Markus Rimmele - Digitalization, Tech Support, and Spare Parts Sales for Machinery Manufacturers
Markus is a maker and a doer. A mechatronic technician by training, an electrical engineer with an MBA by education, and a problem solver by real-world practical experience worldwide.
Markus understands the capital equipment aftermarket and how it impacts capital equipment sales. He's lived it on the manufacturing side as a service technician traveling the corners of the globe with a tool kit, as a service coordinator, as an end user, as a consultant, and now as a vendor.
Markus' work and perspective will put you back on your heals if your business follows a traditional approach to technical support, spare parts sales, training, customer support, remote diagnostics, and more.
He sees digitalization as an avenue to boost machinery sales, increase aftermarket revenue, boost customer experience, improve machine performance, increase satisfaction, improve efficiency and more.
Connect with Markus to learn more about him, his work, and the potential for capital equipment manufacturers to unlock new revenue and improve customer experience through digitalization
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Growing Aftermarket Sales & Service with Digitization - Markus Rimmele on Industrial Growth Insitute Episode 4
Episode Recap
Summary
In this episode, Ed interviews Markus Rimmele, an industrial automation professional. Markus shares his journey from being a field service technician to founding Digitalitum, a company focused on digital transformation in manufacturing.
They discuss tips for mid size industrial manufacturers to boost aftermarket sales and service, and Markus explores the challenges faced by technicians, such as troubleshooting and implementing digital tools, and the importance of change management.
Markus shares many lessons learned including:
- the need for a hybrid approach in digitalization
- value of cultural diversity and intellectual elasticity
- commitment to helping manufacturers navigate the digital landscape
- the concept of digital transformation and how it is a tool to help businesses become more efficient and provide more value to customers
- importance of understanding the customer's biggest problems and using digitalization to address those issues
- trends driving the need for digitalization in the manufacturing space, such as increasing complexity of machines and a decline in skilled technicians
- how digital tools, such as IoT and immersive technologies, can bridge the skills gap and improve maintenance efficiency
- value of quality and service in capital equipment purchasing decisions
- potential for digital services to create recurring and predictable revenue streams
- challenges and misconceptions surrounding digitalization
- insights into the commercial opportunities for OEM manufacturers.
Takeaways
- Digital transformation is a tool to help businesses become more efficient and provide more value to customers.
- Trends driving the need for digitalization in manufacturing include increasing machine complexity and a decline in skilled technicians.
- Digital tools, such as IoT and immersive technologies, can bridge the skills gap and improve maintenance efficiency.
- Quality and service are important factors in capital equipment purchasing decisions, and digital services can create recurring and predictable revenue streams.
- Challenges in digitalization include resistance to change and concerns about data security, but these can be addressed through proper implementation and cybersecurity measures
Helpful link - Markus and Ed discuss digitalization and servitization in a webinar conversation
Outline
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:10 Field Service Technician and Lessons Learned
10:06 Freelancing and Experience Across Industries
12:56 The Importance of a Multilingual and Multicultural Background
15:57 Founding Digitalitum and the Digital Toolbox
30:00 Cultural Differences and Intellectual Elasticity
36:04 Defining Digital Transformation
37:03 Providing Value to Customers
37:26 Overcoming Resistance to Digitalization
37:49 Drivers for Digitalization in Manufacturing
38:36 Complexity of Machines and Skills Gap
40:06 Digital Tools for Machine Maintenance
41:34 Implementing Customer Portals
42:41 Taking Progressive Steps in Digitalization
43:46 Value of Quality and Service in Capital Equipment Purchasing
50:33 Data as the New Gold
54:47 Decay in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
58:57 Recurring and Predictable Revenue Streams
01:05:23 Using Digital Services as an Entry Sale
01:10:27 Misconceptions about Digitalization
01:12:42 Commercial Opportunity for OEM Manufacturers
Wondering how video could fit into an integrated revenue growth framework for your company?
Check out the Overall Revenue Effectiveness™ Approach for more.
