Southpac launched Contract Maintenance (CM) in 1991, and 25 years later the number of trucks in the programme has grown significantly, according to its chief executive officer, Maarten Durent.
“The knowledge required to offer a CM rate that works for both operators and Southpac comes from many years of product knowledge based on the truck’s service needs for the environment that it’s going to operate in,” Durent says.
“Get those two things balanced and it works great, the operator can relax about operating costs, because the monthly CM cost has been set for the term of the contract.”
The CM agreements are relatively simple, according to Durent: Southpac covers everything that will wear and requires servicing and replacement over time, and the exclusions are limited to accident damage.
“Southpac is often asked about the fine print, and there is very little of that,” he says.
“If it wears out we own it, the operator owns the accident damage, and with only two such categories, there are no grey bits in the middle to talk about.”
Contract maintenance is also available for trailers, however, few customers opt for it given that the cost spikes to an owner are low.
“Contract Maintenance isn’t for everyone, particularly heavy-duty applications such as logging, where the repair work goes beyond normal repair and maintenance,” Durent says.
“The impact damage on trucks and trailers demands a different service approach, often at all hours of the day and night, requiring additional unplanned engineering support for the trailer and logging equipment,” he says.
“From an owner’s perspective the benefits of contract maintenance are obvious, particularly for line haul freight operators, who want to avoid the expense of running their own maintenance staff or the investment in workshops.”
Trucks can schedule a service at any dealer in the Southpac Network, made easy by using the toll-free 0508 22 55 77 number, or by making a booking using TRP Android phone or Apple App.
“The time to consider contact maintenance is when the new truck is ordered,” Durent says.
“At that point the owner has a good handle on what that truck will be doing over the next five years, and Southpac sales staff know how the programme works, and can provide a quote to suit.”
