Volvo Trucks had recently started off the latest edition of its largest global competition for aftermarket technical service personnel. The competition, called VISTA, or the Volvo International Service Training Awards, is now open for Volvo Trucks / Bus technicians to register from the 30th of September 2019. This year, about 20,000 Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses technicians throughout planet Earth, including those from Malaysia and around the region are expected to participate in this global challenge.
VISTA is a competition, but its main objectives are to encourage teamwork to build team spirit and pride, while also inspiring self-improvement and competence development on technical skills. The competition is a way to increase both technical knowledge and the quality of work which, in the end, leads to improved customer service and greater customer satisfaction. Aside from bragging rights of being the best amongst their peers, competing and winning would also be another means of a personal gratification, aside from what a tangible or monetary reward will bring them.
Experience in competition can also be put to good use when it comes to tackling problems on a day to day basis. This also benefits Volvo Trucks as a whole, as highly skilled and motivated technicians will enable Volvo Trucks’ workshops to carry out fault diagnosis and fix trucks’ problems in a timely manner while also meeting high quality standards. These skills are key in helping customers achieve maximum uptime for their trucks. Another reason why competitions like these actually benefit automotive organisations.
VISTA is open to Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses dealerships and their technicians globally. A total of 50 teams which will comprise of four aftermarket service personnel, from Volvo Malaysia’s network of dealership across the country will be taking part. The teams will need to complete several rounds of theoretical and technical tests before a winning team is announced.
The winning team from the Malaysian round, as well as winning teams from other participating countries, will then travel and meet in the semi-finals in Gothenburg, Sweden in May 2020. Several top teams will then proceed to compete for the final global championship in Turin, Italy in September 2020. This is a chance for technicians from all over the world to meet and see who is the best as well as network, and learn from one another. The trip to Sweden is quite a reward too for some of these lucky contestants.
The Volvo VISTA competition first started in 1957 and was originally a competition only for Volvo technicians in Sweden. However, in 1977, it had reached out across all continents, attracting authorized Volvo dealers from all over the world. These days, VISTA is a biennial event and the biggest competition for aftermarket technical service personnel in the world. With Volvo Trucks, it isn't just the truck drivers who have a chance at proving their skills, but their in-house technicians too.
Mitch Peden, Managing Director of Volvo Malaysia said, “VISTA is much more than a competition. It is a simulation of the workshop environment that aims to build competency and share expertise, in addition to motivate and foster teamwork and collaboration among our technicians. It is also a way for Volvo Trucks to address the challenges of recruiting and retaining competent workshop technicians. At the end of the day our customers also benefit with better service to them through improved skills and teamwork enhancement.”
“The team from Volvo Trucks Malaysia that made it into the semi-finals in Sweden in the previous 2018/2019 VISTA competition had gained invaluable experiences from this global competition. Their improved knowledge and skills acquired from VISTA were applied in their day-to-day work and it has been successfully reflected in our employees’ competency level,” added Peden.
Hopefully the team from Malaysia does us proud come the semi-finals and finals (hopefully!).
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