May 1, 2019 -- Effective aftermarket strategies aren’t devised by chance. They’re formulated through the capture and painstaking analysis of multiple sources of information which – when correctly assessed – hold the key to some exciting future opportunities.

Continuous Improvement and Aftermarket manager William Norton offers some interesting insights into how we are applying marketing science to identify opportunities to expand and grow the sale of consumable products, very often with significant, and tangible, benefits to customers and users.

“Our aftermarket product ranges cover everything from consumables like oils and lubes, filters and model-specific filter kits to ground engagement tools, undercarriages and larger items like light-weight dump truck bodies and mining shovel buckets,” says William.

But whether we’re talking seals and o-rings or big-ticket items, the emphasis, he believes, must lie in highlighting the quality of genuine Komatsu parts and consumables and getting the message across that if a customer is looking for peak performance, it is always best to go with the genuine article.

A new poster campaign featuring Komatsu filters and lubricants has been launched with the clear message that ‘quality matters’. It also communicates the fact that these items have been specifically engineered by Komatsu to enhance performance and maximise component life on Komatsu machines.

“We’re getting the message across that in the long run genuine parts benefit the customer from a financial perspective, both while a machine is in service and when it is sold on to a new user,” he says.
 

Continuous improvement and fleet analytics

Continuous improvement and fleet analytics tie in perfectly with the development of a growing suite of aftermarket products and services.

A particularly useful tool used in strategy formation involves the KOMTRAX remote machine monitoring solution which not only provides the location of every unit on the system but shows working hours, fuel burn, cautions and service history.

Its recently developed ‘machine history report’ provides an opportunity for construction machine owners to potentially increase their machines’ resale value by showcasing their units’ utilisation history to potential buyers – original equipment manufacturer-verified and approved.

The report contains key indicators to the extent of care enjoyed by a machine. These include records of warnings for clogged filters, high engine coolant and hydraulic oil temperatures, low engine oil and radiator coolant levels as well as low oil pressure events.

Machine owners who are meticulous about servicing and purchasing genuine parts can expect regular clean reports, proof of conscientious care and maintenance which will ultimately be rewarded by a positive return on investment when it comes to resale.

“We’re also working to strengthen our in-depth regional aftermarket service to our customer bases, both in the mining and construction industries. In mining, customers are largely concentrated in specific areas like the platinum belt or highveld coalfields. Construction is a little more challenging as we have a wide spread of equipment operators right across the country.”

Apart from stepping up aftermarket coverage in the field, William and his team will soon use the data supplied by KOMTRAX to enhance the supply of aftermarket products. 

“Using KOMTRAX, we can target machines with extended operating hours as they will naturally have a greater requirement for parts and consumables. By analysing service histories, we can anticipate the advisability of customers stocking critical parts or, for example, keep extra filters on hand should a machine be working in a very dusty environment as indicated by frequent air cleaner clogging cautions.”

The availability of quality market data, especially related to current users, benefits not only our product service representatives in their daily dealings with customers. It aids promotional work where special offers on selected products can provide that extra incentive to go ‘genuine’.