A-Plant benefits from the internet revolution with extranet

A-Plant's online extranet system has been of huge benefit to both the company and its customers since its launch in 2000. Colin Sowman explains.

Do you know what equipment each of your sites has on hire, the rate for each item, if there is any damage and exactly where each machine is? Well, now a number of plant manufacturers' extranet systems allow customers to do all that and more at the click of a mouse.

The system is operated through the internet and was first introduced by A-Plant in late 2000 - but it has been evolving ever since. Andy Wortley, IT director at A-Plant, says the company initially thought its big national customers would benefit most from the system, but, he adds, many smaller contractors are also using it.

Logging onto the extranet via A-Plant's normal website, customers can get live reports detailing the equipment they have on hire, which depot supplied it, who hired each piece and the individual hire rate. Furthermore, customers can view up-to-the-minute statements and invoices as the information is in real-time and contains the latest transaction reports from all A-Plant's 200 depots.

It also allows customers to query invoices on-line - a process that automatically updates A-Plant credit services systems. Ongoing queries can also be viewed to check their status within A-Plant.

Using the system, contractors can check if the equipment they have on hire is standing idle and automatic reminders can be set up to ensure equipment is off-hired as soon as possible.

While this can lead to lower rental income for A-Plant, it hopes that by saving customers money it will win their trust and loyalty. That said, the system also benefits A-Plant when it needs to locate a machine for another customer and sees one is standing idle.

About 40% of A-Plant's customers (by revenue) use the extranet system, but Wortley says it is available and useful to all customers regardless of size or spend. Many like the on-line ordering system, where a drop-down equipment list allows customers to stipulate the equipment they need and arrange a delivery time.

If a customer places an on-line order for, say, an air compressor, the system reminds them about ancillary equipment such as breakers and hoses. Once an order is placed, the system sends an e-mail alert confirming the details. And when the machine is delivered to site, a message is sent from the delivery driver's hand-held computer confirming what was delivered, when and who accepted it.

Wortley adds: "Accuracy is a key advantage of the on-line ordering system - the customer inputs exactly what they want and is sent an e-mail confirmation."

Time-saving tool

One convert is Wetherby-based Holroyd Construction, which runs between 15 and 20 sites at any one time and has found the on-line ordering facility to be a time-saving tool.

It allows each site manager to specify and order the equipment they need via the extranet using the drop-down lists, while the company keeps track of what is on hire using the reporting capabilities. Indeed, it says the system was key to its decision to appoint A-Plant as its preferred supplier.

The A-Plant extranet also allows customers to interact with the A-Trak satellite-based telematics and tracking system based on a GPRS radio system that allows two-way communications.

The satellite tracking system has lead to 98% of stolen A-Plant machines being recovered (along with many items stolen from other companies) and several arrests. Good news for contractors, who can also use the system to request a machine's position, ringfence it for additional theft protection and remotely immobilise and/or release it. Other possibilities include monitoring running hours, fuel level and battery level.

Wortley says users are utilising the health and safety advantages of the A-Trak system. "We spotted one of our compressors being towed at 100mph," he says. "The customer was very grateful to have this information and we are working with other customers to implement triggers that alert to dangerous events of this nature."

The most recent advances in the extranet have seen the addition of sections to pre-authorise hires and to manage the damage and loss of hire equipment.

The pre-authorisation complements the on-line ordering system, allowing managers to pre-authorise the hire of equipment needed every week on their sites across the country. This gives customers complete control of the stock of equipment they have on hire and should help reduce queries involving the length of hire and the type of equipment involved. "As each query involves costs for both A-Plant and the customer, minimising them is a win-win situation," Wortley says.

Equipment damage and plant theft is a major headache for all hire companies so A-Plant is looking to its new systems to combat the problem. Any item damaged on site is recorded by the depot and posted on the extranet, allowing customers to see the report on-line and view any photographs. Historical usage data can also be recalled if needed to settle disputes. Wortley says: "This provides a basis for discussions to agree on a charge for repair and greatly speeds up reaching a resolution."

With these developments like this at A-Plant and others, the plant hire business is truly beginning to realise many of the benefits of the internet revolution.