Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) and Mack Trucks are integrating vehicle and fleet identifications to help get repair parts to technicians faster and improve uptime.
The Volvo Group siblings introduced PartsASIST as a one-stop online approach to replace the current Volvo and Mack SELECT Part Store. U.S. and Canadian dealers can join the program in a phased rollout throughout 2021.
The next-generation parts ordering platform operates up to 10 times faster. It has fewer steps and requires less time needed to log in, search, order and track parts, VTNA said in a press release.
“The robust tools in the PartsASIST platform provide Mack owners with unprecedented remote access to parts ordering, fulfilment and management, bringing greater speed and efficiency to maintenance and repairs to help increase uptime,” said Gordon Lindsay, Mack Trucks product marketing manager of aftermarket.
Fleet and dealer service managers have around-the-clock access to PartsASIST. The platform connects fleet unit numbers to individual VINs. That results in quicker and easier tracking and documentation.
Integrated search
The integration of genuine and all-makes catalogs simplifies searching for model-specific components. Real-time data cross-referencing via a MyFleet module instantly shows the inventory available. And that ensures the part a customer orders from a catalog is the part they will receive.
“Our investment in PartsASIST [is] like having an in-person experience at a dealership from anywhere, anytime,” Lindsay said.
Growth in online ordering
MacKay & Co., a market research and consulting firm based in Lombard, Illinois, projects online parts ordering will grow to 15% of the $30 billion truck and trailer parts market within the next three years, up from 12% in 2019.
All major truck manufacturers are rolling out digital tools to speed parts ordering.
“The suite of tools within PartsASIST represents a quantum leap forward in the way parts are ordered in the heavy-duty truck market,” said Todd Shakespeare, VTNA director of parts marketing.
Truck manufacturers all offer over-the-air updates to reprogram sophisticated computer systems without the truck coming to a service center. Volvo and Mack recently made it standard for fleets and drivers to decide when to download such updates.
Navistar International Corp. (NYSE: NAV) scans six data sources to predictively stock dealer shelves. The number of specific parts in stock is up more than 20%, while the quantity of some parts is lower. Predicting what is needed replaces the traditional sell-and-replace approach.
The new Mack PartsASIST platform currently does not offer predictive stocking because Mack dealers integrate it into their parts inventory and sales tracking to better manage parts inventory, Lindsay said.
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