TRUCKING LIFE HACK: AFTERSALES SUPPORT AND CARE

Aftersales service: A company’s after-sales service is all the help and information that it provides to customer after they have bought a particular product.

Aftersales support and care can include many things for different industries—warranties, repairs, troubleshooting help. For the transport industry, this consists of a range of truck support services to customers after their purchase, whether they own one truck or an extensive fleet. Aftersales support is just as essential as the sale of the vehicle itself. For the customer, aftersales support and care­—for example, in the form of extended warranties and after-hours servicing—contributes to whole-of-life cost savings by reducing the not only unnecessary downtime, but also reducing breakdown costs. Accessible and regular servicing enables customers to keep their vehicles in the best quality and condition to prevent disruptions and increase operating efficiency in their businesses. Aftersales support is a worthy investment to add to your truck purchase to ensure you are guaranteed to be supported. Support base: dealer network The foundation to a good aftersales support and care experience is having a comprehensive network of dealerships to provide servicing, repairs and other aftersales support to customers, especially in an expansive country like Australia. After all, what good is aftersales support if you can’t get to them? In situations such as a breakdown­—or even just for regular servicing—you want to know that you can get the help you need when and where you need it. Different types of support When purchasing a vehicle, what aftersales support should you be looking at? Here are some aftersales support you can add on. Warranty As you are no doubt familiar, a warranty ensures that any faulty product can be repaired or exchanged within the specified time period. Every good has a warranty under the Australian Consumer Law. However, what you need to look at is extended warranties. An extended warranty can give you extra coverage, giving you a peace of mind knowing you’re covered if anything isn’t working as it should. Roadside assist In a perfect world, all quality vehicles wouldn’t break down or encounter an incident that leaves you stranded. But there are steps we can take to work around such circumstances. Getting roadside assistance can cover you in the case of a breakdown or malfunction when you’re on the road, including situations such as an empty tank, problems with your key, or a flat tyre or battery. After-hours servicing With a growing national freight task, it’s no wonder that the road transport industry’s workload is increasing—and along with it, businesses with road transport as a part of their operations. To ensure that your day-to-day faces minimal disruptions, it’s important to have access to after-hours servicing, where you’re able to get your regular truck maintenance sorted without having it affect your workday. Parts and accessories availability Another core area of aftersales support and care we should pay attention to is the availability of parts and accessories—be it for add-ons, servicing or repairs. Ultimately, we need to have confidence that if a truck part or accessory, for example a bullbar, needs replacing or repairing we’ll be able to get that fixed in no time. Extended assistance, anytime and anywhere Another interesting aspect of aftersales care to look at before getting your truck is the availability of customer support via telephone. Being on the road and putting your truck through the daily grind will mean that you will, at some point, encounter situations where expert help is needed. But sometimes roadside assistance may not be immediately available—or the first choice—and that’s when a freecall telephone service connecting you to highly trained truck techs comes in handy. Such a service can help put your mind at ease, helping you resolve enquiries and minor, easily rectified issues—which means you get back on the road safer and quicker. A definite ‘yes’ Buying a truck is a significant investment, and adding extras to your purchase can seem daunting. However, aftersales coverage should be a conversation every truck owner has with their dealer to establish the level of support you’ll need for your business and application. In the long run, such aftersales support and care can mean that you reduce your truck’s whole-of-life cost by ensuring that incidents or repairs are covered, or by ensuring that your truck is always in tip top shape, serviced when it’s convenient for you.   Buying your first truck and wondering what you should be looking at? Click here for a quick beginner’s guide!