Village Volvo Essay Example

8 am, and 5 to 6 pm as these are heavy customer contact hours. Implicit services include good attitude of mechanic, the comforts of the waiting area, and the convenience of the services offered.Mechanics take time to discuss problems with their clients; they even take a short test drive with the client to be certain that both understand the area of concern. Mechanics also discuss with clients the repairs that have been done to the vehicle.

The comfort of the waiting area is also an implicit service. The customers are able to enjoy coffee and read magazines and newspapers while they wait for the repairs to be done. Convenience is an implicit service given to the customers as they are encouraged to schedule appointments for the diagnosis and repair of specific problems. Distinctive Characteristics of a ServiceCustomer participation is very important in Village Volvo’s auto repair service. Village Volvo involves the customers as much as possible, as this helps Village Volvo in the diagnosis and repair of the vehicle problem.

In the diagnosis of the vehicle problem, the customer plays a crucial part as he is the main source of information of what the vehicle’s problem is. After the repair, mechanics take time to explain to their clients the repairs that have been done. This makes the clients more informed on their vehicle status and the information might help in the future repairs with Village Volvo.The services provided by Village Volvo have many variations depending upon the needs of the customer, or the problems of the customer’s vehicle.

Village Volvo mechanics can only treat a problem once the customer has identified the problems with his

vehicle. Village Volvo provides a service only when the customer is in need of the service. There is a simultaneous production and consumption of services. Village Volvo also recognizes the time-perishable capacity of the service they provide, Village Volvo smoothens the demand by encouraging scheduled appointments.

Village Volvo also schedules its mechanics to be available at hours where customer contact is heavy. Site selection is dictated by location of customers, Village Volvo has taken this into consideration. Given that they are located in a suburban area, Village Volvo owners think that their location might deter some clients, which is why they are considering provision for alternate transports for its customers. Personal attention of mechanics to each customer in Village Volvo’s service creates variability in the service provided.

To lessen the variability, and to ensure that each customer is treated more or less in the same way, Village Volvo has procedures in which mechanics follow. Strategic Service Classification Village Volvo’s nature of the service act can be classified as services directed as goods and other physical possessions. Village Volvo performs tangible actions (repair, replacement and maintenance) to the customer’s vehicle. Relationship with customers is a continuous delivery of service with a membership relationship. Village Volvo builds a relationship with its customers by involving them in the diagnosis and repair process of their ehicles. Also the customer plays an important role in identifying the problems of the vehicle.

Village Volvo also keeps track of vehicle records through a continuing a file, this encourages customers to avail of Village Volvo’s services continuously. There is a high extent to which customer contact personnel exercise judgment in meeting individual customer needs, as

well as high extent to which service characteristics are customized. Both customer and mechanic have impact on what repairs should be done to the vehicle. Clients are able to help identify the problem; mechanics diagnose and propose what to do with the problem.Also customers are consulted before any work may be done to the vehicle.

This creates significant implications for facility design and employee interaction. Since Village Volvo is big on mechanic-client discussions of diagnosis and repair issues, Village Volvo has to ensure that the facility is apt for such activities. As for the nature of demand and supply, the extent of demand fluctuations over time is narrow, and peak demand can usually be met without delay. For car repair services, it can be expected that peak demands occur before and after working hours, and also in weekends.

Village Volvo’s method of service delivery is that customers have to travel to service firm and Village Volvo has only one single site location. Village Volvo has no provisions for alternate transportation at this time. Taking into account the classification in the method of its service delivery, Village Volvo has to strongly consider the shuttle service proposition. Its suburban location may be appalling to potential clients, unless they provide alternative provisions that can take customers to and from the service site.

As a service provider Village Volvo is susceptible to variability, especially because of personal interactions. Village Volvo can manage its back office like a factory by standardizing its processes. Village Volvo already has its mechanics follow certain procedures. Each mechanic discusses the problem with the clients, uses the CCVD as a reference, notes repairs in the CCVD, cleans

and vacuums the car, test drives the car and discusses repairs done with the customer.

This is a good way to reduce the variability of how mechanics treat clients.Although Village Volvo cannot store or inventory its services, it can do so with its facilitating goods, especially with its auto parts. Since Village Volvo notes repairs down in the CCVD it can anticipate what parts are in need to be serviced and when the parts should be serviced. Village Volvo can store auto parts so as to ensure that when the parts will be needed it will be available to use for servicing vehicles. Due to simultaneity, quality-control interventions are hard to establish in provision of services.

But steps can be taken in Village Volvo in order to “quality control” certain aspects of their service. For example, test driving a car after its repair somehow ensures that the vehicle is functioning as it should be. Managers or supervisors can inspect the cleanliness of the car before it is returned to its owner. Quality check of parts from suppliers can be done in order to ensue that parts used in repair/replacement is of good quality.

Village Volvo can differentiate itself from other Volvo dealers in how they have designed their operations.They try to involve their clients in many aspects of the diagnosis-repair process of the vehicles. They gain trust from how they treat their clients, ensuring that mechanics discuss with the clients the problems, the repairs that have been done, and any problems that might need attention in the future. Village Volvo can also differentiate itself by its commitment to its client, valuing clients’ continuous patronage of their

services.

By keeping a Custom Care Vehicle Dossier for each vehicle they repair, Village Volvo can help in the continuous upkeep and maintenance of their clients’ vehicles.