Assessment of Customer ‘Touch’ for Industrial and Municipal Vehicle Brands

The client wanted a better understanding of a number of competitors in various industrial and commercial vehicle markets, including mining vehicles, cranes, forklifts and street cleaners. They wanted to know how these companies sold, serviced, leased and maintained their vehicles globally, and their degree of customer ‘touch’ in the sales and aftersales process.

A 4*4 matrix was developed show company ‘touch’ with their customers. One axis assessed the degree to which the companies controlled their own sales channels and another the degree of aftersales service, training and care they provided.

All available information for each company relating to sales, service, leasing, maintenance, spare parts and dealerships was gathered. We gathered this information through a) company web site and annual reports b) coverage in trade magazines and journals c) other web material e.g. blogs, comments distributors websites.

The company found the framework, and the detailed supporting information, a useful tool for understanding the customer strategies of the various competitors in the market.