With China becoming the world's top three automotive market in just five or six years, the automotive industry has gained the consensus of being the "leader" in the pillar industries of the national economy. Especially in the commercial vehicle market, experienced a full recovery in 2006 and an explosive growth in the first half of 2007, the continuously expanding market demand has stimulated an overall improvement in product quality. However, the increase in sales does not mean that the level of after-sales service has increased. How can after-sales service for commercial vehicles break the bottleneck and reach the world's advanced level requires us to think seriously.
Brand Marketing: You sing me on stage
After experiencing a severe winter of sales in 2005, the commercial vehicle market began to recover fully in 2006. The cumulative sales volume for the year was 2.204 million. In the first half of 2007, according to the latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the demand for the commercial vehicle market increased rapidly, with 1.29 million vehicles sold, a year-on-year increase of 26%. Among them, the growth of high-end heavy-load trucks has become the main reason for the rapid development of the commercial vehicle industry. In the first half of the year, semi-trailer tractors sold a total of 94,000 vehicles, an increase of 123% year-on-year.
The heavy demand has attracted major manufacturers to join this battlefield. For a time, commercial vehicles, especially heavy trucks, have become the most competitive areas. The competition between traditional prices and market strategies is no longer a “good enough†means. Brand marketing has gradually become the key for manufacturers to defeat the enemy.
The first is the expansion of service outlets. A user in Shaoguan, Guangdong, lamented that before he usually did truck maintenance, he had to go to Guangzhou. It was time-consuming and costly. Now that Shaoguan has service outlets, it is much more convenient. The service outlets that were originally concentrated in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and other central cities are now gradually expanding into second- and third-tier cities, and the network of after-sales services has mushroomed in the vast land.
There are also competitions in service brands. Since 2006, the commercial vehicle market has entered the "brand year." Major manufacturers have launched their own service brands, "sunshine services," "home services," and "moving services." Time slogans you sing stop me on stage, in the past the Chinese driver in the oil-saturated auto repair factory in the era of repair master to nod his days is gone forever.
Service concept: Bottlenecks restricting the improvement of service quality
Although the brand marketing competition is so fierce, some of the problems that most vendors have at their service outlets are still not optimistic. The malpractice of service quality, shrinking service content, and poor quality of accessories have gradually become apparent.
A Chengdu user responded that the 85-yuan intercooled hose he bought at the service station was broken after 2,000 kilometers. People who go back to the accessories department will not only apologize but also give you a wink. It seems that the quality of service in the commercial vehicle industry really needs to be improved.
At present, the service of domestic commercial vehicles is mostly narrow-sense after-sales service, that is, the car is sold out, and there is a failure to have service. The correct service concept should be a broad after-sales service. There must be a clear plan for the use of the car before, during, and after sales. It is recommended that users maintain the product to prevent malfunction.
There are many reasons for the lack of a correct service concept. In addition to the long-established concept, the most important thing is the drive of interest. Because most commercial vehicle users carry out repairs and maintenance when they perform cash transactions, this makes many black-hearted businesses cut corners and have arbitrary opportunities to ask for prices. In addition, many manufacturers have increased the price of free warranty in order to pursue sales. As a result, the service quality during the warranty period will inevitably be discounted, and services outside the warranty period will be even less satisfactory to the users. Because of the loss of profits in the warranty costs to find out in the after-sales service. A service station official once said privately that everyone was “no major repairs†for millions of kilometers. How can we make money, so we can only use these measures in maintenance.
How to make their own after-sales service quality reach the international level, domestic commercial vehicle manufacturers still have many things to learn. In this regard, the experience of international commercial vehicle giants represented by Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Scania deserves our reference because they have already developed in China for more than a decade, and the internationalization concept they bring is very important to the entire industry. helpful.
Blue Label Agreement: From Free Lunch to Grand Luncheon
In July 2006 in Guangzhou, the sun was burning. At Chau Tau Tsui Wharf, Volvo Trucks announced the launch of a new FM/FH truck and officially announced the introduction of the blue-card scheme for the world-famous Volvo Truck Service Agreement. It can be expected that the blue card solution of Volvo Trucks will be a pilot mark for the future service quality of commercial vehicles.
For users, because many after-sales services are free, and there are no standards and standards, so many manufacturers in order to reduce costs, cutting corners, shoving things is not uncommon. After all, this "free lunch" is not delicious. The difference between the Volvo truck blue card program lies in the decentralized, random after-sales service into a system, normal after-sale protection, it is like to make a "free lunch" made a grand lunch.
Carefully interpreting the blue card program, we can find it in the after-sales service crafted. First of all, after-sales service is no longer stuck in the car broken down to provide maintenance, but through the service to ensure the normal use of the user's vehicle and enhance the value, the pursuit of quality "zero repair" concept, the focus of after-sales service turned to maintenance. According to the blue card program, maintenance personnel can provide users with relevant information and materials, help users to initially make overall plans, formulate effective maintenance plans, and give advice and feedback according to different situations of each vehicle, so that users can understand themselves more. The condition of the vehicle and the cause of the malfunction. And related training for the driver: what kind of characteristics of the car, how to open, how to open can reduce unnecessary losses and so on.
For this reason, Beijing Praxair Utility Gas Co., Ltd. has signed a Blue Card solution service agreement with Volvo Trucks because the service policy they previously enjoyed was mostly a passive service, whether it is promised to solve the problem within 72 hours. Or to extend the warranty period, it is the approach taken when problems arise. The Volvo truck's blue card program brought them a new concept.
Secondly, the payment method of the blue card program has changed, and the annual payment for the “blue card program†is certain, which can enable users to have predictability and cost savings in a systematic and long-term manner. A driver from Praxair calculated a sum of money. A single truck was used for maintenance. If the gear oil and gearbox oil were not changed, the price was generally around 600 yuan, and the replacement gear oil cost was 1000. Yuan around, and there is a lot of randomness. Some other brands of local service stations deliberately raise prices when changing accessories for users, replacing unnecessary accessories. And Volvo's "blue card program" can save a lot more than a single maintenance.
The key point is that the blue card solution guarantees genuine Volvo parts, which is particularly important. Because of the original performance of the truck, it must be ensured that the new accessories have exactly the same performance as the replaced accessories. In this way, it can extend the truck's perfect running time, improve work efficiency, reduce the total cost, and allow users to concentrate more time on the core business and enhance their profitability. Poor quality parts are cheap, but they have a short life, so they must be replaced more frequently. This will also increase the risk of accidental breakdowns and increased maintenance costs, resulting in business and revenue losses and loss of customer trust. Although the original parts will sometimes pay slightly higher prices, the benefits will greatly exceed the difference.
Just like Volvo Truck's “Full Motion Service System†and “Full Gold Logistics Solutionâ€, it has been proved that the Volvo Truck Blue Card program will become a new service model and concept accepted by most users. , and was followed by other manufacturers to truly drive the development of the industry.
"One Million Kilometer No Major Repairs": Standards for After-Sales Service Quality
In China, it is not uncommon for commercial vehicles to reach “million kilometers without major repairsâ€. Zhu Lin, a user of Dongfeng Trucks, was the first person to drive for 1.7 million kilometers in a decade without driving a million kilometers of domestic trucks. Huang Qixue, a user of the liberation truck, also created “six cars for six years and net profit for six years 17 Million kilometers without major repairs. Now, the operating time of “one million kilometers without major repairs†was shortened to three years by Volvo Trucks. In recognition of these "million kilometers without major repairs" customers, Volvo Trucks held the "Million Millimetres Customer Commemoration Awards Ceremony" during the Qingdao International Regatta. Volkswagen Truck Millennial Kilometer customer representatives from across the country gathered to share Their experience in maintenance and maintenance.
In the automotive industry, whether it can achieve "one million kilometers without major repairs" is a watershed for the quality of products. It not only tests the technical capabilities of manufacturers, but also tests the after-sales service. Especially in the heavy truck industry, the characteristics of “fast, long-distance, and heavy-duty†industries have determined that the requirements for products and after-sales are more demanding. Manufacturers that can be included in the “millions of kilometers without major repairs†undoubtedly represent the most advanced manufacturing levels in the industry.
The primary condition for achieving “one million kilometers without major repairs†is high-quality products. When the general car travels 1,500 to 300,000 kilometers, the engine will wear out, the internal parts will be seriously aged, and the power performance will be significantly reduced. Volvo Trucks, on the other hand, provides the basis for quality from both design and manufacturing in high technology. Even parts that are often considered to be subject to wear can have a long life if used properly. For example, Volvo's original clutch plates can be used for as long as possible. Use life without having to replace it.
Proper maintenance at the right time is another requirement for “one million kilometers without major repairsâ€. Volvo Trucks can formulate tailored maintenance plans based on vehicle configuration, load, road conditions, fuel quality, etc., and perform preventive inspections and adjustments of vehicles through special tools and VCADS Pro rather than simply replacing oil or filter elements.
High-quality drivers are the guarantee of driving safety. At the same time, they are also the key to guaranteeing good condition and reducing fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance costs. Volvo has been providing driver training free of charge, and can work with customers to develop training programs, help customers with driver management, provide driver skills assessment, etc., to ensure that drivers can operate the vehicle correctly and effectively.
A transport company manager of a logistics company in Wenzhou summed up the experience of “million kilometers without major repairsâ€: First, a nanny-style service can eliminate all the hidden dangers in the bud. The second is the strict management of the team itself. All vehicles are in strict accordance with the maintenance regulations, the basic preventive maintenance of vehicles. The third is the use of genuine factory accessories. If you are looking for cheap and use a few yuan a filter element, it may damage the parts of the car worth tens of thousands of dollars, this approach is obviously worth the candle. The fourth is the driver’s technical and knowledge training. Drivers who have not undergone systematic training and examinations must not drive on the road. The 12 Volvo FM12 64T tractors purchased by this company have not been overhauled for three years and have saved a lot of maintenance costs.
"Millions of kilometers without major repairs" should not merely be a gimmick for the promotion of manufacturers. The more important significance is to share successful experience with everyone so that most drivers can drive high-performing trucks and make them available to most commercial vehicle manufacturers. Joining the ranks of "Millions of Miles No Major Repairs" is the direction of everyone's efforts. This is the unanimous agreement reached by Volvo truck workers and users at the customer commemoration ceremony. Just like a sailing yacht, more high-quality products with “one million kilometers of no major repairs†can help users set sail on their careers and achieve success.
Service Culture: Fundamental to Breaking the Bottleneck
Entering the hall, a courteous sales consultant will welcome you and show you the car. If you need to repair the car, it will help you to make a preliminary diagnosis. Please rest on the sofa. Maintenance workshops are generally large, have a unified logo, a unified architectural style, there are many expensive professional testing and maintenance equipment, daily maintenance and repair of hundreds of vehicles. You can watch the car's maintenance process across the floor glass windows.
A Volvo truck user described the scene he encountered in the Beijing 4S brand shop, which made him feel that he was a comfortable driver and had a great favor for Volvo trucks. Volvo would naturally be the next choice.
In the automotive industry, the primary competition is price competition. As the competition becomes increasingly fierce, it will gradually develop into marketing, brand competition, and finally become a cultural competition. The key to a company’s success is its corporate culture, and the key to after-sales service is service culture. At present, most domestic commercial vehicle manufacturers are eager to create their own service brands, pursue the slogan of service slogans, promote the expansion of service content, and the rapid expansion of service outlets, or they hope to quickly raise their popularity through an event or marketing campaign. Ignore the most critical cultural factors.
The culture of service is ultimately reflected in people. Each repair station or employee of 4S shop is a window to show the corporate service culture. Only by truly integrating the loud service slogans into the service concept, will the fundamental change in the mental outlook and service attitude of each employee occur. Many manufacturers' service centers or customer service calls are not satisfactory, either because the service staff is not professional, they are in the wrong position, or they let the customer wait too long. Checking the contact information of a nearby service station is about to put on the third or fourth. Phone, wait ten minutes.
The service culture that really attracts users is based on long-term trust. Every employee in the factory can truly “take care of the userâ€. A Guangzhou-based driver once cited such an example: Volkswagen Truck 4S shop staff in Guangzhou can visit the team every single time regardless of whether they have anything to do and make the team their home. The professionalism and dedication reflected in the employees can convey the corporate service culture more than any advertising or slogan.
It can be seen that from the promise to fulfilling the promise, for many commercial vehicle manufacturers, it still needs a process. This process may only take a few years or less, because the industry leaders represented by Volvo Trucks have set standards and role models. The competitive pressures from them will eliminate the unqualified candidates, and passers-by will prepare for the crisis and promote the entire process. The sound development of the industry.
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