June 2011: For Pyrotec, a leading privately-owned South African provider of innovative product identification solutions, being able to ensure critical packaging machinery uptime for its clients has been a crucial factor in the company’s continued success. “Our reputation is built on solid relationships with clients with production environments where machinery uptime is dependent on quick and efficient installations, superb service and a speedy response to breakdowns. We have achieved this through a skilled technical team that has the backing of some of the best machines available, an extensive range of spare parts and an ultra-reliable supply of consumables,” says Rowan Beattie, Managing Director of Pyrotec.
Through its PackMark division, Pyrotec provides factory-level printing equipment to a range of South African companies, and is the sole distributor of Markem-Imaje products in South Africa. Pyrotec PackMark sells and rents equipment and provides the consumables necessary to run them, while also taking care of any maintenance and repairs that may be needed. Markem-Imaje is a global provider of continuous inkjet, thermal transfer, laser, hot melt inkjet and print-and-apply label systems with more than 95 years experience.
Pyrotec PackMark works closely with Markem-Imaje’s Netherlands-based Technical Service Department which provides Pyrotec’s sales and technical staff with customer support and care of the highest European standards. The help desk – with a central number and single email address – gives customers direct access to the best communications, support and technical expertise, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This support enables Pyrotec PackMark to quickly resolve any issues with Markem-Imaje products and translates into an improved customer experience.
Pyrotec’s own customer support is structured on three levels:
1. A 24/7 Cape Town-based help desk is linked to the Markem-Imaje -trained South African field engineers.
2. If the help desk is unable to resolve the issue, help desk Product Champions immediately contact Global Indirect Distributor Support, based in France and the Netherlands. This effectively gives customers direct access to product experts at Markem-Imaje.
3. Finally, if the issue still cannot be resolved, the final tier of backup support is activated. Global Distribution Support is focused at the highest level of expertise available and ensures that the most demanding challenges are met by teams in France, Sweden, the UK and the USA.
According to Beattie, the Cape Town help desk forms the backbone of Pyrotec PackMark’s support to customers. “Our Product Champions supply the first level of support, depending on the skill level required and the region of responsibility. Any further backup that may be required is then provided by the second and third tiers – it means a customer need only make a single phone call or send one email to have their issue attended to by expert technicians,” Beattie explains.
“For most brands, ensuring consistent uptime of critical packaging equipment is a key requirement for an efficient, cost-effective manufacturing process. Through our streamlined customer support service Pyrotec PackMark is able to speedily resolve any technical issues and get clients up-and-running again quickly and efficiently,” Beattie finishes.
