Electrix is a large company with over 400 vehicles of various shapes and sizes and part of the fleet is a first response repair, service and maintenance contractor to power provider Vector, covering the area from the Harbour Bridge to Wellsford and from Muriwai to Devonport.
The nature of being a successful contractor to Vector – which Electrix is today and has been since 2009 – is partly dependent on having the right gear, at the right time and in the right place, something Fleet management and Business Unit Manager Wayne Perkins knows very well.
“Just as we partner with Vector to provide a supportive service, we believe in building partnerships with those who supply us with the essential tools needed to carry out what we do. At the heart of these relationships is clear communications – from both parties.”
When the Electrix vehicles in Wayne’s division started having issues with a former canopy supplier, it opened the door to a three-years-and-counting relationship with Auto Transform.
“I explained what had been happening to Josh at our first meeting,” says Wayne, speaking of Josh Stanners at Auto Transform, “and not only was he sympathetic; he took a genuine interest in what we do, to better find a solution which would work most effectively.”
For Wayne, this was a huge step up from other suppliers, most of who could find a solution, but not necessarily the best one for Electrix.
“Our crews found the traditional side window canopies were OK to use, but not great. When they were out in the field, it was time consuming finding all their gear with such limited access as the canopies provided and – over time – the canopies lost their weatherproofing, and we started getting leakage issues. As you can imagine, water and electrical equipment don’t mix.”
Electrix had some gull wing style canopies which proved to be superior to the sliding window units, but then, after some consultation with Wayne and key members of the Electrix field crew, the Auto Transform team came up with the best and most practical solution – service bodies.
“I wanted the opinions of my drivers,” says Wayne, “since they’re the ones using the gear. Whatever solution we came up with must work properly for them, and because clear communication is such a vital part of our partnership, Josh got that right from the start.
“In fact, once the service body solution was on the table, we went to the Auto Transform factory to see what Josh’s team had in mind.”
There were some fine-tuning points which came up and Auto Transform took them on board. Some of the issues seemed to be insignificant on the surface and could have been glossed over by any other supplier, “but,” says Wayne, “they make a real difference to my team when they’re out on site and Auto Transform respected that, making those changes that we considered important.”
“The storage solutions in the sliding drawers are brilliant,” Wayne enthuses “and the integration of the supported shelving is an excellent demonstration of Auto Transform helping our field teams move smarter. I recommend Auto Transform to any organisation looking for the best in a professional vehicle fit out solution.”
To see how Auto Transform can help you move smarter, visit the
www.autotransform.co.nz website.
