Mazda strives to provide comprehensive after-sales service to its customers both in Japan and overseas, from vehicle purchase to end-of-life disposal, so that they can enjoy the experience of driving their vehicles with peace of mind.
<Efforts in Japan>
To ensure that customers lead safe and comfortable automotive lifestyles, Mazda dealerships maintain regular contact with customers (through telephone calls, visits, direct mail, etc.).
- Inquiries about a vehicle's operating condition
- Information on vehicle's health checkups (reliable contact regarding mandatory vehicle inspections, maintenance, MSC*1)
- Requests for customers who purchase service-related products ("Pack de Mente," Mazda Extended Protection Plan, etc.) to ensure they bring vehicles in for maintenance
- *1Mazda Safety Check: In addition to legally mandated annual inspections, these checks are performed every six months to ensure safe and comfortable vehicle operation.
- High-quality maintenance using genuine Mazda parts
- Maintenance services, such as the "Pack de Mente," which offers periodic inspections required for Mazda vehicles at affordable prices, and the Mazda Extended Protection Plan, which provides safe and comfortable conditions after expiration of the maker's regular warranty.
- Information made available via the after-sales service information website
- Establishment of a special hotline to link with dealerships so as to respond promptly to technical inquiries
- Reflecting information on quality gathered from customers via after-sales service, in improvements in maintenance skills and future product development
The Mazda Service Operations Reform Program was launched at dealerships in Japan in April 2010 and is now in effect at approximately 90% of dealerships.
This program aims to provide customers with excellent service through the following four approaches:
- Shorter maintenance wait times
- Satisfactory explanations and advice from professional maintenance staff
- Hospitality provided by all dealership staff
- Optimal maintenance tailored to vehicles' usage status
Mazda, together with dealerships, periodically checks the implementation status of the program using relevant indexes such as in-store operation surveys and customer satisfaction questionnaires.
Each shop provides customers with appropriate suggestions regarding replacement parts, accessories, services, and other automotive matters in accordance with the period of vehicle ownership.
- Providing maintenance (disposable parts replacement) suggestions based on each customer's data on expendable parts replacement history and driving tendencies (distance traveled, period of time)
- Providing suggestions that may assist customers in envisioning and planning their future automotive lifestyles (such as providing information useful for customers to compare the maintenance cost of continuing to drive the current vehicle versus the cost of purchasing a new vehicle, prior to mandatory vehicle inspections)
<Overseas Efforts>
Through its overseas distributors, Mazda supports local dealers in providing services for safety and comfort of all customers.
<Example approaches>
- Contacting customers on a periodic basis
- Establishing systems for training, qualifications and awards for dealer staff
- Introducing excellent service facilities
- Conducting customer satisfaction and dealer satisfaction surveys
To provide customers with the highest-quality services throughout the vehicle's lifespan, Mazda has established the Mazda Dealer Service Process Standard consisting of 16 key processes, and promotes dissemination of the standard to its dealerships worldwide.
DPI Strategic Program (in-store training) features activities that may contribute to customer satisfaction, with the aim of promoting dealership staff's implementation of activities in their daily operations through role-playing and other methods.
<Example activities>
- Proposing recommended maintenance packages that can satisfy customers
- Greetings that ensure customers' trust
- Finding ways to shorten maintenance wait times
- Appropriate notification of periodic inspections
- *2DPI: Dealer Process Improvement
To improve and streamline its maintenance and repair operations based on feedback from customers both in Japan and overseas, Mazda works on developing vehicles with the parts that require regular inspection or frequent replacement designed to be easy to access and service. Mazda also promotes modification of vehicle structures into ones that can be serviced and repaired with a minimal number of specialized tools.
Mazda has deployed the Mazda Modular Diagnostic System (M-MDS), a unique service diagnostic device, to almost all Mazda dealerships in Japan and overseas. This system enables service staff to perform efficient diagnoses of primary electronic control systems. It is also compatible with the complex, sophisticated electronic control systems used in many of Mazda's present models.
Since April 2005, Mazda has been distributing its service manuals in digital format as "Mazda Electronic Service Information" (MESI), so that the information needed for maintenance can be accessed quickly and accurately.
Since April 2011, the Company has been expanding the scope of regions to which manuals are distributed via the Internet to include Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, in addition to Japan, Europe and North America, promptly providing real-time information. In line with the market launch of SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY-equipped models, constant efforts are made in cooperation with the product development related divisions and dealerships to make the service manuals reader-friendly.
To carry out swift and reliable service operations at dealerships in Japan and overseas, Mazda develops and supplies dealerships with dedicated tools. In FY March 2010 in Japan and in FY March 2011 overseas, Mazda began providing dedicated tools necessary to ensure reliable service operations to as many locations as possible, as well as their detailed explanations.
Service staff with service skill qualifications (A, B, C class) for Mazda vehicles perform reliable maintenance.
In July 2008, Mazda Parts Sales Co., Ltd. was established to integrate nine Mazda parts suppliers in nine locations. With this, parts supply service has been improved as follows:
Integration of Parts Inventory Centers Enabled Nighttime Wide-area Delivery
Parts inventory centers in about 30 locations around Japan were integrated into three depots in Chiba, Nagoya and Hiroshima*3. This enabled nighttime delivery over a wide area, so that most parts can be delivered to each shop before starting of work on the day after an order is placed.
- *3Depots in Chiba and Nagoya started operation in FY March 2012. Hiroshima depot is scheduled to open in FY March 2013.
Supporting Dealerships' Parts Inventory
Mazda supports dealerships in enhancing parts control systems that can quickly respond to customer needs (replacement, repair, etc.) by providing advice for parts stock lineups at each shop and assisting it in improving parts warehouse control methods.
Enhancing/Increasing Products to Deal with, Promoting Bulk Purchases
In addition to increasing genuine Mazda parts/accessories and service parts for other brand vehicles, Mazda is also increasing the number of commercially available products it handles, so as to respond to increasingly diversifying market needs. Also, reduced purchasing costs, which were realized by taking advantage of bulk purchases for sales on a national scale, enabled dealerships to sell parts at more affordable prices.
Establishment of Call Centers
Inquiry centers for customers (dealerships, maintenance/repair companies, etc.) were integrated into four call centers (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka). Support systems including responses to inquiries were also enhanced, enabling efficient order-receiving operation as well as swift and accurate parts supply.
364-Day Operation
The number of operating days per year was increased from 348 to 364 (closed only on New Year's Day), so that inquiries from customers (dealerships, maintenance/repair companies) can be responded to at any time.
To facilitate a more resilient supply of parts with reliability that satisfies customers, Mazda is working with suppliers to boost production efficiency, strengthen the overall system, and resolve production and delivery issues. In FY March 2012 suppliers met deadlines 97.3% of the time (up 1.1% from the previous year).
Promoting Efforts to Increase the Rate of Meeting Deadlines
- Sharing target and resulting rates of meeting deadlines with suppliers
- As a tool for sharing with suppliers the results and progress in meeting deadlines, the Mazda Supplier Delivery Performance Report (MSDPR) was introduced, providing information on the web once a day.
Holding Delivery Improvement Meetings
To achieve targets, meetings to discuss improvement activities are held continuously in cooperation with suppliers.
Promoting Reduction of Procurement Lead Time
Starting from FY March 2012, a system to enhance procurement capabilities has been introduced, taking into consideration the suppliers' production capacity and production efficiency. This system has reduced the lead time (delivery within five days of receiving orders), helping to improve the rate of delivery dates being met.
Since 1963, as an opportunity for staff members to compete in various skill categories, the Company has hosted annual Mazda All-Japan Service Skills Competitions for dealership service staff in Japan.
Professionals with a high level of customer service skills and maintenance engineering have been cultivated through these competitions. In FY March 2012, although the competitions were cancelled partly due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Mazda Service Skills Youth Competition, established in FY March 2011 targeted at new staff members (working for three years or less), was held.
Results of Mazda Service Skills Youth Competition 2011
Schedule: 1st preliminary competition: April, 2nd preliminary competition: May, final completion: September
Participants: 751 in 1st preliminary competition, 152 in 2nd preliminary competition, 18 in final competition
Events: paper test (preliminary), skills test (final)
Mazda has its unique training and qualification systems and provides the below training programs for its dealership service staff (engineers, advisors). Mazda also promotes cultivation of higher class qualification holders and their deployment to each shop.
Training |
Participants in FY March 2012 |
Contents |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Training | Standard Training | Approx. 1,400 | Training program to cultivate diagnostic skills, etc. tailored to each individual's existing skills and experience |
| New Model Training | Approx. 250 | Training program to acquire skills related to new model vehicles | |
| Business Training | Standard Training | Approx. 750 | Training program to instill customer service skills needed for boosting customer satisfaction, increasing profitability, and bolstering productivity |
- Technical training program for engineers to improve technical service skills
- Business training program for advisors to improve customer service performance and management skills
<FY March 2012 Results>
- Rate of deployment of engineers with Class A*1 qualification (highest-class qualification for engineers) to each shop in Japan: 81%
- Rate of advisors with Class B*1 or higher qualification: 78%
- *1Consisting of Class A (highest class), Class B (middle class), Class C (elementary class), and nonqualified.
Training programs are provided for service trainers, who are in charge of cultivating service staff at dealerships in Japan and overseas.
Training |
Participants in FY March 2012 |
|---|---|
| Technical Training | 12 |
| Business Training | 10 |
Training |
Participants in FY March 2012 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Technical Training | New model Training | 22 |
| Customer Relations Training | 14 |
|
| Business Training | 3 |
|
| Operational Improvement Training | 16 |
|
Mazda has established training centers for service staff in Japan and overseas.
<Japan>
Mazda operates training centers in Hiroshima and Kanagawa Prefectures. At these two centers, the "blended training" style is adopted, which requires trainees to receive preparatory lessons through e-learning before group training, so that more hours can be spent training on actual vehicles and equipment.
Through role-playing and group practice, trainees also learn professional customer service skills. In FY March 2012 the center trained a total of approximately 750 people in the two-day courses.
At Mazda Training Center Taibi in Hiroshima Prefecture, 19 instructors belonging to Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association also learned about new technologies in FY March 2012.
This training center aims beyond the Mazda Group to help spread excellent vehicle maintenance techniques.
<Overseas>
Mazda operates training centers in the Americas (North America, Central and South America), Europe (Germany), China, Southeast Asia (Thailand), and the Middle East (UAE), with programs conducted for trainers and service staff at dealerships in these regions.
In China, the Company has established three training centers in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. In 2011 (January to December), approximately 1,800 members executed training in sales, service, and other fields at these centers.
In line with the launch of the CX-5, Mazda Motors UK established the Training Academy in April 2012 in collaboration with Babcock International, a company specializing in technical training assistance. The academy provides training courses with the aim of deploying at least one master technician at each dealership, so as to ensure that "vehicles are fixed properly the first time."
Training is provided for staff members of dealerships in the UK and Ireland using both lecture and practice formats. Four trainers lead a small group of trainees (ten or less). The training curriculum is prepared for three levels (technician, senior technician, master technician), enabling trainees to advance step by step.
