Efficient system solutions like fluid management systems, lubricant dispensers, and portable pumps provide speed, accuracy, and flexibility in the workshop’s handling of liquids. Even small auto dealers and fast-lube shops have started to use highly sophisticated fluid management systems for daily operations, aiming to reduce wastage and improve the cleanliness and safety at work.

What are the common liquids used on a regular and voluminous basis in the workshop? It starts with the motor oil, AdBlue®, mineral oils, coolant, grease, window wash fluid, and more. A variety of liquids are used in a workshop. Different types of liquids follow different industry standards.

Indeed, I took a chance to start my research on this topic, and I discovered new insights. For instance, according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), each oil transport from one container to another in the workshop can increase the ISO cleanliness code by one level. External sources, such as foreign particles (dirt, dust), can contaminate liquids easily. Moreover, companies like GRACO, FALCO, or TECALEMIT continuously implement innovations, especially in reducing the risk of spills and contaminated fluids during transport from bulk containers and drums.

More precisely, there is a trend in reducing the number of liquid transfers in the workshop. During vehicle inspections, technicians can directly pump fluids from their portable bulk containers into gearbox compartments, coolers, and wherever fluids are needed. Less downtime, less manual handling, and reduced residual fluids in the drums increase workshop efficiency to the next level. Moreover, by keeping the workshop clean, industry standards become more comfortable to maintain.

In addition to these modern facilities, something else could increase efficient operations with liquids in the workshop. Now I think about the dealer management systems. Let us imagine the end-to-end solution where fluid management systems and oil dispensers communicate with the DMS smoothly. Technicians pump oil into the gearbox, and data (the type of liquid, dispenser ID, technician ID, volume) are fully synced with the customer order in the DMS (1). Alternatively, after scanning the barcode label on the customer’s order, technicians can pump the required liquid type with the right volume (2). On the other hand, inventory tracking in the DMS works freely without the assistance of another person from the parts department, such as a parts picker.

We are now coming back to the starting point of my article. To best follow industry standards, you can start asking yourself:

• How many liquid transfers per day, week, and month could we reduce for dealers IF we provide such an end-to-end solution?
• What could affect dealer workshop efficiency (downtime, administrative work, manual handling ) if we provide such an end-to-end solution?

By developing new product propositions as a product manager, you should ask similar questions to gain insight, understand product potential, and evaluate customers’ value. Many times we must challenge the status quo, and this is right! In our next product release, we offer dealers the bidirectional framework to enable communication between different types of liquid dispensers and our DMS. For instance, both user cases (1., 2.) described in my article are part of that. That may speak volumes.

Transforming vision into reality is a part of my professional life. Sure, there is more to add, and if you are the one who is interested in product details, allow me to share them with you.

Dr. Juraj Hanus, hanus@taxapa.com

Data Analytics & Automotive Applications Expert for Dealerships