One of the topics discussed at a recent invitation-only press event held in Yountville, Calif., by Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) – the leading heavy duty truck manufacturer in North America – was what the company was doing to continue to improve customer service.
“We are in the execution mode to make things happen,” said Friedrich Baumann, senior vice president, aftermarket, for DTNA. “We focused on elevating our game,” using innovation, integration and consistency to provide excellent customer experience.
Customer value, which comes from lowering real cost of ownership and increasing vehicle uptime and productivity, is what drives customer satisfaction, Baumann stated.
He said DTNA is continuing to build a service network, working together with its dealers and distributors, to strive for market leadership in customer satisfaction by investing in and providing service solutions. That encompasses:
- Expanding its Elite Support dealer network. These are dealers that complete a stringent certification process wherein they meet specific criteria across 20 customer experience areas.
The entire experience – from service to training to facility design – is geared towards creating a productive, efficient and comfortable customer-focused experience.
- Increasing parts availability at 380 locations.
- Adding a new parts distribution center in Dallas, Texas, by the end of the year.
- Increasing its next day parts delivery program where parts ordered by 4 pm will be delivered by 6 pm the next day.
- Enhancing its telematics strategy, including DTNA’s Detroit Virtual Technician onboard diagnostic system and its Detroit Connect integrated telematics solution.
The importance of telematics technologies – which unlock the power of vehicle data to improve fuel efficiency, increase safety, optimize performance and maximize uptime – will continue to increase within the trucking industry, observed Baumann.
Telematics strategy
Matthew Pfaffenbach, DTNA’s director of telematics, said the company was deepening its telematics strategy by re-aligning Detroit Connect’s offerings in collaboration with Zonar Systems, a company that provides electronic fleet inspection, tracking and operations solutions for public and private fleets.
Detroit Connect is transitioning the branding of its Visibility Fleet Software and Onboard Tablet to Zonar, he said. With this change, Visibility will take on Zonar’s Ground Traffic Control fleet tracking application product name, and the Tablet will assume the 2020 tablet branding.
The Detroit Virtual Technician onboard diagnostic system will maintain the same branding and will remain under the Detroit Connect umbrella.
In addition, Pfaffenbach said, the new business arrangement calls for Zonar to assume management of all Virtual Technician subscriptions, including the renewal process, on Detroit Connect’s behalf later this year.
Suite of solutions
DTNA’s entire suite of aftermarket business solutions touches upon every aspect of the customer experience – from centralized billing, to online parts ordering tool, to retail inventory management systems to sophisticated service tools and communications, noted Catherine Auckland, director of aftermarket marketing for DTNA.
“We are considering every interaction, every service event, as an opportunity to consistently deliver on our promises, as well continue to provide customer value.”