High skilled technicians are an important support contribution to the service function/
Booyco Electronics’ partnership approach to its field service offering ensures that mines can manage the growing complexity of proximity detection systems.
“The increased outsourcing of non-core technical services by the mines makes close collaboration with OEMs vital,” says Booyco Electronics chief operations officer Pieter Wolfaardt. “Our field service offering is therefore designed in support of our business and to strengthen our relationship with the mine, so that we effectively become part of the mine’s team.”
The company’s service structure includes area managers coordinating closely with an account manager who – together with a technical team – deals directly with the mine’s engineering team.
“We empower every level of the service network, and encourage leadership and accountability at each level,” says Wolfaardt. “We then provide the tools and systems which allow services to be delivered to the highest standards.”
Among the key collaboration strategies Booyco Electronics identified as a vital component are regular engagement with and regular reporting to the customer. The company intends to engage in monthly meetings with the mine’s engineer where Booyco Electronics’ account manager will give detailed feedback on aspects such as equipment uptime, availability, mean time to repair, services completed, and spares consumed. This information can be discussed and signed off by the customer and include a satisfaction survey that informs continuous improvement.
“An important support contribution to the service function is made by the product specialist – a highly-skilled technician who can troubleshoot on site and take recommendations back to our head office engineering team for technical resolution and possible changes,” he says. “We are steadily growing the number of product specialists from two to ten in the near future to increase this support function to our field service teams.”
Wolfaardt highlights that the company’s service level agreements with mines are driven by the complexity of the equipment, which demands a high level of technical expertise and competence from the OEM.
“Apart from our focused knowledge of our product, a close service relationship with customers provides the opportunity to share our experience from other sites,” says Wolfaardt. “With our wide footprint of equipment around the region and experience gained over time, we have become aware of what works in differing conditions. This collaborative approach is invaluable when customers are looking for new optimal solutions.”