McCelvey: The short answer to this question is no. Safety Vision
does not place limitations on customers for after-sale support
because we are dedicated to ensuring our products and services
benefit them as long as feasibly possible. Mass transit buses can
have a life cycle of up to 20 years and it is common for agencies
to expect support for the products on the vehicle for up to 12.
Considering how often products such as cell phones and computers
are upgraded – onboard surveillance systems utilize some of the
same components and therefore, when these parts become obsolete,
Safety Vision continues to support their customers by expanding or
upgrading the services rendered on its’ existing product lines.
With that being said, I am proud to say that Safety Vision is
currently providing some support for products that are up to 15
years old. We have accomplished this through proper planning and
continuously finding ways to satisfy our customer expectations
by discussing their needs with them. We have been flexible with
our clients as it is a key component of surveillance technology
development and guaranteeing we are there for them and our legacy
products. You cannot always put a timeline on product support, so
our services are open ended.
Hitt: We offer service support for all year models of Prevost
and Volvo coaches sold in North America, our Customer Support
Managers are available 24/7/365 direct to our customers. We also
offer emergency support through Prevost Action Service System or
PASS for all year model coaches. There is only a charge if we have
to guaranty payment to a third party or set up road service on a
coach out of warranty. We receive calls on a regular basis for all
year models ranging from 1969 to 2021; we have a support team with
all levels of expertise; this insures we can answer questions and
support all of our customer’s needs.
How do you help your customers protect their investment in
your product, ensuring their equipment or tech does not become
outdated soon after it rolls out?
McCelvey: This is a great question and one that our company is
constantly working to find balance with. We understand how
difficult it can be for a transit agency to purchase a product, only to
have it become obsolete shortly after it’s been implemented. Along
with other technologies on a bus, we have seen this take place with
onboard video. Therefore, it is important for us at Safety Vision
to pay close attention to where components are in their life cycle
(especially hardware components) and take necessary steps to
mitigate any potential risk.
Safety Vision takes precaution in its’ approach to product life
cycle so that consistency within an agency’s fleet remains central
to any technological developments. It is not ideal for an agency to
have multiple software platforms that do not integrate effectively
or different hardware versions that are not compatible. This
scenario can be disruptive for both bus maintenance and those
reviewing video. While we must advance our product portfolio
and capabilities; everything needs to persist in a mostly uniform
fashion for the agency. Mass transit customers expect some
change to occur and look forward to experiencing the benefits
of advancing technology, however they prefer for there to be a
reasonable period between changes, for new products to be as
backwards compatible as possible, and for there to be little to no
change in form and fit. However, we do find that agencies are more
open to broader updates or refreshing their technology once a bus
is in its 6th or 7th year of service.
"We view it as
the beginning of
a relationship
between two
organizations
instead of the
endpoint."
Grom / Reaume: Our team of innovative engineers are always
researching and developing the latest and greatest technologies’
in the industry, staying ahead of the game. For example, the
QUANTUM Automatic Wheelchair Securement System is a
revolutionary development in wheelchair securement while still
evolving to touch on the latest market trends.
Q'STRAINT also makes warranty and support top priority for all
of our products in the industry. This helps to minimize maintenance
and downtime. All of our products are rigorously tested for quality
in our state-of-the-art testing facilities to ensure that they are
exceeding the highest standards.
Hitt: Coach technology is constantly evolving; safety systems are
a big part of this. Items such as Electric Fan Drive, Icomera onboard
entertainment, Prevost Driver Assist are just to name a few. We have
many of these systems available as kits for coaches built prior to
the production change; this makes it easy for existing coaches to be
upgraded to new coach technology. With today’s evolution in coach
electronics and ECU capability’s we are sometimes limited on how
far back we can retrofit new systems. However, we try to insure we
give the customer as many options as possible to take advantage of
these systems.
Anstead: ABC updates modules on our customers coaches prior
to delivery. With the introduction of telematics, and changes in
technology engine manufactures now can update ECM and ECU
over the air. ABC has worked closely with these telematic system
suppliers to offer them on Van Hool coaches. During the life cycle
of our customer’s Van Hools our Field Reps, and ABC locations are
available to update their multiplex systems when needed.
What education and training do you conduct with your
customers after completing a sale?
Grom / Reaume: Education and training are a huge focus for us at
every level of customer interaction – before, during and after the
sale. Our relationships are continual and long-term, so the education
and training of our products is vital to the success of our customer
26 | BUSRIDE.COM | JULY 2020