- Extension of the after-sales service and the international distribution centre for spare parts
Offenburg – HOBART will continue to expand its Offenburg headquarters over the next two years. Phase one of the construction is scheduled for October. It will double the capacity of the international spare parts distribution centre and increase the volume of the after-sales services. In 2019, construction phase two will increase the production area by another 12,000 sqm.
Over the next few years, HOBART is planning major construction measures at the Elgersweier site and is preparing for further growth in the future. The world market leader for commercial dishwashers prepares itself for the continuously increasing demand and the company's positive business development. Construction phase one, which already started in October, begins with the expansion of the international distribution centre. This is the main feature of the HOBART customer service and caters to all customers and trade partners in all the world; it serves all clients from the cruise ship over the central kitchen of a large hospital to the hotel in the Alps.
Vice President / General Manager Service Europe Silvio Koch: "Our dishwashers have to perform at their peak in the commercial kitchens: Our customers use them up to 10 hours per day, 7 days per week. Not only our technology but also our customer service is designed for premium quality. In case of a machine failure, help must come fast. In order to guarantee this after-sales service and sustained customer satisfaction even with an increasing machine population, the significant expansion of our distribution centre for spare parts and the associated system optimisation has top priority for us."
In consequence of the constant growth over the previous years and also to position ourselves perfectly for the future expansion, the company is planning to double its storage area. Following the completion in 2019 and the relocation in 2020, HOBART will have a spare parts portfolio of 40,000 different items. The total investment of 3 million Euro also covers the implementation of a new warehouse management system. For the service staff, more efficient processes mean shorter routes; for the customers, they mean faster provision of the parts and immediate repair of the machine.
New spare parts web shop for enhanced transparency and speed
The new spare parts web shop ensures comfortable ordering and increases transparency. Trade partners and customers can inform themselves online at any time whether the required spare part is available. For more comfortable parts identification, the shop will offer several search options in future. The replacement processes are semi-automated - this also includes extended overnight delivery to our service technicians. Already at present, 9 out of 10 defective dishwashers can be repaired directly during the service technician's first visit because all required spare parts are available in the service car.
Martin Sonntag, Director After Sales Service, summarizes: "Future-viable concepts are the basis for further growth. They stand for fast logistics, quick delivery, short reaction time, and thus happy customers.“