How Cat® Customer Value Agreements Help Whelans Group Keep Costs Under Control

Presented by Caterpillar of Australia Pty Ltd

Less time organising machine maintenance means more time to focus on their business.

Whelans Group Investments is a family owned and operated construction business in Eastern Victoria. They currently operate 90+ pieces of Cat® equipment, including skid steer loaders, compactors, excavators, dump trucks, motor graders and dozers. Across Victoria they are contracted to deliver a wide variety of projects including earthworks, roadworks, drainage works, civil construction, heavy mining applications, major highway re‐alignments, railway works, sub‐divisions and residential construction.

The value of a Cat Customer Value Agreement

Customer Value Agreements (CVAs) help Cat machine owners focus on their business and keep their machines at work on the jobsite. As the General Manager of Whelans Group, John Dick knows better than anyone the value of CVAs for their business and how the tailored agreement ensures their machines are kept in top working order and deliver a hassle-free ownership experience.

“It allows us to focus solely on our production on the ground,” says John. “Knowing that Caterpillar have our machine’s best interests at heart also gives us confidence that we’ll meet project timelines.”

And should the unexpected arise, their Cat dealer is on hand and ready to provide machine support and guidance through the standard Cat Warranty and Equipment Protection Plan.

Structure the right CVA for your business

A Cat CVA provides customers with access to expert support. “Better yet,” says Robert Selby, Caterpillar Aftermarket Services Representative, “it provides customers with access to expert support when they need it. Cat CVAs are available in a range of plans—from a total maintenance and repair contract, through to planned maintenance parts, which are delivered directly to you. By structuring the right agreement with your Cat dealer, you can lower your total operating costs to maximise your investment. Customers can take out a CVA at any time, whether this is when they purchase the machine or down the track; and CVAs can cater to one machine or an entire fleet.”

Dealing with Cat

“Our relationship with our Cat dealer and the ease of doing business is paramount to our success,” says John. “We save time with our CVA because we can focus on logistics, delivery and other issues, knowing full well that our machinery will be ready to go when we need it. And that means, with our CVAs, I can keep costs under control.” 

Cat Dealer Representative, Gary Zarth, agrees. “We help control their costs so Whelans can focus on their business. Genuine Cat parts are delivered right on schedule, with clear instructions to ensure planned maintenance is done accurately, while the Equipment Protection Plan offers troubleshooting, diagnostics and repairs for newer machines. Cat VisionLink® and dealer monitoring also provides real time data in-feed, meaning customers can monitor everything from machine health through to production without needing to leave the worksite.

Meeting the needs of customers

Understanding that different customers will have different requirements, needs and budgets, Caterpillar does not have a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution with its CVA product, instead letting customers design a solution with their Cat dealer that is tailored to fulfil the needs of their operation.

To find out more about Cat Customer Value Agreements, speak to your local Cat dealer or visit cat.com/cva-au.