With Freight Booming, How Can Manufacturers Stay Ahead?

With “the most robust freight market in a generation,” the trucking industry is booming and, as a result, fleet managers are struggling to stay ahead.

Demand on heavy truck manufacturers is higher than ever – orders for freight haulers increased a staggering 141 percent in June compared to the year prior. Manufacturers must ensure they have the infrastructure in place to meet the demands of both today and the future.

Maximized Product Uptime 
As the demand for freight increases, there will be more onus on manufacturers to ensure trucks are always running smoothly and efficiently. Truck manufacturers are shifting from transactional, break-fix service to subscription-based models focused on maximizing product uptime. This model leverages IoT data to identify parts to preemptively repair or replace before they ever fail.

Many leading brands like International, Mack and Daimler Trucks North America have launched uptime-driven products and services, which ultimately will help enhance the customer experience and improve financial performance. But, what do manufacturers need to achieve maximized product uptime? The foundation of any uptime program is part availability, and an optimized dealer inventory management program is the best way to achieve this.

Optimized Dealer Network 
A service model focused on maximizing product uptime will only realize its full potential when paired with a sophisticated dealer inventory management solution. While IoT data can provide visibility into when and where problems may occur, a service parts inventory planning solution will ensure parts are delivered to the right place at the right time – ensuring a repair can be made before a breakdown occurs.

A sophisticated dealer inventory management solution will stock slow moving parts as needed, automatically scan and locate the correct parts, manage stock refills more effectively and seamlessly manage part returns – empowering dealers to support their company’s uptime model. A flexible, scalable solution will not only provide control at the manufacturer level, but also drive profits for dealers.

The trucking industry will continue to evolve and become ‘smarter.’ With such high demand today, heavy truck manufacturers need to invest in change and take the necessary steps – adopting the appropriate technologies and processes – to ensure fleet manager’s needs and expectations are met now and for years to come.