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Page 52
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The latest dealership to join the Aquila Truck Centres' group is in Worcester. It's now ready to be put to the test.
Words: Andy Satter
With MAN dividing its sales and service functions a number of years ago, the focus among the dealerships has been very much on lifting the levels of service it offers its customers in the UK.
The uptime principal [UTP] was launched last year, and since then, there has been a concerted push from all members of the network to improve on key performance indicators that include first-time pass rates at annual test; pre-ministry inspection [PM!] slippage rates; responses to roadside assistance and technical competence.
The results have been impressive: the first-time pass rate at test, for instance, is up from 66% to 89%, while PMI slippage has improved from 58% to 83% compliance.
In the current climate, it is essential that aftersales service is a high priority for every truck builder. Many firms will be looking to run their trucks longer and harder, and service levels will come under closer scrutiny even more as operators' accountants look to drive efficiencies further.
It's no surprise, then, that many dealerships are getting the treatment, and none more so than the latest addition to the Aquila Truck Centres group at Worcester. We've been watching Aquila grow steadily over the past five years, since Gary Mullaney took over the business.
Initially, Aquila, then part of Transco plc, took over the S Jones ERF dealership in Aldridge and the focus then was on the sales and service of ERF trucks.
The right processes Building a reputation on giving customers what they want. Mullaney has taken Aquila to its current size, a company with an f18 million turnover, occupying locations in four facilities in the Midlands and employing 200 people.
The Worcester site occupies two-acres within spitting distance of Junction 6 of the M5, and is well placed to service a number of high-profile customers in the region.
Its 10-bay workshop employs 20 people and maintains a 24/7 service to its customers.
Mullaney has assembled a leading team of industry stalwarts to drive the new depot forward, led by Darren Weeks, former aftersales director at MAN ERF Trucks. "Ensuring we have the right processes in place to deliver against customer KPIs is absolutely essential to the success of this business," insists Weeks. "We need to deliver high quality levels of service and the in-depth management reports a customer requires."
New workshop efficiency software — E-workshop — has been specified to manage the flow of work and gives the customer full transparency of all the work being done. "It also allows us to get a clear picture of the shape of our business and identify areas for improvement," adds Weeks.
"There's a great team of people working across the Aquila Truck Centres," he says. "I'm confident we have everything in place to outperform the competition." •