In a bid to become customers’ number one choice for uptime in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Volvo CE has assembled a dedicated team to proactively support Volvo dealers in providing solutions to problems that can lead to reduced uptime.
Located in Volvo CE’s EMEA regional headquarters in Eskilstuna, Sweden, the new Uptime Center will assist the entire Volvo dealer network in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in keeping customers’ machines up and running.
It will serve as an IT nerve centre, monitoring data transmitted by connected machines through CareTrack and identifying areas where uptime and efficiency can be increased.
“The majority of problems we work with should be things that we detect before the dealer or customer does. That’s our goal – to be proactive and provide solutions to problems before they happen,” says Fredrik Gerhardsson, VP Aftermarket within Volvo CE Sales Region EMEA.
Case handlers will alert dealers to machine errors codes and alarms so that they can take immediate action on behalf of their customers, reducing unplanned stops, spending on fuel and maintenance and preventing future problems.
“When I identify a problem, I make a complete report that I send to the dealer. The dealer goes to provide preventative maintenance, extra training or offer options that will ensure even better uptime or efficiency. A trained operator, for example, can save a lot of money on fuel and unplanned maintenance,” says Leif Waad, one of the case handlers in the Uptime Center.
Cross-functional collaboration
The centre is the outcome of a reorganisation of the product support department as effectively guiding dealers with preventative maintenance requires expertise from more than just the aftermarket.
“Involvement of all areas of the Volvo CE team help create a culture of uptime and bring customer service to the forefront of the business,” says Robert Sundkvist, manager of the Uptime Center.
