editor’s choice R


outine maintenance is the bread and butter of a generator servicing company’s business. Many of these


businesses have strengths in electrical engineering and have mastered the cabling, controls and panel work. However, as the UK experiences a shortage of industrial engineers, it is difficult to find employees with specialist diesel knowledge. In addition, engineers in independent generator servicing companies work across the engines of several manufacturers, rather than specialising in a particular manufacturer’s technology. This means they may be tasked with addressing a fault that they have not dealt with before. There is therefore a chance that when a


generator services company is called out to a customer’s site, they may be unable to diagnose and fix the fault. This could lead to extended downtime for their customer while they call in another company, or the manufacturer, to help. Being unable to address the issue quickly


can have adverse impact on the generator service company’s relationship with the customer and even on the reputation of the business, particularly if the customer works in a critical industry.


EngInE coMplExITy In addition, as more legislation is introduced to reduce engine emissions, engine complexity increases. This means there is now additional software required to diagnose a fault in the engine control module (EcM), making diagnosing and fixing faults a more challenging undertaking for third parties. So, what are the options? The generator


services company could carry on as before, dealing with major faults reactively and risking customer downtime and a negative impact on their own business. Alternatively, it could turn down customers when they enquire about non-routine works. or, the company could take proactive steps to ensure it is prepared to deal with its customer’s major engine faults when they arise. If the generator services company chooses


the third option and goes it alone, it would have to invest huge amounts in software licences, training, cabling kit and more, to confidently address the full range of faults. If the servicing company works across the


full range of engine manufacturers, the costs are likely to outweigh the benefits, as it may add up into tens of thousands of pounds. This investment may only enable them to address an additional handful of jobs for a specific engine manufacturer — a particularly unappealing model for a small business.


A SInglE SpEcIAlISM There is a better option — a mutualistic relationship with the engine manufacturer. Rather than calling in the manufacturer at the last minute, once the servicing team has established that they are unable to


12


Two heads are beTTer Than one


Pete Trueman, Service Delivery manager at DiPerk, the UK and Ireland’s Perkins engines expert, explains why two heads are better than one when servicing and maintaining generator sets.


diagnose and fix a fault, the engine manufacturer can be on stand-by. However, partnering directly with the


manufacturer does involve taking a leap of faith. It is a good idea to produce a clear contract up front that establishes why and when the manufacturer will step in to help, and to what extent they can contact your customers. This way you can build a relationship on trust, where each party is able to reap the rewards of working with the other.


WoRKIng TogETHER The best practice working relationship between generator servicing company and engine manufacturer is built on a clear understanding of the core competencies of each business. The generator servicing company should establish what types of jobs are best to outsource, so that their team is able to focus on the jobs they can complete quickly and easily. This maximises the number of jobs the company can take on, as well as makes the best use of the skills of its team. For example, for many generator servicing


companies, its team would continue to complete routine engine maintenance such as oil, coolant and filter changes. They may want to outsource faults they have not encountered before to the manufacturer, alongside major failures in an engine control unit (EcU), turbocharger or injector. In these circumstances, a pre-existing relationship with the manufacturer means they can quickly have a specialist engineer on site to fix the problem. The generator servicing company can then


benefit from the oEM’s specialist expertise in its own brand of equipment. As the manufacturer works only with its own machines it will have the experience needed to address any engine fault. It will also have specialist equipment, such as frames and lifting


tackle for when engines need to be disconnected and stripped in-situ, and the software needed to interrogate any EcM faults. Working directly with the engine


manufacturer also provides peace of mind to the generator servicing company, who can rest easy knowing the work was delivered using genuine parts and comes with a warranty. Diperk, for example, also offers next day delivery and can dispatch engineers from across the UK to address a fault quickly. Also, by purchasing direct from a


manufacturer, the servicing company can be sure they are buying from someone that uses the parts in volume, and they are therefore not paying a premium for a one-off part.


A WIn-WIn SITUATIon By working together with the manufacturer, generator servicing companies have more time and can allow their engineers to play to their strengths. Engineers can take on additional work and know that they are equipped to resolve anything ranging from minor issues to major engine faults, delivering the best possible service for their customers. Diperk already works with generator


servicing companies across the UK, by providing support on servicing jobs for perkin’s engines as and when needed. With Diperk supporting you behind the curtain, your engineers are free to play to their strengths. When it comes to engine servicing, two


heads are better than one. By partnering with the oEM, generator servicing companies can focus on increasing the number of routine maintenance jobs they perform, while maintaining customer happiness if a major fault occurs.


DiPerk www.diperk.com


Summer 2021 UKManufacturing


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44