Fleet Maintenance - 46

REMAN, REBUILD, REPLACE
» Supply partners should provide in-person
and online training programs taught by
technical experts to maximize product
knowledge and educate service technicians
on diagnostic and maintenance procedures.
Here, in-person training is conducted at the
Wabco Academy in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Image courtesy of Wabco

What's the difference
between a supplier
and a supply partner?
Key considerations for evaluating a supply partner.
Fleets make money when their trucks are on
the road. That means fleet managers need to
start by specifying their new trucks with the
best parts available, followed by having good
supply partners that will help keep those vehicles up and running.
When specifying new trucks, fleets generally want the best components that meet
their application needs and provide optimal
performance and fuel economy. Even the most
reliable trucks will require service and routine
maintenance. That's when fleets turn to suppliers for help.

By Abe Aon

BUSINESS LEADER, NORTH AMERICA AFTERSALES,
SERVICE AND SUPPORT, WABCO
Wabco is a provider of electronic braking, stability, suspension, and transmission automation systems for
heavy duty commercial vehicles. Aon is the business
leader, North America aftersales, service, and support
at Wabco. He is responsible for developing the Wabco
North America Aftermarket functional organization, which
encompasses original equipment suppliers and independent aftermarket sales, product and project management,
marketing and communications, workshop solutions,
technical support, digital services, and product training.

46 Fleet Maintenance | December 2019

Defining a supply partner

including original equipment (OE) products,
remanufactured solutions upgraded to the
latest OE performance specifications, and quality aftermarket parts that ensure affordability
without compromising quality or safety.
Starting with OE parts, a supply partner
that has good relationships with the truck
and trailer manufacturers is important. Fleets,
distributors, and service providers demand
parts that provide superior uptime, improved
safety, and reduced cost-per-mile. The best -
perhaps only - way to do that is by having
deep knowledge of the operating demands of
today's trucks and trailers.
It's also important to be able to support
customers with aftermarket parts at every
stage of the vehicle ownership lifecycle. For a
newer vehicle, the fleet likely wants replacement parts that meet OE specifications and
provide long-term reliability. On the other
hand, it may not make sense to spend the
money on OE-specified parts for older vehicles.
In these cases, using a lower-cost part may be
the best solution.
Remanufactured parts from an advanced
supply partner are a lower-cost option, without
sacrificing quality. Once reserved for high-cost,
large parts, suppliers are now offering an array
of remanufactured solutions, from traditional
driveline products, like engines and transmissions, to electronics. In most cases, parts are
remanufactured back to OE specifications or
even upgraded with the latest performance
features. In some cases, this can make remanufactured parts as good, perhaps even better,
than new parts.

There is a difference between working with
a supplier and establishing a partnership
with a supply partner. A supplier, by definition, provides something that's needed. In
this case, truck and trailer parts or services.
A supply partner does more than merely
provide parts and service, but also develops
a professional relationship with the fleet. A
supply partner goes beyond just selling to
provide comprehensive support - a highly
strategic, end-to-end program - with a keen
focus on the fleet's success.
For fleets, finding the right supply partner
for their maintenance needs is important.
While picking a supplier and hoping for the
best may work sometimes, knowing what to
look for and doing research ahead of time will
increase the odds of finding a good, long-term
supply partner.
Here are a few key considerations when evaluating a supply partner.
Product portfolio
Look for a product lineup that supports the
entire lifecycle of the vehicles in the fleet,

» Remanufactured parts from an advanced
supply partner are a lower-cost option.
Image courtesy of Wabco

Fleet Maintenance

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fleet Maintenance