OCTOBER 2024 SERVICE ADVISOR OF EXCELLENCE WINNERS

Chantel joined McCandless Truck Center in the spring, and within the first two weeks, she quickly mastered the business system. By early July, she was already organizing warranty jobs for our warranty administrator. Taking initiative, Chantel assumed responsibility for the service write-up duties. This month, our technician efficiency is trending significantly higher than our yearly average, which I attribute to Chantel’s attention to detail. She creates accurate estimates and regularly follows up with our technicians, keeping customers informed about their repair progress. This proactive communication minimizes surprises when the final bill is presented, resulting in increased hours billed.

Chantel has received numerous compliments from customers and International representatives, and positive feedback on customer surveys. She greets every customer with a friendly smile and excels at turning challenging conversations into positive interactions. Her approach ensures customers feel valued and know we care about their needs. Chantel has proven to be responsible and trustworthy. I am confident that when she provides an estimate, it reflects her commitment to fairness and thoroughness.

We recently undertook a small remodel of our showroom, and knowing I would be occupied with that project, Chantel came in early and stayed late as necessary to handle repair shop needs. As a team player, Chantel is involved in every aspect of the repair order process, from write-ups to job completion. She diligently follows up on shop progress and tracks down parts when needed, ensuring customers are kept informed throughout. As a result, the invoices are always ready by the time customers arrive. 
Chantel genuinely cares about our customers, and they have noticed that commitment. I've heard customers say multiple times, “I will be back!”

Tom has worked for Ascendance Truck Centers in the Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin market for 39 years, which is an incredible accomplishment. Loyalty to the International Brand and a single dealer group, as Tom has shown, is quite rare in today's world. We at Ascendance are extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside a team member like Tom. Tom is a dedicated employee, known in our dealership as the person “who is always there.” He arrives every morning between 5:00 and 5:30 to open the shop and prepare for the day, often being one of the last day-shift team members to leave. 

His passion for his work and commitment to helping both technicians and customers is evident. He has received numerous compliments for his outstanding customer service, but one recognition stands out: a local customer nominated him for the Sunshine Award, and he was honored by a local news channel a few years ago. The customer stated, “Tom is a great human being! He is knowledgeable and always willing to help. He and his service team provide critical support for heavy truck repair, enabling Earthbound to offer waste management services in the Chippewa Valley. Our community is better because of his hard work. Thank you, Tom, for everything you do!”

Having been involved in the business for nearly four decades, Tom has built a high level of trust with many customers. He averages 20 to 30 calls a day from customers who specifically want to speak with him because of his expertise and his ability to achieve results, getting trucks back on the road. Uptime is extremely important to him. During the winter, Tom often comes in on Sunday mornings after church to organize the technicians' schedules following a busy Friday or a lightly staffed Saturday. He also pulls trucks into the shop to remove snow, allowing them to drip and dry before Monday morning. Tom is very much a team player, and dealerships across America would be lucky to have a team member like him.