Caterpillar customers play crucial roles in their respective industries, and the success of their businesses is paramount. The impact of unexpected equipment downtime or inefficient asset utilization can determine the fate of their operations.
This is why customers of various sizes and industries rely on Caterpillar and Cat® dealers to assist them in asset management. A robust equipment management program not only optimizes component lifespan and enhances productivity but also reduces expenses and improves worksite safety.
Enter The New Visionlink
During the CONEXPO, the biggest construction tradeshow in North America, CAT unveiled the exciting new VisionLink. This cloud-based platform generated a lot of excitement, and for good reason. It offers customers a comprehensive fleet management solution, allowing them to track assets, maximize machine uptime, and optimize utilization. The platform is designed to be scalable, catering to customers of all sizes, and offers flexible subscription levels tailored to meet different customer requirements.
While Caterpillar has been providing equipment management services for a while, company have now taken a significant step forward. Caterpillar have integrated three previous offerings into a single, comprehensive solution, complemented by a refreshed and user-friendly interface. This new and improved VisionLink allows customers to efficiently manage their entire fleet, regardless of the manufacturer. The migration process from the retired products to VisionLink is seamless, ensuring that user accounts, asset information, current subscriptions, and custom settings are automatically transferred to the new platform. This streamlined transition ensures a hassle-free experience for valued customers.
The enhanced version of VisionLink maintains its core telematics capabilities, providing essential data for every machine in terms of asset tracking. This includes crucial information such as daily location, utilization metrics, fuel usage, and maintenance reminders. Additionally, VisionLink seamlessly integrates with Caterpillar’s vast digital ecosystem, allowing for a comprehensive and interconnected fleet management experience.
Top 4 New Features
Here are four exciting new features of VisionLink:
- Full Fleet Visualization: Customers can now access all their asset information, including Cat and non-Cat equipment, in one centralized location. The user-friendly dashboards allow for easy tracking by projects, groups, and geofences.
- “Needs Review” Feature: This new feature highlights instances that require action, enabling users to create workflows, schedule tasks, and access links to purchase parts or request services.
- Task Management: Users can now create and assign tasks to ensure timely maintenance and service completion.
- Mobile App: The mobile app is optimized for smartphones, providing on-the-go customers with real-time updates on key metrics, asset locations, fuel levels, idle time, and more.
How It Came Together
Caterpillar employees and partners embarked on an ambitious, exciting, and challenging journey while working on this project. Leading the development of the new VisionLink is Nick Redd, Caterpillar’s Senior Digital Product Manager, who has played a crucial role in shaping its evolution.
Nick emphasized the importance of creating a top-notch equipment management product that aligns with Caterpillar’s service expansion objectives. The goal was to design an integrated, fleet-agnostic tool that simplifies the Caterpillar experience for customers, including purchasing parts, scheduling services, and addressing maintenance concerns. Throughout a three-year journey, the team dedicated themselves to developing over 1,600 features for the app, conducting numerous customer visits, and engaging more than 15 teams in the development process.
“The creation of VisionLink is a remarkable testament to the capabilities of an integrated digital portfolio. It is supported by Caterpillar’s vast network of over 1.4 million connected assets and our robust digital platform, which enables advanced analytics and the transformation of data into valuable business insights. Developing these foundational digital products concurrently presented significant challenges, but it ultimately enhanced our offerings by combining customer-centricity with technical feasibility. I am extremely proud of the dedicated VisionLink team and the numerous stakeholders, including Caterpillar employees, customers, and dealers, who collaborated tirelessly, often working long hours and overcoming numerous obstacles, to achieve this significant milestone.”
Customer Focus
Caterpillar is committed to delivering not just equipment, but comprehensive solutions that meet the needs of customers. CAT understand that every aspect of an asset’s lifespan, from day-to-day operations to regular maintenance, influences the cost-effectiveness of productive work units. Therefore, company prioritize providing solutions that optimize jobsite and equipment management processes to ensure maximum efficiency and productivity.
With the introduction of the new VisionLink, customers can now make better-informed decisions regarding their equipment, leading to increased productivity and reduced costs. However, commitment to customer success doesn’t end here. Caterpillar have a team of industry experts continuously exploring ways to further enhance solutions. As CAT strive for continuous improvement, the possibilities for tomorrow are limitless.