Source: CAMS Consulting

: By Joseph Chaly, Managing Partner, CAMS Consulting

July 2025: In today’s industrial landscape, service is no longer just an after-sales function - it’s a powerful driver of growth, customer loyalty, and long-term value.

Take the example of a gearbox manufacturer based in western India. In just 24 months, the company transformed its service operations with remarkable results:

• Delivery accuracy jumped from 71% to 93%
• Lead times for parts improved significantly
• Service revenue more than doubled
• Profit margins rose by 75%

So, what fuelled this transformation?

1. Service as Strategy
By embedding service into the company’s core growth strategy, the business moved from reactive support to proactive engagement. This shift enabled them to offer multi-brand service and position themselves as full-solution providers, opening new revenue streams and expanding market reach.

2. Leveraging Installed Base Data
The company used digital tools and service audits to map its installed base by location, usage, and machine condition. This visibility allowed them to run targeted service campaigns, improve planning, and deepen customer engagement.

3. Building a Scalable Service Infrastructure
Investments in customer-cluster-based service centres, dedicated supply chains, digitized workflows, and a skilled service team led to significant operational gains most notably in delivery accuracy and turnaround times.

4. Creating a Service-First Culture
Perhaps the most critical shift was cultural. Service became a leadership priority. Teams were empowered, customer success was celebrated, and relationships were treated as long-term assets. The mindset evolved from “fix and forget” to “engage and enable.”

The Bottom Line: Service is a Strategic Differentiator
In an era where products are easily replicated, service is where true differentiation happens. The gearbox manufacturer’s journey is a blueprint for what’s possible when companies treat service not as a cost centre, but as a growth engine.

For India’s business leaders, the question now is:
Are you ready to turn your installed base into a competitive advantage?

About the Author:

Joseph Chaly Joseph Chaly is a seasoned manufacturing industry leader and Managing Partner at CAMS Consulting. With over four decades of experience including senior leadership roles at Vestas and LM Wind Power, he now advises clients on growth strategy and performance improvement through CAMS’ proprietary transformation frameworks.

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