Demo Report | Adam Goodwin and Matthew Robins
Demolition Spotlight's Managing Editor, Rebecca Phillips, sits down with two of BTE’s newest Aftersales Managers to discuss their roles within the company.
Family run businesses are the backbone of this country, so it is always wonderful seeing them thrive in such an incredible way.
BTE Plant Sales is one such company.
The beating heart of their ethos is all about providing the best possible customer service, a point perfectly exemplified by the two men I was lucky enough to interview: Adam Goodwin, Group Service Manager, and Matthew Robins, Group Parts Manager, who are both new to the company and eager to share with us just exactly what BTE has to offer the plant world. They have joined the business to make a difference with BTE’s customer service and to build trust with their customers as the company strives for excellence in all areas.
Adam Goodwin | Group Service Manager
An HGV Technician on the tools for 20 years, Adam progressed through the ranks of FedEx UK all the way up to deputy manager level. It might have been a leap of faith that saw his career change to BTE, but his long years of experience in fleet maintenance, health and safety, and the management of HGV workshop made him the perfect man for the job!
So! Brand new to the business then?
Oh yes, I joined just before Christmas.
I’m getting a sense of big plans from you…
I want to grow with the business I suppose. BTE is family run, but it’s huge. They have plans to expand and I want to help them get there. I knew from the start that there had been some challenges with the Service department over the past year, but I have to admit that’s what I found so intriguing. I knew that with BTE, I’d be able to make a real difference; particularly in building customer trust and reinforcing the ideal of providing top quality service.
I do love a ‘Can Do’ attitude! So, focusing on your job role. Can you give us an overview of BTE’s Service Department and what sets it apart?
We are a highly skilled department filled with dedicated service support and both internal and external engineering teams. Together, we provide assistance, maintenance scheduling, exceling in problem-solving to support customers with their diverse range of construction machinery products.
Incredibly customer focused, then?
Absolutely.
And I suppose, as the manager, you know where everyone has their role to play?
Of course, everyone has their strengths in certain areas. We are building our team so that everyone is highly trained and skilled across all areas of servicing. We want everyone to be able to best support our customers and each other.
On that note, what types of servicing and repairs do you offer?
We offer a range of services from servicing your machines onsite, to any sort of repairs on all different brands. We have a very well equipped team of internal and external engineers that can cater to your needs and ensure your machine is up and running with minimum downtime.
Do you support specific brands?
We specialise in support with market-leading brands in Altas Copco, BOMAG, Epiroc, Kubota and Thwaites, offering superior products to the construction industry. However with the skillset and diagnostics we have, our lads can repair any other manufacturer brands too!
How does BTE ensure minimal downtime for customers when their equipment needs servicing?
We have our warehouses stocked and ready to support all of our service engineers, being strategically positioned across our maintenance areas to keep the downtime to a minimum. So there is always someone nearby to support the customer.
Honestly I just have this image of Batman in his Batcave, ready and raring to service an excavator.
I like that too, it sounds about right.
Do you offer on-site servicing and emergency callouts? How quickly can customers expect a response?
We have highly trained, certified engineers specialising in on-site servicing, planned by our experienced service schedulers at our head office in Markfield. They are ready to handle emergency call-outs and can often arrange a same-day visit.
Same day? That’s incredibly quick!
It’s always our aim to do it within 48 hours, but where we can provide same day, we will.
And what qualifications and experience do your service engineers have?
Our engineers have a strong plant-based engineering skill set with vast experience and many being NVQ level 3 qualified. We are very proactive when it comes to further training and enrolling our engineers on all the latest training fundamentals as an investment to the business. All have experience with many different types of plant machinery, not just your digger, dumper, roller! We can offer so much with expertise in PDI’s, planned maintenance inspections, mechanical engineering, hydraulics, general servicing, fabrication, electrical fault finding, diagnostic testing – the list goes on.
You know, I was wondering why you said ‘internal AND external’ service engineers earlier, but this explains it! That’s such a wide range of service to offer.
Again, it’s all about the customer at the end of the day.
With the regular servicing you provide then, how does that help extend the life of equipment and improve efficiency?
Regular planned servicing pro-actively identifies and addresses potential issues before they become a major problem leading to fewer breakdowns, reduced downtime, optimal performance, minimised wear and tear is managed through cleaning lubrication and replacement of worn parts components. This ultimately results in a longer lifespan for the equipment.
Technology must play quite the role in your service operations—do you offer diagnostics or tracking?
Technology within the office, enables faster response times and more efficient resolution of customer issues, reducing waiting times and increasing customer satisfaction. Our service engineers and customers benefit from our diagnostic tooling accessibility with diagnostic equipment, such as SerDia (specializing in engine diagnosis), Eclipse/Jalest (our go-to solution for trouble shooting and all-round diagnostics), and of course KOBD ACE, which supports with initial investigations, reading fault codes. It’s Kubota’s own on-board diagnostic software supplies support to engineers with checking diagnostic fault codes, monitoring data from machine controllers, read/write machine parameters.
Does that mean you provide tailored service contracts or maintenance plans for customers?
Yes! We are very hands-on in our approach to suppling our customers with their machine service requirement whether that be the first 50 hours service or 2000 hours service this supports to identify any engine issues early on that could later become costly and expensive to rectify.
Can you share an example of a time when your team went above and beyond to help the customer?
I think the thing is, our service teams take great pride in going above and beyond in every working moment as a minimum requirement. There is not one moment that stands out because it’s always so top notch. Our service support, internal workshop and external engineers are all well driven to achieve customer satisfaction and thrive from positive customer feedback. As a group we regularly receive appreciation from our customer base, sometimes by just supplying simple technical support, supporting with an emergency breakdown or just being satisfied by a routine machine service. I make sure to praise my team, so they know how well they’re doing, and of course pass on all customer satisfaction to upper management.
Why should customers trust BTE Plant Sales for their servicing needs over competitors?
At BTE Plant sales we demonstrate product expertise, transparency in pricing and repairs, committed to quality workmanship, reliability, provide honest workmanship, we have a great family run feeling business where everyone plays a key part. We understand that customers who trust us are more likely to remain loyal, building a great working relationship for many years and this is important to us.
Definitely caped crusader territory to me.
You said it, not me!
Matthew Robins | Parts Manager
Also new to the world of plant, Matthew has now worked for BTE for two months. Previously from the parts department of a different sector, Matthrew brings with him plenty of knowledge and enthusiasm to head up the parts team for BTE.
So, is plant always what you’ve wanted to do?
Honestly, I was attracted by the opportunity. It would make a nice change from what I was used to, and I was ready for that.
And how does BTE differ to other companies you’ve worked for?
It’s the family feel really. It’s nice to be part of a company with such a can-do attitude. That, and they’re so forward thinking. I like the pace we work at.
Do you have a particular goal in mind to career progression, then?
I want us to be a market leader in our area. For me, it’s all about helping progress BTE to the next level, not so much about own role, if that makes sense.
Can you give us an overview of BTE Plant Sales' parts department? What makes it stand out in the industry?
I think it’s the proactivity really. We have a team of 5, all actively on calls and emails. We have started to call customers in regard to possible future work, which not only helps with down time from their end, but it means that we are always ready with the product they need.
Keeping ahead of the game then?
100%
How does BTE ensure that customers get the right parts, not only quickly but also efficiently?
It’s absolutely about extensive product training and knowledge. All of the team know their stuff and therefore know how to anticipate need. If we have it on the shelf, you can have it next day! As long as orders are placed by 3.30pm we can offer fast, next day delivery. We also work with several couriers to ensure you get your parts as soon as possible, so we never have a single point of failure. If we don't have your part in stock, we order direct from our supplier and will be sure to quote a lead time at the point of enquiry, so everything is transparent and keep you updated with your order regularly. That and the general proactivity means we’re never far behind need. If anything, we’re in front of it.
What types of parts do you stock and how extensive is your inventory? Do you keep in specific brands?
In terms of brands, we have Kubota, Thwaites, BOMAG, Atlas Copco and Epiroc. We have an extensive parts warehouse and work hard to ensure our fastest moving parts are always on the shelves. If you need it, we have it. And if we don’t, we’ll get it.
Sounds like you really put the customer first!
That’s the BTE way.
What steps does your team take to provide excellent customer service and technical support?
The team takes great pride in customer service, great communication skills and delivering the correct part on time. We have technical help from our internal engineers who provide information to manufacture support. Helpful and knowledgeable staff is the key, I think. And we definitely have that.
Does that mean you offer any special deals or discounts for regular customers?
We always have a new promotion each quarter, which are based on demand and information from our suppliers about the best deals we can get in pricing to pass onto our customers. One thing we do is actively call customers with special offers that are suited specifically to their business, so we always try to ensure they get the most for their money.
Really tailoring it around their individual needs.
Absolutely. That’s really important.
That must be quite difficult to match price sometimes when there are companies out there manufacturing cheap knockoffs. Can you explain the importance of using genuine parts versus aftermarket alternatives?
I think it’s quite simple really and comes down mainly to two things: Assurance of quality and warranty. Genuine parts are specifically made by the manufacturer for their products, which are therefore designed and manufactured to the brand’s precise specifications and tolerances. They can absolutely guarantee a perfect fit and uncompromising quality for your product. Using genuine parts ensures that your product maintains its performance and reliability, all whilst under warranty. This assures both parties keep their end of the bargain, as it were. There are no short comings.
How does BTE support customers with urgent or hard-to-find parts?
The parts team have access to a mobile device, so the customer can send pictures of exactly what’s needed so there is full clarity. Likewise, we can then send images to clarify parts. We can also talk to our very experienced engineers who aid us in finding the right part for the job. Our parts team has exceptional knowledge and extensive experience, so the customer can rest assured we will find them what they’re looking for.
So, what advice would you give to plant operators and fleet managers to help them maintain their equipment effectively?
The main advice would absolutely to use genuine parts. It’s not worth the risk finding a ‘cheaper’ alternative: it will always cost you more in the end. Also, allowing our team the maximum amount of time to deliver parts also allows for discounts. If you stay on top of maintenance, then that chance is increased. The more communication we have, the bigger the advantage is. We are always looking at impress stock to reduce time down, and that directly benefits our customers.
Is that why customers should choose BTE for their parts needs over competitors?
Absolutely! We aim to keep around £600,000 of genuine parts in stock, dedicated account managers for larger customers, next day delivery along with direct delivery from the manufacturer and very knowledgeable staff, we should always be the first call.
That’s quite the list of reasons!
All of them important.
Can you share a success story where BTE’s parts department went above and beyond to help a customer?
There are certain standards for us that we always try to meet. For Instance, one of my account managers travelled to a customer to talk through face to face regarding orders and impress stock. I’m a big believer in relationship building. And that means actually meeting the people you talk to each day. This resolved an issue on the day, rather than leaving a back-and-forth email trail. I think the biggest change to recognise is the commitment we have to building stronger foundations to ensure that the parts department continues its growth in order to keep up with demand, as well as maintain a high standard we know we can offer.
Certainly sounds like quite the team you’ve got there!
I’m ridiculously proud of them, I must say.