Dynamics 365 and e-Con CPQ help Fluiconnecto work lean and efficiently

Fluiconnecto aims to be at the forefront of technology and innovation, enabling the company to differentiate itself in the market and better serve its customers. To achieve this, Fluiconnecto chose an effective combination of Dynamics 365 and e-Con CPQ, implemented with the help of HSO. This combination greatly improves after-sales services and project calculations.

Fluiconnecto, a division of Manuli, is an international service organization specializing in high-pressure hoses and fluid connections. The company provides products, application engineering expertise, and maintenance services to various industries, including construction, manufacturing, agriculture, maritime, mining, and oil and gas. Fluiconnecto serves customers worldwide, adapting to local demands and conditions.

Complex checks before the start of the service processes

Boudewijn, Group IT Manager at Fluiconnecto, explains, "A significant part of our activities involves equipment lifecycle management, which means our employees spend a lot of time calculating service inspections. While it might be a straightforward task for a bulldozer, we also maintain very large and complex objects, such as dredgers. Before implementing e-Con, Fluiconnecto employees would spend weeks inspecting all the engines and components filled with high-pressure hoses and fluid connections."

To further complicate matters, customers couldn't afford the time it took for a full inspection while the ship was in port. Therefore, Fluiconnecto would send a maintenance inspector who would travel with the ship. Inspectors would only be able to resume their work once the ship had docked, often requiring them to take a flight from a remote location.

In addition to the standard configurator functionality in Dynamics 365, Fluiconnecto sought additional features. The chosen CPQ tool needed to meet the following criteria:

• Full Microsoft Dynamics certification (CfMD)
• Worldwide availability and support
• Easy expandability and compatibility with newer Dynamics 365 versions

"As the most specific CPQ tool for Microsoft Dynamics, e-Con proved to be a logical choice for us," says Boudewijn. Fluiconnecto implemented e-Con CPQ for all vessel service inspections. e-Con excels at handling the challenging task of working with thousands of hose and connector components and assemblies, each with different specifications. This enables the company to generate more accurate quotes while maintaining healthy profit margins.

A golden combination

Boudewijn explains, "Firstly, all the information is up-to-date, complete, and accessible from any location. e-Con seamlessly integrates with the service object table in Dynamics 365 Field Service. Using e-Con on a tablet, a service inspector knows the specific items within an assembly. After entering all the necessary information, e-Con CPQ generates maintenance advice and contracts. The system is powerful and flexible enough to handle the vast amount of information required for automated and error-free service contracts."

Boudewijn likes to give an example from practice: "With e-Con CPQ, a service inspector can analyze a ship in less than five days when it's temporarily in port. Without e-Con, it would take five to eight weeks to board a ship and perform all the calculations during the journey. We save weeks per service inspection. Since all the information is digital, it's much easier to access and share. With thirty engineers able to work from any location at any time, the system helps us achieve significant savings."