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    • Kenneth Calhoun

    Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC)

    Vice President, Customer Relations, Truck Centers of Arkansas; Service Provider Director at Large, Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Board of Directors; Immediate Past Chairman, TMC S.16 Service Provider Study Group

    Business relationships between equipment users and third-party service providers are most successful when they are based on streamlined communications, performance, trust and accountability.
    Shop Management

    Templates for establishing equipment user/service provider relationships

    Kenneth Calhoun
    Dec. 15, 2016
    Recommended practices for building solid business relationships with third-party service providers.
    Figure 1. This is an example of how a flow chart can help service provider personnel present a consistent message to customers when offering various parts sourcing options to expedite repairs.
    Shop Management

    What to do about out-of-stock parts needed for a repair

    Kenneth Calhoun
    Oct. 7, 2016
    Guidelines for expediting the acquisition of out-of-stock parts necessary to complete a repair.
    The consequences from tampering with diesel engine emission systems could not only void the OEM warranty, but may result in civil penalties from the U.S. EPA or state and local authorities.
    Shop Management

    Emission system tampering poses great risks for fleets and service providers

    Kenneth Calhoun
    Aug. 10, 2016
    What you need to know about emissions defeat strategies/tampering devices and associated liabilities.
    VMRS uses precise codes for describing and tracking any type of repair and defines maintenance functions in a user-friendly format that can be employed by any maintenance facility.
    Shop Management

    A common maintenance language

    Kenneth Calhoun
    May 13, 2016
    This common data coding convention helps bring fleets and service providers together.
    Conflicts are best resolved, and business relationships preserved, by following a systematic approach to resolution while maintaining a courteous, respectful and professional demeanor.
    Shop Management

    Best practices for resolving conflicts between fleet and service providers

    Kenneth Calhoun
    April 11, 2016
    TMC RP 1608 offers a template for resolving conflicts between equipment owners and third-party service providers.
    TMC service provider process for utilizing standard repair time guidelines.
    Shop Management

    Bring order to the shop floor

    Kenneth Calhoun
    March 10, 2016
    Standard Repair Time can help bring order to the shop floor.