Service providers struggling to send service event updates to customers will soon receive a gift from the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC).
During a Service Provider study group task force meeting Monday at TMC’s Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn., Velocity Vehicle Group’s Mike Payne says a proposed recommended practice for Service Event Data Transparency is done, and will begin its journey to completion when it is sent to ballot later this week.
Payne says this proposed RP—which has been in development for several years—will provide service providers a “defined electronic interface” to be used to allow service providers to quickly and easily distribute service event data in real time to customers. Developed with cooperation and assistance from OEMs, dealers, fleets, management system and telematics providers, the new RP is built around an Application Program Interface (API). The API will pull data from any service provider service management system and transfer it to a vehicle owner’s asset management software, regardless of differences in the software.
Additionally, the RP will provide guidance for service providers and customers on how the latter would prefer to receive notifications of these updates, and step-by-step instructions for both sides on sending and receiving service authorizations and approvals.
Other related and helpful RPs also are featured or acknowledged in the document to help service centers and customers both implement and use the new proposal.
When implemented industry wide, Payne says the biggest advantage of the new proposed RP will be saving time. With a few simple clicks, service providers will be able to update customers on the status of all repairs, which means no more phone tag and agonizing wait times for both sides due to the flaws of prior communication methods.
