In India, Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) play a pivotal role in democratizing access to agricultural machinery for small and marginal farmers. These centers rent out equipment such as tractors, balers, rakes, and rotavators on an hourly or per-acre basis, making mechanization affordable for those who cannot invest in costly machinery.
However, managing a seasonal fleet poses several challenges: ensuring fair usage tracking, preventing misuse or theft, and minimizing idle time during peak demand seasons. With limited digital infrastructure, many CHCs operate with poor visibility into how, where, and for how long their machines are used.
Challenges
A leading agri-equipment distributor operating multiple CHCs across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh approached SIMHA Smart Fleet with the following challenges:
- Lack of Usage Transparency: Inaccurate tracking of machine usage time made billing disputes common and discouraged customers.
- Poor Asset Utilization: During peak harvest season, some equipment sat idle due to poor deployment planning.
- Theft and Misuse: Without remote immobilization or GPS tracking, machines were often taken out of service areas or used for non-rental purposes.
- Maintenance Gaps: Machines were frequently serviced late, leading to breakdowns during crucial working windows.
Solution: SIMHA Smart Fleet for Agri Equipment
To address these challenges, the client deployed SIMHA Smart Fleet devices on over 200 tractors, balers, and related equipment. The system was tailored to meet CHC-specific needs with features such as:
• Engine Hour Monitoring & Usage Insights
- Real-time tracking of ignition and engine hours to calculate accurate rental time.
- Hour-wise reports helped CHC owners resolve billing disputes and ensure fair payments.
• Remote Immobilization & Geofencing
- GPS tracking allowed managers to geofence equipment within pre-defined service zones.
- Machines could be remotely immobilized if taken out of allowed regions or used without payment.
• Maintenance Alerts & Servicing Logs
- Automated alerts for servicing based on usage hours.
- Digital logs enabled preventive maintenance and reduced mid-season failures.
• Utilization Analytics
- Daily and weekly reports on equipment usage helped identify underutilized assets.
- Enabled smarter asset rotation across villages based on regional demand.
Impact & Benefits
- 98% Accurate Billing: Reduced billing disputes and improved trust with farmers.
- 25% Increase in Equipment Utilization: Smarter deployment led to higher turnover during harvest season.
- 40% Reduction in Maintenance Downtime: Predictive alerts ensured timely servicing and fewer breakdowns.
- Improved Asset Security: GPS and immobilization features drastically cut unauthorized use and theft.
