Volvo CE’s new SmartCare service will monitor and translate your telematics data for you

Updated Jun 25, 2015
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Volvo Construction Equipment has launched a new fleet management assistance service that takes the manufacturer’s dealer involvement to a new level.

The new SmartCare service will include three tiers:Basic, Plus and Complete. As you progress from Basic through Complete, your Volvo dealer becomes more involved in helping to monitor and translate the CareTrack telematics data being generated by Volvo machines in your fleet.

Volvo CE director of Service Solutions Jim Bretz said while CareTrack is helping equipment owners and operators tap into a wealth of actionable data including fuel consumption, idle time, machine location, fluid levels and service alerts, it can all at times be “overwhelming.”

“With SmartCare, our dealers can help simplify fleet management by evaluating machine and operator data, and providing corresponding recommendations for maintenance and operations that can positively impact the customer’s bottom line, increase uptime, and allow the customer more time to focus on their jobs and clients,” Bretz said in a statement.

“With SmartCare Complete, the Volvo dealer essentially acts as an extension of the customers’ fleet management team—providing operator familiarization training, daily machine monitoring, on-site inspections, strategic recommendations, bumper-to-bumper extended warranty coverage, Volvo Uptime and more.”

The Tiers

SmartCare Basic now comes standard with the purchase of “a broad range” of new Volvo machines. The service includes:

  • Volvo Care inspections
  • One-year, 2,500-hour warranty
  • Fuel efficiency guarantee (on select earthmoving equipment)
  • 24-hour access to parts online
  • Six-year subscription to Volvo CareTrack telematics

Under the Basic tier, a Volvo-certified technician will make regularly scheduled visits with your machines in the interest of preventative maintenance. Plus, with the fuel guarantee, if a Volvo machine doesn’t meet the company’s stated benchmarks, Volvo will reimburse a portion of the fuel cost. Caterpillar recently launched a similar program.

Volvo says the first three years of of the CareTrack subscription offer “advanced-level” access, which includes the ability to monitor all of the data the machines can generate along with service alerts. After the first three years, access downgrades to “basic-level” which includes machine hours and location and the ability to manage service plans and wear parts through a Web portal.

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Plus

SmartCare Plus includes all of the features included under Basic but also includes the following upgrades:

  • Three-year, 5,000-hour drivetrain warranty
  • Lifetime frame and structure warranty
  • Six-year subscription to advanced-level CareTrack access
  • Dealer machine reports
  • Volvo oil analysis
  • Customizable Customer Support agreement

Beyond the added warranties and the upped access to advanced CareTrack data, the Plus tier adds in dealer-generated reports through Volvo’s Machine Tracking Information System (MATRIS). Using MATRIS, your Volvo dealer will begin generating reports in order to see if any troublesome trends are developing with the machines. From there, the dealer will schedule regular on-site visits as well as make training and machine care recommendations to reduce wear and fuel consumption.

Under the Plus oil analysis, a Volvo-trained technician takes regular oil sales and sends them off to a lab for analysis in order told catch problems before they occur.

Complete

  • Under the Complete tier, you get all the features of Basic and Plus including the following:
  • Three-year, 5,000-hour bumper-to-bumper warranty
  • ActiveCare dealer machine monitoring
  • Operator Training
  • Volvo Uptime

It’s under the Complete tier that worrying over telematics data becomes a thing of the past. Because in addition to doing the MATRIS reports, under Complete, your Volvo dealer will now also monitor CareTrack data as well, letting you know if any alarms, service alerts or codes come through for your machines.

Using the telematics data, the dealer can also provide consolidated fleet reports, preventative maintenance recommendations, service bulletins and more.

Finally, Complete’s Uptime guarantee promises to “quickly rectify” any unplanned downtime through your dealer. The company says it will even provide a comparable loaner machine if downtime exceeds 72 hours.