As the trailer industry has grown, most things have grown
with it. However, one thing has remained elusive to trailer
dealerships across the United States and Canada: finding adequate,
knowledgeable service technicians. Often, the few qualified
individuals that exist have moved into the automotive or RV
segment and, frankly, it’s become just too expensive to keep them.
Couple the risings costs with technological advancement and
it’s no wonder why technicians in the workforce have dwindled.
However, the trailer industry has, unabashedly, moved forward. In
its wake, dealers have been dealt a heavy hand. Service centers,
often an incredibly profitable part of the business, have been left
understaffed - if staffed at all.
This year, the North American Trailer Dealers Association is
aiming to rectify the shear lack of technical training that starves
our industry. This year’s Dealership Performance Training, though
not new to the show, will offer an expanded lineup of eight
classes designed to get both new and experienced technicians
“up to speed.” Additionally, all attendees will receive certificates of
completion in each course discipline.
This multi-interview series will delve into the providers of this
years’ training, starting with the Texas-based leader in tilt and
dump trailer products – Premium Supply. Premium Supply’s Jeff
Murphy will be leading a technical training course on the basic
understanding, maintenance and troubleshooting of hydraulic
systems and interrelated components, battery optimization
methods and more.
What kind of technicians could or should look
at this course?
JEFF MURPHY (PREMIUM SUPPLY): Any kind – whether
you’re a service technician, advisor or if one works in your
dealership. We’ll train you how to not only help customers
with their hydraulic circuit or battery problems, but also how to
recommend certain products to fix those issues. We’re teaching
technicians not only how to make more money through servicing,
but how to upsell components that are going to help.
You mentioned upselling.
Does having a
hydraulically
trained
technician
open
new
inventory
opportunities
for
these
dealerships, too?
MURPHY: Absolutely. Even trailers without hydraulics have
batteries because of the breakaway system. The industry has
products to help those batteries – like solar panels. Solar panels
will keep the battery up. If the trailer sits on a lot for months
before they go use it, that battery is charged and will engage
those breaks if the trailer were to, perhaps, break away from the
tow vehicle. There are also hydraulic jacks. If a customer shows
interest in a trailer without hydraulic jacks, the dealership can
install them that same day.
38
NATDA Magazine www.natda.org