Canadian Pro Support team spreads can-do spirit

MCI Pro Support was designed to give customers a more comprehensive, seamless service experience. And nowhere has the concept made more of a difference than in Canada.

As MCI customers may know by now, operators are assigned service teams by region. As before, the MCI Fleet Support Manager is the customer's primary contact, working with Product Support Specialists, service managers, parts experts and others to make sure customer problems get resolved quickly and efficiently, with as little disruption as possible to operations. In Canada, that's meant a higher level of staffing than ever before, with representatives covering all of the provinces and a Product Support Specialist dedicated exclusively to Canada. The addition of Western Bus Parts in Vancouver and Toromont Power Systems near Toronto as authorized MCI service centers, supplementing MCI's own service center in Quebec, has helped ramp up the level of service as well.

Meet Team Canada

MCI's director of Pro Support for Canada is Guy Tessier, who's been with MCI for nearly 20 years in virtually every customer-related capacity, from field service to sales. Before that, he was a coach mechanic. He terms Pro Support "a total customer value," and he says his team's mission is to provide customers with needed resolutions quickly. Common issues include warranty repairs, parts inquiries, training questions and repairs.

"Part of MCI's internal mandate is to 'own the problem,'" says Tessier. "That's what we do. We're supporting our Canadian customers better, and we're seeing some really positive results."

Fleet Support Managers: keepers of the castle

Canada has three Fleet Support Managers. Doug DePape covers western Canada, from British Columbia to Manitoba; John Leone covers all of Ontario, MCI's largest Canadian market; and Simon Cloutier handles Quebec, New Brunswick and points east.

DePape is the veteran of the group, with over 15 years at MCI. Leone and Cloutier are relative newcomers, with a couple of years apiece at MCI, though both have extensive industry experience. All make a point of staying in regular contact with their customers. Says Tessier, "It's important that our customers know they have someone knocking on their door regularly to help them solve their problems, not just sell them stuff."

Says Leone, "I absolutely love what I do. It's rewarding knowing that I'm helping my customers keep their fleets on the road." Leone, who brings with him nearly 30 years of industry experience, likes to keep his schedule open enough to respond in person to any customer who needs his help. "I like to go in there and really find what the customer needs, whether it's training, documentation, improving their parts systems or anything else to help minimize their down time. If they're not spinning wheels, none of us are making money."

Product Support Specialist: training, troubleshooting and more

Beyond the Fleet Support Managers, Chad Sadowy is the face most Canadian operators are most likely to see. "Training is my biggest focus," says Sadowy, who's been with MCI for about 14 years in various technical and product-quality roles — as a second-generation MCI employee, he jokes that he owes his life to the company — he even met his wife through MCI.

Sadowy can often be found in operator maintenance facilities, setting up his projector for "Basic Intense Training" modules. These can be anything from pointers on the multiplexing system to HVAC maintenance. The sessions are often followed by traditional hands-on sessions. Sometimes he even "bugs" a coach with problems to help technicians learn to diagnose them.

Sadowy also interacts with ERSA and various customers, helping to troubleshoot specific problems. Says Sadowy, "It feels good to get a customer rolling."

Sales, service and support

Yves Vermette handles new- and used-coach sales at the MCI Sales and Service Center in Montreal. A 22-year MCI veteran, he speaks both English and French fluently, having grown up in a bilingual Manitoba town. He's also lived in Calgary and Winnipeg, giving him a wider Canadian perspective. "I love getting up and going to work in the morning," says Vermette. "Every day is something new, and our team works together very well. It makes for happy customers."

Robert Leduc is the general manager at the Montreal MCI Service Center. His 20 years of experience includes stints driving and repairing coaches. "I would drive the buses in the summer and repair them in the winter," he says of his early years before joining MCI. He still spends a fair amount of time driving — but today, it's to visit customers and make sure he knows what they need. He prides himself on the shop's expertise as well as its personal touch, even after hours. "My cell phone is always on."

Team Canada's reach goes even further. Customers can also tap MCI's authorized independent service centers as well as call MCI ERSA for more emergency assistance.

Dayna Toth, customer support specialist, works with the entire team and customers as well.  "I love what I do," says Toth, who will soon mark her 20th anniversary with the company. She describes her role on the team as serving as a representative for the customer to the factory and acting as a liaison. "Most of us have worked together for years already. Our goal is to get them a product that's well-built, delivered on time and supported beginning to end."

The FYI from MCI editorial staff values your feedback. Please e-mail any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future articles to fyi@mcicoach.com.