Penn Power Group
Penn Power Group is using the Decisiv-built WheelTime Customer Service Platform (WCSP) to help expand its service business
Challenges
Expand business beyond core service capabilities
An initiative launched in 2008 by Penn Power Group (PPG) to grow its service and repair business led to the development of a courtesy vehicle inspection program for customers. The ability to translate service needs identified in the inspections into new business was hampered by an inability to quickly produce estimates. Delays in parts pricing in particular often meant that a vehicle was back on the road before PPG service locations could present maintenance and repair needs to customers.
Streamline the flow of consistent information
A faster and more consistent service write-up and repair authorization process, and a more streamlined flow of information, was a natural extension of PPG’s inspection program, which provides customers with a proactive and comprehensive analysis of their repair and service needs. The ability to provide an accurate and consistently fast method of quoting a repair or service operation would allow the company to meet time and price expectations for customers using standardized labor times for repairs and uniform parts pricing across its network.
Deliver on service promise to customers
As a member of the WheelTime Network, PPG promises to diagnose a unit within two hours of its arrival, provide an estimated time and price, meet that time and price, and notify customers within 30 minutes of completed service. A common service management solution would position the company to do an even better job of consistently delivering on the WheelTime Promise.
“In 2008 we began an initiative to expand our non core service and repair business. In the first year we doubled that activity and by the end of 2011 we had generated over $7 million in additional labor revenue. Today, we’re realizing over $4 million annually from that activity.
Without the WCSP we would not have been positioned to take advantage of that opportunity.”
Donald Gatens
Vice President,
Quality & Continuous Improvement
Penn Power Group
“Implementing the system developed by Decisiv positions us to do an even better job of consistently delivering the WheelTime Promise because it lets us communicate using a common language. The WheelTime Customer Service Platform is bringing all WheelTime distributors closer together. This solution benefits everyone.”
Donald Gatens
Vice President,
Quality & Continuous Improvement
Penn Power Group
Solution
PPG adopted WSCP, a web-based system that lets the service provider exchange pertinent and accurate information in realtime with fleet customers to expedite repairs and minimize downtime. It enables communication throughout the service write-up and repair process, from documenting service needs, to managing service requests and authorization, and to expediting authorizations and approvals.
Using the WCSP improves communication about service events, and leads to less downtime. Faster repairs put trucks back on the road, generating revenue and supporting company operations. WCSP incorporates all documents related to a fleet’s preferences for inspections and service, so estimates are received and approved in a timelier manner and invoices are more accurate.
PPG and their customers also benefit from integration with eParts, a web-based catalog for Detroit Diesel engine information, that provides quick access to comprehensive parts content. The platform determines the unique engine serial number and uses it to navigate the user to the appropriate location in eParts. Part information can then be added to the estimate and presented to the customer for review and approval.
Results
More than four-fold growth in service labor revenue
When PPG launched an initiative to expand its service and repair business, the company realized a significant revenue increase. The communications capability of the WheelTime Customer Service Platform allows the company’s service locations to provide customers with quick assessments of service and repair needs based on inspections, resolving an information void that occurred when estimates were handled on paper.
Delivering on service promise
With WCSP, PPG is providing consistent estimates from all of its locations, using standardized labor times for repairs and uniform parts pricing. Using WCSP, PPG is also able to use standardized labor hours for specific repairs across the network and do an even better job of consistently delivering on the WheelTime Promise.
