Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/117978
Cover Story BIG SMALLER TRUCKS OPPORTUNITY garage to do that for them.��� ���They are usually just smaller businesses or single owners ��� sometimes it���s just one guy,��� adds Matt Thompson, vice president at Blue Hen Spring Works, Inc. He says even if these customers understand ���they need to be proactive about maintenance; they still can���t do it all alone.��� That���s where the aftermarket comes in. Become a service provider they can trust and you may ���nd yourself a life-long customer. ���They de���nitely will be loyal,��� says Messina. ���Once a [medium-duty] customer trusts you and knows you���re looking out for his best interests he���ll stay loyal to you. And it���s not just a dollars and cents thing.��� He says medium-duty customers appreciate good value, but quality, honesty and consistency are just as important. ���Price isn���t always number one.��� Michael Cancelliere, senior vice president and general manager of North American parts at Navistar, says medium-duty customers have the same loyal relationship with dealers. ���One of the biggest differences between medium-duty and heavy-duty customers is the reliance on the dealer network,��� he says. ���Medium-duty customers tend to rely on local dealers a lot more, while W W W . T R U C K PA R T S A N D S E R V I C E . C O M TPS0413PG012-16_Cover Story.indd 13 Class 5-7 trucks are in local neighborhoods everyday performing services that we all depend on as part of our daily activities. ��� Tim Wenger, senior manager, parts marketing and product development at Hino Trucks the heavy-duty customer is more reliant on the dealer network en masse. ���The medium-duty customer will go to the same dealer almost every time.��� That localized approach is another reason for aftermarket companies to incorporate medium-duty ���eets into their customer base. Most medium-duty trucks operate within a designated area that can be serviced by a single aftermarket location. Amoroso says that is especially true in urban markets where medium-duty trucks are the preferred delivery method. ���When you���re delivering into cities and dealing with traf���c, you can���t really have a big tractor-trailer for that,��� he says. ���That���s where the A p r i l 2 0 1 3 | T R U C K PA R T S & S E R V I C E 13 3/25/13 3:51 PM