Jerry Gray
Sloan Electromechanical Service & Sales
This is your marketing advantage! By making the choice to market pump services, your firm is evolving to an equipment efficiency and reliability consultant, creating a marketing message of equipment systems service – not just component repair or component replacement. Are you ready to learn, invest and grow!
Performing pump repair is a natural extension of the motor service center. Generally speaking, motor service center technicians have the skills necessary to provide pump repair. And when they’re EASA members, they have so much more to offer!
The challenge, though, is developing a winning strategy by proving to the customer that his or her services are superior to those of others.
A “single repair source”
One of the best strategies to successfully market pump repair services is to highlight the “single repair source” message. For instance, “When our company is repairing the motor, we can also repair the pump. In addition, we can check the motor controls and go to your (customer) site to handle the installation and startup.”
Of course this means that you must have the resources to “walk the talk.” While marketing can open the door, and a sales relationship can bring home the business, the service center technicians must perform to the expectations that have been set. You should be ready to send in your vibration analyst to identify an issue, if necessary. The one who pays for this service depends on what is found, so be prepared to absorb the cost. Or you might want to include vibration analysis as part of the comprehensive pump service. As you should already know, your service technicians can be your best sales and marketing staff.
Service opportunities
Pumps, unlike motors and controls, do not have industry-accepted standards such as the ones that define the motor frame size. For example, an ABC pump may not necessarily be a drop-in replacement for a DEF pump. Since an EASA member typically has excellent mechanical skills, a “can-do” attitude and basic machining capabilities, the non-standardization of pump mounting creates ongoing service opportunities.
Create market awareness of your company’s service abilities, emphasizing quality and timeliness of repairs. Many times you can rebuild a rotating assembly faster and for less money than it costs to purchase a new rotating assembly. Having a basic CNC lathe really helps.
Pumps require more frequent service than motors, with a major pump service typically being more costly than a major motor service. For example, a wastewater pump powered by a vertical 60 hp, 8-pole motor may need to be rewound a few times during its life. While the motor rewind might sell for X dollars, reclaiming pump efficiency by manufacturing a stainless steel wear ring, repairing the pump shaft, installing new bearings and balancing the impeller may cost 3X. And this kind of repair might be necessary more often depending on the pumping conditions. During a pump service, the motor is often set aside as motor service may not be needed.
Pump efficiency
The marketing of pump service has to focus on reclaiming pump efficiency. Pumps lose efficiency as a natural by-product of operation, as contrasted with a motor where the efficiency does not change with normal use. The EASA member is in a good position to market pump efficiency reclaiming service when presenting payback analysis on premium efficiency motors.
There are instances where offering a more efficient pump makes sense. Are you prepared to do that? Marketing pump efficiency reclaiming service only works when the pump volute and case are in good condition. If not, then a new pump is required. Quoting a 100 hp pump is definitely not the same as quoting the 100 hp, 4-pole, TEFC motor that runs the pump.
Partnering, growth planning
The marketing of pump services may require you to partner with a pump dealer and/or hire a pump applications engineer depending on your growth stage. EASA members are very fortunate that we also have consulting available to us from EASA Pump & Vibration Specialist Gene Vogel (gvogel@easa.com). The pump manufacturer market is very tight knit. It has consolidated so much that only a few major manufacturers exist within a given pump product segment. Hence, they are very protective of their existing distribution networks to maintain pricing power.
The size and selection of pumps requires a person with an engineering background who analyzes the complete system of the application. Not all pump manufacturers build the most efficient pump for the application. There is not a NEMA Premium® efficiency standard for pumps. Your pump engineer should work to select the most reliable, efficient pump for the application.
Conclusion
This is your marketing advantage! By making the choice to market pump services, your firm is evolving to an equipment efficiency and reliability consultant, creating a marketing message of equipment systems service – not just component repair or component replacement. Are you ready to learn, invest and grow!
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