Remote support: lightning-fast assistance from anywhere
Remote support at a glance
- Eltra is providing remote support more and more often.
- It allows our team to solve problems for customers faster and more efficiently, no matter where they are in the world.
- As more machine components are connected to the network, Eltra can offer even better remote assistance.
- When needed, our experts are also available for on-site support.
Fast technical support is essential to minimise downtime. With remote support, Eltra can offer immediate assistance with any queries or issues, no matter where in the world a machine is located. Software engineers Jordy Oomes and Maxim de Vries explain the benefits and possibilities of remote assistance.
What is remote support?
Maxim: “Remote support allows us to assist customers without being physically present at the machine. We can handle almost anything remotely. We help customers with relatively simple questions, such as how to configure a machine, which can be handled over the phone. But we also get calls where half of a factory is down. Within minutes, we’re logged into the system, monitoring the control panels, settings, and how the software is responding. Sometimes customers walk through the factory with a camera, allowing me to see the entire production line.”
Jordy: “We can even manage the installation of a production line from our office, miles away. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we weren’t able to cross borders, but in collaboration with the customer, we successfully completed the expansion of a production line in a Belgian factory entirely remotely. Since then, we’ve carried out several projects this way with great success. More and more customers are beginning to realise the true value of remote support.”
Is remote support available for all customers?
Maxim: “We can provide remote support to all our customers. The specific possibilities depend on the equipment and the connection. The more we can access, the easier it is to help. Fortunately, the range of options is continually expanding. These days, more and more machine components are being connected to the network.”
What are the benefits of remote support?
Jordy: “It allows us to keep communication streamlined and offer faster assistance. Questions that used to require us to fly to Lithuania or China can now often be resolved within minutes. But it’s not just about the distance. In some cases, we can even provide better support remotely. Even if a factory is only fifteen minutes away, we don’t always go there in person. From the quiet of my own desk, I can handle the problem more efficiently, often finding the solution much quicker than when I’m standing on a noisy factory floor.”
Maxim: “It also gives us an advantage in communication. You never know who you’ll be speaking to during a malfunction. Sometimes it’s an operator who barely speaks English or has little technical knowledge, making it hard for them to explain what’s wrong. By viewing the system remotely, I can see the problem clearly and resolve it much faster.”
“Downtime in production is extremely costly. The quicker you get support, the better.”
When are you available for this service?
Maxim: “Eltra’s response time is incredibly fast. There’s almost always someone available to assist a customer. Most of the time, we can help on the same day, and if not, we’ll at least let you know what our plan is to provide support. Some customers even call us before contacting the machine manufacturer because we’re so quick to respond.”
Jordy: “One of the key benefits of remote support is that it usually doesn’t need to be scheduled, unlike on-site assistance. Often, we can squeeze it in during a spare half hour, getting the customer up and running right away.”
Maxim: “Downtime in production is extremely costly. The quicker you get support, the better. In our industry, we have a saying, ‘downtime is murder.’ Every minute lost is a minute too many.”