Repair Station Turn-Times Continue Improvement

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

One of the key reasons for Onboard's success is our commitment to continuous improvement in our products and services. We are always looking for ways to do things better, and we know that turn times for both new products and repair services are a top concern for our customers.

When we last discussed our efforts to improve repair station turn times, we noted several steps we had taken, including hiring a dedicated service coordinator to ensure that each and every service order receives prompt attention, from the time an RMA is issued through product receipt and initial evaluation, to customer authorization, repair/overhaul service, payment, and return shipment. We modified the requirements for load cell servicing to safely expedite turn times for these products, and changed our shop overhaul procedures to simply replace certain components outright with new parts, instead of inspecting for wear and tear and replacing on condition.

Because of those changes, we were able to improve our turn times significantly. Today, more than two years since we first reported on that initiative, we are pleased to report even greater success with decreasing our turn times:

• For cargo hook overhauls, average service time has decreased from 4-5 weeks in 2018, to 2-3 weeks currently. In fact, most service orders are now completed in as few as 7-12 business days after receiving customer approval for the quote.
   
• For UH-1 suspension system overhauls, average service time has decreased from 4-5 weeks to 3-4 weeks currently. Most of these service orders are now completed in as few as 12-15 business days after receiving customer approval for the quote.
   
• For load cell inspection and recalibration, average service time remains steady at 2-3 weeks after receiving customer approval for the quote, due in part to the complexity of these products. However, we are continuing to seek additional ways to improve our turn times for our load cell service program.

Help Us Help You: Do's and Don'ts

While Onboard is always looking for ways to improve our services and turn-times, keep in mind that there are many little things that you can do to help expedite your equipment service order:

• DO  include your name and email address inside the shipping box so we can contact you if we have questions about your order. You can easily provide this information using our online RMA request system (and be sure to note the RMA number on the shipping label or box).
   
• DO  be watching for an email with our service quote and approval request, as we cannot start work without hearing from you. Better still, consider pre-authorizing service so we can get started as soon as your equipment is received in.
   
• DON'T  forget to provide payment and return shipping information (including preferred shipper account information). Even if you pre-approve service work, we cannot ship it back to you without payment. Consider including a completed card card authorization form in your package, or contact your sales representative to request a Net 30 account.
   
• DO  sign up for our Advance Invoice Email Service to help reduce customs issues for serviced equipment. This ensures we will automatically email an invoice that can be used to clear customs within one or two days of order shipment.

Please refer to these articles for more information:

• Three Tips to Expedite the Overhaul Process
   
• Another Tip to Expedite the Overhaul Process
   
• Streamline the Overhaul Process for your Onboard Hook

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