Spartan's Keys to Success- Product Quality, Reliability, Highly Advanced Features & Client-centric Approach

"Operating the whole machine on your finger-tip is a major trend driving the industry. Our R&D is one of a very critical element of our organization where we conduct a detailed study – NPD (New Product Design) on the technological trends driving the industry, the technologies being offered by our competitors and also on the internationally available products. This helps us to design and offer products, which ensure not just topmost quality but also on maintaining its identity. Apart from offering highly advanced products, we're currently focusing on expanding our dealership networks and reach to tier II and tier III areas. We believe customer's proximity is key to success and hence our SPARSH initiatives help us connect to the customers across India," says Dr. Vikram Mehta, Managing Director, Spartan Engineering Industries Pvt. Ltd. in an interview with Maria R.

In spite of slow recovery signs of construction industry, Spartan has grown over previous year. How do you handle the tough economic times?
We will be able to revolutionise and achieve growth slowly. We have a lot of expectations from the prospects ahead in terms of business for our machineries. Moreover, we are also expecting positive growth from high rise constructions, which are gaining prominence not just in metros but also in tier-II cities. This also opens new growth avenues.

What are the advanced technological trends evolving in the construction equipment and material handling segment?
Whether it is related with safety, display features or limit switches, our process of manufacturing itself is highly technically advanced apart from our procedure of following FEA analysis. We stringently follow all these norms while introducing our machines. Moreover, ensuring reliability of our machines is one of the key factors. Even the designs of our products are created through specialized software called ‘Solidworks' – the most successful design software to develop product and engineering designs. The software is being widely used by major automobile, manufacturing, and numerous engineering companies worldwide.

What is your corporate philosophy and engineering attributes to develop sustainable and quality products?
Our R&D is one of our topmost priorities and is a very critical element of our organisation. We have about 28 staff working in our R&D unit. Our centre is fully-equipped with all the advanced software and technologies. We conduct a detailed study – NPD (New Product Design) on the technological trends driving the industry, the technologies being offered by our competitors and also on the internationally available products. This helps us to design and offer products, which ensure not just topmost quality but also on maintaining its identity. Operating the whole machine on your finger-tip is a major trend driving the industry. For instance, in the last Excon we participated, we prepared a software wherein the entire passenger hoists could be managed through iPhone application. Even in material hoists, we offer remote control features. We have touchscreen displays inside the hoist's cage.

Which latest products have you introduced lately in the market and how have they been received?
We manufacture and supply machineries, which are used in various stages of a construction project – that is, from the foundation till the final execution stage. We have the Gladiator series of bar cutting machines, which are used in the foundation base of a construction project. We have the Aviator series – which is the material and passenger hoists, then we have the Hercules range of tower cranes and also SkyClimber as rope suspended platforms which are used in the finishing and maintenance purpose of a project. The products have been received very well by the customers. We could experience it during our nationwide Customer Meets conducted through our SPARSH initiative– it is an initiative where we interact with our customers. We conduct it by maintaining a client-centric attitude even in our marketing activities.

What are your plans to strengthen the pan India presence?
We try to reach out to people and explain to them how the machineries work, and today we are almost everywhere now. We are one of the first companies to have an app for our products. We also maintain a strong social media presence and project our company through newsletters etc. As mentioned above, our SPARSH initiatives help us connect to the customers across India. We will be focusing on expanding our reach to tier II and tier III areas as well by expanding our dealership networks. We already have 8 branch offices and 5 dealers across India.

Would you please brief us about your customer support services including customized training, spare parts support, and regular maintenance issues?
Spartan's efficient customer service department is one of its biggest strength. It delivers an MTTR of less than 24 hours. The company has set-up a wide network of offices across India and abroad. This also includes office set ups in major Indian metros like Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, & Kerala. At these locations, it has established highly effective call management systems with dedicated professional support staff. Over 150 well-trained & experienced technicians are available 24x7 across India for commissioning and maintenance of machines. Spartan believes in upgrading knowledge and enhancing the skill levels of its products and it drives this by conducting training programs by professionals on site. It offers to its customers both AMC (Annual Maintenance Contract) and PMC (Preventive Maintenance Clinics). AMC provides peace of mind to the customer during the duration for which the contract is held by maintaining the machines and providing training support. Spartan's customer delight department also provides technical solutions for various issues related to work sites, safety audits of machines etc. to keep the machines in best condition. All of Spartan manufactured machines are supported by PAN India availability of genuine spare parts from its spares team. The benefit of using Spartan spares is enormous as it contributes to better machine efficiency, longer machine life, and lesser safety risk thereby protecting client's investment. The company also offers its clients an option for a rate contract for Spartan spares. It is important and beneficial for clients to enter into a Spartan spares rate contract as it saves customer's time, money, and efforts.