The new Service Activity Report Management (SARM) system developed by EnerSys® allows the company to maintain a full service profile and audit trail for its complete range of Hawker® batteries and chargers for motive power applications. Information logged on to the system during installation and service visits can be analysed to prepare detailed reports and identify maintenance trends. Data can also be shared with lift truck OEMs and fleet operators to verify compliance with service levels and integrated into key performance indicator (KPI) reports.
SARM has been developed to provide EnerSys with greater insight into the maintenance of its Hawker batteries and chargers used extensively throughout the UK for materials handling and other motive power applications. It is designed to ensure service-related information is collected and recorded consistently and accurately. The company also wanted to make more information available to lift truck OEMs and major customers who increasingly need to verify compliance with agreed procedures and maintenance contracts.
Information about an individual battery or charger can be entered on to the system for the first time during commissioning or at any subsequent service visit. Engineers register a product by entering unique details found on its identification plate such as serial number, date of manufacture, capacity and other performance parameters. Further information is then added during every maintenance visit to record actions taken by the service engineer and build a complete profile of the product’s history. This can include details of routine tasks such as topping up and interval checks as well as replacement of components and other actions.
Field service engineers can access the system and enter information in real-time directly from their laptops using any available internet connection. If connection is not possible at the time, data can be recorded on the laptop and uploaded at the next convenient opportunity. The in-house IT team at EnerSys developed the system to interface with the SAP system introduced across the business during 2012. This means that information entered on to SARM can be accessed seamlessly by other business applications without further intervention and no need for further rekeying to maintain data integrity without risk of introducing errors.
SARM allows service calls placed by customers to be linked to specific assets to help verify when issues have been resolved. Calls are logged on to SARM and a new job raised which is allocated to the appropriate field service engineer. Once the engineer has completed the visit and updated the information on the system the details are immediately available to SAP and other connected business applications. Customers can be informed automatically by email when their equipment has been serviced.
Over time the information builds a detailed service profile of each battery or charger registered on the system. Information can be analysed online and in real time to produce reports for an individual products, model or range and by specific site or customer. This allows EnerSys to identify whether any service event falls within normal expectations, is part of an emerging trend or is exceptional. With this insight the company can take appropriate actions to eliminate or reduce the impact on customers. It can also compare service histories across all installed products with specific customers to help identify and remedy local issues. This ability to assess patterns across multiple installations and types of product provides EnerSys with a powerful tool to understand equipment and service trends in ways that were not possible with earlier service management techniques.
Reports generated by SARM can be sent to OEMs and customers to provide them with additional information to complement and enhance their own service level and KPI processes. Many OEMs now supply their products to customers with battery and related infrastructure as an integrated part of the overall package. When battery infrastructure is serviced by EnerSys, SARM ensures the OEMs have the same levels of data they produce with their own systems. This adds value for both parties and allows OEMs to provide a complete set of KPI reports for their customers.
SARM is being rolled-out by EnerSys in the UK following a successful introduction in other parts of Europe. The company plans to introduce features including online access for OEMs and major account customers so they can integrate data into their own business reports at any time. Additional EnerSys products such as the company’s range of battery handling equipment will be added to the system in due course.
EnerSys Motive Power
Karen Smith
Tel: 0161 727 3800
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