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service and projects department

An interview with Mark van der Wolf


Moba is the recognized leading manufacturer of grading, packing and processing equipment for the egg industry. It is paramount that we are able to provide our customers with more than just the latest technology. There lies the task of our Service and Projects Department. Mark van der Wolf, director of this department, explains the many ways Moba adds value for our customers.


Service and Projects also includes the Technical Training Centres in Barneveld, the Netherlands, and Farmington Hills, USA. “Those are all different aspects of our business”, begins the man responsible for this part of the business. “When customers buy bigger machines and total solutions, our Project Management team is on hand to meet all their requirements. We have two Project Managers, Mr. Volmer Kuper and Mr. Matthias Gebel. They handle these large projects after Sales has closed the deal and they are responsible for managing budget, scope, quality and delivery time for the project. Once the equipment is installed and commissioned, a hand-over document is signed and our Service team takes over.”

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All Moba offices, wherever they are based in the world, have their own spare parts department. This makes it possible for us to send out the right parts to our customers promptly, often within 24 hours.

The Service team installs the machine at the customer’s plant and is responsible for the whole life cycle of the machine. Our Helpdesk, which is on call around the clock, can give support over the phone. When an engineer is needed, our Field Support team is on hand to support the customer with their experience and technical knowledge. Spare parts is also a vital part of Moba’s service explains Mark: “Maintenance is crucial for the equipment. With Moba certified parts, we ensure that the equipment has the greatest possible uptime and runs at maximum efficiency. But even if your equipment has been properly maintained, problems with parts can still arise. All Moba offices, wherever they are based in the world, have their own spare parts department. This makes it possible for us to send out the right parts to our customers promptly, often within 24 hours.” 

In November 2016, Moba introduced the Customer Care team. This team offers Advanced Services to our customers by creating added value through a unique combination of big data, analytics and expertise. The goal is to prevent issues by proactively monitoring and providing solutions that improve overall performance and efficiency.

Sharing our expertise

Moba’s Technical Training Centres form a key part of the service we offer. Facilities at the Training Centres include Moba equipment that can be used to gain hands-on experience and the necessary technical knowledge. Every year, roughly 500 students attend a training course at one of our Centres. Of these, around 80 percent are customers and 20 percent are our own employees. Mark: “It is of vital importance that our customers and employees are able to understand how to operate, maintain and optimize Moba equipment and solutions.”

Our employees at the local offices are skilled in communicating with our customers: we literally speak the same language, so we are able to help our customers effectively and efficiently.

Worldwide Service Team

The Service and Projects Department is one of the largest departments within Moba, with 160 employees worldwide. Around 60 people work at the headquarters in Barneveld and another 100 employees are based at the different Moba offices around the globe. Mark: “It takes a different mindset to grasp that most of our Service & Parts colleagues are based in our subsidiaries around the world and not at headquarters. It shows that Moba really is where our customers need us to be. 90 percent of our business is outside The Netherlands, which means we come into contact with different languages and cultures every day. Our employees at the local offices are skilled in communicating with our customers: we literally speak the same language, so we are able to help our customers effectively and efficiently.”


Mark’s task as director is to manage the Service & Parts teams at the different Moba offices. “I keep them up to date with the latest developments and ensure that every Moba office works within the Moba vision. I believe in personal contact, so I try to maintain regular phone contact with all of them and also visit the offices as well as customers in the various regions on a regular basis. The different time zones can sometimes be a challenge. All the Service Managers are invited here, to Barneveld, for the International Service meeting once a year. This gives us the opportunity to meet together, learn, share knowledge and experiences and of course continuously improve and develop.”

Team effort

According to Mark, cooperation and communication is crucial for Service and Projects: “Even though we are at the end of the process, many other departments rely on our knowledge and expertise, such as Sales, Operations and R&D/Engineering.”


After the equipment is installed at the customer’s plant, the Service team needs to communicate any feedback they receive from customers to the other departments. Mark explains: “For example, if our Helpdesk is getting a lot of queries about difficulties our customers are experiencing, this may mean we need to make changes to the equipment. Or, it could mean that we need to update our Training Program or manuals. We truly value the opinion of our customers – working together, we can continually improve our equipment and service.”

I firmly believe the key to our success lies in Moba’s ability to support and establish mutually beneficial long-term relationships with our customers during the life cycle of the equipment.

Data processing

Big data is one of the future key-items for the egg industry. iMoba is a great example how Moba stays innovative according to Mark: “Where in the past we were reactive, responding if there were problems, now we can be proactive using for example iMoba. With the app we have an unique insight into the customer's machine. For example, if the machine is running efficiently or how many stops occur during a certain shift. You can compare this with the inspection of your car. Sometimes, with a few adjustments and changes, we can help the customer to increase efficiency and create more added value. This is just an example of how we try to think along with our customers. These new technologies eventually bring us closer to the customers and create mutual benefits.”

Long-term relationship

“I firmly believe the key to our success lies in Moba’s ability to support and establish mutually beneficial long-term relationships with our customers during the life cycle of the equipment”, Mark continues. “We not only offer the latest technology, but also the best service, and that is where Moba’s strength lies. In the future, the technology will not be the sole decisive factor for customers, so we must be innovative in other ways too. That is why it is important to remain distinctive as a company and differentiate ourselves. And, a top-notch Service team will be an essential element in this.”

 

Mark, who began working for Moba almost a decade ago, praises his team: “We are a high tech company and the market leader in our industry, but it is ultimately our people who do the work. They must have the know-how, the right communication skills and belief in the Moba vision. This will remain the biggest challenge: maintaining the right mix of employees within the different teams. Our people need to be not only technically skilled, but also have the right drive and attitude. Our Service & Parts teams are in contact with our customers every day. You need to be able to see things from the customer’s point of view, understand what drives and motivates them and what needs they have. And, you have to build a genuine, long-term relationship. We are on this journey together and it is the job of our team, together with all of our other Moba Group colleagues, to ensure the customer is satisfied with us on this journey.”

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Contactpersonen en service Onze service maakt het verschil!

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