Minivator Invests In The Future Of Service
Over the last 18 months Stairlift Manufacturer Minivator has intensified its focus on providing great service to its customers and the end users of their products. As manufacturers become increasingly aware that they can no longer rely solely on their products to gain an advantage service has risen to the top of many board room agendas. What is so encouraging about Minivator is that their attention is also on providing great service long term: they are already taking steps to ensure that as they continue to expand they will have people in place ready to deliver great service. So how are Minivator proactively guaranteeing their service provision for the future?
During September 2007 Minivator successfully employed seven apprentices within the Field Service department and are committed to increase this further to 15 within the coming year. At the heart of this process is the clear need to produce engineers for the future who are completely immersed in the company culture and ethics. From experience some of their very best engineers have emerged through the ongoing apprentice program thus entirely justifying the investment that is made.
The apprentices are very much made to feel part of the company from the outset with the same benefits and induction process of all other Associates. Their development consists of tailored NVQ Level 2 and 3 programs, focusing on Engineering Maintenance and Installation, alongside a day release college course leading towards a City and Guilds certificate. Importantly each apprentice is also given a timeline of where they need to be throughout their apprenticeship, this serves not only as a measure of their performance but a series of stepping stones to them becoming fully fledged engineers. A Technical Manager is also tasked with ensuring that each apprentice has a regular assessment of acquired skills and additionally serves as a mentor to guide then through this process.
Ultimately this Apprentice Program not only underlines Minivator’s investment in the future but clearly demonstrates that manufacturers do recognise the importance of Service in securing success.