Jenkins Diesel has served the commercial truck and diesel engine industry in Southwest Missouri since 1956.
In those 55 years we have learned several fundamental truths:
• Many people assume that all dealerships are unnecessarily expensive.
• Some owners believe all parts and service centers have the same capabilities.
• There is often a feeling of "abandonment" by the dealership if a problem occurs after the purchase of a truck.
• Customers have a right to expect full support in parts, service and warranty for as long as they are in the trucking business.
• While price is important, it is often secondary to maintenance costs and always secondary to quality.
• Profitability in trucking is a function of "uptime"…the time a truck is working rather than in a shop.
• When a problem occurs on the road it is beneficial to have someone to call for assistance.
Some consultants in this industry say that the initial price of a truck amounts to only about 20% of the total overall cost of ownership of a truck over its lifetime. This calls for consideration of what is desirable in a dealership or maintenance facility after the truck purchase. Where can a truck owner get the greatest value for money spent on the most significant expenses associated with a truck?
Here’s where the story gets interesting. Not all dealerships are alike. You know that. Not all parts departments or service departments are the same. So we asked ourselves, "What is it that Jenkins Diesel has learned in 55 years in this business that our customers want from a dealership?" We think we know. We know because this business was started in 1956 by a man who had driven trucks for most of his adult life and knew what it took to make a living with a truck. It’s not too different from what the second generation in this business believes our customers want and expect from us today.
Everything else being equal, it’s all about the time you keep your truck working. In other words it is about the "uptime." Price is important when buying a truck. What is just as important is what it costs you to operate the truck after you put it into operation. You should expect fair and competitive parts pricing. You should expect quality service. You should be recognized as the reason a dealership or independent shop is in business. If it wasn’t for customers, dealerships and independent shops wouldn’t have a business.
