A system that does not run or does not run trouble-free costs money and reputation. To avoid this, service processes in the aftermarket must be managed in a structured, efficient, flexible and transparent manner. It doesn't matter whether it's scheduled maintenance or inspection or unplanned repairs and overhauls. A modular service management software enables the use of process-oriented workflows and thus makes an important contribution to achieving a high level of service excellence and customer satisfaction.
Definition: Aftermarket
Durable consumer goods such as automobiles or capital goods such as machinery and equipment offer manufacturers opportunities for additional sales and stronger customer loyalty in the so-called aftermarket. The aftermarket includes all goods and services that are delivered or provided after the original purchase of a primary object.
Examples include maintenance and repair services, the distribution of spare parts and operating materials or accessories. The aftermarket thus represents an additional source of revenue for companies - and without the competitive pressure that prevails on the primary market. In addition, the aftermarket offers the opportunity to increase customer loyalty and retention by inspiring your customers with outstanding, efficient service.
"A company devoted unreservedly to service has only one concern about profits: they are embarrassingly large." Henry Ford
What support does service management software offer for the aftermarket?
An SMS as a central service platform should be open, flexibly adaptable and process-oriented. The requirements of all service areas in a company are mapped centrally in this platform - regardless of whether it is a matter of planned maintenance or inspection or a repair and overhaul required at short notice.
Evaluation from different perspectives
The evaluation of the services provided, the time, financial and human resources and materials used ensures transparency. This is possible at the push of a button and is supported by predefined, immediately usable standard reports. The data can be evaluated from different perspectives (e.g. process owner, customer, external service provider) and time dimensions. To ensure that the experience gained is not lost, it is advisable to maintain a successively growing service database for the company. In this way, resource control and knowledge management can be continuously optimised.
Workflow concept
A consistent workflow concept ensures that you can plan, organise and control processes in the aftermarket not in isolation, but as an overall business performance. In this way, you adopt the same perspective as the customer, for whom it is primarily important that the service functions quickly and in a targeted manner when a repair order is placed - and not how it is organised in the background. In addition, there are sensible automations with which you accelerate and secure process standards (e.g. ticket creation, delegation and tracking, reporting).
This is how First Level Support benefits
When your customer has a problem with a machine, system or service and therefore contacts First Level Support, they want help quickly above all. With a ticket system, the caller can be identified directly. For this purpose, all customer-relevant information is displayed to the support staff and combined in a customer-specific process. It does not matter whether the request is received by telephone, chat, e-mail, portal or network.
Preconfigured checklists enable the first level support to quickly record and structure the message. If the customer's enquiry cannot be answered without support, the employee can transmit the relevant details on faults and failures in digital form to internal or external service providers. In this way, processing can be continued without delay.
Optimal support for field service and field staff
Field service staff are perceived by the customer as representatives of your company. With a service management system, you ensure that they always have all the information they need to deal with the issue quickly and efficiently. Enquiries with the head office or colleagues in the warehouse, production or other areas are possible in real time via the system, as is the provision of files and documents. And the field service staff can also access the central knowledge database directly and add to it, so that all learning is permanently available to the company.
Efficient and transparent processes
The central system is accessed via a mobile device. In this way, the work report is already created automatically during the activities on site, and time and material consumption are documented precisely and without manual entries. This not only saves the field service staff a lot of time, but also prevents multiple entries or gaps in the documentation.
The customer already receives the digital service report with a handshake and the feedback to the head office takes place even before the employee is back in the company or on the way to the next customer. The subsequent recording of protocols and reports is no longer necessary, as these are directly recorded and aggregated in the service process.
Invoice generation is just as quick and easy: The basis is the mobile recorded services, times and work resources, which can be evaluated and aggregated according to any time period (e.g. assignment, month, quarter, etc.) for the purpose of invoicing. This not only means considerably shorter processing times in the field, but also significantly better evaluability and optimisability of service processes, which of course can also be condensed across locations or customers.
Another benefit: for each supplier, a complete history of the service life, intensity of use, etc. of their parts can be generated at the push of a button. This makes it possible to conduct fact-based negotiations and target discussions and increases transparency on both sides.
Service Management with EcholoN
The holistic service management software EcholoN has a modular structure and can be scaled as required. It has a basic architecture with open interfaces, integrated web services and simple adaptability. All relevant functional areas are mapped completely integrated in the system. This enables comprehensive reporting and use "out-of-the-box", i.e. without customisation.
What distinguishes EcholoN from other solution providers is a high degree of flexibility: different editions (Express, Standard, Professional and Enterprise) provide the appropriate functions and process schemes for every area of use and application. This means that SMEs benefit just as much as international corporations that want to offer their customers customised service and aftermarket services.
They can use EcholoN both for their own services and to integrate external service providers. Service, repair, maintenance or servicing orders can be recorded, tracked, evaluated and invoiced in the system - so operations can be better planned and response times shortened. All processes in the aftermarket - from regular maintenance to unplanned repairs - are documented centrally and are thus completely transparent.
Maybe also interesting:
- Blog article: Field Service Management
- Blog article: Customer service