Increasing Service Options, Use Of Online Technology
Cessna says it is continuing to invest in its customer service
operation, adding new programs and services to ensure existing
operators keep the competitive business advantage afforded by using
their aircraft.
"Cessna has always maintained that stellar support of our
aircraft operators is critical to the success of the company, so we
have continued, and will continue, to invest in support initiatives
that our customers need," said Mark Paolucci, senior vice
president, Customer Service. "We are not just adding new service
options through a global network of service centers; we are adding
new options that bring Cessna service to the customer, changing not
only the types of service we provide but also how we provide
it."
Cessna's newest initiative is ServiceDirect, a service option
designed to provide a range of customer service options for
Citation operators outside of the company's service centers. This
includes on-site maintenance operations and long-term logistics
support including Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) mechanic
placement or contract support.
With on-site placement support, Cessna recruits and manages
independent maintenance specialists including A&P mechanics to
handle Citation support at the customer's home airport to augment
more involved scheduled service at one of the company's Citation
Service Centers or authorized service facilities.
Two of Cessna's more popular on-site service options coming into
operation in the past year are the Mobile Service Units and the Air
Response Team.
The Mobile Service Units (MSU) are full-size service trucks
equipped with tooling to perform a variety of diagnostic and
maintenance functions including AOG support. These units can also
perform medium-sized planned maintenance events as well as engine
removal.
Through the first eight months of 2009, the four trucks
currently in operation made 317 service calls, traveling more than
56,000 miles and performing 192 unscheduled and 125 scheduled
maintenance jobs. The four MSUs are based in North Carolina, Texas,
Arizona and Southern California.
The success of the MSU concept is prompting Cessna to plan to
add regional trucks in the Midwest, Central Texas, the South, Great
Lakes, Northern California, the Northeast/New England, Florida, the
Rockies and Canada.
In just more than a year of operation of Cessna's dedicated Air
Response Team (ART), the aircraft has flown more than 160 support
missions, including one acting as an organ transplant aircraft.
"While it is only anecdotal evidence of customer satisfaction
for our mobile assets, we've gotten quite a few letters of praise -
for the assets and the people who operate them," Paolucci said.
In addition to new methods of providing service, Cessna is also
expanding the types of support available through the company's
Citation Service Network to include structural enhancements such as
winglet installation for the Citation X and glass cockpit upgrades
for a variety of early edition Citations.
Citation X With Winglets
Cessna has joined with Wichita-based
Winglet Technology LLC for installation of the Elliptical Winglet
on the Citation X and delivered the first aircraft in July. The
retrofit kit includes flight and operations manual supplements
along with an updated version of CESSNAV for customers who have
purchased that subscription service from Cessna and the replacement
of the existing anti-collision and position light system with LED
versions.
Cessna has already installed five winglet kits in the past few
months and has at least 15 more scheduled.
Earlier this summer, Cessna flew the first Citation upgraded
with the popular IS&S-designed AdViz glass cockpit. Upgrading
the cockpit with AdViz results in reduced weight, improved
reliability and access to navigational aids such as XM Weather,
navigation charts, remote radio tuning and enhanced video.
In the past year, Cessna has added a Citation Service Center in
Mesa, Arizona, and announced it will open a new European company
owned center in Valencia, Spain, to supplement its center in Paris.
Cessna has just opened a new parts distribution center in Europe at
Amsterdam's Schipol Airport (AMS/EHAM) to support the Paris center
and the several dozen authorized service centers.
Cessna is also expanding its use of technology across the
company and in customer support with Internet-based maintenance
seminars and other customer functions.