They wear many hats, sales, service, and everything in between. The knights in shining hi-vis otherwise known as the Pre-delivery Inspection (PDI) team. It’s been an interesting year for the PDI team, who despite a majority of staff working remotely during lockdowns the PDI team was working through to ensure that the customer were still receiving their machines.

When a machine arrives at one of our Haulotte facilities, it’s the PDI team that unload and inspect the machine. Safety is of the upmost importance, as is following every process carefully to ensure the machine is ready. From painting touch ups, to specific decal positioning, Customer service trainer Maung Lynn Tin explains what the PDI team does everyday.

Every machine is different, what we do depends on the model and what the customer needs. Attention to detail is important as we follow checklists and make sure everything is done”. We have to test everything on the machine to make sure it is safe and fully operational when it goes to the customer, says Maung Lynn Tin.

When it is busy the team must work extra time to ensure the machine can meet the delivery deadlines promised to the customer.

“There are no shortcuts, when the large orders come in, like the ones for Coates, it is all action stations, working nights and weekends to get all the machines tested and ready for delivery”. All the jobs need to balanced based on quality and safety checks required and how long they will take. For example, when a HT43 comes in we need to test it at full height when conditions are right, it can’t be too windy, its high enough as is!!” adds Tin.

This month the PDI team is welcoming some new technology to the team in the form of software on tablets. The program provided by Destiny, has replaced 95% of the paperwork completed by the PDI team and replaced it with electronic forms and documents to streamline the processes. Operation Manager for Australia Evan Goulis explains the need for the upgrade.

“With this new software, we have almost eliminated the need for a paperwork trail with each machine, instead we have a digital system which follows the machine all the way to the customer. All of the documents created in the system will be linked to the machines serial number so a report can be created that includes the SOB (Sales order build), PDI checklist and delivery docket. Using Samsung Galaxy A7 tablets the PDI team have access to our internal self-service payroll system, just recently released, and primarily to use the newly created PDI checklists in an electronic format doing away with unnecessary printing of the PDI checklists. This also gave us the opportunity to update all of the checklists to ensure we are checking the critical components of each machine. The electronic PDI checklists will also function as the teams timesheet to reduce double keying of information. The Victorian team will start with the rollout and the other states PDI technicians will follow shortly.”