at a centralised
dealer’s workshop. Our responsibility is to
make the customer’s experience as painless
as possible when their vehicles need to be
taken off duty for maintenance or repairs.”
To respond to these customer needs,
Scania takes a flexible approach; among
the smart solutions for regular service work
and minor repairs is an on-site facility for
customers whose requirements warrant it.
“We can set up in the customer’s yard,
for instance, so that we are available with
our skilled people and our equipment at a
location that better suits the customer’s
operational requirements,” said Erasmus.
Another challenge facing contractors
is when their trucks are being employed
far from their company base – as is
often the case in construction projects.
In some cases, their vehicles are away
from their own yard for weeks at a time.
Scania addresses this need with a mobile
service unit – a substantial panel van fully
equipped with all the necessary servicing
equipment, as well as basic equipment for
minor repairs.
“This option allows a customer to book
a service at a convenient time of the week
and at just about any location, including
remote sites where the truck is operational,”
he said. “Judging by the popularity of this
service, we expect more customers to be
taking advantage of this service option in
years to come.”
Looking ahead, he also sees potential
in the concept of a container workshop
in South Africa – which has been used to
great effect in many countries; it follows a
similar approach to the mobile service units
– only larger in scale and capacity.
“Large construction sites with a longer
life-span could be well served by such a
solution, which could be scaled up from
one to a number of containers,” said
Erasmus. “When the project is complete, the
containers can be moved on to their next
area of operation.”
For customers with more established
workshop facilities and the capacity
to take on more of their own servicing
requirements, there is also the option
of becoming accredited by Scania to
operate as a recognised outfit serving
in-house needs.
Inside finance
A vital aspect of Scania’s total solution
is providing customers with tailored
financial packages that strengthen
business sustainability and help
customers withstand the cycles of
the construction market; this is
Fleet owners in the construction sector are relying increasingly on
original equipment manufacturers to provide a total solution that adds
value to their bottom line.