Numerous contractors have experienced the ups and downs of the construction market since the COVID-19 pandemic a few years ago. From shortages of parts or equipment due to supply chain issues to increases in building costs or inflation rates, contractors understand more than ever the importance of managing maintenance and preventing downtime. What's one winning strategy? Partner with a remote technology service center to quickly identify the service or parts a machine needs to keep up and running.
Let’s examine one operator's call to RDO Equipment Co.’s Solutions Center when the operator’s connected dozer equipped with John Deere’s SmartGrade™ went offline.
On a job site nearing the end of the workday, one operator noticed the grade displayed in his machine's SmartGrade monitor wasn’t accurate based on the grade plan he received from the superintendent. He wondered if he should continue and run the risk of over digging or, on the flip side, take time to troubleshoot and risk delaying the project. He wanted to make this decision quickly without relying on the superintendent, who was unavailable while attending a job planning meeting. Despite limited experience on the job, the operator felt confident he could figure it out and keep the job site on schedule.
He decided a quick call to his trusted equipment partner, an RDO Equipment Co. account manager, might help, as he couldn't quite decide what to do. The account manager mentioned that the machine's JDLink™, John Deere’s telematics system, shares data with a support team specializing in remote diagnostics and machine health.
The operator agreed to connect with the remote technology support specialist. During the next ten minutes, the support specialist guided the operator to log into the JDLink™ dashboard, which provides real-time data and alerts about his machine. Together, the operator and specialist checked the machine's network connectivity. They discovered the dozer's connection became disrupted about 20 minutes before the operator noticed discrepancies between the cab's display and the grade information he had received earlier that day.
While the remote support specialist dispatched a field technician to this job site, he advised the operator to inspect the machine for any visible issues with its sensors or connections that might be causing the system to go offline, giving the technician a starting point upon arrival.
When the technician arrived, he discussed the issue with the operator. The technician advised that they remove the dozer's SmartGrade unit, replace it with a backup unit and send the original in for calibration to RDO's Technology Service Center. Because of this team's Fleet Sheet Service agreement, where their job site receives responsive remote support over the phone and in person, if necessary, the operator prevented downtime and possible project delays.
Because of this operator's attention to detail and willingness to ask questions to his equipment partner, he was able to prevent unnecessary downtime and expensive rework. (Labor and fuel costs increase when any job site needs to run its equipment again to correct inaccurate grades.) When all contractors are paying attention to their bottom line, partnering with remote technology support to dispatch field service or parts quickly can be the solution to keep a project on its budget and schedule.
RDO Equipment Co.
Founded in 1968, RDO Equipment Co. sells and supports intelligently connected agriculture, construction, environmental, irrigation, positioning, and surveying equipment from leading manufacturers, including John Deere, Vermeer, and Topcon. With more than 80 locations across the U.S. and partnerships in Africa, Australia, Mexico and Ukraine, we deliver creative solutions so our customers can grow and build the world.
