Isuzu believes that excellent after-sales service would lead to repeat sales and encourage customers to buy their second vehicle from the company.
Isuzu Proves its Investment in Comprehensive After-Sales Service Strategy
Excellent after-sales service is a strategic success factor and growth driver for any business. Despite the market and economic uncertainties, Isuzu Malaysia Sdn Bhd (IMSB) maintains its top position for the 5th consecutive year as the nation’s preferred commercial vehicle (CV) brand for 2018. Behind this recognition, apart from good products, it proves that its investment in a comprehensive after-sales service strategy is greatly effective.
“Having established a strong reputation in developing and manufacturing high quality, durable and fuel efficient vehicles, we continued striving to advance ourselves towards offering excellent after-sales service. We believe that excellent after-sales service would lead to repeat sales and encourage customers to buy their second vehicle from us, and this has always been Isuzu’s philosophy globally,” said Chief Executive Officer Koji Nakamura.
The aim for IMSB, he continued, was to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction and ensure that all of the customers had peace of mind when they owned an Isuzu vehicle.
Isuzu Service Centre to set new after-sales benchmark
At present, among its 43 after-sales dealers (including the one that was recently appointed in Cameron Highlands) across the country, 9 are certified as MHD service centres, including the Isuzu Service Centre (ISC), which specialise in carrying out all maintenance and repair jobs for the medium and heavy duty segment. All of them, he stressed, complied with the concept of an Isuzu 3S centre by comprising sales, service and spare-parts to maintain Isuzu’s ‘unsurpassed services’ to customers.
Located in Shah Alam, Selangor, ISC is a new flagship after-sales facility. Established on 23rd May, 2017, it represents the company’s effort in providing an elevated level of comprehensive, efficient and professional after-sales care for its growing customer base.
“ISC is a platform for Isuzu to realise its corporate objective of enhancing its relationship with customers through supporting their total ownership needs. One of its key objectives is to reduce vehicle downtime through faster turnaround in servicing, a more competent workforce, greater parts availability and a more comprehensive facility that boasts 20 work bays – 10 for light commercial vehicles and 10 for heavy duty trucks,” said After-Sales Division Chief Operating Officer Ryo Kakogawa.
With a staff of 21, including 10 qualified mechanics, ISC is fully supported and guided by a Japanese technical engineer, Katsushi Shimauchi, from Isuzu Motors Limited, Japan. Apart from a showroom and cosy lounge, the spacious 2-acre facility features high capacity hoists capable of raising medium- and heavy-duty trucks, calibrated brake testers, exhaust emission measuring devices, tyre alignment and wheel balancing machine to ensure that the commercial vehicles are well prepared for their Puspakom inspection. In addition, ISC also has a spectrum of proprietary diagnostic equipment to troubleshoot or tune the latest range of vehicles powered by the common-rail engine.
“Our goal is to develop ISC as our model MHD service centre that is equipped with proper skill, equipment and facilities. The long term plan is to have Isuzu authorised dealers ‘duplicate’ this model through adopting the best practices of ISC.”
Isuzu After-Sales Kaizen Project
In today’s highly competitive business environment, not to advance is to fall back. Kakogawa revealed that both Isuzu Japan and IMSB had joined forces to implement the after-sales Kaizen (continuous improvement) activities.
“The Kaizen activities focus on 3 main sections, which cover overall after-sales productivity, enhancement of vehicle retention, improvement of spare-parts business and operation. First of all, we identify the actual problems and challenges, determine the countermeasures and make improvement plans thereafter, and finally monitor the progress of each item or activity.”
To improve manpower, Kakogawa said, the company captured videos of actual operation and standardised them into an improved and systematic workflow. As for vehicle intake enhancement, it identified each category of customers and approached those who did not return to their dealers. For spare-parts operation improvement, a proper visualisation system was implemented on Work-in-Progress parts to avoid prolonged vehicle downtime due to unsystematic management.
“Isuzu Japan and we at IMSB plan to conduct this Kaizen project for selected dealers in stages,” he added.
In view of the manpower shortage and to continually raise its dealers’ manpower skills, IMSB has put in great effort towards establishing dedicated and well-planned after-sales training programmes for relevant after-sales workforce, such as service mangers, service advisors, parts advisors as well as mechanics nationwide. IMSB also conducts exclusive training programmes for its dealers’ fleet customers that, he said, received overwhelming response and good remarks.
Isuzu Technical School and training programme
To support the government’s effort towards equipping Malaysians with the right skill as well as the IMSB’s commitment to develop qualified mechanics that are recognised by Jabatan Pembangunan Kemahiran (JPK) to provide the best customer experience, the Isuzu Technical School (ITS) was launched in April 2016.
ITS has achieved a significant milestone in human capital development following its accreditation by the Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia as a provider of apprenticeship programmes under the National Dual Training System (NDTS).
“The apprenticeship training is conducted at ISC that is well equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. This industry-oriented training scheme that combines workplace and theoretical training is open to all our dealers on a first-come first-serve basis. They could send their new staff to us and the candidates who are successfully enrolled would receive a monthly allowance during their training,” said Kakogawa.
After undergoing an 8-month comprehensive course, the apprentice would be awarded the NDTS certificate under Level 2 Skills Malaysia (SKM Level 2) that is certified by JPK Malaysia. According to him, ITS graduates were in high demand as they had the exposure to the latest technology and were being trained to meet industry needs, which was vital for business entities to remain competitive in today’s challenging environment.
“We take pride in building long lasting relationships with our customers. All these initiatives and continuing efforts show that we listen to our customers attentively and carry out the best possible solutions, not only to meet their needs but also to enhance their overall satisfaction,” stressed Nakamura.
In line with the company’s goal to provide a new enhanced customer experience, IMSB also upgraded 11 of its 43 3S centres to 4S (Sales, Service, Spare-parts, and Spray painting) last year.
“These centres are approved by Persatuan Insurans AM Malaysia (PIAM). As collision repair and spray painting are a totally different ballgame, we need to look into it carefully. Our existing 3S centres have to meet Isuzu’s criteria before they could apply for an upgrade,” Nakamura added.
五十铃— 迈向卓越售后服务
卓越的售后服务是业务策略成功的要素和增长的动力。尽管面对市场和经济的不确定性， 五十铃马来西亚私人有限公司（IMSB）连续5年稳坐销售冠军宝座，成为2018年国内最受欢迎的商用车。 在这个荣誉的背后，除了优良产品，也证实了大马五十铃在全面售后服务策略方面所做的投资效果极佳。
“在高品质、耐用及节油车辆研发方面建立起强大的声誉后，我们继续努力提升自己，提供卓越的售后服务。我们深信卓越的售后服务将带来重复的销售，并可鼓励客户向我们购买第二辆车子，而这一直是五十铃的全球理念。”首席执行员中村幸滋（Koji Nakamura）表示。
他继续说，IMSB的目标是为了实现最高的客户满意度，确保所有拥有五十铃车辆的客户能够安心。
五十铃服务中心奠定新售后服务基准
目前，在五十铃遍布全马的43家售后服务代理（包括近日才委任的金马仑高原代理），有9家是MHD服务中心，包括专为中重型领域提供养护和修理服务的五十铃服务中心（ISC）。他强调，所有的代理符合五十铃3S（销售、服务及备件）中心的概念，以维持五十铃为客户所提供的无与伦比的服务。
ISC 位于雪兰莪沙亚南，是该公司全新的旗舰售后服务中心。成立于2017年5月23日，五十铃透过该中心为不断增长的客户群提供提升的高效、卓越及全面的专业售后服务。
“ISC是五十铃透过支援客户总拥有成本需求，实现加强客户关系的企业目标 。通过更快的周转时间，有能力的人员、更大的备件供应及备有20 个工作车间（10 个轻卡和10个重卡车间）的完整设施 ，降低车辆的停机时间是主要的目标之一。”售后服务部门首席营运执行长加古川良（Ryo Kakogawa）表示。
在日本五十铃汽车有限公司技术工程师岛内胜志（Katsushi Shimauchi）的带领下，该中心聘用21名员工，其中有10名合格技师。面积达2英亩的ISC，除了陈列室和等候区，设备完善，备有可举升中及重型卡车的提升机、校准测试制动仪、排气测量装置、轮胎定位仪、车轮平衡机，确保卡车在送往电脑验车中心（PUSPAKOM）检验前做好准备。此外，ISC还备有各种专利的诊断仪，为搭载共轨引擎的最新车辆排除故障或进行调校。
“我们的目标是将ISC发展成拥有正确技能、设备及设施的中重型（MHD）服务中心的楷模。我们的长期计划是让五十铃授权代理透过采用 ISC的最优做法，‘复制’这个模型。”
五十铃 “Kaizen” 售后服务计划
在今日高度竞争的商业环境中，不进则退。 加古川良透露，日本五十铃和IMSB联手落实Kaizen（持续改善）售后服务活动。
“Kaizen活动聚焦于3大主要部分，包含售后服务生产力、强化车辆保有量、改善备件业务和营运。首先我们鉴定真正的问题和挑战，确定对策，并在之后进行改善。最后，监督每一个项目或活动的进展。”
加古川良说，为了改善人力，公司会用录像机将真正的营运情况录下来，并将它们标准化为一个改善和有系统的工作流程。在强化进车量方面，它会识别每一个类别的客户和联络那些没有回到代理车厂进行养护的客户。此外，该公司采用一个可视化系统来管理在制品（ Work- in-Progress）部件来强化备件营运，避免因为毫无系统的管理而延长车辆的停机时间。
“日本五十铃和在IMSB的我们计划分阶段为特定代理推行Kaizen计划 。”他补充说。
有鉴于人力短缺和为了持续提升代理商的员工技能，IMSB努力为全国相关的售后服务人员，如服务经理、服务顾问、零部件顾问及技术人员设立一个专注和精心策划的售后服务培训。此外， IMSB也会为代理的车队客户提供独家培训，他表示这些培训都获得了热烈的反应和良好的反馈。
五十铃技术学校和培训计划
为响应政府提升国人技能的努力和落实IMSB培养出受技能发展部（JPK）认可的合格技师 ，为客户提供最佳体验的承诺，该公司于2016年4月推介五十铃技术学校（ITS）。
ITS随后成为马来西亚人力资源部认可的双培训系统（National Dual Training System）学徒课程学校。
“该学徒培训在拥有完善且尖端装备的ISC进行。这个以行业为中心的培训，结合了修车厂的实践和理论课程，公开给我们的所有代理，先到先得。他们可以将新员工送来培训，成功注册的将在培训期间获得津贴。”加古川良说。
学徒在经过8个月全面培训后，将获得马来西亚技能发展部发出的马来西亚技能第二级NDTS证书。据他表示， 从ITS毕业的学员非常受欢迎，因为他们对最新技术有所认识和接触，而且经过迎合行业需求的培训，对公司在今天具挑战性的商业环境中保持竞争力极为重要。
“我们为能够与客户建立长期的关系感到自豪。这些倡议和持续的努力，显示我们细心聆听客户和为他们提供最优的解决方案。我们的目的不仅只是符合他们的需求而已，还为了加强他们的整体满足感。” 中村幸滋强调。
配合公司提供一个全新客户经验的目标，IMSB在去年将其43家3S中心的11家服务中心提升为 4S（销售、服务、备件及喷漆）服务中心。
“这些中心都获得马来西亚普通保险公会（PIAM）的认可。由于碰撞修理和喷漆是完全不同的另一个领域，我们需要更谨慎地观察。因此，我们现有的3S中心必须符合五十铃的条件才能像我们提出升级为4S中心的申请。” 中村幸滋表示。
