At DAF, Uptime Services (formerly After Sales) has long been about more than just maintenance and repairs. The mission is clear: keep trucks on the road as much as possible, so they can keep making money. Data plays an ever-growing role in making that happen. Within DAF’s Advanced Data Intelligence Department, dozens of data sources, from Uptime Services applications to connected vehicles, are used to make smarter predictions, plan better and prevent downtime. Together with Pipple, DAF is building a future in which preventive action becomes the standard.
Data as the engine of smart services
“For data enthusiasts, this is an environment full of exceptional opportunities,” says Willem den Braven, Head of the Advanced Data Intelligence Department at DAF. “At DAF, we have an enormous amount of data from all kinds of sources. The trick is to turn that data into insights our customers can really use.”
These insights are put to use in several ways. On the one hand, the team develops dashboards and reports that help service managers, area managers and dealers make better-informed decisions. On the other, it builds predictive models that show which vehicles or components need extra attention. “Using AI and machine learning, we can detect anomalies and predict when parts are likely to fail. That allows us to schedule maintenance before a truck breaks down by the roadside. This is how we are shifting from maintenance and repair to preventive maintenance.”
Building the future of data together
The data domain is evolving at lightning speed. New technologies, better data quality and ever smarter algorithms keep DAF constantly on the move. “We’re on a journey,” says Willem.
We don’t know exactly how the landscape will develop, but we want to use every step to become more professional and more mature.
That is exactly why DAF deliberately chooses long-term partnerships with strategic partners such as Pipple. “A year ago, Pipple carried out a proof of concept. That went so well that Pipple quickly grew into a permanent partner within the team. Today, no fewer than ten Pipple professionals work alongside our department. Through specific assignments, they fill a range of roles, from data engineer and data analyst to data scientist. They are fully embedded in our projects and contribute to predictive models, dashboards, reports and machine learning solutions.”
A partnership that fits
According to Willem, the strength of the collaboration lies not only in the expertise, but above all in the way the teams work together. “The people at Pipple are specialists with a wealth of knowledge and experience. But in the end, it all comes down to people. Together you take steps, learn from each other and build something that keeps getting better.”
Alongside the match in expertise, there is a strong cultural fit. “DAF is an open organisation where people find each other easily. We see that same approachability at Pipple. People work professionally, but there’s also room for fun. That’s why the Pipple colleagues quickly feel at home in our team.”
Making an impact together
The collaboration has already led to several concrete results. For example, Pipple helped develop the algorithms behind Smart Service Alerts, which proactively warn customers when maintenance is needed. Pipple also helped renew the models for maintenance costs. “Where we used to work with traditional statistical models, we now use machine learning. This lets us include far more variables and predict maintenance costs more accurately. That immediately delivers better insights for our organisation and for our customers.”
For Willem, that is exactly what the partnership is all about.
We don’t want to collect data for the sake of data. We want to use it to genuinely help our dealers and customers. By combining our knowledge with Pipple’s expertise, we take another step every day towards smarter services and maximum customer uptime.
