A web-based marketplace for submitting and obtaining maintenance quote requests for corporate aircraft, MRO Insider was founded in 2016 to improve upon the current system of word-of-mouth referrals for aviation maintenance services. Within a year of launch, the company added over 400 corporate aircraft and more than 100 maintenance locations. MRO Insider’s Co-founder and VP of Sales, Andy Nixon talks about the challenges faced in this competitive market and the future of MRO Insider in an exclusive interview with Swati.K
Q – In an AOG situation where every minute counts, what role does MRO Insider play in connecting the aircraft with maintenance facility?
A – After a free account has been created, aircraft owner/operators can quickly search AOG providers based on airport identifier, airport name, or city name. Providers are sorted by distance from that location and helpful information is displayed such as the AOG phone number, location, company description, and more. Our goal with AOG continues to be eliminating the aircraft owner/operator need to download multiple facility mobile apps for AOG support; instead they can visit our site for a list of all options in the area.
Q – Once subscribed to MRO Insider what are the benefits provided to MROs and the aircraft owner/operators?
A – Aircraft owner/operators can compare multiple proposals by submitting just one request. Important details can then be compared including estimated price, input date available, downtime, facility reviews, and other peritnent information. They can then accept/decline proposals through the site and provide valuable feedback to the facilities. This feedback benefits both parties over the long run. Owner/operators can also view their quote request history, including previous messages, quotes received, and more.
For maintenance Facilities (MRO’s), the huge advantage lies in receiving quote requests from owner/operators they may not have access to, or some long-term customers who have adopted MRO Insider as a time saving, organizational tool. The platform automatically sorts which facilities receive the request for quote based on capability and radius (if selected by owner/operator). We have several facilities that have opted to join our network instead of hiring additional sales people, stating the cost savings and penetration our company is able to generate.
Archaic sites have come and gone in the industry, and many required the MRO to scroll through random lists of maintenance events posted on a board. By automating our platform, we created a marketplace that requires much less effort on the facility side. They receive an e-mail alert, log in, and simply upload their quote, enter estimated downtime, and include a message with the proposal submission. They can respond to questions the owner/operator may have, and use our built-in messaging feature to conduct their follow up.
Q – In aviation MRO circles, where word of mouth is a preferred mode of business, what challenges did you face in your attempt at creating a transparency in the MRO industry?
A – The biggest challenge with any new business is getting the word out about the company and what problem you set out to solve. Unfortunately, the aviation industry deals with brokers on a regular basis, and it’s frequently assumed that we are brokering maintenance. That has been a difficult hurdle to overcome, but easy enough when it’s explained that we don’t accept finders’ fees, commissions, or add any charges for our services to owner/operators. Our owner/operator feedback has been great once they begin to utilize the site, saving them time and money, and introducing them to new maintenance providers they may not have been aware of. Time is money; we strive to help save everyone both!
Q – With the worldwide commercial aviation market approaching close to a $100 billion in coming decade, digitization and modernisation is the key for survival in this ever-changing market. What role does the latest technology of digital thread play in MRO functions?
Digitization and embracing technology were both major factors in the idea and launch of MRO Insider. Uploading times and cycles, automatically updating maintenance tracking, digitally recording log book entries – all of these once-tedious tasks have now been digitalized. Like any industry, those who can recognize and adapt their processes to meet the needs of the customer are the companies who can withstand the turbulence of change. Aircraft maintenance quoting is one piece of the puzzle. We are eighteen months in, and we have yet to meet a single owner/operator who has said they prefer the old-fashioned way of obtaining maintenance quotes after using our system.
Q – MRO Insider recently added Facility Specific Maintenance Request Capability. Can you elaborate more on the same?
A – Our initial platform would send a request for quote to any facility meeting the capability and radius for that type of airframe, engine, etc. With this new feature, aircraft owner/operators can now request a quote from a specific facility by choosing from a drop-down menu of all subscribed locations. This allows facilities with loyal customers to still receive RFQ’s through our marketplace, which allows the owner/operators to take advantage of our rewards program and other benefits of utilizing the site.
Q – In today’s digital world, tons of information is encrypted and stored safely, yet security and cyber breach remains a looming threat. How do you deal with the security issues revolving around your web-based tool?
A – We know our customers expect the same level of security that our team expects from vendors, and as a result we have incorporated customer privacy and data security as part of our company mission and values. We have dedicated server space with a professional organization and have multi-level encryption on all user accounts. We allow owner/operators to withhold their contact information when submitting a request, so that they can maintain their privacy up until they accept a quote and select which facility they will be utilizing for their maintenance.
Q – Where do you visualise the current digital technology in Aerospace MRO 5 years from now?
A – With technology just beginning to work its way into the industry, the next five years has a lot of potential – if we can work together. I think that there will be a significant push to utilize technology to streamline every aspect of MRO operations – whether you are working on engines and airframes or parts and components. With that being said, we can only review the data if it exists. The faster we can accept, implement and embrace the current technology in the industry, the further we will be in 5 years. The industry needs to pull together to embrace these changes to propel ourselves further.
Q – Lastly what makes MRO Insider a world leader in achieving digital transformation?
A – One of our biggest industry advantages is remaining to be a non-affiliated third party company. This allows our team to think outside the box and focus 100% of our energy to create or streamline the methods used in the aviation industry. We founded this company to provide transparency and begin to democratize the maintenance industry. The goals we continue to strive for are making corporate aviation ownership affordable and minimize the number of frustrated owner/operators who opt to sell their aircraft due to their lack of options available. Our marketplace allows MRO’s of all sizes to compete on a level playing field, giving owner/operators the tools and knowledge they need to make informed maintenance decisions.
