International Advantage

At this year’s Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), Navistar demonstrated the many ways it is using emerging technology to forge new connections with customers. In one innovative example, two Facebook fans were selected to attend MATS as VIP guests and “New Media Journalists.”

The two fans, Tim Maddox and Lisa Frigm, were chosen after responding to a post on the MATS discussion forum of the International Trucks Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/internationaltrucks). The pair enjoyed VIP access at the Navistar media event on March 30 in Louisville, Ky. And throughout the show, they submitted pictures, video, and updates to Facebook from the floor.

“Their enthusiastic reports helped bring the excitement of the show to customers who were unable to attend,” says Dan Dykstra, Interactive & Digital Marketing Manager, Navistar.

In addition, the MATS tab on the International Trucks Facebook page—much like the similar tabs for the recent ConExpo-ConAgg and NTEA Work Truck Show—kept online fans and followers in the loop during the events. Every day, visitors discovered updates on the many product and feature announcements, alongside images and video posts from Navistar executives.

Along with the trucks, engines, and content showcased at MATS, the company also utilized technology in new and innovative ways at the show booth. All booth workers were equipped with iPads loaded with a special app to help direct visitor traffic, provide videos and presentations, and gather information about customers. International customers and loyalists were also invited to login and “Like” International on Facebook to stay connected with the company.

The iPad app was created in cooperation with several International Trucks business units, including Used Trucks, Navistar Capital, and Parts and Service. According to Dykstra, the goal was to provide a virtual version of the booth’s many offerings.

In other technology news, International recently launched a robust iPhone app designed to further link truck owners with dealers. The application makes it easy to find a dealer location, no matter where drivers are on the road. Advanced search criteria are available for those needing dealers that offer road service, for example; or dealers enrolled in the myEdge® parts program.

“Users can find the closest dealer that provides a specific service they need,” Dykstra says. The iPhone app, which can be downloaded for free at the iTunes store, also offers information on parts and service specials.

“We’re really trying to push the envelope with technology. It gives us so many platforms for real-time dialogue with our customers,” Dykstra says. “It’s all part of the bigger picture, which is to listen to those who drive our trucks and respond to their needs as quickly as possible.”

For a complete MATS roundup, visit: Trucking Show.

All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

An optimistic crowd packed the CONEXPO-CON/AGG show last month as Navistar introduced several new severe service truck options. We spoke with vocational marketing manager Melissa Gauger about the mood at the show, as well as the response to the International® WorkStar® with a sloped hood, the International® PayStar® with the new MaxxForce® 15 engine, and the integrated offerings via Continental Mixer.

According to show organizers, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 attracted nearly 120,000 registered attendees—the largest gathering of construction industry professionals in North America since 2008. More than 2,400 exhibitors participated in the show, which had a distinctly global feel thanks to 10 international exhibit pavilions.

The following is an edited transcript of our interview.

Question: What did CONEXPO-CON/AGG participants think of the new International products?

Answer: The response to the new products was fantastic. Everybody that saw the new interior of the International WorkStar was impressed. They loved the ergonomic enhancements and improved driver comfort features. And they recognized how the new sloped-hood option can improve visibility for the driver. Overall, visitors to our booth were very excited about the direction that International is heading, and about our range of products: from the International TerraStar™ work truck to the PayStar with the 15-liter MaxxForce engine. It was all good.

Q: From a customer standpoint, what’s the significance of the International PayStar with the MaxxForce 15?

A: It’s really important for heavy-haul customers, those who run long drives through mountain grades, to know they have the horsepower they need; so they’re not at the back of the pack, so to speak. Providing that [engine option] really rounds out our MaxxForce engine lineup.

Q: It’s been a year since Navistar announced a new name and direction for its acquired mixer business, Navistar’s Continental Mixer. How did attendees respond to the integrated offerings?

A: I think it all goes back to our corporate mantra: “the Power of One.” Customers can now order trucks with mixers from a single place. That’s a unique opportunity. And when you consider the integrated engine we put in there, the acquisition of Continental really brings it all together.

It’s interesting; we’re working with new customers who have previously been customers of other OEMs thanks to our Continental Mixer relationship. By coming together, it’s allowed us to leverage the truck-engine-body into one package. That’s really big for us and really big for the customer.

Q: I know another big message conveyed at CONEXPO/CONAGG was the International advantage when it comes to service.

A: Absolutely. There’s the whole aspect of purchasing from one location, which is great. But we also want customers to know they’re going to get the support they need after the sale. Vocational trucks are going to break down at some point: They’re in a severe environment, they get beat up every day. And whether you go to the dealer for service or are a self-maintainer, with an integrated solution, you only have to work with one dealer. That’s a lot easier from a customer perspective than going to three different places for your truck, engine, and body needs. As truck sales pick up, I think we’re going to see more customers choosing our integrated solution.

Q: What was the mood at the show? Is there a feeling the construction market is bouncing back?

A: The construction market is still fairly slow, but every day more companies are looking to make purchases because they’ve gotten more business or because current equipment is wearing out. If attendance at CONEXPO/CONAGG is any indication of where the industry is headed, then I think we’re finally ready for a comeback.

For a complete wrap-up of CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011, go to: ConExpo-Con,

Truck buyers now have a one-stop-shop for everything they need from their International dealers. Thanks to new-and-improved dealer microsites, customers can locate dealer locations through Google Maps, browse parts and service specials, book an appointment, and search new and used inventory all in one place.

According to John O’Reilly, interactive and digital marketing director, Navistar, the new functionality comes after more than a year spent working with key International dealers. The result is a platform that provides everything a customer needs, including a central place to view real-time inventory. Along with providing an online snapshot of the trucks available for purchase, the dealer microsites also offer convenient features like printable spec sheets, and the ability to forward truck photos and profiles to colleagues.

“We can now provide customers with a complete picture of the inventory on dealer lots,” O’Reilly says. “It will reflect any new International vehicles delivered. It will include feeds from TruckPaper.com if applicable. It used to be very cumbersome for dealers to perform inventory management; typically, each one had their own system. Now, all of our dealers have access to a powerful, web-based tool that they can use to oversee and edit inventory for the benefit of the customer.”

Visit the “dealer locator” section on InternationalTrucks.com for a quick link to the nearest local dealer microsite.

In addition, the microsites feature tools such as a Payment Estimator to help customers simplify their financing decisions. Truck buyers can plug in the truck sale price and trade-in allowance to quickly determine their estimated monthly payment.

Online parts and service information includes details on available specials and a feed from MyEdge®, the virtual parts counter offering thousands of all-makes parts from more than 150 International dealers. Information on national sales promotions—like the current “Drive It To Believe It” promotion, which offers a free Meritor Wabco OnGuard™ System or $3,500 off an Eaton Ultrashift when you buy an International® ProStar®+—are also featured.

The new dealer microsites also provide a direct link to International truck online configurators. These easy-to-use tools lets truck buyers pre-build their own trucks digitally by plugging in factors like usage, drivetrain, cab, suspension, and trim and interior options. With another click, the truck can be viewed in a 360-degree profile. The custom truck can then be forwarded directly to the dealer.

“With its inventory-searching capabilities and the ability to connect our customers with sales and service reps, the microsites are a complete business tool,” says Rick Walters, service manager at Bluegrass International Trucks in Georgetown, Kentucky. “It delivers amazing efficiencies, and it’s strengthening our relationships with the fleets that count on us every day.”

“We incorporated feedback from our dealers, who told us that their customers were looking for a seamless experience,” O’Reilly says. “The new sites give customers a complete view of the offerings available at their International dealer. It’s all about convenience.”

For more information, find your local dealer’s microsite via the “dealer locator” on International Trucks.

All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

Two years ago, the parts department for Blue Bell Creameries was cluttered with unneeded truck parts—most for equipment no longer in the company’s fleet. But thanks to the OnCommand™ Parts Return Program, the Brenham, Texas-based ice cream maker was able to eliminate excess inventory while generating more than $20,000 in real working capital.

Like most companies with sizeable trucking operations, Blue Bell relies on its parts department to keep its fleet rolling. But according to parts manager Daryl Ganske, maintaining the appropriate inventory levels is a constant battle. “You have to have your reorder levels set so you have parts on hand,” he says. “But if the mechanics don’t end up using certain parts, you have to make good decisions about what to get rid of and what to keep.”

“It’s a big challenge,” he continues. “If you end up sticking parts on the shelf, they’re easy to forget about and can sit there year after year.”

Even the most disciplined repair shops end up with stacks of obsolete or overstock parts due to sudden trade-ins, or when fleets transition to newer or different truck models. And after the parts collect dust for months at a time, getting a full refund from suppliers can be a difficult task.

The resulting clutter can decrease a shop’s productivity while also tying up financial resources in dead assets.

Previously, fleets had few choices when it came to ridding themselves of this excess inventory, none of them good. “We could let them sit on the shelf, we could sell the stuff on the Internet, or we could send it out for scrap, which basically means we’re throwing it in the trash,” says Ganske.

Fortunately, the Parts Return Program—part of the OnCommand by Navistar suite of business tools—came along. The innovative program gave Blue Bell an avenue to do something constructive with its surplus parts: Turn them into credit towards purchasing the parts they really need.

Here’s how the program works:

• First, return your obsolete or unneeded parts to one of two processing centers in the U.S. and Canada. (You do not need a prior purchasing history with an International dealer to participate.) The parts are valued at your carrying cost; typically, this will be the original purchase price.

•Once the returned inventory is processed, you’ll receive a credit equal to 25 percent of its value. During the first year of the program, you agree to purchase three times the returned inventory amount, plus your annual base purchases.

•Over the life of the program—a maximum of five years—you’ll earn back the remaining 75 percent of your credit by meeting your base purchase requirements and purchasing a total of 12 times the amount of the returned inventory.

In the case of Blue Bell’s two-year-long program, the company received more than $22,000 in purchase credits in exchange for buying more parts from International. To meet its purchase requirements, Ganske says he simply shifted some purchases from other vendors to International, which currently provides access to more than 700,000 part numbers.

“The pricing on the International parts was very competitive,” he says. “We’ve already got some more parts that we’ve collected, and we’re going to do this again at some point.”

Blue Bell currently has more than 50 branch locations, with a fleet spread out from the Carolinas to Phoenix to as far north as Indianapolis. Beyond the Parts Return Program, the company also takes full advantage of the far-reaching International dealer network. With nearly 600 International dealer locations, Blue Bell is able to get parts wherever they’re needed, no matter where a breakdown occurs. And if for some reason a part is not immediately available from a particular dealer, Blue Bell’s Navistar parts representative does what it takes to quickly locate what’s needed.

“It’s good to know that International goes the extra mile, and has our best interests in mind,” Ganske says.

“The Parts Return Program is another example of how we’re listening to the needs of our customers,” says Aveline Hauser, senior marketing manager, Navistar Parts Group. “Fleets told us they’re constantly looking for ways to cut costs and generate capital. For them, storing obsolete and surplus parts is like leaving cash on the table.”

The Parts Return Program provides credit to participating customers through any card in Navistar’s Fleet Charge® network, which can track parts purchases and corresponding credit amounts. Customers interested in participating should contact their parts sales manager at their local U.S. or Canadian International truck dealership.

For more information on the OnCommand Parts Return Program, go to: Navistar Parts and Service