When you manage a Sunbelt Rentals store supplying machines and technology to large heavy construction projects, you know your reputation depends on customer satisfaction. Downtime isn’t acceptable.
Bryan Mazingo, branch manager for Sunbelt Rentals in Port Arthur, Texas, is confident in their equipment technicians to maintain the machines, but when it comes to construction technology, he depends more on his providers to be reliable and flexible. “We really rely on them for support and maintenance,” said Mazingo. “If there are failures, breakdowns, or repairs, we need to know that they’re going to be there within a reasonable time. They need to be willing to get our customers back up and running in a timely manner.”
Mazingo is very cognizant of his customer’s needs. “Our suppliers need to support our customers with any questions they have,” said Mazingo. “If the construction technology goes down, it can stop the job, and other jobs behind it.”
Several years ago, the company was experiencing challenges with its technology provider. Frustration set in when it was taking two, four and even six weeks to have someone come out when there was a problem with machine control. Mazingo asked about training for his staff so they might be able to resolve some problems on their own, and the provider wasn’t open to the idea. In the meantime, repair costs were mounting. Each time a repair technician came out, there was an expensive repair charge.
“They wanted us to depend on them 100% and it just didn’t work out well,” said Mazingo. “With all these issues, it was time to find another solution.”
A New Level of Support for Construction Technology
Insisting on accountability, Mazingo has installed Leica Geosystems machine control technology on 10 new excavators, 10 dozers and a grader over the past year. Four Point Solutions, the Leica Geosystems dealer in Texas, completed the installations.
“We chose Leica because they were able to meet the time frame and cost point we had for the excavator systems,” said Mazingo. “After using their excavator systems for a while and seeing the great support from both Leica and Four Point Solutions, I decided to start converting everything over.”
According to Mazingo, customers noticed immediate improvements in both the support and technology. “The technology was great,” he said. “We had less downtime, fewer failures and anytime there was an issue, the technicians were out here that day, or early the very next day, to look at it.”
One of the advantages of the Leica technology is that it works well with any brand of equipment. Many jobsites will have multiple brands of construction technology as well as different brands of construction equipment. “I’ve gotten very good feedback from customers,” said Mazingo. “They like it better and say it’s easier to work with.”
Leica ConX, a cloud-based collaboration tool, has allowed customers of Sunbelt Rentals to resolve issues faster. “We can log in remotely and see what the problem is,” said Aaron Laine, owner of Four Point Solutions. “We can also send messages through the system to help guide and train their people.”
“They’re able to walk my technicians through issues to find solutions,” said Mazingo. “And now you’ve reduced your downtime from two days, down to a couple of hours.”
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Unlike other dealers, Four Point Solutions is also teaching Sunbelt Rentals technicians how to handle simple tasks such as fixing cables. “If they’re 15 minutes from the jobsite, and we’re three hours from the jobsite, it makes sense for their technicians to make the repair,” said Laine. Instead of a $1,000 repair to fix a cable, its $190.00 for the part.
“It’s about working with them to keep the end-users happy,” said Laine.
People Make the Difference
On the jobsite, the Four Point Solutions has also shown contractors how to improve their setup to eliminate unnecessary base stations and other equipment. “By streamlining equipment, one customer was able to reduce their construction technology costs, and they also improved their workflow because they no longer needed three different sets of files,” added Laine.
Providing end-users with training is another way Four Point Solutions supports Sunbelt Rentals. “One of our customers asked for someone to come out and give them a rundown on the Leica system, and Four Point Solutions was able to do that,” said Mazingo. “To have a provider that’s willing to take the time out of their schedule to do that, it’s something we look for.”
“One thing that I really like about that relationship is that Leica and Four Point Solutions are super easy to work with,” he said. “We just didn’t get that with the other providers we’ve had.”
With quality products for heavy construction, Leica Geosystems and dealers like Four Point Solutions are making a big difference in helping contractors improve productivity through innovative and well-supported technology on the jobsite. By choosing the right partner, Sunbelt Rentals ensures their customers get the support they need to maximize the value of their construction equipment.
