This Looks Like a Job For…ANSWERMAN!

Contrary to popular belief, I’m not empowered with X-ray vision or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Nor do I change into Kryptonian suits in the nearest phone booth (well, only on rare occasions). But in my role as Okuma’s “Answerman” I do fight a never-ending battle for truth and justice. Every day I find needed facts and procedures for our distributors and their customers, so they can achieve maximum productivity from their Okuma machine tools. It’s a job I love, and it’s never boring! Every morning I fire up my computer and stare at 50+ emails (WITHOUT X-ray vision), all of which require my response. I never know what’s going to hit me. But when I learn what needs to be done, I spring into action and find the answers as quickly as possible.

Working As a Team

I frequently get asked for detailed drawings so customers can see if a machine tool will fit in their shop or determine if they need to make preparations such as pouring a suitable foundation. I get lots of questions regarding specs for the machines, and how they perform. Sometimes a machine is down and the distributor goes to work on it, but some setting has been accidentally changed, without anyone knowing about it. In this case we might learn that a parameter tweak is all that’s needed. I work with our distributors to collect the right information, and we operate as a team. We put our collective brains into finding the best solution for each customer.

Weird Calls to the Answerman

I get an oddball request now and then, and these can be quite amusing. Once I had a guy wanting to know about the warranty for his Okuma fishing reel. When I explained that we don’t manufacture fishing reels – that’s a different Okuma – he insistently asked me to transfer him to “that department.” I’ve gotten the creative types who ask “where should I send my resume?” I received a call once asking for a part number for a light bulb in a machine tool, which is right up my alley, but I thought it was odd that they called Okuma direct. If your car headlight goes out, do you call the auto manufacturer? Wouldn’t you be more likely to call your local dealer? Maybe people are accustomed to working with builders who don’t use distributors, and they somehow forget they have a local resource right in their own backyard.

Together We Can Save the Day

I wouldn’t go so far as to tell you I routinely “save the day”, because as I mentioned, it’s always a team effort between us here at Okuma America and our distributors. But it’s very rewarding when I can help solve things for people. The distributor acts as my eyes and ears onsite so we can relay information back and forth and get to the right solution. Together we work hard to save your day.

Does any of this sound familiar? Has your Okuma distributor helped you find the right machine tool or solve a production dilemma? Feel free to share your stories below – we’d love to hear them.

Brian Kateley is Applications Engineer (aka the “Answerman”), Okuma America Corporation.