Passionate about service!

Date: 23 February 2010

Mills has the right attitude about providing service support.

It’s perhaps not that surprising that every machine tool user, when asked, puts after-sales high on their agenda when considering a new machine investment. Indeed, when precision manufacturers are narrowing down their choice of potential suppliers – the level and type of after-sales service and support on offer is a critical factor in the machine tool decision making process.

But delivering great customer service (and establishing an Industry-wide reputation for providing it), isn’t something that can be achieved overnight. Instead it requires a whole company approach, with issues like customer care and customer focus permeating across and throughout all aspects of service provision.

To do this requires a definite mind-set, and clear and unequivocal leadership from the top. It also (and just as importantly) needs all staff to be committed to ‘go the extra mile’ and, in doing so, exceed customer expectations.

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland has built a team (from Director Level to field based engineers) that is driven by a desire to provide the best support in the business. Such ambitions are not fanciful or mere rhetoric as is evidenced by the significant investment Mills has made over the last 12 months in further expanding and strengthening its already impressive range of after-sales services, and increasing the number of engineers involved in delivering them.

Mills’ Operations Manager, Nigel McLean explains more about Mills’ after-sales service provision, and why the Company has invested (and continues to invest) significant resources into this side of its business.

Says Nigel Mclean:

‘Our commitment to and ability to deliver world-class after-sales service is what differentiates Mills CNC from the competition, and goes a long way to explaining our success.

‘The range of after-sales services we provide to customers is extensive and includes -: machine tool servicing and maintenance, spare and replacement parts, ancillary equipment, training (operator programmer and maintenance), applications and technical support, and logistics.

‘These services are constantly reviewed (using customer research and feedback) and improved to ensure that what we provide and deliver matches the exceptional quality and value of the Doosan machine tools we sell. That’s why over 60% of the people we employ at Mills are involved in developing and delivering our service offering.’

Mills has an installed base of Doosan machine tool customers of over 5,000. To provide fast and effective machine tool maintenance and service, and to minimise potential disruption to customer’s manufacturing operations caused by machine downtime, Mills employs 19 x highly-skilled regionally-based Service Engineers and has developed state-of-the-art service support processes and systems to optimise delivery.

Continues Nigel McLean:

'Directly-employing our Service Engineers (rather than relying on sub-contract arrangements) means that customers receive a more reliable, better quality service. And, because of our Service Engineer's competitive hourly rates, capped travel expenses and fast fix times that good product knowledge brings – these services don't cost the earth either.'

Although regionally-based, Mills' Service Engineers are anything but remote and interface with staff located at Mills' Operations Centre (Leamington) on a constant, daily basis.

It's the Mills' Operations Centre that acts as a hub for anything and everything to do with customer service.

It's here where Mills' Technical Help Desk is located providing telephone assistance to customers – and staffed by real engineers able to answer real technical questions. It's here where Mills Service Engineers' work is managed and prioritised to respond to customers' needs, and it's here where other '360' services such operator or maintenance training, or spare or replacement parts, are ordered and processed. And, speaking of spares Mills holds over £1 million of parts on the shelf at its Leamington facility... all available for same-day/next-day delivery.

Continues Nigel McLean:

'The Operations Centre is our 'Mission Control'. Everything we do regarding customer service - starts and ends at the Operations Centre'.

The Mission Control analogy is a good one. A huge 'electronic white board' dominates the Operations Centre. This board provides staff with a 'real-time', visual representation of workload and priorities, and prevents customers from becoming 'lost' in the system. Another screen monitors the response time to customers telephone enquiries.

Says Nigel Mclean:

'No customer wants to be left hanging on the line or be given vague assurances about when their particular issue or problem will be looked at or be resolved. That's why at Mills we employ skilled staff (in sufficient numbers) to address customer issues quickly and why our systems and processes allow us to be proactive and to give customers definite and precise answers (i.e. when a Service Engineer will visit; when a part will be delivered; when a machine will be installed etc.), to their questions.'

OK it's fair and accurate to say that Mills does operate a 'hierarchical' approach to dealing with its customers. So, for example, priority is given to customers with machines under warranty and/or who have taken out a '360' Service Contract on their machine(s). However, for customers with machines out of warranty or who have no Service Contract in place – the service provided is still first-class.

This commitment to providing best-in-class after-sales services saw Mills last year (September 2009) launch the '360' Training Academy.

Providing CNC Programmer Training Courses (Fanuc and Heidenhain) for Mills and non-Mills customers, and being responsible for delivering Operator Training and Maintenance Training to Doosan customers – the Academy has, in under 6 months, built a reputation in the market for high-quality, professionally-delivered, results-led and best-value training.

Other new service initiatives from Mills, including the Company's 'on-line' spares and replacement parts ordering service, and its soon-to-be-launched '360' ALL INCLUSIVE machine tool service contract (covering and including scheduled machine service and maintenance; breakdown and accidental operator damage, fixed call-out charges and discount on spares and replacement parts) – are proof positive that when it comes to innovation in service...Mills cannot be beaten.

Concludes Nigel McLean:

'There are a number of reasons why our service business continues to grow year on year. Obviously the huge demand for Doosan machine tools is a key driver, but we also know (from talking to our customers), that the care and attention they receive from Mills combined with our 'can do' approach creates loyalty to both the Doosan and the Mills brands, is highly-valued and differentiates us from our competitors.