HCL Aftermarket Cloud Digital Catalog Revamps Leading Bus Manufacturers Legacy System
What we achieved
-
Zero
learning curve and minimal training for user experience
-
3,269,857
parts validated, inaccuracies captured and rectified
-
8700+
drawings corrected, improving data integrity
To who
-
Industry Manufacturing
-
Products HCL Aftermarket Cloud
-
Region Global
Overview
-
Part 1
Challenge
Extensive parts selection that was difficult to search and accurately find what user was searching for.
-
Part 2
Solution
A digital catalog with simple lookup option for users, as well as authoring module for content management.
-
Part 3
Results
Thousands of daily active users able to access correct parts data in real-time with improved data integrity and validation.
The Challenge
Traveling by bus is easy. Manufacturing it? Not so much.
Bus manufacturing is a niche segment with a handful of players with proven capabilities leading the race. However, maintaining and updating a record of the several parts that go into the making of this huge vehicle is challenging, even for the segment champions.
There was a time when leading bus manufacturers in North America used age-old legacy systems to maintain their parts catalogues. Challenges face by the existing system:
- On-premise system, based on client-server architecture and that had become obsolete
- Truckloads of manuals shipped physically
- Limited flexibility and scalability
- Tedious and manual order revision process
- No live user data available
- Error-prone output
- Clunky UI/UX
The order revision upload process has drastically improved, saving us time and effort. The uploaded data is immediately available for customer access.
The Solution
To stay ahead in the race, the leaders at these companies knew they would have to modernize their tools in order to address the challenges of the existing system. They needed a partner who could work with their massive legacy data of over 40 years and numerous parts drawings, in order to create an efficient digital catalog. They also wanted a unique structuring and drawing association which would be order specific and chassis specific.
Team HCLSoftware took this challenge head-on and worked to digitize the legacy data to create the Digital Catalog that could cater to the needs of these two companies and their various partners. While migrating data, the team had to ensure that users of the existing system did not face any issues and could transition to the new system seamlessly. This new system was designed to cater to different types of users with the help of two modules:
- The Authoring Model: The authoring module is used by the company’s catalog creators and allows authors to configure and customize the catalog as per their requirement.
- The Viewing Model: The viewing module is for the catalog consumers such as the buyers, transit authorities, internal workshop teams, purchase, order desk and aftermarket heads.
Most of our customers now prefer online catalogues to printed versions. This saves us 2,000 - 3,000 USD per order.
The Results
Within 14 months of time, which includes data migration, a robust system was built with provision to link service information to the parts catalog. This single solution could work for all types of enquiries – model based, serial number based and order based.
The Digital Catalog is highly intuitive with integrated visuals and clickable parts allowing users to extract information and place correct orders in a matter of minutes. From providing information about active users to notifying users in case of an update, the Digital Catalog solved several bottlenecks posed by the earlier system.
Here are the key changes brought about by the new system:
Reduced:
- Time to place orders
- Time for parts identification
- Manual intervention for catalog revision
- Touchpoints for document access
- Errors in order-placing
- Cost of printed catalog
Improved:
- Uptime (99%)
- User experience with zero learning curve and minimum training
- Processing of creating incremental database
- Catalog accuracy (zero-error catalog)
- Ease of authoring from anywhere, anytime
- Availability of live user data
- Customer satisfaction
Key Statistics:
- 3,269,857 parts validated, inaccuracies captured and rectified
- 30,000 total users with 3000-4000 concurrent active users at any given time on a business day
- 53,000+ drawings digitized, reducing parts identification time
- 8700+ drawings corrected, improving data integrity
- 1400+ catalogs created with authoring module, drastically reducing publishing time
- 91,000+ parts data digitized, reducing parts identification time
The online digital catalog was an industry-first achievement which enabled these two companies to outshine their competition and win lot of orders by digitizing their services consequently leading to higher revenues, lower costs and increased profitability.
About the company
Owned by a Swedish multinational, these subsidiary brands are leaders in manufacturing of premium passenger coaches, motorhomes and city transit busses in North America and Canada. Their mission is to reach new heights in customer satisfaction through ongoing innovation, quality products, unmatched after-sales service, and an unrelenting focus on customer needs.
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