When choosing a technical service partner for your mining slurry pumps, it can be very tempting to rush and select the first company that you come across. You can even skip the partnership and keep in-house services. However, in addition to the benefits and salary expenses for in-house service technicians, bad decisions can lead to very costly mistakes. From poor installations to malfunctions and unnecessary downtimes, a lot can go wrong.
Choosing a reliable service provider to maintain your pumps from the beginning can save both unforeseen expenses and time. That is why a slurry pump operator should look for the following attributes when choosing a service partner for their systems.
Look beyond your pumps
Since your pumps are part of a slurry system, your service technicians should install and maintain them according to your application and the environment and not just the specifications of the pump.
Bring startup and installation support and onsite training
Pump spare parts, maintenance methods and technology change with new products and research. You will need a pump service provider that can apply the latest technologies and techniques to get you running successfully. You should then share these tools with your team.
24/7 breakdown service
You cannot always predict a pump or pump system failure. Whether it is in the middle of the day or at midnight, you should ensure you are covered by finding mining pumps service providers you can rely on at any given time.
Fulfil warranty claims
In case of a technical problem with your pump, you should trust your service provider to fix the mistake. Your service partner shouldn’t be the one to give a lot of promises and under deliver.
Dedication to continuing education
When choosing a service provider, it is important to remember that knowledge is a valuable asset. You should ensure that the service provider you choose is not just developing innovative slurry maintenance processes but should also be able and willing to teach your maintenance team so that they can do the maintenance when they are not around.
Offer local services
Slurry pumps are on-site equipment and your technicians should also be on-site. Do not poison your pump with low quality pirated parts. You should deal with OEMs and avoid re-engineering companies that have no investment in development and research. You should choose someone whose main goal is to provide you with continuous process improvements.
Perform analyses and alignments
You should not work with someone with a set it and forget it mentality because such an attitude will not cut it when it comes to setting up and maintaining your slurry pump. You will need to work with someone with a proactive hands-on approach to your system. You need someone who will fine-tune your pump and ensure it is functioning efficiently.
They should always work towards improving your system
The mining slurry pumps service provider you choose should work towards the next improvements. They should be able to work with tight budgets and help you pump more slurry, extend the time between shutdowns, and fewer resources.