Boons bvba is a family business specialized in earthworks, demolition and road works since 1983. With a large team of professionals and an extensive fleet of modern excavators and trucks, they bring every project to a successful conclusion. We were allowed to talk to Katrien Boons, who together with brother Toon forms the second generation of Boons to actively participate in the company.
Katrien, can you outline the situation before you started working with CHECK.connects?
At Boons I think we have about 70 machines, ranging from large cranes to smaller cranes to small dump trucks. We do always try to work very locally. But due to the fact that we have, for example, 5 small cranes of the same type, it was sometimes difficult to remember which crane was exactly on which site. The person who moves all the machines is always well aware of everything, but if someone else had to move a crane, there was just no overview anymore. That was very confusing and we wanted to change that.
So how did you get in touch with CHECK.connects?
Well, after determining that we needed to change something, we started looking for a solution. So then we chose CHECK, and it really turned out 100%. Our business manager Danny is 61 and follows everything on his smartphone without any difficulty. With us, we were able to completely customize the structure to how it works best for us.
We have given our cranes their own number, which is also attached to the crane itself. That way we can quickly find out exactly where that crane is. Of course, we have to keep in mind that the location is only transmitted twice a day. So we always have to think about whether someone else has passed by in the meantime, but basically not too much changes in such a short time.
How was the integration of CHECK.connects into your company?
There are quite a few people here internally who work with CHECK. Of course, both the business manager, my brother and myself have access to the platform, but all colleagues in the office also have a login. So everyone has access to the same information. Even the person in charge who arranges everything related to the inspections of our cranes also uses it.
All inspections are done directly on site, so that person can see perfectly if that one crane is still in the right place when the inspector comes by. But if, for example, a part is broken, we know immediately where that crane is and the necessary info is immediately available.
Are there any particular changes or benefits you notice?
For us, there are certainly financial benefits. The person who moves all the machines also uses the app via his smartphone. If he then drives from Mechelen to our headquarters in Geel, for example, he can use the app to see if there might be any machines on his route that could possibly be picked up as well. For him, this is very convenient. No more 'empty' trips are driven, which is of course more advantageous for us.
What we also notice is that small cranes are no longer forgotten. Because before, sometimes the large machines were picked up first when a yard was closed. Due to lack of time, it sometimes happened that a small crane was forgotten. Now we can monitor perfectly when a machine has been left standing, and we can just drive by to pick it up. So it's definitely paying off in that area, too.
How do you experience the service?
If I encounter any problems at all, you guys are immediately ready to help. For example, we had just recently installed a tag and it didn't signal right away. You guys really addressed and solved that problem right away. But what I especially like is that when I call, you respond immediately. It's not like I see a post-it stuck on my desk after two weeks because something still needs to be followed up.
With us, it also used to be feasible to make a quick phone call to find out the location. But then we got bigger and bigger, and you also have to be a little efficient. You don't know how easy something is until you have it. Sometimes it's just daring to take that step.
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