How Mack dealers are using technology to promote safety, social distancing amid pandemic

Mack Certified Uptime Dealers are creating new procedures to help ensure the safety of employees and customers requiring service and support during COVID-19. 

"It's imperative that dealer employees and customers maintain their health and safety at all times, but especially during the current situation," said David Pardue, Mack vice president of connected vehicle and uptime services. "Many of our dealers, and especially Mack Certified Uptime Dealers, have taken extra precautions to develop best practices and new ways of working to help reduce exposure risks." 

Vision Truck Group, based in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, and TranSource, in Colfax, North Carolina, are two such dealers. Both sites are Mack Certified Uptime Dealers, which distinguishes them as having met stringent requirements to improve customer service. Repairs are quicker because of standardized workflows and redesigned service bays reserved specifically for trucks requiring less than four hours of work for service and repair. 

Along with social distancing, workplace and vehicle disinfection, staggered work shifts, adjusted break and lunch times, usages of mask, gloves and disinfectants and hand sanitizer, Vision Truck Group moved to a paperless operation, minimizing face-to-face interaction while still enabling efficiency by utilizing Mack ASIST, Mack's web-based service management system. 

No paper is passed throughout the site. Rather, teams communicate via ASIST, allowing technicians to receive and view work assignments on their iPads, while also allowing fleet managers complete visibility into the work being completed.

Vision sites also feature enhanced automation, including motion-activated lighting, faucets, toilets, hand dryers, water fountains and doors, enabling employees  and customers to avoid contact with typically highly touched areas.

TranSource also has made changes as a result of the COVID-19 situation, offering pickup and delivery services to assist customers who are working with reduced staff. 

"Many of our customers may need service but do not have the personnel available to bring the truck into our dealership," said Jason Lucero, service director at TranSouce. "Recognizing this, we are offering them an option to have a CDL driver transport their truck should they need it."

TranSource is also increasing training for its staff at this time and making sure any customers with vehicles affected by open campaigns or recalls are contacted to make sure their vehicle is addressed.