Kevin Ball is a technician with Highway Equipment Company.
Equipment dealers throughout the United States are grappling with decisions regarding how best to address the many challenges brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Many companies served by equipment dealers are essential businesses supporting construction and maintenance of critical infrastructure, utilities and energy and heavy highway companies. In turn, it is imperative that equipment dealers provide solutions to support safety productivity and their people to complete this work.
From service technicians to salespeople, organizations have had to deal with a completely different approach toward serving the construction equipment marketplace. Many dealerships have limited customer traffic in showrooms, while some have closed them to the public completely. Other dealerships have initiated call-ahead programs where end users can order parts and receive curbside pickup service. The one overriding theme is safety — for both the dealership's valued customers and its employees in equal measure.
Recognizing the need for safe work environments and concerned with the somewhat confined spaces within the cabs of construction equipment, Highway Equipment Company's Service Manager Bob Wolford came up with a novel approach toward addressing the issue. The result is the Highway Health Check, a newly developed program available at all of the dealership's locations. As Thomas Reynolds, president and CEO, explained it, throughout its nearly 90-year history, the company has taken a partnership approach toward working with customers. It understands, he said, that for customers, taking care of employees and minding their cash flow are primary concerns. The Highway Health Check program was developed to achieve these goals by conducting a complete equipment review, thoroughly cleaning the equipment with recommended cleaning products free of charge, and if work is required, offering a deferred payment plan to assists customers with their cash flow.
Highway technicians evaluate the equipment, checking fluids, functions and safety features, thoroughly clean the interior and exterior and will provide a detailed report with the option to have needed services completed at that time.
The company does recommend that cabin air filters are replaced while the machine is going through the process. On completion, Highway Equipment Company will apply its Highway Health Check Seal of Approval. If additional service is needed and approved by the machine owner, billing can be postponed on all maintenance and repair work performed for an additional 30 days. The program is available at all of Highway Equipment Company's branches, located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia. In addition, the program is open to all equipment owners, regardless of make, model or prior relationship with the dealership.
"The Highway Health Check program is one part of an overall strategy geared toward providing unwavering reliability and industry leading service to our customers," said Reynolds. "Another part of that strategy involves an ongoing commitment to people. Although some companies had layoffs or had to reduced staff, Highway is increasing our recruiting efforts in order to support our customers. We are hiring at all locations and believe that it is important to do whatever it takes to best serve our customers, especially, during this unprecedented time."
Established in 1933, Highway Equipment Company offers equipment sales and rentals, along with parts and service geared to the construction, landscaping, demolition, oil and gas, mining, quarrying, and industrial material-handling industries in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, North and South Carolina and Virginia. Equipment lines the company represents at its various locations includes Kobelco, Kubota, Hyundai, Bell Trucks, Dynapac, Gradall, Hitachi, KPI/JCI, New Holland, Sakai, Screen Machine, Anaconda, Allied and Terex. CEG
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