How can OEMs unify Engineering and Aftersales?

Now more than ever, it's incredibly important for engineering and aftersales teams to work closely together for manufacturers to thrive.

The collaboration of these departments ensures that products are not only designed with the highest standards of innovation and quality, but also get the continued support they need after they're sold.

Embracing this approach can boost customer satisfaction and keep loyalty strong for the long haul.

But, how can OEMs further optimize the coordination between these two critical departments to enhance product lifecycle management and customer experience?

The data problem

OEMs heavily rely on all kinds of data to streamline their operations, with some of the most critical data sets being native CAD files and Sales Bills of Materials (SBOMs). 

CAD files are particularly valuable to engineers for constructing detailed product models, while SBOMs provide crucial details like part names, descriptions, and pricing.

This information is key in the sale of spare parts. 

However, a big challenge arises from the differences in how parts are named across various departments, leading to a disjointed ecosystem between CAD files and SBOMs. 

Bridging the Engineering-Aftersales divide

When CAD data moves from engineering to the aftersales teams, it often highlights the very basic disconnect between the departments.

Engineers, who are passionate about design and performance, might sometimes miss the everyday challenges of supporting products once they're with customers.

This can often present itself as a product named 'ABC123' in the engineer's department, and the same part being named 'XYZ987'  in the aftersale's department. 

This oversight can become even more noticeable when aftersales teams work to solve customer frustrations related to product issues.

Fortunately, technology is beginning to bridge this gap.

Tools such as Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are enhancing the flow of information within organizations.

Even with all newer advancements, there's still a gap to bridge.

It's important to have a more connected approach for sharing documents and better understanding each other across different teams.

The ultimate aim is to excel in design while keeping an eye on the real-world needs of product support to keep customers happy and satisfied! 

A technological evolution

The traditional engineering approach sometimes pushes teams to quickly design and get products into production, which can mean aftersales needs might not get all the attention they deserve.

This can lead to some hiccups as aftersales teams work hard to catch up.

But, with the arrival of new technologies, OEMs have a fantastic opportunity to revisit and enhance support structures right from the start.

By leveraging immersive 3D technologies instead of relying solely on traditional PDFs, there’s a significant opportunity not just to enhance revenue opportunities but also to ensure products are designed with supportability and lifecycle management in mind.

This positive shift in focus opens the door to a more connected and efficient way of designing and supporting products.

The future of OEM data integration

The journey toward smoother integration is all about warmly welcoming third-party support systems into the fold.

These handy tools are fantastic at tackling the challenges of old-fashioned ways and juggling mountains of legacy of information efficiently.

There's a critical need for a system that provides the right individuals with the right information, at the moment it's needed.

Consider a CAD engineer who creates a detailed design for a wing mirror, the parts might include:

• Glass
• Plastic frame
• Indicator light
• Heating pack
• Wiring loom

This design often needs to be simplified when transferred to the aftersales team, who then sell the frame as one complete unit instead of separate components.

Companies like Partful are leading the way in managing this process by maintaining the original CAD's precision intact while ensuring that aftersales teams can easily interpret and sell parts efficiently. 

This approach is setting the stage for a much easier parts identification process, signalling a big and positive change in the OEM world!

A strategy for OEMs

OEMs are presented with a prime opportunity to craft and maintain their digital thread.

More than just a buzzword; this is a strategic tool that supports critical decisions around which parts are sellable, which aren't, and how to ensure everything is maintainable and reliable.

For aftersales teams, the most invaluable documents are the SBOMs, while engineers rely heavily on the CAD files.

There's a clear gap—we need a well-organized single file that makes it easier to identify parts and smooths out processes across departments.

Tackling these challenges and encouraging teamwork not only solves immediate problems but also opens up exciting revenue possibilities and boosts the entire product ecosystem.

For OEMs, embracing this path means stepping into a future where the digital thread seamlessly runs through their operations, making everything stronger, more connected, and more efficient.

Episode 3 of our podcast series, "The Data Elephant," dives deep into the complexities and opportunities that lie within managing aftersales data to bolster OEM efficiency and productivity. Listen now!