Case study 19 / 27

BCB Cloud

Less manual checking, more control over the fleet: connected hardware and software for forklift service.

Hands holding a tablet that shows the BCB Cloud fleet map on a dark background
Client
Black Control Box
Category
Machinery distribution and maintenance
Scope
Discovery, product design, software, hardware integration
Type
Internal system

01 · Challenge

Black Control Box, a forklift distributor, read operating hours by hand and ran service work across chat, task apps and paper, so it was hard to know which machines were due.

02 · Approach

We connected custom hardware to a shared fleet map, let real usage drive the service schedule, and gave every machine one record of readings, warnings, tasks and history.

03 · Outcome

BCB Cloud lets the team monitor machines remotely and plan service from one shared picture, and it is built so Black Control Box can offer it to other businesses.

01The challenge

A fleet is only as dependable as the checks behind it, and most of those checks were done by hand.

Machines in one place, the work in another

Black Control Box serves a forklift distributor that needed a clearer view of its machines and their maintenance. Operating hours were read on site, so the service team struggled to know which machines were due, and late checks raised the risk of missed service intervals.

The work itself was spread across Google Tasks, WhatsApp and accounting software. Important details lived with one person, which made handovers hard.

How service work ran before

  • Operating hours checked by hand, on site
  • Tasks split across Google Tasks, WhatsApp and accounting software
  • Paper service records that were easy to lose and hard to keep current

What BCB Cloud does instead

  • Machine readings on a shared map, monitored remotely
  • Service tasks created from each machine's service interval
  • One record per machine: readings, warnings, tasks and history

02Strategy

Start from the work, then connect the machine

Hardware projects often begin with the device and hope the workflow follows. We began with the service team's day: what they need to know, when, and what they do about it. The platform was designed around that, and the hardware readings were wired in to feed it.

Product idea

Usage drives the schedule

03Platform

Monitoring without driving out to check

Working with the hardware partner, we connected machine readings to a shared map. Managers see usage, location and service status remotely, with the detail behind each machine one click away. A check that once meant a trip to the site now takes a glance.

Lifecycle, fuel and safety inspection panels from a machine's record
The BCB Cloud fleet map on a desktop monitor, with a route and machine markers
A tablet showing a machine's usage chart and a photo of the forklift, held in hand
A tablet with the BCB Cloud machine dashboard: gauges, readings and a photo of the machine

04Service planning

Tasks that create themselves

BCB Cloud creates tasks from each machine's service interval and brings assignments, progress and technician routes together. The service manager organises the day, and technicians follow a clear itinerary instead of a group chat.

The task management board on a desktop screen, with tasks assigned across technicians
A phone on a stand showing a technician's task list for today
A technician's route drawn on a dark map between jobs

05Machine records

Each machine's history, in one place

Paper records were easy to lose. We connected machine readings, warnings, tasks and service history in one digital record, so the team sees the context before planning the next job.

Device data is stored during signal loss and sent when the connection returns, so gaps in coverage don't mean starting over.

A Caterpillar machine's record with warnings, tasks and attachments
A list of machines with their service dates and status
A tablet on a metal stand showing the fleet map with a machine selected

06Launch

From a hardware concept to a market-ready product

The platform was also built for licensing. Its modular structure gives the client a foundation for offering connected maintenance to other businesses, with services that adapt to each customer. That meant designing for a roll-out, not just a first release: onboarding, partner materials and launch videos came with the product.

  1. 01

    Validate the foundation

    We tested the connection between custom hardware and the platform while mapping the service team's daily work.

  2. 02

    Build and connect

    Regular reviews kept hardware, sales and service priorities aligned, and we prioritised a first version people could use from day one.

  3. 03

    Prepare for launch

    Alongside development we created onboarding materials, partner presentations and launch videos.

07Impact & proof

10,000+
Connected fleet machines monitored across Europe
35%
Reduction in unplanned equipment downtime
100%
Offline-tolerant field service sync

Metrics published by BCB Cloud as of 2025 across active fleet monitoring operations.

Discovery

  • Service workflow mapping
  • Hardware and platform validation

Product design

  • Fleet map and machine records
  • Task board and technician itinerary

Engineering

  • Hardware integration
  • Offline-tolerant device data
  • Licensable, modular platform

Launch

  • Onboarding materials
  • Partner presentations
  • Launch videos
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