A Risk-Based Approach for Maximised Equipment Uptime

For the Merck Life Sciences team, that’s not just a hypothetical question. It’s a reality they prepare for every day using a proactive, risk-based approach to equipment uptime.

At a recent industry session, Steve Block from Merck Group shared how his team is moving away from the traditional “break-fix” model and into a space where service becomes strategic, preventive, and fully centred on customer success.

From Filters to Full Service Thinking

To understand Merck’s approach, it helps to know where they started. Merck is a global organisation with 62,000 employees, split across three main sectors: healthcare, electronics, and life sciences. Steve represents the life sciences segment, which supports pharmaceutical production from research to full-scale manufacturing. Think vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and high-value biologics.

Merck’s heritage lies in filter technology, which is still the core of its revenue stream today: filters and consumables used in drug manufacturing equipment. From there, the business evolved naturally. “We make the consumables, so we sell the equipment to go with them.” That was the logic. Then came services, the youngest branch of the operation, but fast becoming a vital one.

Why the Shift to Risk-Based Services?

Traditionally, the service model was reactive. You sell the equipment, install it, do some initial qualification, and when something breaks, the customer calls. But in an environment where equipment downtime could mean the loss of an entire batch of life-saving medicine, waiting for things to break isn’t good enough.

That’s where Block comes in. With a background in product design and field service, he was appointed as a “Customer Success Lead”, someone to bridge the gap between technical service and proactive value delivery. His mission? To make sure the customer’s equipment keeps running, every time, all the time.

Introducing the Uptime Risk Analysis Service

Steve and his team developed a structured approach called the Uptime Risk Analysis Service. It’s tailored for key accounts and starts with one simple truth: Merck knows the equipment, but only the customer knows exactly how they’re using it. Are they running 24/7? Are there backups on site? What’s the process if something fails?

That’s where the risk-based approach begins. First, the Merck team analyses internal data, such as what has been installed, what spares have been purchased, and what kinds of support calls have been logged. This helps them arrive at the customer site fully prepared, not to pitch a generic maintenance plan, but to have a real, evidence-based conversation.

On-Site Visits: The Human Touch

The value of going on site can’t be overstated. “As soon as you’re on site, you see everything,” Block said. Competitor equipment, ageing systems, gaps in training, and opportunities. More importantly, you speak to people like the maintenance team, the IT team, the operators. You get a holistic view of how the equipment is being used and what’s at stake if it goes down.

One critical step in the process is defining the customer’s allowable downtime. It’s a hard conversation, especially after the customer has just invested half a million in new equipment. But the truth is, even the best machines can fail, and when they do, it’s the customer’s process and product that are at risk. That’s why planning for failure is not pessimism but professionalism.

Ranking Risks and Creating a Shared Plan

After the on-site review, the team uses a simplified FMEA-style ranking system to assess the severity and likelihood of risks across each piece of equipment. This isn’t about scare tactics, it’s about awareness. The customer retains ownership and decides how to mitigate risks, but Merck brings technical expertise and recommendations to the table.

Sometimes, that means suggesting a service plan, stocking critical spare parts, or offering training to in-house teams. The idea is to support the customer in making informed decisions backed by data and practical knowledge.

Supporting the Equipment Lifecycle

What makes this service especially valuable is its flexibility across the equipment lifecycle. Whether it’s a brand new install, a product changeover, or preparing for end-of-life upgrades, the risk-based review fits. In fact, some customers now treat this as their annual business review, a chance to reflect, assess, and prepare for the year ahead.

It’s also a powerful enabler for upselling. If a customer plans to extend the life of ageing equipment, Merck can help make that viable. If the risk is too high, the conversation shifts to newer, more reliable systems. Either way, the customer is supported and the business grows sustainably.

Why It Works: Real People, Real Conversations

This isn’t a chatbot solution. It’s a people-powered one. And that’s exactly why it works. The conversations are technical, specific, and peer-to-peer. Block stressed that success depends on talking to the right people, who are the people who are woken up in the middle of the night if something goes wrong.

That trust builds relationships, and those relationships open doors to better service, better planning, and better business for both sides.

The Impact: From Support to Strategy

For Merck, this approach has had a ripple effect. Sales teams are now more confident in positioning services because they know experts like Steve Block will back them up. Customers feel supported, not sold to. Quality teams love the traceability. And yes, there’s a business impact too featuring new service contracts, spare parts sales, and training deals.

But that’s not the main win. The real success is in redefining service, not as a necessary afterthought, but as a strategic differentiator. As one customer put it: “This service is a differentiator in a competitive space.”

For Block and his team, that says it all.