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MAN-ERF
Page 60
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Unlike Paccar, the MAN-ERF Group has integrated its support resources so we only made a call for a stricken MAN. Our first call to MAN Euroservice was answered after 10 rings, but was then transferred to holding music with a periodic recorded apology for the delay due to it being a "particularly busy period".
We had other calls to make so we abandoned our attempt after 10 minutes.
When we had completed the rest of our calls we returned to MAN. It was the same story again, but this time we persevered and finally spoke to an operator after 16 minutes. The confusion didn't end there, however. After explaining our dilemma we were apparently asked for a crucial bit of info while the phone line had briefly gone dead. It took another five minutes before that glitch was sorted.
We were eventually given a call reference number. followed by a return call six minutes later quoting an ETA of 90 minutes. Fortunately, once matters were in the hands of the dealer things improved greatly and the van was at the RDC gate well within the hour.
In response, MAN-ERF explained that it was aware of long waiting times for call answering, and was now in the process of changing work practices to "give absolute priority to incoming calls". It didn't help that both the call centre supervisor and the operator were both on their third "live" day in their posts.
Having attended a stranded TGA at Watford Gap (a "real" non-starter) Jimmy Lacey had returned to Northampton before heading back north. But for poor cell-phone coverage he reckoned "lid have come off at junction 15a on the M1 and saved sometime". Inside his LT van was the usual jumper set and battery check meter. "A non-starter on a TGA can be anything, so my little breakdown kit helps me track down an electrical problem," he explained.
Having spent four years working for a recovery firm Lacey commendably raised the all-important issue of roadside safety when attending a breakdown: "The first thing is to see if it's in a safe position to work on. If not I'll get it recovered. You dont risk yourself I've seen how it can go pear-shaped."
Torn suzies are a common call-out for Lacey who told us: "I keep spares and ABS leads in the van. You're got to be a bit like a doctor and get the driver to tell you about the fault... did it cough or did it splutter?"
Duration of initial call(s): 10min and 27min Time to arrive: 54 min