A major freight operation has embraced Toyota Material Handling Australia's (TMHA) new smartphone service application.
Qantas Freight's Melbourne domestic terminal at Tullamarine is the largest national user of the app which was launched in December 2013. It uses the smartphone technology to ensure its fleet of 19 rented Toyota forklifts and towing tractors provide maximum uptime and productivity.
Qantas Freight Enterprises training and equipment manager (Melbourne) James Carr said he uses the new app constantly.
"I've found the app quite simple to use," he said.
"There are only four steps to complete and a service request is logged. Our business is a 24-hour operation, with overnight being the busiest period, so I'm able to log any overnight problems when I start work at 6am - and any dayshift problems the moment they occur," he said.
"The service team is usually on site in the morning, and if there is a hold-up or issue I will receive a call from the service controller. Alternatively, if I have an urgent request I'll follow up with the service controller."
The TMH fleet at Qantas Freight in Melbourne includes six forklifts, four towing tugs, four compact towing tractors and five BT lift trucks.
TMHA designed the smartphone service app to enable faster and easier logging of service requests. It directs service requests by email straight to the nearest TMH branch for follow up and action. Customers can even include a photograph of the unit or item that requires service. Once registered, users follow a straightforward procedure to log a service with four sections - forklift information, service required, request details and upload photo (if required).
TMHA general manager, service, Stephen Barnes, said customers appreciate being able to log service breakdowns on their mobile telephone touch-screen.
"Customers can log faults by brand, type of forklift used and type of fault," he said.
"This means the service technician arrives at the customer's premises forearmed with this information and is better equipped to diagnose and fix the problem. TMHA sees this app providing quicker logging of service requests and further raising Toyota's industry-leading customer service standards."
An Android version of the app is now available for non-iPhone users.
The new TMHA smartphone service application