Dayco assesses support it provides to distributors
Dayco is a supplier of OE components to VMs across Europe and is a “major player” in the aftermarket. It believes its factor relationships are strong. Sitting alongside the sales team is Glen Goldstone, Dayco’s technical manager. He will be familiar to those that have attended UK trade events over the last few years, through his wide-ranging technical presentation.
Although technical support for the workshops undertaking service and repair often takes centre stage, providing support for wholesalers is also of great importance, particularly as it’s you that are factors that are our immediate customers.
Naturally, everything begins with the correct identification of the replacement part, which is crucial at every level of the repair process from supplier to end user, but is still sometimes, despite the availability of some great catalogue solutions, a challenge, particularly if the application is a little unusual or a grey import, for example.
In these situations, it’s a case of digging down and doing the necessary research, which can include identifying changes, such as design modifications that have been made by the VM at OE level, or cross referencing OE and our competitors’ data, to help you provide workshops with the correct part, saving all parties time and money in the long term and importantly, preserving business relationships.
When it comes to fitting issues, we can also help you communicate with workshops when facing difficult installations, and in some cases, speak directly to customers to work through the process, or explain where any modifications might need to be made.
Warranty
Another area that obviously plays an important part in the whole supplier/factor and factor/workshop relationship, is warranty issues. However, before I continue, it’s important to point out that, alongside other OE quality manufacturers, the vast majority of claims we process are found to be installation errors, which is why training remains such an important subject throughout the industry.
Having said that, irrespective of these statistics, it is vital for all sides of the equation, that each claim is thoroughly investigated to correctly discover the root cause of any failure and that any subsequent changes that are necessary, are implemented.
As a result, Dayco endeavours to respond to any claim in two to three weeks of receiving the parts, and rather than producing a generic statement, we produce a bespoke report that is easy to understand, but which contains a full technical explanation of the findings and is supported by detailed photographs.
In some instances, we will sometimes even visit the workshop, along with a representative from the supplying factor, and explain in person the reason for the rejection of the warranty claim, but crucially, how any repetition of the cause of the problem can be avoided.
Glen is synonymous with technical training
One of the messages we are keen to get across is the need to remain focused on current technology and that of the immediate future associated with combustion engines because, although xEVs are all the rage, realistically, workshops will still be dealing with petrol and diesel engine technology for at least the next decade.
In terms of the content, the subjects naturally vary depending on the needs of the audience, but the design of FEAD systems and their drive components, including new belt materials and the importance of using the correct, vehicle specific application, as well as BIO (belt in oil) systems, often take centre stage.
In common with many of the components fitted to the modern vehicle, timing and auxiliary drive system replacement is a highly skilled process that requires attention to detail and the necessity to strictly follow a series of procedures, in order to be completed successfully. This is why we are so committed to providing relevant training, and the distributor network is key to helping us put that into practice.
Technical education at all levels of the industry is paramount to its ongoing success and, fortunately, there are keen and committed technicians out there who really want to develop their skills and do the best possible job they can.
To that end, it’s our goal to help the entire trade to reach that standard, which is why Dayco is not only committed to supplying OE quality products and the best possible technical advice, but first-class training and general support as well.
