B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 - September 27, 2007 - (Page 24)

N B A A 2 0 07 Bombardier Streamlines Customer Call Centers Bombardier has already exceeded the goals it set for this year in its product support operations, says James Hoblyn, svp for customer experience at Bombardier Business Aircraft. The progress should help Bombardier restore a reputation for customer support that became tarnished a few years ago as the company focused more on developing new models than looking after those in the field. That has changed, and Hoblyn is in charge of driving improvements through the whole spectrum of customer relations and support for aircraft in service. “Most organizations tend to think about their own objectives. But we are trying to think from the customer backwards,” he told Show News. This is embraced by an initiative called “Keep Me Flying,” because, he said, at the end of the day that’s what the customer wants most. “Keep Me Flying” has four key components, Hoblyn explained. “First is reliability—the aircraft shouldn’t break. Second, if it does you need somebody available 24/7 anywhere to troubleshoot the problem. Third, you need to get parts proactive focus to addressing customers’ concerns—indeed, as his job title explains, to giving them a better experience. “We actually set goals this year for each of the “Keep Me Flying” components, Hoblyn said. “We have never before made an effort like this.” Agreeing to share his report card with Show News, he detailed progress in each of the four sectors: • Reliability: The goal was to resolve the top ten issues for each aircraft placement was found for an unreliable flap control unit. Some issues raised by customers are improvements they would like to see rather than a particular fault, such as reducing the cabin altitude on the Global. That was added to the list and addressed. • Troubleshooting: Bombardier set up Customer Response Centers (CRCs) in Montreal and Wichita with teams of engineers, and added field service representatives. “We were going to hire 10 more, but James Hoblyn “Frankly, there are many issues that could happen. It could be an AOG; or the bathroom door is jammed or the coffee pot doesn’t work. From a customer’s perspective these are all irritating. Now with our Customer Response Centers they have one place to call.” —James Hoblyn, svp for customer experience, Bombardier Business Aircraft. to the customer as quickly as possible. And, fourth, you need to have high quality maintenance facilities around the world.” Hoblyn stressed that every manufacturer’s airplanes develop issues in the field; by addressing them systematically Bombardier aims to improve reliability across the field. “Keep Me Flying” has brought a program. Of course there are always 10, no matter how many are fixed, as more spring up. “For Learjet, we’ve closed well over 20, on the Globals about 15, and on the Challenger 13.” The issues are addressed with engineering fixes, or service bulletins. Two examples: an overshoot on the Challenger autothrottle was fixed, and a re- Shears to Be President as NARA Names 2008 Leadership At its annual membership meeting on September 23, The National Aircraft Resale Association elected officers to serve for 2008. Left to right are: Mike Ellis of Mike Ellis Associates (secretary); Mike Zabier of U.S. Jet Seach, LLC (treasurer); Susan Shears (president); Jim Markel (immediate past chairman); and Phil Jordan (chairman). we’ve hired 18 over the last year,” Hoblyn said. “We will probably add another ten in the next six months or so.” The CRCs spearhead and coordinate the response to problems with a goal of getting any aircraft back into service in 24 hours. “How fast a part gets there is irrelevant; a customer wants the airplane flying again as soon as possible,” he said. • Parts: Of course the part has to get there quickly. This year Bombardier launched Parts Express to utilize its FlexJet fleet for parts delivery. It recently opened new parts depots in the U.S., Europe and Brazil, and has added more than $25 million worth of additional parts to their inventory. • Maintenance: Three goals included a 60% expansion in Bombardier’s Dallas Service Center; the addition of five more authorized service facilities (there will probably be eight new ones this year); the hiring of 95 technicians throughout the service center network (some 46 have been taken on so far). “We have surpassed just about all of our goals for this year, but I wouldn’t suggest by a long shot that we are done.” 24 September 27, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

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B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 - September 27, 2007

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