CAED "Showcase" (Canadian Association of Equipment Distributors)
By Bonnie Good, Manager Marketing and Customer Service, Longview Advantage
October 2005

Maintenance scheduling has always been a challenge for equipment dealers or managers of large fleets. With Longview Advantage’s FleetReach™ Reports, the challenge disappears. In particular, the preventive maintenance module enables users to effectively manage equipment maintenance. From a web-based report, you can see ahead of time what machines will need servicing and where they are located. It creates efficiencies for service departments whether they are monitoring excavators, trucks, or generators.

Longview Advantage has two types of tracking devices; the basic model vShepherd™ Commercial, and the more robust models in their new Advantage Series. The devices incorporate GPS (global positioning system), wireless communications and Internet technologies to deliver machine information. All devices work with the FleetReach™ Reporting Modules.

Using FleetReach™, a service manager can obtain a weekly maintenance report at pre-programmed intervals via the Internet. The report shows the operating status of all equipment, providing information necessary to plan immediate service. The service manager can then focus on only the equipment that requires attention and schedule the required service. The ability to see actual equipment locations can also reduce travel time for service personnel.

With the Preventative Maintenance Module, service managers can manage fleet service intervals, and equipment dealers can offer proactive service contracts. “Dealers can increase profits, improve customer service, and save time and money by providing customers with a planned, professional approach to preventive maintenance,” says Bill Quinney, VP Equipment Sales. “Customers benefit because a scheduled maintenance service prevents costly breakdowns and downtime. We expect FleetReach™ to add substantial sales volumes to dealers across North America.”

FleetReach™ will make fleet management activities easier and improve the dealer’s bottom line.

• Equipment dealers can enhance their bottom line by providing customers with a planned, professional approach to preventative maintenance.
• By proactively managing fleet service intervals, service managers can avoid costly breakdowns and loss of income due to downtime, and extend the life and value of their equipment.
• Detailed maps showing the real-time location of all assets being monitored help reduce expenses by facilitating more efficient maintenance scheduling and asset or technician deployment.
• Billing hassles disappear. There is no need to chase down engine readings as FleetReach™ delivers the data with a click of the mouse.

“We’re very pleased with the efficiencies FleetReach™ has created in our rental department. The system helps us plan maintenance, taking the onus off our employees to track equipment hours. They can focus on other responsibilities,” says Jon Willan, Manager at Bobcat of Calgary. “It’s all on the computer and very easy to use.”

In 2006, Longview Advantage will introduce a FleetReach™ Utilization Module for inventory management.  For example a contractor or a dealer could instantly see where all of their assets or customer’s assets are, identify usage or inventory status, and then dispatch the proper machine for a job.

Exclusively endorsed by the North American Dealers Association (NAEDA), the Longview Advantage products have been supporting the equipment industry since 1999. Products like FleetReach are developed based on input from our valued dealer network.  For more information visit www.dicaninc.com