AFTER MORE AFTERMARKET
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• Iveco Ford Truck is spearheading an attempt by its dealers to regain parts and servicing business from independent suppliers.
Aftersales director Gerry Brown says that both manufacturer and dealers are committed to improving customer service and maintaining the lead it claims in providing service to customers.
Describing the industry's aftermarket standards as "quite primitive", Brown claims much can be done to improve matters. Services now being introduced by dealers include fixed price servicing (menu pricing), the extension of its nextday parts delivery service cut-off point to 9pm, and the introduction of computer-based diagnostic and database systems to improve administrative and workshop efficiency.
Some lveco Ford dealerships have been offering menu pricing for some months but now the scheme has been extended to all 130 UK dealers, but regional differences in labour rates will cause some variations in prices.
Initially the service covers only the New Cargo, but it will be extended to 20,000 prices covering the entire Iveco Ford range.
With the 9pm cut-off for an 8.30am parts delivery Iveco Ford claims to be four hours ahead of the competition. It is also assessing a same-day VOR parts service for possible launch later this year.
Iveco Ford estimates that the industry's franchised dealers now hold only 55% of the replacement parts business and less than 25% of the repair maintenance market It aims to raise those levels to 85% and 40% respectively.
According to marketing operations director Chris Christianson this equates to a 60% increase in parts turnover.
Much of the extended dealer service involves the introduction of computer based systems. Most of this is relatively low-cost technology: it includes an electronic compact disc version (CD ROM) of the parts microfiche, This interactive system allows the required part to be tracked down in various ways: it
is claimed to virtually eliminate confusion when ordering spares. On entering the model number the computer will show which versions are applicable to the UK.
Every new Iveco and Iveco Ford now carries a personal Identifica tion Code (PIC) number which, when fed into the computer, will display details of the vehicle A customer and vehicle database called FACTS is also being introduced. Details of customers vehi des, the annual mileage and type of work undertaken are held on the computer which will then predict when a service is due and gives reminders of annual test tachograph calibration dates The software and hardware for
these PC based systems should only cost a few hundred pounds, says Iveco Ford.
Rather more expensive is Modus, a computerised fault diagnosis systern which is being introduced to every Iveco and Iveco Ford workshop IT1 Europe. It is designed primarify For use with the New Cargo and future vehicles and is said to diagnose faults twice as fast as a trained technician. Modus not only
checks the electronic systems' ECUs but can also be used as a brake and engine tester.
Once connected to the vehicle the computer can read sensors in the brake system to detect the air and hydraulic pressures. Other sensors on the flywheel and camshaft are used for engine diagnostics. By using the dashboard mounted connectar the computer can even be used during a roadtest, the data being downloaded on return.