Oil Management Systems - Why professional workshops use them

Oil Management Systems, Fluid Management Systems, Dispensing Control Systems … they have many names, but what actually are they and how do they work?

Simply put, in a service workshop application they are a system which controls and manages the dispensing of oils, coolant, windshield fluid etc which is dispensed in the workshop.

They bring with them many benefits, including the following:

•  Control – dispense points are locked while not in use, and can only be opened by a user after entering their personal PIN, and a job or fleet number. This data is recorded in the dispense report which is lodged after completion of the dispense.
•  Visibility – the dispense reports which are sent to the system software at the completion of each dispense include data such as date & time of dispense, fluid type, dispense point number, dispensed quantity, job or fleet number, and the person’s name.
  The dispense reports can be filtered by any of the above data. For example, office staff may need to view all the oils which were dispensed for a particular job, so entering the job number into the filter will bring up only the dispenses made for this job.
  Additionally, the levels in the tanks can be monitored within the system software, and alerts can be triggered at re-order levels.

•  Automation – Full data integration to the site Dealer Management System can be configured which provides real time job or fleet number validation, meaning that the dispense is only approved if the number is valid at the time of the dispense request.
  On completion of the dispense, the applicable data is written into the DMS against the applicable job or fleet number.
  This removes human input for a repetitive task which removes human error and obviously provides labour savings.

What makes Oil Management Systems appeal to professional workshops?

 Many of the system benefits appeal to large workshop organisations, but a big one is the fact that the dispense data is automatically recorded and kept, which is one of the requirements for workshops which have implemented the Quality Management System ISO 9001.

The fluid management system provides automated record keeping, and also transparency of fluid dispensing operations in the workshop.

There have been cases where a mechanic has unknowingly dispensed the wrong oil into an engine or transmission, and the oil management system has allowed the supervisor to pick up on the error within minutes, thus avoiding damage to the vehicle and a potential customer relations nightmare.
The potential for human error is vastly reduced through the whole process from the workshop floor to the customer’s bill, and if there is a discrepancy then the source of the issue can be quickly identified.

A combination of automated record keeping, operational transparency, and automated DMS data entry for billing purposes are all rolled into one which contributes in a significant, behind the scenes way to providing the workshop’s customers with an efficient and professional experience.

Types of Fluid Management Systems

 Advance Fluid Control are the NZ agents for a number of Fluid Management Systems, and we have unrivalled experience in NZ in this field. We offer various hard wired systems such as the Orilink system from Sweden, however the most popular system for NZ applications is the Badger Meter Wireless System from the USA.

Badger Meter’s wireless system is widely used all over the globe, as it is ideal for mobile applications such as mobile oil trolley kits.

Most workshops in NZ have some drums which are on a mobile dispenser, and the Badger Meter Wireless System can cater for these as well as the fixed mounted dispense points.

The wireless system is very quick to install with the on-site installation taking no more than half a day for the majority of installations. There is no cutting into pipes to install valves and meters which are required with hard wired systems, and likewise there are no cables to run around the workshop.

Of course there are certain applications more suited to a hard wired system, and we evaluate the most suitable option based on the site layout and what the customer wants to achieve.

Sound Interesting?

If you can identify with some of the issues that an oil dispensing management system helps to solve and would like to look into it further, we can assist you with any information you need.

To discuss this in person, please contact us on 0800 538 058, or otherwise select one of the options below.