Fleet Management by Objective: Set Yourself Apart from the Flock
March 2, 2010
By Geoff Moore
Sales Consultant
As a consultant in Fleet Management I have found that people are always surprised when I show them the operating costs of a forklift to their owners. Typically forklifts and these types of machines end up last on a company’s priority list, as most companies are happy with their machines as long as they are running. However just like your car, a certain amount of maintenance is required to keep forklifts at their most efficient. Companies are often faced with balancing the costs of maintaining their current fleet versus buying new, with little industry information to help them make decisions.
When calling a potential client I typically get these types of responses; “I appreciate the call, but my forklifts are doing fine”, “No, they don’t cost much to operate”, or “Thanks for the call. I’m not sure how much propane they use, but I know it’s not much”. However once I get them talking and manage to share some statistics and facts, I can quickly see opinions changing.
What if you were able to illustrate to a client how much his five old forklifts cost in fuel per year? Or how many hours he is averaging per truck per year in usage? Or what a unit costs him per hour to operate in maintenance? By showing the little ways a company can save money, you can now rest assured that you have their attention.
The results I get never fail to amaze me. The client is quite often stunned and excited when I can show him that if he were to buy a new forklift every four years instead of ten, he could save $10,000 dollars in fuel costs and $21,000 in maintenance costs. He could also take advantage of tax incentives… the list goes on. This is where a strong fleet management plan is effective and sets the sales consultants apart from the sales reps.
There is nothing more satisfying than getting to the end of the sales process and having the client immediately ask “where do I sign”. When a proper Fleet Management Program is executed well, you gain a new client who is eager to see what you can do for them, as well as you mature as a company. All of a sudden you have a partner in business, not a just another “customer”.
Fleet Management helps companies optimize their assets while minimizing their costs, something every company strives for.
Neglecting to replace forklift engine coolant regularly can have dire consequences
February 10, 2010
By Jim Erwood
Manager, Key Accounts & Customer Development
In today’s world of forklift equipment powered by internal combustion engines, we are seeing technology changing at a rapid pace. We see extended service intervals, improved fuel economy, synthetic oils and permanent fluids, all in the effort of improving performance while reducing operating costs.
Unfortunately, engines running in vehicles that are a little older get forgotten and don’t get the servicing they once received, and still require. An example of this is cooling systems in equipment over the last half dozen years.
While technology advanced, engine components became composite, aluminum or any possible combination. Radiators became plastic with various combinations of metals. The chemists did their thing and came up with new coolants and recommendations for servicing.
Unfortunately, some owners and technicians have heard all the promises of servicing less frequently and began to postpone everything possible on forklift equipment, including not following manufacturers’ recommendations on coolant replacement.
So what we have learned? If you do not replace your coolant and service your cooling system on a regular basis, it isn’t like days of old. Today, due to all these new composite materials and mixing of dissimilar metals, we see chemical reactions that start to eat away at engine components and cooling systems. Head gasket failures are one of the primary expenses, along with water pumps, engine heads and of course radiators. The components are all expensive in themselves, but their costs rise considerably when you add the labour to replace them.
Take a look at your owner’s manual and see when it tells you to service your cooling system. Has it been done as often as it should have been? If you’re not sure, contact your Williams Machinery expert for some assistance. Play it smart. Change your coolant as directed by the manufacturer and have that cooling system checked over regularly. You’ll never regret it. It will save you money over the life cycle of your forklift equipment.
Contact Jim at jerwood@williamsmachinery.com