Daimler Trucks North America's (DTNA) Express Assessment program's mission is to provide customers an assessment of a single service issue within two hours of the service write-up. That promise alone eliminates significant risk and uncertainty facing drivers, trucking businesses and load customers alike, and is driving the expansion of the program to a growing number of DTNA dealerships across the U.S. and Canada.
"The mission of our Express Assessment dealers is to communicate the single issue diagnosis, check needed parts availability and provide an estimate of cost and repair time, all within two hours of the service write-up," said Bob Correll, general manager, Central Service.
The Express Assessment program represents a significant investment in time and training for a dealership, changing everything from the service write-up process to basic shop workflow. The result is a process of assessment and repair work that operates more like a medical triage unit than a traditional truck repair shop. Trucks found to need minor repairs are more easily moved through the system, and repairs requiring a wait for parts or other issues no longer cause a backlog.
"Express Assessment is as much a mindset for our dealers as it is a process," said Correll. "By choosing an Express Assessment dealer, you will quickly know what's wrong, how long it will take to repair, and the bottom-line cost. That way, the customer can understand repair options and make smart service decisions in a timely manner."
Express Assessment also allows the dealer to assign the most qualified technician to the job, ensuring that the diagnosis gets done right the first time. If the assessment of the issue reveals a simple repair, like a blown fuse or a burnt out light, the Express Assessment dealer will make every effort to perform the repair immediately.
The Express Assessment system uses process changes and technology to tie diagnostics, labor time and parts availability together, offering the information needed to understand the business impact that a truck's downtime may have.
