No, this isn’t a story about how you can find your soul mate on the Internet –– or even how to use the Internet to find technicians. It is about a new technology that allows the marriage of a static CD containing great amounts of valuable data to the dynamic resources of the Internet.
Using new technology from Vertical Development Inc., Champion Laboratories, a filter vendor in the truck market, has enhanced its CD-based catalog with updates available for download online. Now its customers can receive updated information without having to wait for the next updated CD.
One of the problems that most fleets encounter is the availability of current data when servicing their vehicles or servicing non-fleet equipment, especially if the fleet has taken on an additional revenue stream of contract maintenance.
Most vendors can supply their parts catalogs in a CD format, which certainly is more useful than the traditional paper-based catalogs. Searching for the correct part is a quick and easy function when a CD is the source of the data. Unfortunately, the database changes, but the data on the CD do not.
Along comes Internet availability of data, and the fleet now has access to current data 24/7. Problem solved –– well, not quite yet.
According to Champion’s Technical Resources Manager, Roger Turpin, “Customers who don’t have a dedicated Internet connection find it easier and faster to search for filter part-numbers and cross-references in our CD catalog because they can use it offline.” There is still the problem that offline access to data restricts the user to the data on the CD, which may or may not be current. And, what if the technician on the floor or in the parts department doesn’t have Internet access?
VDI has developed a way to download data via the Internet and make it available to the offline user of the CD. The data is loaded on the hard drive or server and is made available seamlessly to the offline user.
How important is it for your technicians, parts department and other service personnel to have the most up-to-date information? I don’t have a dollar figure to go along with that question, but I would guess you could fill in the blanks for lost time and productivity in your shop.
The marriage of the static CD and the dynamic Internet is one that can make money for you.
