Product of the Month – Hird Service
Once in a while, we take Product of the Month off piste to cover stuff that’s not made of metal and would hurt if it ran over your foot.
We’re doing it now, because our Product of the Month for April is Hird service.
We think it’s important to remember, every now and then, that a product is not just the kit. It is also the smile on the face (seen or sensed over the phone), the helping hand, and the challenge overcome.
It’s a bit of a journey into the intangible. You can see a robotic glass lifter (as long as it is delivered on time). But service can be less easy to define.
So, here we are talking about elements of service that have a direct impact on our customers. That makes sure the kit is delivered on time, and the customer and their client are happy.
The point is, we can all be tempted by a sales pitch. By a bargain. By something new. Here at Hird, we know, in the world of industrial equipment hire, consistency counts.
Hird service expertise
For us, that consistency starts with expertise.
Hird has been hiring out mini cranes, access platforms, material moving equipment, and glass lifting equipment for a long time (Hird is no fly-by-night).
It is a complicated and safety-critical business. Many of our clients value our expertise. In fact, they rely on it. Expertise from Hird comes from people (not chatbots). Hire desk teams who know what they’re talking about. Technicians who want to help.
Hundreds, probably thousands, of times a year, our advice saves clients time, effort and money by advising them on the best combination of equipment needed for specific projects.
The curious engineer
In fact, expertise has always been at the centre of our service. It is epitomised by the development by Peter Hird Snr, who founded the business, of what has become known as the Hird Test.
Back in the 1980s, after a customer complained about the poor battery performance of an access platform, Peter Hird Snr set out to develop a method for checking how long a battery should last for every type and model of MEWP in the fleet.
It was the engineer in him. He wanted to know. That determination, led to a battery endurance test – the Hird Test – that is still used by manufacturers and rental specialists around the world.
Listening and delivering
The same practical and evidence-based approach to service is alive and well at Hird today.
It informs how we develop and manage our hire fleets and the type of new equipment we invest in.
We are continuously listening to customers. Working in partnership with them. So we can provide not just what they need now but in a year or two years’ time.
It is why we are investing in electric Maeda spider cranes. Why we have the most modern fleet of Valla electric pick and carry in the UK, if not Europe.
It is why we work with manufacturers to commission and design bespoke vacuum glass lifters, like the Fin Lifter from Kappel.
It is why, when our customers come to us, they know there is a much greater likelihood we will have precisely the right counterbalance lifting beam they need, and the glass vacuum lifter to go with it.
Not just on our website, but in stock, ready to go out to site.
Find out more about Hird service
There is more to say about Hird service – look out for another article in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, talk to us about mini crane hire, access platform hire, glass lifter hire and materials lifting equipment hire.
Remember, Hird service involves more than just equipment hire. We can supply equipment with operators, or manage projects on your behalf as contract lifts.
We can also deliver training for all equipment across our hire fleets.
Email: [email protected]