最大化设备价值
Coherent Field Service Engineers help customers worldwide install, use, and maintain laser equipment to maximize productivity and avoid costly downtime.
January 09, 2023 by Coherent
“For many of the manufacturers I service in the United Kingdom and Europe, equipment downtime can cost more than what they originally paid for their system,” notes Coherent Field Service Engineer Gary Smith. “Once I had a parts supplier in the automotive industry tell me it would cost his company £1 million a day if I couldn’t get their welding system running within three days. And this was on Christmas Eve! We got him running in two.”
“当然，情况并不总是如此紧迫或戏剧化。但对每位客户而言，时间就是金钱，无论是小型加工厂还是大型制造商。因此，我们始终致力于提高‘首次修复率’。也就是说，指我们在上门当天就能解决问题的维修服务占比，”史密斯补充道。
麻烦来了
This effort to get equipment back online quickly starts as soon as a customer first contacts Coherent by phone or e-mail. The Technical Support team gathers as much detailed information as possible. Often, they use remote diagnostics to get an accurate picture of what the problem might be. They attempt to resolve the problem immediately, but if that’s not possible, then the case is allocated to a Coherent Field Service Engineer.
“从某种意义上说，新冠疫情反而促进了我们的服务业务，”史密斯说，“因为在封锁期间，企业不太愿意让我们上门服务。这促使他们更愿意允许我们远程访问他们的设备。因此，我们现在无需实际出差就能更好地解决问题。 “不过，即便无法远程解决，电子诊断信息也能让现场服务人员对情况有所预判。这有助于我们做好更充分的准备，确保在实地上门时携带正确的备件或设备。所有这些都提升了我们首次上门就完成维修的能力。”
“但对我来说，人为因素仍然是一个重要因素。通常，维修问题是由客户的经理或主管向我们报告的，而不是实际的设备操作员。因此，一些细节和微妙之处往往被忽略。当我到达现场时，我喜欢在开始工作之前直接与实际操作员交谈。他们经常会提供一些案例记录中没有的、非常有用的信息片段。 有时这会让我意识到问题比预期的要简单。也许故障只是些小问题，比如控制面板上一个按键坏了——这样修复甚至不需要更换整个电路板或电源。此外，这种互动有助于建立良好的客户关系体验，让他们感到自己更受重视。当然，这样被请喝杯咖啡的机会也会更大。”
“The other tool we have for minimizing downtime is our stock of spare parts. Every service engineer has what we call a ‘car spares kit’ that we travel with. This has the components that fail most commonly – like focusing optics or flashlamps for a welding system. You can’t imagine how often I get to a location and find out the problem is just a clogged air filter in the machine’s exhaust system. So, I keep plenty of those handy. Our next resource is a sizable stock of spare parts held in each major geographic region we service. This enables us to get most of what we need within a day, and not have to worry about things like shipping delays or holdups in Customs.”
史密斯表示：“所有这些因素结合起来，确实最大限度地提高了我们的首次修复率。可以说，对于绝大多数维修任务，我们都能在首次上门服务时，在两到五小时内完成维修。这让客户非常满意。”
服务铸就卓越
Not every service call is for equipment repair. Far from it. Smith says that his typical routine also includes installations, scheduled preventative maintenance, and operator training on a wide range of products. His customer base is varied, although most of it involves industrial lasers and laser systems – welders, markers, and tube cutting machines – for manufacturers in diverse industries, including automotive, medical products, appliances, jewelry, and electronics.
“The web sites and datasheets of most industrial laser equipment suppliers focus on product features and capabilities, rather than after-sales service. But I’d like to think that the effort we make to consistently deliver superior service is a big differentiator for Coherent. I already said that it cuts down on unscheduled downtime, which can have a huge cost impact. But, installation, training, and the other services we provide all help users to maximize their productivity and consistently operate their systems at peak performance levels. This means they get the best quality results and highest throughput from their laser system right from the start, and that they stay at this level through the years.”
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