Vision Truck Group
At Vision Truck Group, the journey to paperless shops is being driven by Decisiv Service Relationship Management (SRM) technology.
Setting Goals
The Vision Truck Group management team had foresight centered around two significant objectives. They were committed to creating a business operation and a service environment at Vision Truck Group that would both differentiate the company in terms of customer service and at the same time would create a work environment that would attract and retain service technicians.
In the commercial asset service world, those objectives are frequently difficult to mutually achieve. For its extensive and growing service operations, however, Vision Truck Group set out to lay the foundation that would support their goals.
What the Vision team set out to do was realize measurable improvements in service throughput and technician productivity, efficiency and proficiency by enabling better organization of service event processes with fundamental changes to their approach to service management. That effort was centered on implementing paperless service event management processes driven by streamlined collaboration and communication capabilities on a single unified platform. That effort was also focused on ensuring consistent service practices were being uniformly followed by every technician in every location.
With all Vision Truck Group service facilities using Decisiv SRM on mobile devices, the dealership focused on implementing a paperless maintenance inspection process. The application automatically adds inspection notes to a job and allows technicians to add photos for parts identification if necessary.
With Decisiv SRM on mobile devices, Vision Truck Group has seen a 12% improvement in technician efficiency and an 8% rise in billable hours
Paperless initiative enables Vision Truck Group to successfully address the impact imposed by the COVID-19 crisis
“With ASIST enabled on tablets we have improved productivity, reduced costs, driven up parts and service sales, and enhanced technician recruitment. That gives us a competitive advantage over other employers, which will be especially important as we continue growing.”
“With the paperless capabilities of Decisiv SRM, we have eliminated a communication disconnect across our locations. Over multiple shifts, and from case to case and technician to technician on a 24/7 basis, it makes collaboration and communication as transparent as possible, without needing to pick up the phone or meet face to face. In effect, with Decisiv SRM we’re able to create our own service ecosystem.”
Travis Brown
Director of Service Operations,
Vision Truck Group
Finding A Solution
In 2009, Vision Truck Group began using the ASIST web-based service management system developed by Decisiv for Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks to coordinate repairs and communicate with customers in real time. Vision initially piloted the ASIST platform in its service departments in 2008.
In early 2019, Vision began to implement paperless service event management processes when iPad tablets were issued to 35 technicians in its Etobicoke, Ontario shop. By October of that year, the mobile devices were deployed and in use in all of the dealership’s service facilities.
At Vision, check-ins are completed by a service advisor on assets arriving at a shop using Noregon JPRO commercial vehicle diagnostic tools, which automatically open a service event case in ASIST. The case is immediately populated with maintenance requirements, and recall and warranty status updates. The case is then exported and assigned to a foreman who reviews fault codes or complaints, and determines if additional diagnostics are needed.
Through ASIST the case is assigned to a technician on an iPad. From the mobile device, the technician has access to the vehicle’s service history, specifications and maintenance and repair requirements. Technicians can order parts on the iPad, enter notes and photos, and communicate with other technicians who may have worked on the same vehicle. All information is linked to Vision’s Karmak Fusion dealer management system for invoicing.
Throughout the process, Vision service customers receive updates on the case and can be contacted directly by the technician using the iPad to answer questions. Customers are also informed immediately when the asset is ready to be returned to service.
Vision Truck Group’s technicians have readily adopted and adapted to the use of iPads in the dealership’s shops. Using commonly available and familiar mobile devices meant little or no training was required.
Paperless inspections are the newest enhancement to the service process at Vision Truck Group. In Decisiv SRM they provide a systematic process for technicians to follow from the cab and around the vehicle. For example, after checking items in the cab, they are instructed to continue by circling the vehicle and completing inspections without needing to retrace steps or go below the unit more than necessary. Inspections are more consistent and conducted completely without manual checklists and forms.
Realizing Measurable Results
What Vision Truck Group has created with the capabilities of Decisiv SRM is a paperless workflow platform for dealership service managers, technicians, parts staff and other departments that promotes greater collaboration and communication across the enterprise.
With ASIST powered by Decisiv SRM enabled on tablets, Vision Truck Group has seen measurable improvement in shop throughput, and technician productivity, efficiency and proficiency.
Vision is realizing is a 12% increase in technician efficiency and proficiency from better organization of service event processes.
Vision has a fill rate for parts of 98%, which it attributes to being able to track usage and limit downtime for ordering and sourcing.
Vision has been experiencing a rise in the number of billable hours per invoice of 8% by improving shop throughput.
The paperless inspection processes in Decisiv SRM at Vision streamlines the process and improves service event productivity by providing a path for technicians to follow. In addition, by sending parts requests remotely it speeds acquisition. In one case as well, when a vehicle from a major leasing company was brought in for repair, the dealership was able to save valuable time by quickly sourcing the needed part from the customer’s inventory through open communication about the repair.
Paperless solutions in Decisiv SRM became a game changer as Vision Truck Group shops addressed COVID-19 protocols—
With inspections, cases, documents, photos and supporting information on the digital Decisiv SRM platform, the dealership’s shop supervisors, technicians and parts personnel were able to eliminate face-to-face handoffs of paper or the need to leave work bays through remote ordering and parts delivery.
The paperless workflow processes also enabled Vision to successfully implement staggered shifts and breaks to avoid the need for personnel to congregate in locker rooms or other common areas.
%
Increased Technician Efficiency
%
Parts Fill Rate
%
Increased Shop Throughput
“Paperless service event management processes driven by Decisiv SRM help technicians meet and exceed efficiency and proficiency targets because they can look up in-context information, order parts, and communicate with customers and other technicians on mobile devices. The more time they spend in the bay, the faster trucks get fixed and there’s less downtime for customers.”
“It’s much more efficient to be paperless, and even in a shop environment we haven’t had any issues with the performance, durability or connectivity of the mobile devices.”
Travis Brown
Director of Service Operations,
Vision Truck Group
About Vision Truck Group
For over 50 years, Vision Truck Group has serviced the truck and fleet industry in southwestern Ontario, Canada with sales, service, modifications, and parts. The dealer of new Mack and Volvo trucks, and trailers for highway and vocational applications has five locations in Brampton, Etobicoke, Stoney Creek, Cambridge, and London, Ontario.