magazine 2010/3 - Mercedes-Benz UK

ON JULIEN CALLOUD’S DESK there is a model
of a historic Mercedes-Benz bus. Ever since
Carl Benz built the world’s first omnibus back
in 1895, the buses bearing the three-pointed star
have always come with a special sense of responsibility.
“That’s exactly what my job is about,”
states the passionately committed service manager
of EvoBus France S.A.S. “A business relationship
is founded on mutual trust and confidence.”
But how is such a foundation built?
Service is key
For the manager, trust is based on service. “The
term ‘service’ covers a lot,” he reflects, pushing
the model bus into the middle of his desk.
With over 600 service centres around
Europe, premium manufacturer Mercedes-Benz
operates the continent’s largest and tightestknit
bus and coach service network. Alongside
the company’s bus products, the concept of
service plays a key role. There are 71 service
centres in France alone. “While other manufacturers
in France are dramatically cutting back
their service networks, Mercedes-Benz is
Always getting better
The goal of improving day by day is embedded in the corporate culture
of Mercedes-Benz. Service expertise is something which grows and
develops over years. That fact is demonstrated by the example of France.
investing in providing full geographical coverage,”
Julien Calloud reports. “We are leading
the way in terms of service.” The current total
of 71 service centres has grown up from a base
of just 11 six years ago. And it is still growing,
according to the head of the French operation,
reflecting a strategy aimed at assuring premium
service to accompany a premium product.
As Calloud asserts: “The EvoBus service brand
OMNIplus provides the largest and most efficient
bus-specific service network of any player
on the French market. And the multi-level
service network comprising BusWorlds, Bus-
Ports and BusPoints delivers the right expertise
and know-how whenever and wherever it is
needed.”
In line with this categorisation, every service
centre has to conform to specific, Europe-wide
service standards, stipulating all aspects of
their operations, including available workshop
equipment and special tools. What sounds good
in theory is in practice being continuously
improved in keeping with the corporate culture.
Calloud goes on: “Once we had established
a truly national service network, we set about
optimising service quality.” This was done by
means of systematic monitoring and ongoing
training and qualification procedures. All
employees working in the service network in
France were provided with the necessary training
and support in order to create a genuine
service culture for buses and coaches.
The quality philosophy put into practice in
France also entails staff being responsible for
organising and continuously improving their
own work. Conformance to standards is regularly
monitored. “In order to utilise additional
potential for improvement, at least two network
audits a year are carried out,” Calloud explains.
A major factor is the ability to offer a broad
range of services which are nevertheless closely
tailored to bus operators’ needs. That is vital
when it comes to providing customers with
comprehensive, expert backup in all areas.
For Calloud, however, the quality of the
service network does not depend only on the
backup provided, but also on how it continues
to develop and grow. Calloud states that