The Power of Data
30 August 2019
Increased market competition and competitive rental rates are significant challenges for rental companies. One of the ways rental companies are staying ahead of their competition is to adopt new technologies. Technology continues to transform the construction industry and the way everyone in an equipment’s value stream works, from the factory to the field. From estimating and service software solutions to machine semi-automation features, rental stores have more tools at their disposal to help their customers complete job faster and more efficiently than ever imagined.
One tool that many rental companies now use to manage their fleets is telematics, which can provide insights on everything from tracking machine location to proactively scheduling machine maintenance and optimizing equipment utilization. Giving rental fleet managers the ability to help track equipment and proactively respond to equipment issues in the field can make the difference for both securing the rental, as well as forging stronger relationships with customers.
More data, more possibilities
Since 2015, Genie has offered a standard telematics-ready connector on our equipment so our rental customers could efficiently leverage data reported from mixed fleets and multiple OEM telematics platforms. While customers have appreciated the flexibility of this solution, many asked us to expand the amount of data our solution reported so they could more efficiently maintain the equipment and better serve their own customers.
Responding to those requests, this year we’ve grown our telematics capabilities through the Genie® Lift Connect™ program. Now rental companies can dive deeper into machine reporting data to get a more complete picture of the fleet’s health, its operating status in the field and when maintenance is required. We’ve designed the enhanced Genie Lift Connect program to include:
- Machine fault codes
- Sensor data
- Fuel level
- Battery life
- Charger information
Today’s Genie Lift Connect telematics program offers “descriptive” data, allowing rental companies know what’s going on with the machine. When a key user at the rental house sees a critical fault code, for example, he/she can analyze the need and contact the customer to proactively discuss a resolution, helping to maximize machine uptime on the job.
Over time, Genie Lift Connect data will be able to be leveraged on a larger scale and used for “predictive” and “prescriptive” activities, such as predicting failures in the field based on how the equipment is actually being used and proactively prescribing maintenance and service.
The opportunities for rental companies to dive deeper into and leverage the data offered by telematics are virtually limitless. With the Genie Lift Connect telematics solution, we are here to help rental stores get the most from their telematics system — and their mobile elevating work platforms.