MCI Delivers a New Service and Parts Experience at UMA Expo

March 15, 2017
Motor Coach Industries (MCI) noted that nearly 15-months into joining New Flyer, MCI has advanced its service , training , and parts support, redefining the best real-time technical advice and technician training in the industry.

Motor Coach Industries (MCI) noted that nearly 15-months into joining New Flyer, MCI has advanced its service , training , and parts support, redefining the best real-time technical advice and technician training in the industry.

“We’re deploying more people and better technology to protect our customers’ long-term investment in our product,” said Ian Smart, MCI president. “It’s about reliability around the clock.”

That’s meant a big upgrade in service, parts and training options already getting a favorable response from MCI customers. At UMA Expo Feb. 27-March 1 in St. Louis, MCI detailed such moves in the last year alone:

  • Expanded field support team throughout the U.S. and Canada.
  • Better warranty administration and an expansion in warranty staff.
  • Improved live assistance at the MCI Emergency Road Side Assistance center.
  • The all-new online MCI Parts Store, provides more product detail, delivery speed and money-saving discounts.

Driving all this change is a new reporting relationship borrowed from New Flyer. MCI’s Service Centers, warranty, field service and technical support operations now report to the Winnipeg plant as an OEM function, rather than aftermarket. 

“The idea here is to make knowledge-sharing seamless between MCI’s manufacturing/engineering talent at the factory and all customer-facing MCI professionals,” said Smart. “Whether it’s a situation that needs immediate action or a great customer or employee idea that enhances service, we are eliminating the walls between those who listen to our customers and those who design and build our products.”

A look at field and emergency support

MCI has added five more Technical Solutions Managers (TSMs) and redefined territories for better coverage throughout the U.S. and Canada. The additions bring the team to 27 TSMs in the field to help MCI and Setra operators understand new technologies and gain expertise on various coach systems.

The ERSA (Emergency Road Side Assistance) program has seen improvements too. Every call is now answered by an MCI employee, not an outside source. Also, MCI now offers a service locator on the MCI Companion App or on desktop that identifies all licensed service locations within an immediate area.

“Our operators deserve MCI professionals at the other end of the line whether they have a problem, a question or suggestion,” said Smart. “You can’t have a true partnership unless the partners are on the line.”

A bigger, better warranty team

MCI offers some of the best warranties in the business on new and pre-owned coaches and has added more staff to warranty administration. These professionals will work to speed warranty claims resolution and improve customer communication in all regions.

More options for vehicle service and technical training

MCI Academy’s mix of on-site and online offerings will keep MCI’s technicians and operator-based technicians in top form. MCI Technical Training Manager Scott Crawford and his team are constantly launching new coursework on system qualifications as well as certificate programs to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to properly maintain, diagnose and repair systems found on MCI coaches to maximize on-road time, passenger safety and operator profitability.

As for service availability, operators have access to more than 100 MCI and Setra factory-trained technicians located at MCI service centers locations in Des Plaines, Illinois, Orlando, Florida, Los Alamitos, California, Blackwood, New Jersey, Dallas, Texas and Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A San Francisco Bay Area location is coming soon.

The new location will expand MCI’s service network to seven North American locations that support both MCI and Setra brand coaches with OEM parts, maintenance, repair and warranty. Consistent with other MCI Service Center locations, the San Francisco facility will include service and bus-wash bays, and a parts pick-up window along with new and pre-owned coach inventory. 

A closer look at the new MCI Parts Store

MCI was the first coach manufacturer to launch an online parts ordering system nearly 30 years ago known as C.O.A.C.H. — short for the Customer Order-Assisted Computerized Handling system. Many updates followed.  

Equally desktop and mobile-friendly, the site features improved search capabilities, on-point suggestions, unprecedented visuals, expedited shipping estimates, upgraded order tracking and so much more. A visit to the new Parts Store offers a 360-degree view of many parts in inventory, stock availability and suggestions, with better pricing, shipping and discount options at checkout.

Brian Dewsnup, president of the combined MCI/New Flyer coach and bus parts business, has also been focused on enhancing the customer experience. Last year, he moved to Louisville, home to MCI’s parts warehouse and distribution operations, to lead the entire parts operation, building on many improvements already underway. In addition to the expansions in free standard shipping and the Coach Critical Parts program, the Louisville team completed the installation of a state-of-the-art conveyor system to take advantage of technical advances that include new software applications that increase productivity and safety. Service expansion also extends to “a parts partner warehouse branch in Hawaii for local parts availability on the islands and parts availability at the planned MCI service center in San Francisco expands our West Coast reach,” said Dewsnup.