For many manufacturers, anticipating and fulfilling the need for spare parts can be a challenge. Sometimes it’s a matter of a break or defect that creates an emergency situation. Other times, the availability of someone on the purchasing team to place spare parts orders falls outside the customer service hours of a supplier or the internal order entry process is cumbersome.
Even properly submitted spare parts orders can create confusion as supplier tracking is insufficient or inaccessible to tissue manufacturers . The guesswork involved in determining when parts may arrive at a facility and if the quantities will be correct and sufficient to complete a work order can be frustrating. It could also cause undue downtime and unnecessary expense if rush orders are incurred to maintain capacity and keep production on schedule.
Finding an easy, accessible way to overcome these obstacles wasn’t easy — or even possible — for many tissue manufacturers. Conventional spare parts ordering and updates on shipment requests were the only means available until Kӧrber introduced Spares on-line.
What is Spares on-line?
Spares on-line is a 24/7 web shop where Kӧrber customers can order spare parts and check order status in real time, with or without live customer support.
Spares on-line is valuable because it virtually eliminates the barriers between need and solution. Almost every part a tissue manufacturer could require is available through the web shop in a timely fashion. Warehouse availability is visible in real time to purchasers, as is other critical information such as price, delivery date, and certain part specifications.
To a lesser degree, technicians are able to access key information to create spare parts lists and prepare orders, but they cannot review pricing data or other information that could be sensitive. This flexibility makes Spares on-line among the most responsive on-line order fulfillment centers available.
Simplified ordering with Quickshop
A major stumbling black for large manufacturers is the duplication of work that spare parts ordering often requires. There is the initial entry into the ERP system, followed by an interaction with the supplier either electronically or over the phone. Similarly, smaller manufacturers can be intimidated by on-line ordering formats and ultimately slowed by choosing person-to-person ordering.
The time inefficiencies created by either scenario adds up. It is also avoidable. For large manufacturers, Spares on-line offers a Quickshop technology extension. Quickshop is an interface between their ERP system and the webshop that speeds up order entry for customers without the need for customization.
Further, smaller manufacturers have the option to explore Quickshop or continue with ordering in-person through the inside sales team — either of which is readily available to them through Spares on-line.
The purpose and passion of the Kӧrber innovation is to earn the trust of our customers. That means being responsive and seamless in whatever format best fits their needs, whenever they need it. With Spares on-line, there are no geographical or time zone limitations. Customers can log in anytime, from anywhere on the planet.
Tracking orders and costs
A major benefit of Spares on-line is the visibility it provides to Kӧrber customers. Information pertaining to all of their orders, shipments, invoices, and histories is always readily available.
Knowing exactly what an order entails and when it will arrive is a level of transparency that Kӧrber customers have come to rely upon in keeping their production schedules on time and on budget.
Spares on-line also helps customers prepare for upcoming activities such as maintenance in an equally visible and accessible way. The Spares on-line “wish list” allows individuals or teams to compile spare parts information and availability for future projects, as well as determine how to handle future ordering. Just like data for in-process orders, all “wish list” items are constantly updated so availability, pricing, and deliverability are accurate throughout any given time frame.
Cost management is central to the value of Spares on-line. There is the element of knowing exacts costs in real time, but there is also immediate savings offered by using the web shop. Spares on-line customers are given an extra discount on orders, which quickly adds up to substantial savings over the course of a year.
The future of Spares on-line
Given the customer feedback surrounding Spares on-line, the web shop is a much-needed innovation that translates to saving significant amounts of time and money. The recent Quickshop upgrade has only added value to the experience, and further aligns Kӧrber with tissue manufacturers seeking competitive advantages.
Currently, a CMMS interface based on Quickshop technology is being developed and piloted with a few Kӧrber customers. The tool allows maintenance teams, operators, and technicians to identify, order, and track spare parts for emergency, ongoing, or upcoming activities.
Interconnectivity with the web shop is another point of contact that saves customers time and money through collaboration and technology. While not currently released, the CMMS interface is another example of how Kӧrber thought leadership continues to change the way the tissue industry is evolving.
Spares on-line is just one example of how Kӧrber helps its customers remain competitive and productive. Connect with the Kӧrber team to learn more about the advantages of the web shop and other Kӧrber innovations.
