Refocus on the New Horizon

REFOCUS

ON THE NEW

HORIZON BY DAN HUBBARD, CEM

Now is the time to focus on strengthening and empowering our employees.

n 2020 across the globe, record disasters impacted our friends and families. The Coronavirus pandemic, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, flooding, earthquakes, tropical cyclones, tornados and hurricanes compounded tragedies and changed our lives forever. 2020 brought life into focus for everyone. Priorities were restructured, and what was paramount seemed less important. What came into focus was the balance of life and work, career and family, fulfillment and heartache; we each learned what was important and what wasn’t. From our learning, our adaptations, we’ve come to terms with a new way of living. A more distant approach to our daily lives. Our adaptations have been drastic, we’ve implemented new ways of completing tasks; we’ve focused on eliminating risks to our teams while still balancing production. Many experienced an increased shortage of skilled workers; compounding a significant issue for our industry. With shortfalls in staffing, we asked our teams to accomplish tasks potentially creating more work, with less. We provided enhanced support and still balanced home and work for ourselves and our employees. The nimbleness of our industry delivered strong results through challenges. Our industry

As we

entered 2021, following a bit of political turmoil, the horizon was changing. What was bleak grew brighter. DAN HUBBARD, CEM

supported great works across our world and showed the power of human initiative.

As we entered 2021, following a bit of political turmoil, the horizon was changing. What was bleak grew brighter. Vaccines sped through development, testing and approval; distribution began and our teams buckled down, preparing for another season. Capital budgets cautiously rebounded, maintenance shops shifted into high gear and we began another cycle in the Equipment Management Industry. Due to our nimbleness, we trudge forward finding solutions; however, we must not forget our past. We’ve asked our teams to do more, but what can we do for them? What is their reward? It’s not necessarily a monetary answer. Let’s recognize and elevate innovation. Let’s enrich and empower our team with training and support. Let’s allow them to make mistakes while being supported. Let’s outline a career path for them in the Equipment Industry. Let’s STOP and talk to each member of our team like they are a member of our family, because in 2020 we learned that our dedicated workforce was just like family; they were there for us.

We must look forward to the new horizon. strengthening and empowering our people. Our success depends on the talent and dedication of our teams. We must fill our bench with diverse talent and ready them for their next steps. Our industry must align towards developing inclusive environments for our workforce. We must seek out the gifts and talents of a diverse workforce. As managers, we must focus our attention to individuals and develop them to their full potential. We must find the spark within, and kindle it into a fire.

A FLEET MANAGER’S GUIDE TO LOWERING EXCAVATOR OWNERSHIP EXCAVATOR OWNERSHIP AND OPERATING COSTS

Evaluate key features, learn best practices and better utilize machine-specific data

YOUR GOAL:

Control the operating costs of the excavators in your

current fleet. We know there are daily challenges that get in the way. Unexpected downtime, excessive fuel use and unintentional operator misuse — to name a few — all contribute to higher operating costs. Your choice of machine, and the service and technology provided by the OEM, can make a big difference in your operating costs — and ultimately, your total cost of ownership (TCO). Here are some things to consider:

START BY EVALUATING MACHINE FEATURES AND THEIR IMPACT ON TCO

When it comes to purchasing excavators, evaluate the features that provide you with the best value over the life of the machine. A few examples:

• Fuel-saving features such as integrated work modes and auto idling.

For most owners, fuel consumption is the first cost of operating an excavator. Built with nine different settings within four work modes,

Volvo excavators allow operators to dial in the exact amount of power and control for the task at hand, while burning as little fuel as possible. The auto idle feature automatically switches the engine to the high idle setting after five seconds of inactivity, lowering the engine’s RPM and saving fuel. • Productivity features like Dig Assist. In-cab machine control systems show operators — in real time — how to level sites, dig trenches and grade slopes, or even create complex, multidimensional site profiles. They make operators much more accurate — ensuring they get the job done right the first time, every time. • Guarantees for less worry. Choose a machine with that comes standard with a lifetime warranty on the boom, arm and frame, as well as a fuel efficiency guarantee — as Volvo crawler excavators do.

USE MACHINE MONITORING TO CORRECT PROFIT-DRAINING OPERATOR BEHAVIOR

Evaluating machine features is only the start. To truly get the lowest TCO, you need to monitor how the machines are being used. Volvo ActiveCare Direct makes this incredibly easy. Monthly reports include information that empower you to train your operators in ways that can lower your TCO significantly. Examples include:

• Limit excessive travel to reduce half your

maintenance costs. Excessive excavator travel time is the number one cause of undercarriage wear. It puts a lot of stress on the tracks, sprockets and idlers, and these repairs can represent more than half of your machine maintenance costs. ActiveCare

Direct monthly reports show excavator travel time by machine and across the whole fleet — making it easy to spot opportunities for operator training or site reconfiguration.

• Reduce idle times to boost resale value by $20,000 and reduce service costs by

$9,000. It’s important to first evaluate similar machines to determine if there’s a large variance in idle percentages. For example, if you had data to help an operator get the same amount of work done while reducing his idle time from 50% to 33%, the difference in lifetime hours could add $20,000 in resale value at the end of five years — not to mention the lower-hour machine would require five less service intervals over that time, estimated at a $9,000 difference. By tracking idle times with Volvo ActiveCare

Direct, you can set realistic goals for improvement.

• Train operators to use the right work

modes and save $10,000 per year. Too often, operators have a tendency to jump directly into the highest mode, regardless of the task. With a Volvo excavator, balancing engine RPM with hydraulic flow is simple.

Everything is integrated into a single dial to change both the pump flow and engine speed — a feature unique to Volvo excavators.

With programs like ActiveCare Direct, you can track any operators who run in too high of a work mode and help them change that behavior. By simply switching to a lower work mode, you could be saving upwards of $10,000 per year, per excavator.

AVOID UNNECESSARY DOWNTIME

So many telematics programs still send a large number of confusing fault codes — but those are becoming a thing of the past. ActiveCare Direct makes them simple and useful. With easy-to-understand case alerts, you get the fault codes that went off, their probable causes, the specific action you should take, and the possible consequences if you don’t. It’s that simple. Learn more about how ActiveCare Direct simplifies fleet management by contacting your local dealer or visiting VolvoCE.com/ ActiveCareDirect.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SPECIAL FINANCING

THROUGH APRIL

Ownership costs are another part of the TCO equation, and we’re committed to helping lower those too. Right now, we’re offering rates as low as 0% for qualified buyers on 2018 and newer EC140 to EC480 and EW160 to EW240 excavator purchases through April 30.

Option to add on bundle offers, including a $1,000 credit on your Smart Commercial Account that can be used toward qualifying purchases — from parts and service to attachments and rentals

Enjoy our Lifetime Frame & Structure Warranty, Fuel Efficiency Guarantee and 24-Hour Parts Guarantee

Get details at volvoce.com/EWCrawler.