Kenworth launched the Kenworth PremierCare® Gold Certified program today to further enhance the highest level of customer support at Kenworth dealerships in the United States and Canada. The announcement came at the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference and Exhibition.
“Taking care of customers is something that is in our DNA at Kenworth, as demonstrated by our Kenworth PremierCare program, which has offered customers superior service for more than 20 years. Building on this customer service heritage, the new Kenworth PremierCare Gold Certified program takes service to another level,” said Jason Skoog, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “Uptime has never been more important and it’s why we did extensive research with customers and the Kenworth Dealer Council to develop a new gold standard of customer service excellence at Kenworth dealerships.”
According to Skoog, trucks are not just bought through a single up-front acquisition transaction. “For our customers, a truck is a business solution. The ongoing service support that Kenworth and its dealer network can offer is part of the overall product package,” he said. “It is critical to be able to offer superior service to match the excellent product that we offer. That is why we decided to expand our PremierCare offering and introduce the PremierCare Gold Certified dealer network, so that our customers could easily identify our dealer locations that offer a superior level of service.”
The Kenworth PremierCare ExpressLane is one of the key elements to become a Gold Certified dealer. Each Gold Certified Kenworth dealer will have dedicated ExpressLane technicians to support quick diagnosis and estimated repair time and cost.
“When a customer brings in his or her truck, the dealer will do a full diagnostic analysis and prepare an estimate for the time and cost of that repair – all within 2 hours,” said Skoog. “The goal is to do away with trucks sitting in the queue and drivers waiting for an estimate. And that’s critical to our customers, especially when the repair may be very simple and can be completed within hours. Knowing what’s happening, quickly, will help customers make the decisions needed to keep their deliveries on schedule.”
The Kenworth PremierCare Roadside Assistance program (1-800-KW-ASSIST) is another element of the program. “Kenworth’s 24/7 program has been a constant with our customers for a number of years,” said Skoog. “If there is ever an emergency on the road, our call center helps the driver or fleet manager work through the issue to get the truck back on the road as soon as possible.”
Extended evening hours on weekdays and extended hours on the weekends are also a requirement for certification. “It’s important for Kenworth dealers to be open and ready to serve drivers whenever they need our assistance,” said Skoog. “Diesel technicians at Kenworth Gold locations will have achieved the highest levels of certification under new and more rigorous factory certification standards for PACCAR MX series engines. Plus, these dealerships will be well-stocked with high-quality PACCAR MX engine parts.”
In addition, all new Kenworth Class 8 trucks with the PACCAR MX-13 engine are now standard with Kenworth TruckTech+. The system enhances vehicle diagnostics by providing information on PACCAR MX-13 engine health to the customer and dealer.
“Since Kenworth TruckTech+ describes the issue, based on fault codes, we feel it’s a game changer when it comes to keeping trucks on the road. Minor issues can be addressed on the road or back at the home terminal, while larger issues can be diagnosed and fixed at the nearest Kenworth dealership. Every Kenworth PremierCare Gold Certified dealership offers dedicated TruckTech+ professionals on site,” said Skoog.
And just as driver comfort is an important factor in Kenworth trucks, Kenworth PremierCare Gold Certified dealers also will provide a comfortable driver’s lounge with amenities that make it easy for the driver to relax or remain productive while the truck is in the shop.
“Kenworth has always been dedicated to superior customer service. When customers select Kenworth, they choose The World’s Best® trucks. They deserve the same level of passion, excellence and attention to detail from those who care for their trucks at Kenworth dealerships. The PremierCare Gold Certified dealer network is just another way that Kenworth is delivering premium value for customers throughout the lifecycle of the product,” concluded Skoog.
