Using Technology to Streamline the Maintenance and Repair Process
No one likes it when things go wrong, but sometimes bad things happen. For most of us, not knowing what’s going on while a problem situation is being resolved can often cause more anxiety than the problem itself.
It’s no different for truck owners. Despite the best efforts of truck maker and component suppliers, we all know breakdowns are inevitable. Waiting for repairs to be completed can be a frustrating experience.
But what are some of the things you can do to make the process less aggravating?
For starters, if you’re not using VMRS codes for all repairs, you should be. Since many different parties are likely to be involved in the repair process, it increases efficiency when everyone is using a universal language (which is what VMRS really is) to ensure they all understand exactly what the problem is and how it is going to be corrected.
The next step is making sure that there is continuous communication about what is happening during each step of the repair process. It is possible to handle this by phone, but that can be a time-waster if you’re leaving voice messages and losing precious time waiting for people to call you back. Meanwhile, the truck is sitting in the bay with the repair on hold until the critical information is provided.
Today’s technology can help you streamline the communication portion of the repair process. An automated maintenance and repair system will send you updates on repair status, notify you via email or text about items where you need to take action, and even alert you when the repair is completed and the truck is ready for pick-up.
Decisiv, a company that provides software to help fleets manage and measure service and repair events, estimates that 80 percent of the downtime for a truck undergoing a repair has nothing to do with actually fixing the truck.
Maybe it’s’ time to talk to your service providers about the technology innovations that will increase efficiencies and get your trucks back on the road in only 20 percent of the time it’s taking now.
Sometimes good things can, and do, happen!
