5 Ways Bobcat Equipment Can Increase Your Productivity Without Growing Your Crew Size

Finding reliable help has been a challenge for years due to labor shortage. Not everyone can – or wants to – grow their employee numbers. Here are five ways to elevate and expand your business’s capabilities without adding to the payroll.

1. Dig accurately without a measuring stick using Bobcat’s depth check system

That person who usually holds the grade rod while you dig? He or she could be doing something more productive with their time. Now you can make that happen. Banish the grade rod – or the need to set up time-consuming laser equipment – with the Bobcat depth check system. Using sensors that track the exact position of the bucket’s teeth, the depth check system lets you set your desired digging depth and go. Monitor your current and desired depths on the in-cab display – no need to exit the cab. Plus, audible alerts tell you when you are approaching your intended depth, are at your target or have gone too far.

Ready to unleash the depth check system on your next trenching or site prep job? If you have an R2-Series mini excavator, your machine is depth-check ready – just add the depth check accessory kit. The system can be added to the majority of M-Series compact excavators as well.

2. Rely on your local Bobcat dealership to perform your equipment’s maintenance

It’s crunch time on a project – right in the middle of the busy season – and you realize your fleet is past due for maintenance. Nothing puts a damper on that jobsite flow like a dose of downtime. You could add a mechanic or fleet manager to your payroll. Or you could simply take advantage of your Bobcat dealer’s Protection Plus Planned Maintenance program. Protect your jobsite schedule – and your equipment – by relying on your dealer’s trained service technicians to maintain your machines with genuine Bobcat parts and proactively schedule service when your equipment isn’t being used. You’ll save money by catching small problems before they become major issues while keeping your crew focused on what they know best: the work.

3. Diversify your attachment or machine fleet to check off to-do lists faster

Unlike employees, machines show up on time, never take vacation days and don’t require a paycheck. If you’re needing to improve your productivity – or are considering expanding your roster of services – adding another machine or attachment to your fleet, instead of another crew member, could help you reach your goals. Bobcat offers a variety of equipment to take on your unique work, including compact loaders, mini excavators, small articulated loaders, large excavators, compact tractors, utility products and telehandlers. Consider looking into a different size or type of machine than what’s currently in your equipment arsenal to see the efficiencies it could bring to the job. With dozens to choose from, Bobcat attachments and implements can also boost your machine’s versatility, helping you take on everyday tasks and seasonal projects alike.

If buying new isn’t in the budget, Bobcat dealers offer machine rental, leasing, financing programs and Certified Pre-Owned equipment so you can get the right machines while freeing up cash flow for your other expenses. Features On Demand, available on R-Series loaders, is another wallet-friendly option. You can buy a loader with the features you need now and then enable other features down the road if your must-haves change – without needing to buy a new machine.

4. Use a telematic system to keep track of equipment

Monitoring and managing your fleet got you overwhelmed? A telematics system, such as Bobcat’s Machine IQ wireless communications, could be the answer. With its ability to give you insight into how efficiently your machines are running, where they’re located and whether they need service, Machine IQ may alleviate your need to hire a fleet manager, depending on the size of your operation. Machine IQ lets you check in on machines at any time and from any place – just login to the system from your internet-connected device. With Machine IQ, you can:

• Track and address maintenance and service issues
• Track machine locations and distribution
• Schedule maintenance plans based on machine usage
• Capture stats on machine efficiency and productivity to make informed equipment and buying decisions in the future
• Get immediate notifications if equipment is misused

Machine IQ also transmits data to your authorized Bobcat dealer. If your machine displays a critical code, your dealer will be notified right away and can then contact you and dispatch a field service technician if needed. This can help reduce downtime, especially if you’re running multiple machines, so you don’t miss that deadline.

5. Monitor and boost your crew’s efficiency

You count on your crew to work hard. Ensure no one’s slacking off while they’re on the clock by using the Operator Job Check feature on Touch Display, available for both Bobcat compact loaders and mini excavators. To monitor an operator’s efficiency simply set a new clock for each job. Within each clock, you can view detailed statistics for each operator, including the number of engine hours, idle hours and fuel usage. You can set up to 20 different operators per machine. Use this info to match the crew members to future tasks, identify training opportunities and make promotion decisions.

Ready to take your company’s efficiency to the next level? Find your local Bobcat dealer to find the best equipment solution for your needs.