HERE TO HELP
If you ever call for roadside assistance, remember it's not just the Scania Assistance Centre you're talking to – it's the entire Scania organisation

Anyone who has ever had the misfortune to experience a breakdown at the side of the road will appreciate how very easy it is to feel alone. And, of course, such occurrences have a knack of materialising at the worst possible moment – so it's odds-on that if it does happen to you, you'll be miles from anywhere, caught in the pouring rain with a howling gale blowing just as it's getting dark. 

This is the moment you need help.  It's also the very reason why the Scania Assistance Centre exists; it's there to help. It's a comforting thought to bear in mind should you ever have to reach for the phone and dial that all-important number – 0800 800 660.

GENUINELY DIFFERENT
Before going any further, it's worth pointing out that in today's world there is a justified degree of cynicism when it comes to call centres. For example, when you have called them, how many times have you been confronted with an endless list of automated options or greeted with, 'Thank you for calling… your call is important to us…all our operators are busy…' ?

But the Scania Assistance Centre genuinely is different. And while you may think, they would say that, wouldn't they, the fact of the matter is that incoming calls are very rarely queued.  Instead they are far more likely to be answered immediately – by a real human being! The Centre refuses to be known as a 'call centre', it has no multiple-choice messages to frustrate you and its Advisors do not work to a script.

"I feel call centres are anti-customer care" says Scania Assistance Centre Manager, Laurence Medina. "We tell our team to talk to our callers, strike up a rapport and always remember they are talking to real people with real problems. I can say that, as far as we can, we will avoid using an automated response system!"

And it's also worth remembering that there is very much more to the Scania Assistance Centre than just an operator passing on messages. Each member of the team is skilled in their own right. Once they have accessed the vehicle's details from the Scania database and obtained the necessary guarantee of payment, they use their specialist knowledge to concentrate on getting operator’s back on the road in the most efficient manner possible.

As soon the nature of the problem has been ascertained, the local dealer comes into the frame. Before a Technician is despatched he will have gathered the parts he believes he will need for the job. This he does in conjunction with his Parts team, both of them relying upon the information supplied by the Assistance Centre. Ensuring the correct items are requisitioned once again requires specialist knowledge, which is one of the key reasons Scania invests heavily in its Technicians and Parts staff. 

On the parts side of the business, Scania offers comprehensive training leading to its Parts Professional qualification. Graduates of the course have an in-depth understanding of Scania parts in general as well as the components likely to be required for any specific job. 

Technicians have a complete skills programme available to them. Once
fully trained, they can become Master Technicians, which in simple terms means they are as skilled in commercial vehicle repair and maintenance as it is possible to get.

SATELLITE NAVIGATION
Out on the road, the Technician will be guided to the site of the breakdown by the satellite navigation system fitted to his service vehicle. And once there, he will have access to a range of special tools that may be required for the work in hand. 

Furthermore, should unexpected difficulties be encountered, the Technician is able to confer with colleagues back at base. If the outcome is that more parts are needed, these can be identified and despatched without delay. 

Throughout the case, communication between the Technician, the local dealer, the Scania Assistance Centre and the customer is maintained so that progress can be monitored and everyone kept informed.

"We recognise that a breakdown is never going to be a pleasant experience," concludes Laurence Medina. "But having these levels of support on tap does mean we can minimise the inconvenience as far as is humanly possible. And that's what it's really all about for the Scania Assistance Centre – our philosophy, quite simply, is that we are here to help."