Barloworld Handling reports that it has reduced engineer response times and road miles, reduced the size of many customer fleets and outperformed competitors in independent surveys thanks, in part, to the internet.

“Every year Barloworld maintains nearly 25,000 forklift trucks in all types of industry across the UK and we are investing in the latest technologies and utilising the internet to help us work faster, smarter and more efficiently to meet customer needs” says Ian Roberts, National Service Manager.

The company monitors customer satisfaction through an independent survey and results show an improving picture with Barloworld providing one of the highest satisfaction levels in the industry. The company puts much of its success down to the technologies applied throughout its business processes and the people using them.

Service vehicle tracking
Vehicle tracking using global positioning (GPS) technology is now used to manage Barloworld’s 450 service vehicles throughout the UK with live tracking over the web. Service despatchers can see the exact location of service vans across the country and assign the best engineer according to location, availability, parts stock and skills required. Routes and schedules are optimised helping to reduce mileage and response time.

Live van stock reporting
Barloworld has combined vehicle tracking with real-time van stock reporting so that engineers despatched to a job are well equipped to facilitate a repair. “The aim is to provide the most effective response to resolving a truck breakdown” says Ian Roberts. Barloworld provides a maximum 4hour response time during normal working hours. However, average response times are only 2.5hours. Barloworld’s service vans are stocked with the most commonly needed parts required by local industry so the vast majority of repairs can be completed on first visit.

PDA parts ordering
If a repair requires any additional part, technicians will place an order through their PDA (Palmtop computer) to Barloworld’s National Parts Centre in Birmingham. The parts centre offers 97% off-the-shelf parts availability for all types and brands of lift truck. Any order received before 5.30pm is despatched overnight directly to the technician’s service van or customer’s own premises. Although Barloworld is the UK distribution partner for Hyster approximately 50% of the makes it maintains are competitive brands.

“Thanks to the parts ordering system, Barloworld engineers can start the day ready stocked with the parts needed to complete almost any repair,” says Ian Roberts

Web based forklift fleet management