General Motors has introduced Goodwrench Fleet Service, a fleet management program for commercial truck customers, which started operations on Oct. 1, 1999. It is a joint program between GM Service Parts Operation (SPO) and GM Fleet and Commercial Operations.

The program, unveiled to dealers last September at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, is a customer-oriented program providing commercial truck owners with service and maintenance work.

Some of the key features of the Goodwrench Fleet Service program are:

• Extended evening and weekend hours by participating dealers.

• Dedicated service advisers for commercial truck customers.

• The dealer must diagnose the problem and provide a quote within two hours.

• Only GM parts are used.

• Technicians are GM-certified.

• Parts are available for all makes, including DaimlerChrysler and Ford.

• Expedited parts delivery, which includes guaranteed next-day delivery of available parts.

• Comprehensive warranty, which includes free replacement parts and labor for 12 months, or 12,000 miles following any dealer service.

The Rollout Phase

The Goodwrench Fleet Service program will initially focus on trucks and will be exclusive to GM-certified commercial dealers. Ultimately, GM’s goal is to have the program cover both truck and car fleets.

As of October 1999, GM had 135 dealers signed up for the program and anticipates having 450 by the end of 1999, which would provide it with a coast-to-coast network of dealers.

"The program is still in its rollout stage," said John Mack, service support manager for GM Fleet and Commercial Operations. "By mid-2000, GM is targeting 100 percent participation in the program by all 900 Chevrolet and GMC/ Pontiac commercial dealers."

The Goodwrench Fleet Service program seeks to service two market segments: the mega fleet market and the non-mega fleet market, which includes medium and small fleets. "By the end of 2000, GM is targeting 100-percent participation in the Goodwrench Fleet Service program by all 900 Chevrolet and GMC/Pontiac commercial dealers," said John Mack, commercial service manager for GM Fleet and Commercial Operations.

GM defines a mega fleet as a company that purchases more than 250 light- and/or medium-duty trucks per year and operates a fleet of more than 1,000 units nationally or in a large regional area.

However, GM will primarily focus its efforts on the non-mega fleet market. "The medium and small commercial vehicle market represents about 25 million vehicles," said John Sweeny, truck parts marketing manager for GM SPO. "This is why the focus of the Goodwrench Fleet Service program is toward the non-mega fleets."

Fleet Management Capabilities

Using the GM Wright Express Card (see sidebar below), all maintenance work and repair costs will be identified and tracked on a regular basis throughout the ownership cycle of a commercial vehicle. In addition, the credit card system centralizes billing and details management reports. It would be up to the commercial truck fleet customer to determine if the card is assigned to a driver or the vehicle. The card can be used for fuel purchases, and is also accepted by any of the participating GM dealers to pay for maintenance and service work done at their dealership.

"Our goal is to compete and excel in the commercial truck service business to keep customers at the GM dealership during their entire vehicle ownership cycle," said Sweeny.

Here’s How the Program Works

Typically, GM commercial truck customers will schedule appointments with participating dealerships for service or maintenance through a GM Goodwrench Fleet Service dedicated adviser.

When a customer arrives at the dealership, the dedicated service adviser will write up the order. Within two hours, that adviser will provide the customer with a vehicle diagnosis, an estimate of the time it will take to repair, and a cost estimate.

"We regard the ability to provide that quick a turnaround as a major advantage with the Goodwrench Fleet Service program," said Sweeny.

All maintenance work and repair cost charged to the GM Wright Express Card will be identified and tracked on a regular basis by computer throughout the ownership cycle of a commercial vehicle. The program will provide replacement of wear items such as brake shoes, heating/AC components, clutches, filters, and hoses. "By providing this service we’re looking to compete with aftermarket companies such as Pep Boys and the lube-oil-filter stores," said Sweeny.

In addition, the GM Wright Express Card System has centralized billing and detail management reports for commercial truck customers. Wright Express will then send a consolidated bill to a commercial truck customer and pays the dealer directly. This eliminates paperwork for dealers, and simplifies payment for customers by offering one consolidated bill. Commercial truck owners can place restrictions on the card to help monitor use and prevent personal use of the card.

"Wright Express tells us that these fuel cards can save commercial truck owners an estimated 10-to-15 percent reduction in monthly fuel bills," said Sweeny.

What’s Required of a Dealer

Commercial truck dealers must agree to meet a certain level of commitment to customer satisfaction and follow-up to become a GM Goodwrench Fleet Service dealer. To ensure this, dealers undergo a stringent process to achieve GM Goodwrench Fleet Service certification and are re-evaluated every six months.

Among the standards that dealers have to meet are:

• They must have competitive hours of operation within their market.

• They must provide courtesy transportation for drivers whose trucks are being serviced.

• The dealer must offer roadside assistance and 24-hour towing.

• Flexible service scheduling options such as overnight lube-oil-filter change and other light services to keep a fleet’s truck on the road during business hours.

• Dealers are required to contact their commercial truck customers after work has been completed to determine satisfaction with the service performed.

GM Fleet Card Can Be Used to Buy Fuel & Maintenance

The GM Wright Express Card is a co-branded card created by General Motors and Wright Express.

Businesses that purchase or lease vehicles through participating GM dealers are able to sign up for the program and use the card for fuel purchases and to pay for vehicle maintenance expenses at GM commercial dealerships.

The GM Wright Express Card gives commercial fleets the ability to use more than 130,000 participating fuel and service sites, including a network of diesel and truck stop sites. The full data capture capabilities of the co-branded card provide fleet administrators with comprehensive fleet reports and management tools. The fleet card can also be used to pay for service and maintenance work performed at GM dealerships that are participating in the program.

All card purchases can be tracked to an individual by utilizing the "Driver ID" or "Vehicle ID" functions.

The fleet card program includes a monthly Vehicle Analysis Report, which tracks all fuel, service, and parts purchases by vehicle. It also provides vehicle performance such as cost per mile and miles per gallon. Fleet managers gain control and security since the "Driver ID" is used to identify exactly who purchased what, where, and when.