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2nd January 1953, Page 52
2nd January 1953
Page 52
Page 53
Page 52, 2nd January 1953 — Customer Service
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Van, Delivery, Thames 400e

Rapid Collection and Delivery are Required of its Van Fleet by Tyresoles, Ltd., as Essentials to Business: These are Achieved without Waste

of Transport Facilities

By Alan Smith

Key to Success

UCCESS in a highly competitive business like tyre reconditioning, depends partly on the quality of the process a company offers and partly on the standard of service it gives to the tyre user. Tyresoles, Ltd., Palace of Engineering, Wembley, Middx, claims parity at least with other concerns in its field as regards the quality of its retreading methods, and seeks to provide firstrate customer service through the agency of its sizeable fleet of vans.

All its vehicles come in the 30m.p.h. class and are run to effect collections and deliveries by the most rapid means, to maintain constant touch with customers and to follow up business opportunities without delay. When a transport manager has such requirements to meet, it is difficult for him to do so completely without laying himself open to a charge of being extravagant in the employment of resources.

High Loading Factors To an extent, Mr. W. R. Thompson, manager of the Tyresoles fleet, is relieved of such a problem. Unlike executives concerned with fleets run ancillary to a manufacturing process where materials undergo a physical transmutation and need different types of vehicle for inward and outward movement, his vans can deal both with the collection of worn covers and the delivery of reconditioned tyres. He can, therefore, obtain high loading factors by the very nature of the work in which his fleet is engaged.

Nevertheless, a balance has to be struck between the demands of A34 customers for frequent calls and the need to keep empty or part-loaded running to a minimum. This has been achieved by a division of functions among the various types of vehicle making up the fleet, providing suitable pick-up points in each factory's area, and the application of intelligence in the make-up of consignments for particular delivery services.

Three Main Factories

Tyresoles, LW, has three factories of its own in Britain and these are served by the fleet, divided appropriately according to the capacity of each works. In addition, there are 36 factories run by concessionnaires who make their own transport arrange ments. Their vans do, however, carry Tyresoles advertising. .The headquarters plant . at Wembley serves London and the Home Counties, that at Birmingham a region extending to the Welsh Marches from Leicester and up to the border of the district served by the Manchester factory, which meets demands in North Wales, Lancashire, Cheshire and parts of Yorkshire.

Fleet strengths at each Tyresoles factory are as follows: Wembley, 20 Thames 10-cwt. vans, two Austin 25cwt. Three-way vans, three Thames 2-tanners and one Thames 4-tonner; Birmingham, seven Thames 10-cwt., two Austin 25-cwt. Three-way vans andtwo Thames 2-tonners; Manchester, 24 Thames 10-cwt. vans, six Austin A40 10-cwt. vans, one Bradford 10-cwt. van, two Austin 25-cwt. Three-way vans, four Thames 2

tonners and two Thames and one Bedford 4-tonners.

Numbering of individual vehicles is done in accordance with . their carrying capacity. The 10-cwt. models are designated between 100200, the 25-cwt. types from 300, the 2-tonners from 400 and the 4-tonners from 800. Within the limitations of to-day's supply position, standardization has been affected upon Thames models, so that benefits in maintenance services may be realized.

In the 10-cwt, class, this type offers a body. capacity that compares well with other makes and is therefore suitable for Tyresoles' work. Consideration has been given to using oil-engined 4-tormers., but it is thought that the 20-m.p.h. speed limit which would be. involved in the operation of this type of vehicle would be a drawback in view of the need for rapid collection and delivery services.

Representatives'. Vans The 10-cwt. vans have replaced cars used by the company's representatives. _Whilst the bulk of the transport is carried out by the bigger vehicles, some relief can be afforded them by the employment of the 10cwt. types and publicity display can be carried on the bodywork. The sales representatives are qualified tyre examiners who operate within areas allotted to them. These areas are divided into four sections.

Each day, a representative sets out from home with his van to visit customers in the particular section. In the earlier part of the week, his calls are predetermined, and the frequency of visits to customers corresponds with the size of their undertakings. An owner of a fleet of 100 lorries, for instance, may be called upon every Monday, and an operator with 50 vehicles every other Monday. Tyresoles agricultural tyre representatives, are supplied with the Austin 25-cwt. type as the agricultural tyre, with its light casing. cannot be piled flat but has to be carried standing.

The size of each salesman's region varies according to the business potentiality; urban areas are larger than those in the country. This means that some representatives cover only 250 miles a week whilst others do up to 500.

When he calls upon a customer, the representative inspects worn casings to see if any be unfit for retreading. If he be able to dc■ so, he will take covers away to the factory himself, otherwise he will arrange for a van to call. Within each factory's immediate locality, the Austin 25-cwt. vans are employed for

collections and deliveries. The 2tonners and 4-tonners range over wider areas.

These types do the bulk of the transport work and schedules are made out so that capacity loads may normally be taken. Each factory maintains depots at strategic points in its area. Bulk loads are carried between them and the works by the large vans, and the link between the depots and customers is made by representatives' vans.

In this manner, the company achieves something akin to trunking and attains savings consequent upon not having to run the bigger vehicles direct to customers a long way from the factories. A proportion of direct collections and deliveries is naturally performed between the factories and those customers within reasonable proximity, and in emergency the factory-depot-customer system can be short-circuited.

The body specification for the 4tonners . embraces a number of special features. The framework is of timber and the panelling of light

atloy. Because standing tyres tend to become wedged between upright body side members, Tyresoles requires that diagonal strips be fixed at intervals so that this may be avoided. To provide easy entry into the body, a door is positioned at the front near side: there are two big doors at the rear.

Great importance is placed on the publicity value of

the vans. Vehicles are painted blue below the waistline and on top of the bonnet, and yellow above. There is a standard scheme of lettering and illustration. Signwriting used to be done by hand but the company has recently adopted the use of transfers. Not only has a marked reduction in cost resulted, as the transfers may be applied by garage labour, but much time is saved and complete uni

formity in the fleet lettering achieved.

Besides reconditioning, Tyresoles, Ltd., operates a tyre service for vehicle, users. This is an expanding part of the company's activities and has been working for the past two years. At present, 11 Thames 10-cwt. vans provide this service from various branches. They are equipped with all necessary tools, including a small compressor, and make regular calls on customers in the locality of their bases.

Mr. Thompson's headquarters are in Manchester. He is not only responsible for Tyresoles vehicles but for all machines operated by the Simon Engineering group. Costing of road transport is done thoroughly; depreciation is assessed on time, and maintenance on mileage. The depots to which vans are allocated are debited according to the period ot service and the mileage covered. Spare vehicles are kept so that continuity can be maintained when vans have to be taken off the road Maintenance services for the fleet present problems, particularly as many of the representatives' vans may not often call at their bases. There are two main workshops at Manchester and London. Birminghambased vans come under the wgis of the Manchester depot for overhaul work.

In "The Commercial Motor" dated June 24, 1949, Mr. Thompson described the system he evolved for main tenance supervision. Periodic attentions to vehicles are carried out on a time basis so as to steer drivers, who are selected mainly on their aptitude to represent the company, into the habit of ensuring that such work is done regularly.

Daily tasks comprise the checking of tyre pressures and radiator and oil levels. Two services, known as A and B, are carried out alternately every fortnight. They cover manufacturers, 500 and 1,000 miles services. Every six months, vehicles are drawn into either Manchester or Wembley for attentions specified by the manufacturers at the longer mileage intervals. These operations are included in two services—C and • D. Vehicles are scheduled for complete overhaul at 30,000 miles.

deliveries.


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