Technical support program

Abstract

Technical services are offered to customers on an outsourced basis according to a menu of services available. A menu is provided for categories of equipment on with the technical services provider offers technical services and a menu is also provided identifying the technical services which are offered. The services are modular and are selected based upon the customer's needs. The modular services are offered at two levels, a basic level and a high end level.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for implementation of customer-related maintenance services for an industrial system, comprising the steps of: 
 providing technical and maintenance services on a pro-active basis; and    providing modules of said technical and maintenance services wherein said modules are standardized and freely combinable with one another.    
     
     
         2 . A method of providing technical services to a customer, comprising the steps of: providing a menu of technical services offered to the customer, said technical services being modular; 
 performing ones of said modular technical services which are selected by the customer as outsourced services, said services being customized according to the customer's needs.    
     
     
         3 . A method of providing technical services to a customer, comprising the steps of: 
 performing an evaluation of a customer's technical practices and facilities;    providing a menu of available technical services to the customer, said menu including modular technical services available on an outsourced basis;    making recommendations to the customer of selected ones of said modular technical services based on results of said evaluation; and    providing on an outsourced basis ones of said modular services selected by the customer.    
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: 
 valuing compensation of said outsourced modular services depending on performance indicators.    
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing said technical and maintenance services in three performance levels.    
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing said technical and maintenance services at a business-oriented level as well as in a technology-oriented level and in an equipment level.    
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 universally performing the technical and maintenance services from managing, planning and coordinating the services down to operational activities with the processes implemented lacross all functions.    
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing condition monitoring and routine operational checks.    
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing an inventory optimization and reduction with a goal of reducing spare parts warehousing.    
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 providing a shared inventory with a goal of reducing inventory investment and carrying cost as well as storage, maintenance, and occupancy cost.    
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said services are aimed to maintain equipment manufactured by the service provider as well as OEM equipment.  
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said services include an equipment upgrade.  
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said services include evaluating equipment for upgrade possibilities in order to improve their functionality.  
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said services include—verifying the equipment reliability.  
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said services include providing maintenance services aligned to the customer's changing business-objectives.  
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 performing a maintenance business review.    
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said maintenance business review routine includes: a standardized and repeatable assessment systematic on the basis of an assessment handbook.  
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 performing an equipment condition assessment according to the methods of visual inspection, offline tests and online tests.    
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a comparative audit including a snapshot audit at two comparative points in time, wherein the data from each snapshot audit is utilized to evaluate individual equipment categories on a predetermined 1-10 scale.    
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each equipment category is weighted according to its criticality, the weighted-score can be summarized to provide an overall equipment condition evaluation, which can be compared to other points in time.  
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing said services on performance-oriented-contract basis.    
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing technical support programs including services for electrical distribution systems, automation and drives systems, and rotating equipment.    
     
     
         23 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said steps are implemented according to the prescriptions of a service manual.  
     
     
         24 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said industrial system is one of a airport, steel mill, hospital, mines, ship yard, large building, hotel, chemical plant, cement plant, subway system, railway system, container terminal, oil drilling rig or platform, paper mill, oil or natural gas pipeline system, lime plant, water treatment plant including desalination, fresh water pipelining and waste water treatment, and food service facilities.