DEDICATED TO YOUR UPTIMEBruckner Truck Sales Offers Volvo and Mack Certified Uptime Bay “Fast Lane” for Quick Repairs

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Feature StoryUPTIME CERTIFICATION

Bruckner Truck Sales is pleased to share that over the last year since Volvo and Mack came out with their Uptime Center programs, twenty dealerships have been awarded the designation of Volvo and Mack Certified Uptime Centers. Only two of the twenty-two Bruckner service centers are left scheduled to complete the certification. Bruckner’s will soon be 100% certified throughout the dealer network.

This new dealer service certification assures Volvo and Mack’s highest level of truck repair and maintenance, with vehicle uptime as the top priority. According to Chris Bruckner, Executive Vice President, Bruckner facilities have integrated new workflow procedures that add efficiency and save time, especially for quick repairs.

“We are dedicated companywide to continue improving our operations and are fully committed to adopting the Uptime philosophy and protocol,” said Jackey Anthony, Corporate Service Manager. “This will allow us to better serve our valued customers.”

Key to the Volvo and Mack Certified Uptime Center concept is a dedicated Uptime Bay. Here, trucks requiring repair time of four hours or less are serviced immediately. This eliminates the traditional “first come, first served” practice that can turn a simple repair into a costly delay.

“According to initial data thus far at our certified locations, we are finding that 31.74% of our service repair orders have qualified for the Uptime Process. On average, we are

able to complete those repairs in under two hours in a four hour repair window,” Clay Claiborne reports.

Uptime Bay service utilizes Volvo’s Remote Diagnostics and Mack’s GuardDog® Connect, proactive diagnostic and repair planning systems, to expedite the service experience. Customers can expect a faster check-in and assessment process, with no appointment necessary. Volvo and Mack ASIST direct messaging keeps all parties informed up-to-the-minute regarding repairs and approvals.

Remote diagnostics and telematics systems have reduced diagnostic times an average of 70% and repair times by 21%. Nearly 50,000 Mack Trucks are equipped with its Guard Dog Connect remote diagnostics system and more than 120,000 Volvo trucks are on the road with its remote diagnostics.

Volvo and Mack Certified Uptime Center status puts Bruckner’s on the leading edge of an Uptime initiative created for Volvo and Mack’s nationwide dealer network. Dealer locations receive the certification only after adopting standardized protocols that provide more transparent information to the customer and completion of short repairs more quickly.

“Working with Bruckner’s has been and continues to be an absolute pleasure. I have found tremendous support and involvement of Certified Uptime Center at each of the twenty locations that I have visited,” says Eric Kananen, Volvo Mack Dealer Uptime Development Manager. “The Bruckner organization owns it!”

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Feature StoryUPTIME CERTIFICATION

VOLVO / MACK UPTIME CENTER 101 Time For A New Era: The End Of First-Come, First-ServedThe Volvo Group pro-actively sought to understand customer needs and found most customers faced with the challenges of technician shortages and higher than ever repair demands. They discovered that most trucks downtime averaged four days, although the average time for the actual repair was only 3.5 hours. Under the traditional first-come, first-served method of prioritizing repair work, a typical routine one-hour repair would be sitting stuck behind lengthy repair jobs.

Working with dealers who already were implementing programs to change this, Volvo developed the Certified Uptime Center program for Mack and Volvo dealers that rolled out in early 2016. By implementing standardized workflows and service processes including redesigned service bays, dealers provide faster, more efficient repair service for customers.

“We are hearing very positive feedback from the network and our customers,” according to Eric Kananen, Dealer Uptime Development Manager.

“Customers are learning more about their vehicle’s status and condition earlier in their visit. It may not always be good news, but delaying bad news only makes it worse. My favorite comment was from an owner-operator who had experienced the Uptime process twice and had felt like he had gotten preferential treatment, like a “big fleet” (his words). The reality was that he did not receive special treatment. He received the level of service the Uptime process provides, nothing more or less. It has been amazing and very rewarding to see the network transform,” said Kananen.

Uptime Center Purpose Meet Customer Needs. The Certified Uptime Center process ensures that the Volvo and Mack Dealer Network operate at optimum levels. The objective of the Certified Uptime Center is to drive efficiencies throughout the dealer network.

What is a Volvo and Mack Certified Uptime Center? A Volvo and Mack Certified Uptime Center is a Volvo and Mack Dealer that has agreed to, adopted, implemented and is sustaining a defined set of standards and requirements that leverage people, processes, and technology. Upon successful implementation of these standards and

requirements, the Dealer operates in a way that strengthens and continuously improves efficiencies that lead to higher customer satisfaction and optimized throughput.

What are the Benefits? • Improves customer uptime, communication and satisfaction. • Enables consistent service experience, and more timely

business decisions for the customer. Certification ProcessThe Dealer must meet or exceed and maintain criteria in 28 requirements in order to obtain certification. These requirements are based on eight key set standards. They range from consistent use of proven diagnostic tools to workshop organization, in addition to the designated uptime bays and updated workflows.

Certified Uptime Centers are based on four main categories:• Clean and organized Service Centers. Tools maintained

in specific areas driving efficiency for the technician.• Fast and efficient check-in process and procedures.• Communication with the customer so they can make

business decisions about their load and their driver.• Workflow changes, including breaking up the shop into

uptime bays and advanced repair bays.

The certification takes about eight weeks to complete and includes a final assessment by the Volvo Trucks dealer support team.

“Technicians are co-owners of the process. They are on-board 110% once they understand the concept, and often drive the continuous improvement aspect of Certified Uptime Center. The Clean & Organize standard has also had a positive impact on technicians. The change it represents is sometimes hard to embrace at first. But the final outcome – a clean and organized shop – is always a better place to work. You can see their sense of pride in the shop grow,” shares Kananen.

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Uptime At Bruckner Truck Sales Although the Uptime program at certified Bruckner’s stores is still in its infancy, it has already garnered a tremendous amount of feedback from employees and customers alike. Below are first-hand accounts shared by Bruckner staff on how Uptime has improved day-to-day operations.

“Customers love knowing the diagnosis of their truck within two hours. The shop is more efficient and back log has been reduced. We love it when a customer calls and mentions the uptime process because we know that we have a standard to uphold. We continue to focus on improvements, but the difference has already been seen by everyone in six short months.”

Tracy Osborne, Service Manager, Dallas Irving, TX

“The real value in the Uptime Process is having a structured way to manage each service event the same way every time. Variation is the enemy, and Uptime gives us a playbook to follow that minimizes variation. By sticking to the plan, we give the customer the information needed to manage their business and allows our shop to operate more efficiently. By turning the bays quicker, we maximize throughput, and most importantly, the customer is back on the road faster.”

Scott Hall, General Manager, Fort Worth, TX

“I know customers are satisfied when we are able to exceed their expectations. We understand if the wheels aren’t turning, they aren’t making money. The Uptime process has been a huge part of being able to do that for them, in those quick job situations. Our customer communications have certainly improved. Having the customers on board with email notifications and using the method has been the biggest improvement. The guys in the shop are also more comfortable when things are streamlined due to the process. It is certainly a great feeling when a customer comes in with

issues, expecting to be down for days and is back on the road within hours. Being able to exceed expectations and keep a customer moving definitely makes us proud to be doing what we do.”

Joseph Torres, Service Manager, Colorado Springs, CO

“The uptime process has had a major positive impact on our operation. You can see the pride in our staff when they are connecting the JPro to a customer’s truck and explaining the process. You can also see the comfort in the customer’s face when they realize that we are serious in providing a solution to their problem and getting them back on the road as quickly as possible.”

Rick Brunetti, Service Manager, Commerce City / Denver, CO

“Customers are very impressed with the use of the tablet and the promise time concerning initial diagnosis. The follow up time and ETR in ASIST has made a huge difference in our customer communication process. “That was quick,” and “I appreciate you getting me right in,” are just a few comments that we hear regularly now. We have received many comments from customers on how it’s the cleanest shop in town.”

Russell Eoff, Service Manager, San Angelo, TX

“There is an increased sense of pride. I have a tech that feels that when he is asked where he works, he tells them that he works at an “Uptime Certified shop.” It has helped with getting approvals faster, which in turn gets the customer’s truck back in service. The Uptime Process no doubt has helped with increasing tech’s efficiency. With an escalated sense of urgency to repair these short jobs, this is where the guys get to shine in the customer’s eyes with getting a truck in and out.”

David Stroud, Service Manager, Hobbs, NM

OUR UPTIME CENTER EFFORTSCertification depends heavily upon efficiency, communication, cleanliness and organization.

Feature StoryUPTIME CERTIFICATION