It is crazy to think that businesses in the UK are losing up to £180 billion a year due to something referred to as ‘machine downtime’. This is what has been shown in a recent survey carried out by OneServe. There is no denying the huge reliance placed on technology and machinery working efficiently in every aspect of the supply chain. When an issue occurs and a machine malfunctions, precious time and potential profit is lost. Three per cent all working days that are lost annually have been attributed to machinery not functioning as it should.
Faulty Machinery
Technology in invaluable, but when it breaks down it may be left useless for several days or even weeks. New parts can be hard to come by and, because many businesses don’t work on bank holidays or weekends, many profitable days are lost. If something stops working mid week, it could mean that the part many not be delivered until well into the next week. The knock on effect of delays such as this is that the machine can’t do its job and there is a stop on whatever it is manufacturing. This can be hugely stressful for business owners who rely on products being produced so that their companies are kept up and running.
Vehicle Issues
Vehicle break downs equal ‘vehicle downtime’ and if a vehicle is out of service because it needs fixing or is having its regular service, a business suffers implications. Not only are day-to-day jobs halted but also customers expecting a service may be let down. This can tarnish a reputation.
How Can Courier Workers Help Cut Downtime
Our industry is always proactive when it comes to helping business owners maximise efficiently and cut costs, and the issue of machinery downtime has not been swept under the carpet. On the contrary it is being dealt with face-on and business owners are being encouraged to get access to a flexible 24 hour, 365 days a year logistics partner.
The idea behind this initiative is that whenever a problem occurs, the logistics partner responds within 60 minutes to help out. If you are a courier worker, this could be a great avenue for you to get involved in. The work is plentiful and there are opportunities for you to expand your business too. Companies already up and running tend to have large fleets based around the country with drivers on hand to deliver parts or take on courier work that can’t otherwise be dealt with. Running both day and night, weekends and bank holidays, these rescue companies provide a same-day or over-night service and give business owners peace of mind that someone has their back should anything go wrong.
From the healthcare and manufacturing to the aviation and automotive sectors, businesses that rely on machinery benefit from having a logistics partner. We all know that technology is wonderful when it works, but when it malfunctions, it often does so spectacularly, so why not develop your company, expand your fleet, and help the cogs of machinery-reliant businesses keep turning?
Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day courier work in the express freight exchange industry. Numerous transport exchange businesses are networked together on their website, trading jobs and capacity through what is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.
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