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Contractor Roundtable Highlights
Internet: Making Business Easier
 Whether using the Internet to check parts availability, pricing and specifications, or for purchasing equipment, one precondition cited by roundtable participants was the inclusion of ample product data on the Web site.
Provide Data to Remote Locations
Participants in CIMA's contractor roundtable were particularly excited about using the Internet to get access to parts and equipment explosions from remote locations.
Robert Hall, President of Bechtel, said that if an equipment manufacturer offered online access to parts explosions, it would influence his purchase decisions. Such a service would solve the problem that field mechanics face of missing or misplaced parts books.
"If he could go online and identify and order parts, that'd be a huge selling tool," Hall said. "It would be a huge value added."
Central Repository?
The contractors said having one repository for multiple manufacturers' equipment schematics, parts explosions and parts information would be even more appealing.
Though manufacturers may not want to erode their product differentiation by offering such data alongside competitors' information, Charles Snyder, a senior executive with Fluor Global Services, noted that such an offering would be a boon to contractors, helping to eliminate the large amount of time wasted chasing down parts books.
Parts Tracking and Purchasing
Other information could also be more efficiently distributed via the Internet, such as product updates, parts manuals, service bulletins and product improvement bulletins, said Chris Ryan, Vice President of Equipment for Boh Brothers.
"The ability to update information and disseminate it over the Internet is much preferred to the traditional mail or relying on a dealer, who may or may not have the personnel dedicated to maintaining those files and disseminating them to end users."
Though he said it may be far in the future, Neal Ferry, Corporate Equipment Manager for Peter Kiewit Sons', Inc., believes the Internet might help equipment makers track down parts within their own organizations, which he said is sometimes a frustrating experience for contractors.
Ferry said his company recently spent 19 days working with a manufacturer trying to get parts for a piece of equipment.
"They couldn't put their hands on where (the parts) were within their system or their dealer network," he said. "Wouldn't it be good if manufacturers provided a system for our people to be able to go online and query dealers around the world for those (parts), instead of us picking up the phone and making 32 phone calls?" he noted.
Contractors said though they're getting more comfortable purchasing parts on the Internet, they're still not ready to order large equipment online, citing the need to "kick the tires" before committing to thousands of dollars for a purchase.
Alternate Buying Scenarios
Rather than ordering equipment online and receiving it direct from manufacturers, some contractors envisioned alternate scenarios.
Snyder said he can imagine a system that would allow end users to get availability, configuration and pricing information direct from a manufacturer's website, but then receive the product from distributors, who would also still provide aftermarket support.
"We're very open to the use of the Internet," Snyder said. "We're beyond the cultural issue of do we embrace it or not, but it gets down to the customer experience. If the customer experience works well and creates value, then we'll use it again and again."
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