Ulferts, who have expanded through multiple acquisitions, are operating across 13 different depots. Their fleet kept growing, and they were using systems from several providers to support their rental business. They needed to be able to centralize the overview of their entire fleet in one platform. As they continued to grow, more and more employees joined the business. To stay efficient, they needed to give them the flexibility to make quick decisions regardless of location or position.

Challenge

Because of their acquisitions, Ulferts were using several different providers. This led to only a handful of employees being experts in handling specific systems. Knowledge bottlenecks were starting to occur and meant low efficiency in the field. Processing customer requests also took longer than needed as they needed to be referred to a colleague who had the right expertise. The ambiguous data that they were able to collect also meant that maintenance calls were long-winded tasks.

Pains

They needed to find out how they could better serve their clients but also increase efficiency internally. Ulferts needed a system that would:

• Gains multiple manufacturer systems in one platform
• Allow them to gather more reliable data to make efficient maintenance calls
•  Build expertise of just one solution throughout the business

“We feel the need for this industry to move towards digitization. But many companies struggle to make it concrete and postpone important decisions. At Ulferts, we have taken action.”

Christian Lawatsch, System Administrator

Solution

By using the Trackunit solution, mechanics know the machine’s specifications and status before they get to the job site. Trackunit ensures that everyone only has to manage one system, stopping bottlenecks from occurring. By implementing Trackunit’s solutions, Ulferts are eliminating downtime within the business and for their customers. Access to real-time machine data has also had a direct financial impact. It’s a common challenge in construction that equipment is being used on weekends – without being paid for. Today Ulferts can keep track of machine activity outside contractual terms and bill customers for the correct usage hours.

The most important argument for choosing Trackunit goes beyond technical features. Support in the implementation stage ensured that Ulferts were up to a good start and that their technicians felt confident in fitting the units even in complex situations.

“There simply is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to telematics. That’s why the collaborative relationship we have with Trackunit is so important to us.”

Christian Lawatsch, System Administrator​

Outcome

Together with Trackunit, Ulferts has been able to reduce maintenance costs and increase contract compliance among customers. They’ve also succeeded in improving the customer experience. Access control and real-time data support has meant that customers have to spend less time waiting for solutions and can get back to working much quicker.

About

Ulferts GmbH based in Moormerland, is a rental company operating all across Germany. They provide a variety of services such as heavy haulage and renting out cranes and work platforms. Established in 1972 with one crane, they have come a long way. They needed digital solutions to manage their growth.

Founded: 1972
Size: 150+ employees