It's Here! - CablePrice

TRACK & WHEELWorld Class Isuzu Experience in Palmerston NorthRay Adlam recently re-joined CablePrice after 12 years and hasmade an instant impression on the Palmerston North branch’scommercial vehicle workshop.With a lifetime of experience on the Isuzu product - for whichthe region is the Authorised Master Truck Dealer - Ray carried areputation as an astute and hard working technician – bolstered byhis numerous high placed finishes in Isuzu’s national techniciancompetition, the Isuzu Tech Guild Grand Prix.“Ray’s return to the workshop has provided the region somemuch needed expertise on the Isuzu product” says RobMainwaring, Regional Manger and Isuzu Dealer Principal for theLower North Island. “The operational efficiency and accuracyof the workshops performance has improved noticeably inrecent months, and customers are now commenting of markedimprovements in service”, he adds.These instant achievements have seen Ray recently promoted toTeam Leader for the branches commercial vehicle workshop, yethis achievement didn’t finish there. Since joining CablePrice Rayrecently achieved a top-two status in the Isuzu Tech Guild GrandPrix for 2009 – a result that was enough to have him invited toattend the world competition in Japan in November as part of atwo-man-team to compete for the world title.Before departing for Japan Ray spent a week in Auckland withIsuzu training for the competition. On arrival at the finals allcountries were divided into pools, competing against othernations in the preliminary rounds of the competition. Therewere three stations, including a waiting stage, a theory exam andpractical assessments on diagnosing and remedying faults, withpoints allocated for the latter two stations and totalled for anoverall winner. While Ray found being watched by a sometimes200-strong-audiences as he worked, a bit intimidating, he saysthe competition was a great experience and a sharp learning curveabout working under pressure.While New Zealand finished 8th in the competition, Ray says“the Tech Guild program is full of relative information with lotsof useful day-to-day stuff.” After competing in the global finalsa technician is no longer eligible for the competition, as a resultRay says he is pushing his guys to go for it next year. “I trygetting it through to the boys that if they put in the work and getin the finals, they get rewarded – and the information they readwill help them with the Isuzu product in their daily jobs as well.Plus it’s a great experience going to Japan,” he adds.CablePrice is the Authorised Master Truck Dealer for Isuzu commercial vehicles in theWellington, Kapiti Horowhenua, Manawatu & Wairarapa regions and is an AuthorisedService Outlet in Invercargill.C.M.T RECEIVES HITACHI GLOBAL RECOGNITIONCablePrice has been awarded the Hitachi Division Director'sAward for business process innovation for the developmentand implementation of the CablePrice Master Technician trainingand development qualification.In October 2007 CablePrice launched CMT - an internaltraining and development qualification - to the company’s 170plus workshop staff. The programme was designed to enhancecustomer service standards by developing staffs skill andknowledge base. It also recognises and rewards them for theirincreased qualifications - which also makes for a more productive,challenged and happy technician.In awarding the prize, a Hitachi spokesperson suggested themodel had strong merit for wider implementation across thewider Hitachi Construction Machinery family. CablePrice’sTraining Manager, Ross Wallace, who was instrumental in thedevelopment and introduction of CMT to the company says“Hitachi’s interest in expanding the qualification across the worldis very flattering, and is a glowing endorsement of the enthusiasmthat the company’s technicians have engaged the programmewith. “ Four equipment and two commercialvehicle technicians have now reached CMTstatus since the qualifications inception, withRoss saying there are a number on the verge ofcompleting their requirements.“This is great news for our customers too, asit recognises from our OEM the quality ofthe training being provided to our techniciansand helps improve their levels of competencyand efficiency when servicing and repairingcustomers machinery,” adds Ross.In addition to the recognition and accolades,CablePrice also receives a financial rewardfor achieving the Division Director's Award.Ross says “plans have already been put inplace to invest the money in more tooling andtraining.”49