When economies around the world began to shut down in mid-March this year, Hunter Engineering refocused its efforts instead of staying the course, says Pete Liebetreu, vice president of marketing for Hunter.
“We said, ‘What products or solutions can we come out with by the end of the year that will impact the customer and their business? How can we help and how can we do it in a timely fashion?”
With that mission, Hunter employees got to work. The result? Fifteen new products and six new enhancements that the company debuted at its Hunter Innovation Expo, a virtual event that took place last week which featured hands-on demonstrations of its new products and enhancements.
Among the new members to the Hunter family were Hunter’s heavy-duty unmanned inspection equipment, a collaboration with Bosch on ADAS equipment, a new heavy-duty tire changer and wheel balancer and the second iteration of its HunterNet business intelligence tool: HunterNet 2.
“This is the platform of the future,” Liebetreu said. “The Internet of Things (IOT) of equipment is where a lot of our customers want to go…Our smart equipment can give you all the data and metrics you need to run your business from anywhere.”
Liebetreu said customers will still be able to access real-time data on equipment results, trends and reports. However, instead of accessing this on HunterNet for each individual piece of equipment, HunterNet 2 is a “rooftop platform” allowing shop owners and managers to receive tire service results together on one dashboard or in customized push alerts sent to their phone.
With HunterNet2, shop owners can see their equipment payback in real time and track tire and alignment revenue and potential revenue. The platform allows shop owners to set day-to-day goals and monitor service trends over time, the company says.
In addition, shop owners can see a detailed list of their Hunter equipment in any store, get news and updates on the latest Hunter products and enhancements and tap into local support through the dashboard that connects the shop with their local Hunter team for questions and support.
“We envisioned this product before work-from-home, but now, it resonates with a lot of people,” Leibetreu said about the enhanced technology.
He added that HunterNet2 is available as a no-cost upgrade for existing HunterNet users. The platform connects with Hunter’s smart shop equipment, including its inspection and alignment equipment as well as its smart tire changers and wheel balancers.
