Opinion: Technology Aids Fleet, Dealer Service Relations

By Dick Hyatt

President

Decisiv Inc.

This Opinion Piece appears in the March 30 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

For as long as there has been a trucking industry, fleet equipment and maintenance executives have complained that dealer service operations bills are too high and fail to provide accurate and timely estimates and vehicle repairs.

A recent session on fleet/dealer service relationships during the Technology & Maintenance Council’s annual meeting seemed to confirm that, for many fleets, these issues have not gone away. As reported in the Feb. 16 edition of Transport Topics (click here for previous Premium Content story), fleet managers were straightforward in their criticism of high bills, inaccurate estimates and unreliable repair times as major reasons why there remain a number of large gaps to fill between what fleets need and what dealers deliver.

Three major items were at the heart of the issues raised during the TMC panel discussion:

• The need for a consistent service process with standard repair times for common operations.

• Complete fleet and vehicle-specific information, including warranty coverage and agreed-upon parts pricing presented at the start of the repair.

• Effective communication between the fleet manager and the dealership, beginning with the arrival of the truck and continuing throughout the repair process.

Now imagine a different conversation, one that goes like this:

Dealer Service Writer: “Your vehicle has arrived and a technician is currently diagnosing the problem reported by your driver.”

Fleet Manager: “I’d like to see an estimate with fleet pricing and a description of the parts needing replacement.”

Dealer Service Writer: “When we create an estimate for you, it automatically comes with your pricing for the parts you specified for the vehicle and any applicable warranty information.”

Dealer Service Writer: “The truck needs a clutch. Also, the following items should be replaced at the same time to save on labor costs . . .”

Fleet Manager: “Please go ahead with the specified repairs.”

Dealer Service Writer: “We ordered the parts you specified. The truck will be ready tomorrow at 11 a.m.”

For fleet managers, especially those on the TMC panel, this exchange with a dealer service location probably seems highly unlikely. However, conversations just like it are taking place every day between a growing number of fleets and dealers.

Today, there are a variety of service estimating and communications technology offerings from a number of suppliers. While different solutions do different things, capabilities are available to address issues in the repair process for fleets whose trucks are at a dealer location.

With parts, labor, service bulletin and warranty details at their fingertips, dealer service writers are now able to access highly accurate information. Providing it to fleet managers in a timely manner means effective decisions about repairs can be made, leading to lower costs — and greater vehicle uptime.

These systems also can be used to quickly access information on a fleet’s preferences for specific vehicles. Using a unit number or vehicle identification number, information technology provides a link to exact specifications, including system and component information, and searches for recall, campaign and warranty issues that should be addressed. They also provide details about work that may need to be done, based on the current problem or the vehicle’s repair history, and can generate detailed work orders for technicians.

Another feature of advanced service write-up technology gives fleets the ability to build an electronic library that travels with the truck. Inspections, campaigns, maintenance requirements,

standard practices and links to component suppliers’ information delivered in the context of a particular vehicle at the point of service — whether it is in a fleet’s shop, a dealer service bay or at an independent facility — means a fleet’s requirements are immediately available to service personnel.

Along with intelligent access to the information needed to make more informed and timely service-management decisions, these systems enable more effective communication. They allow fleet managers to view and approve repairs electronically, track the progress of the repair and exchange information with the service facility — much like an instant message or private chat-room exchange.

Early fleet users of these systems report positive results from the use of Web-based platforms to exchange information and track repairs being performed at dealer service locations. The exchanges, they say, are an effective way to review estimates, communicate with service location personnel and monitor progress.

While the issues raised by TMC members during their gathering this year are being addressed by new technology platforms, the foundation of those solutions rests on delivering information and providing a better means of communication between the parties.

The effort to foster improved and more effective communication will be one focus of a newly formed TMC service dealer committee. This new initiative will provide fleet managers and dealers with a forum for improving communications and for developing effective solutions to unresolved issues, some of which have lingered for years.

A streamlined repair process leads to faster turnaround times for fleets, a key concern for equipment and maintenance managers charged with keeping vehicle use as high as possible, and ensuring shipper satisfaction with a trucking company’s freight-hauling services.

Decisiv Inc., Glen Allen, Va., is the provider of a dealer and fleet service management platform.