Wondering how an independent company can compete with a manufacturer when it comes to the maintenance of your equipment? The answer is simple: WeMaintain can do it, and much more efficiently. So why is there a difference in the quality of service? Technical and field expertise, along with the right technological tools, are key factors…but that's not all! Let's take a closer look.

Banking on technical expertise

Do the lifts installed in your building portfolio come from various manufacturers? If yes, it then seems logical to call a single company that works with engineers trained in every brand. However, it is essential to verify the engineers' level of expertise.

WeMaintain's engineers have on average 10 years of experience in the field, with every brand on the market. We also have "super-engineers" on hand to assist them: these technical experts are the elite of lift maintenance.

What is the specific role of technical experts at WeMaintain?

They can be former engineering team leaders or experts in advanced technology, or they can have experience with demanding structures (such as football stadium lifts, for example).

Thanks to their extensive expertise, they can see through two core missions:

• They guide the teams and provide technical support in the event of a complex breakdown that needs to be solved on-site.
• They run training courses on more advanced technology for maintenance teams.

These combined areas of expertise mean that WeMaintain can work efficiently and avoid technical difficulties.

"My favourite thing about working at WeMaintain is the collaboration with developers, software engineers and data scientists. It's very rewarding to work with experts from different backgrounds, who bring in new ideas." Tek Hussein, Technical Director UK

The keys to success: time, tools and customer relations

Longer site visits

A thorough initial maintenance visit lasts an average of 40 minutes and results in 60% fewer breakdowns. To ensure this, each following visit must be prolonged. However, the more devices an engineer manages, the less time they can spend on each site. 

Engineers at WeMaintain manage a maximum of 80 lifts, which is half as many as traditional maintenance companies and manufacturers. They have time to think through and solve problems, which benefits both the end user and their own professional development.

"I found working in other companies quite frustrating because I couldn’t do my job properly. You can't provide proper maintenance when you’re working with too many machines, whereas I like to be thorough.” Paulo Sergio, lift engineer at WeMaintain since 2017

Tools that optimise monitoring

Every maintenance service performed on a lift is recorded in a report created on our dedicated app. It contains all the details of the service and describes what was done during the visit, along with photos. Automatically emailed to the client and made available on their account, this report allows every visit to be tracked accurately.

Improved customer relations

Having one engineer assigned to each client increases efficiency. The relationship forms naturally, which facilitates communication. Clients are reassured by the fluid information sharing and increased time spent on site.

"The relationship with clients is much more straightforward. Because we can take the time to provide quality maintenance, it's a pleasant experience and the client is more relaxed." Paulo Sergio, lift engineer at WeMaintain since 2017

Optimising access to spare parts and logistics management

A law against manufacturers' monopoly

In 2013, Brussels condemned four long-standing lift producers (Otis, Schindler, Thyssenkrupp and Kone) and imposed heavy fines on them. The EU Court of Justice (ECJ) then enforced the antitrust law. 

What does this mean in practice? Thanks to this law, independent maintenance companies are on equal footing with major manufacturers with equal access to repair and maintenance parts.

Stock management: independents are more agile

Both manufacturers and independents are subject to supply chains. However, they each face different constraints.

For manufacturers, order processing, inventory tracking and spare parts supply are lengthy processes. They are hampered by complex supply chains and a lack of flexibility. The blockages are linked in particular to shortcomings in anticipating the spare parts needs of the managed fleet, along with less accurate monitoring.

On the contrary, independents are highly agile, since their stocks are smaller and based on the lifts they actually have in their fleets. WeMaintain covers the majority of each fleet's current spare parts requirements, with regular updates. As new lifts enter the fleet, requirements change and the stock is adjusted accordingly.

How can we identify and predict needs?

At WeMaintain, our maintenance experience enables us to anticipate some breakdowns. We can then order the necessary parts in advance, rather than waiting for emergencies to come up. 

For example, before establishing a maintenance contract, we conduct a thorough audit. One of our engineers carries out a preliminary inspection of the lifts, which allows us to adjust the stocks. When the contract starts, we already have the critical parts in stock, so our order processing is optimised well ahead of the first breakdown. This is known as an anticipation inventory.

Supply chain: unbeatable turnaround times

The supply chain of independent maintenance companies has unbeatable turnarounds, as they work mainly with two sources of supply:

• the manufacturer;
• companies specialised in the sale of manufacturer's parts.

Priority is systematically given to the fastest source, unlike brands that always go through their own warehouses. Independent specialist dealers have a head start on ordering spare parts.

A focus on supply chain efficiency 

At WeMaintain, all of our clients get access to our streamlined supply chain process. No need to go through an intermediary (warehouse or agency): the engineer on-site will order the missing parts themselves. Via our internal system, they can access a catalogue of spare parts and have them delivered straight to the final address.

At WeMaintain, each step is optimised thanks to dedicated engineers equipped with the right audit and control tools. From diagnosis to follow-up, including the inventory of spare parts, every procedure is carried out with agility and efficiency. Want to know more about our solutions? Our experts are here to help!

If you're interested in learning more about our building maintenance solutions, contact us!