Mack, Volvo Uptime Centers seeing impressive benefits

by Truck News

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mack and Volvo have received an award for their Certified Uptime Center training programs.

The companies received a Brandon Hall Group gold award for Best Learning Program Supporting a Change Transformation Business Strategy. The awards are given based on: the fit to the needs of the business, design of the program, functionality, innovation and measurable benefits.

Certified Uptime Centers have dedicated bays for quick repairs.
Certified Uptime Centers have dedicated bays for quick repairs.

“We are very pleased that Volvo’s Certified Uptime Center training program was recognized by the prestigious Brandon Hall Group,” said Jeff Lester, senior vice-president of sales for Volvo Trucks North America. “The award signifies that we are thoughtfully and carefully rolling out Volvo Certified Uptime Centers by providing quality training resources to ensure dealers are prepared and ready to offer customers superior service and better address their needs for quick repairs.”

“Mack is honored that the Brandon Hall Group selected our Certified Uptime Centers training program as a gold award winner,” added Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks North American senior vice-president of sales. “This award is validation that we are providing quality training, enabling our dealership staff and technicians to more quickly and efficiently serve our customers, making a significant improvement in uptime.”

Volvo has 57 Certified Uptime Centers in the US and Canada, while Mack offers 67. The program includes standardized workflows and service processes, including redesigned service bays, and improves throughput at certified dealers. The program addresses an industry-wide problem of dwell time, which sees average repairs of 3.5 hours taking trucks off the road for four days.

Phillip Swaim, director of network fixed operations with Volvo Group North America, said Certified Uptime Centers are seeing the benefits of the program, as are their customers. Dealers have seen a 22% increase in repair orders, a 16% increase in labor sales and an 8% improvement in service efficiency, as well as an average dwell time decrease of 2.5 days.

Nextran Truck Centers, a dealer network in the southeastern US, has seen the percentage of repairs taking five hours or less completed in less than 24 hours climb from 42% in 2013 to 63% so far this year. Top performers are completing 81% of such jobs in less than 24 hours, according to company officials.

A Mack service technician works to get a truck back on the road.
A Mack service technician works to get a truck back on the road.


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