A proactive Service oriented towards customer success

Paride Colantoni, a mechanical engineer, he began his career in the wine sector in Abruzzo, his region of origin, continuing with a professional path dotted with significant experiences both nationally and internationally, experiences that have shaped his vision of technical service. “Omnia Technologies’ after-sales service philosophy aims to overcome passive models like the ‘supermarket’, where one goes to purchase what is needed, or the ‘first aid’, where intervention takes place only in case of serious breakdown – he states. Our model is much more proactive and forward-looking, oriented towards visiting clients regularly, listening to their experiences, helping them prevent faults and, above all, supporting them in the growth and development of their production activities. In short, we do not limit ourselves to avoiding problems for clients, but we aim to help them grow, we create a synergy so that they can succeed. The objective of our customer service is to contribute to ‘customer success’.” 

On-the-job training programmes 

“Every phase of our intervention, from design to installation, places the client at the centre – continues Colantoni. It is a true transfer of knowledge and expertise by a team of experts, who guide the client towards solutions and products best able to meet his needs.” An integral aspect of the service is the training of clients in the use of new machines. Already in the supply contract, a section dedicated to installation, commissioning, and an on-the-job training programme directly in the field, during actual production, is included. Its duration varies depending on the complexity of the plant and the client’s experience. “In this phase, the client is followed on different levels – explains the interviewee. Even before intervening, a project manager service plans the intervention at the table together with the client. Then, during the realisation of the line, an on-site manager coordinates the various specialised technicians for the different machines to be installed, and manages the relationship with the client on the field. Generally, finalisation lasts from 3 to 10 days, but accompaniment towards the start-up of the machine can last even months, or in any case the time necessary for the client to acquire the capacity to use the machines in full autonomy. For both us and the client, it is a period when production stops, therefore everything must be perfectly planned in order to reduce costs.” 

Speed in managing client relations 

Omnia Technologies’ idea of service is based on two key concepts: accessibility and proximity. “Accessibility – clarifies Colantoni – allows the client to contact us to request support at any time and through several channels. Proximity, on the other hand, translates into our presence in the field, visiting clients, listening to their needs and assessing the state of the machines.” There are various access channels to the group’s customer assistance service: two telephone numbers to contact the call centres – one for the processing area and the other for bottling & packaging (each subdivided into online assistance and spare parts request) –, a WhatsApp Business chat number, and an email address connected to the company’s CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, specifically Salesforce. “Its implementation began last year, and it is continuously evolving. It allows us to record all activities and to have a structured follow-up. This system is enhanced by the use of Artificial Intelligence, which analyses the problem description provided by the client and suggests a first response based on similar cases already resolved. Whether the assistance request comes via phone, email or WhatsApp, the problem is always taken in charge within a maximum of 20 minutes. Resolution times then vary according to the seriousness of the problem, but in many contracts intervention is guaranteed within 24–48 hours. The approach to resolution is integrated: one starts with remote assistance and, if necessary, proceeds by sending a technician or the spare part.” 

Remote assistance on the entire process 

About 40 specialised technicians, with years of field experience, make up the Technical Support department, operating in the field of remote assistance to help the client resolve a wide range of problems, from the operator’s simple forgetfulness of a function to fault identification. This type of assistance is also useful when the client needs support in modifying the machine’s setup in product changeover. “Technical Support operates through a remote assistance system to connect remotely to the machine’s software and employs the Salesforce CRM to track requests,” specifies the head. Among the machines that most frequently require remote assistance, the expert indicates the fillers, due to the numerous variables that influence their functioning, such as the characteristics of the wine and environmental conditions. For example, a warmer and more sparkling wine tends to create more foam, making machine parameterisation more complex, while cold helps stabilise the product. “Omnia Technologies does not limit itself to intervening on the machines, but, thanks to our technicians’ expertise on the entire process, also provides consultancy on product preparation and on ideal environmental conditions to optimise bottling – he emphasises. This proactive consultancy, which helps the client improve product quality and process efficiency, is greatly appreciated.” 

Scheduled and predictive maintenance 

To guarantee the operational continuity of machines, Omnia Technologies offers scheduled maintenance service, which follows a model similar to that foreseen for motor vehicles, so to speak. “Each machine or line is equipped with a programme that tracks the interventions planned over time, based on the time span elapsed and the number of bottles produced – observes Colantoni. The maintenance activity, which foresees the replacement of certain components at variable deadlines (annual, biennial, etc.), then requires physical intervention and is mainly performed by our personnel.”
An evolution of scheduled maintenance is represented by maintenance contracts, which offer a more structured and convenient approach for the client. With these contracts, of multi-year duration, the client purchases future maintenance in advance. On the one hand, the client is thus guaranteed a fixed cost, which falls within the so-called TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), for maintenance throughout the period covered by the contract. On the other hand, the maintenance contracts allow Omnia Technologies better planning of activities, advance purchase of materials, scheduling of technicians, and greater organisational flexibility.
An interesting variation of maintenance is the predictive type, based on monitoring machines through sensors capable of detecting anomalies and predicting faults before they occur. “We monitor the state of machines remotely and, if we detect a sign of potential breakdown, such as an abnormal vibration, we contact the client to plan replacement or repair intervention before the component breaks,” clarifies Colantoni, adding that the spread of predictive maintenance is still limited due to the non-negligible initial investment the client must bear to equip the machines with the necessary sensors. Moreover, its implementation is simpler on new machines rather than existing ones. 

Software and hardware updates 

Software updates, which mainly occur remotely, are necessary to keep machines efficient and up to date with technologies. The main reasons are the obsolescence of hardware parts (if an old component such as a PLC is replaced, the software must also be updated) and the development of new functionalities, such as improved graphics on panels or implementation of additional functions. “We develop novelties almost monthly, considering all the brands – declares the head – but a predominant part of the activity consists of customisations requested by clients, such as traceability, warehouse management or simply graphic modifications, but above all integration with MES systems (Manufacturing Execution System), fundamental to monitor line performance, connect production launches and automate production start-ups. Beyond the adoption of MES systems, another factor that has mostly driven software updates in recent years is the transition towards Industry 4.0 (and now 5.0), often incentivised by government contributions.”
Continuous updating also concerns hardware: Omnia Technologies actively promotes the modernisation of already installed lines through the integration of additional components and the expansion of machine potential. This retrofit activity begins already at the machine construction stage and continues throughout its useful life, with dedicated personnel (technical sales and after-sales) contacting clients to propose improvements based on an upgrade catalogue. “The objective is to show the client the possible benefits deriving from the addition of functionalities that can increase line productivity, reduce maintenance interventions or expand production capacity. Concrete examples of these upgrades include the replacement of mechanical taps with electro-pneumatic taps in fillers, increasing production by up to 15% and reducing CO₂ consumption. In presses, a common retrofit is the shift from control panels with buttons to panels with touchscreen, allowing the creation and management of specific pressing programmes for different wines, making the machine more automatic. Other examples include the addition of modules to labelling machines to apply further types of labels or the installation of a different capper on a filler to manage a new type of stopper.” 

New growth input thanks to worldwide presence 

The service model of Omnia Technologies described by the head of Customer Service Wine & Spirits is applied uniformly worldwide. The group’s various subsidiaries replicate its structure, with teams dedicated to technical support, management and execution of interventions, promotion of after-sales services and training. “These roles are distributed among the group’s 24 brands and in the commercial and assistance subsidiaries strategically located in key markets such as the United States, France, Spain, India, China, and Argentina. This logistic diffusion is fundamental to guarantee proximity to the client, with technicians, offices, and warehouses dedicated in the largest markets. The objective is to guarantee a high and consistent service standard everywhere,” affirms Paride Colantoni, who oversees the entire service structure internationally. Worldwide presence allows the group to have a vision of market trends and thus gather new ideas to transmit to clients. “We try to understand what new products or emerging processes in the sector are and, based on these trends, we propose to clients the addition of modules or components necessary to achieve them with existing machines – he concludes. In this way we do not only respond to already existing needs, but we offer the client further input to broaden his offer and seize new market opportunities.”