Busy weekend

   / Busy weekend #1  

brain55

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My helper and I did full services on 4 machines this weekend. A Cat 420D, a 420E, a 928G, and a John Deere 410G. These poor machines haven't been getting their services done. I did a 420E earlier this week for the same customer that had 900 hrs on the engine oil. None of the 4 this weekend had the engine oil filters marked, but one had 2000+ hrs on the transmission and hydraulic oils and another hadn't had its hyd and trans oil changed since its 250 hr service it has 6000 hrs on it now. Judging from the diff and final drive oils some had never been done. All of these machines had 5-6000 hrs. We took oil samples from everything along with adjusting the valves. It was two full days of work for both of us.
 

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   / Busy weekend #2  
Are they changing oils and coolants by analysis reports? I know from experience that you can greatly increase service intervals that way in most, but not all cases. Chances are that the company has been deferring maintenance for some other reason.
Sweet operation you have there.
 
   / Busy weekend
  • Thread Starter
#3  
They had company mechanics that weren't doing their job,
 
   / Busy weekend
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Yeah unfortunately their current mechanic is likely to lose his job over this. They hired him to take care of their fleet of trucks but he sold them on being able to take care of their equipment too and apparently was being compensated accordingly. The problem isn't so much that it was too big of a job for one guy, but that guy never said anything and the boss was under the impression that it was all getting handled.
 
   / Busy weekend #6  
Yeah unfortunately their current mechanic is likely to lose his job over this. They hired him to take care of their fleet of trucks but he sold them on being able to take care of their equipment too and apparently was being compensated accordingly. The problem isn't so much that it was too big of a job for one guy, but that guy never said anything and the boss was under the impression that it was all getting handled.
Out of curiosity, how did they find you to get their equipment caught up on its maintenance?

Aaron Z
 
   / Busy weekend
  • Thread Starter
#7  
It was kind of a referral/cold call. One of the local Ditch Witch salesmen told me they needed some help so I stopped by to see them last year. He hadn't told them anything about me, so in that sense it was like a cold call. I have been doing repair work and welding for them as needed but they were supposed to be taking care of the maintenance. Now I'm catching up there whole equipment fleet. It is going to be a huge month for me.
 
   / Busy weekend #8  
It was kind of a referral/cold call. One of the local Ditch Witch salesmen told me they needed some help so I stopped by to see them last year. He hadn't told them anything about me, so in that sense it was like a cold call. I have been doing repair work and welding for them as needed but they were supposed to be taking care of the maintenance. Now I'm catching up there whole equipment fleet. It is going to be a huge month for me.
Awesome. Glad to hear that you are able to find enough work to keep yourself and your helper busy.

Aaron Z
 
   / Busy weekend
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks, I'd like a couple more customers like this. I could easily justify moving up to the bigger truck and trailer. It puts me in a tough spot. Can I add the new customers without upgrading or do I need the upgrade first.
 
   / Busy weekend #10  
Thanks, I'd like a couple more customers like this. I could easily justify moving up to the bigger truck and trailer. It puts me in a tough spot. Can I add the new customers without upgrading or do I need the upgrade first.
A chicken and egg situation if I ever saw one.
If you buy it now, you could end up being stuck with the payments and not have enough work to pay for your new truck.
On the other hand, it would be easier to have the downtime needed to switch trucks and get your new trailer setup just so if you dont yet have the business needed to keep the new truck busy all the time.

Good luck

Aaron Z
 
 
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