Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JUNE 2021 60 D espite landing in what's likely a demanding new role, Marc Peremans, Whirlpool's recently appointed Senior Manager of Field Service, took time from his busy schedule to discuss his new responsibilities with BrandSource. From my perspective as a former Whirlpool/Maytag authorized servicer for over 40 years, the manufacturer seems to be making a concerted effort at stepping up its training efforts and enhancing communications with its dealer service network, both of which are perhaps a sign of good things for the future. We asked Marc some pointed questions that are probably on every servicing dealer's mind these days. Below, we share his open, in-depth answers. Q: Whirlpool has put a strong emphasis on virtual service training during the pandemic. Do you believe virtual training is as effective as in-person training? A: Virtual training definitely brings along its challenges. It's always more effective when you're training and you can feel and touch the equipment you'll be working on. That said, Whirlpool has made our virtual training sessions as interactive as possible, allowing individuals to engage with the trainers instead of simply playing a video – and that's been well-received by our service providers. And while we're continuing in a virtual setting for the moment, we're looking forward to the day when we can once again interact with our exclusive network and train in person. Q: What impact has the pandemic had on service requests by Whirlpool consumers? Has there been a big surge in demand? If so, how well has Whirlpool been able to keep up? A: With consumers spending more time at home, the interaction with appliances has increased as well, leading to an increase in service requests. At the start of the pandemic, the challenges we found ourselves in had more to do with which geographic areas our service providers were still allowed to operate in, as well as understanding the guidelines regarding PPE [personal protective equipment] and safety. Working through those difficult challenges, our service providers have been able to adjust very well to meet the consumers' needs and provide a five-star experience. Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the appliance service industry today, from Whirlpool's perspective? A: Our world is becoming more and more connected, and that includes how we interact with our appliances. And while that provides exciting opportunities, appliances are becoming increasingly complex to service. Combine that with how consumer expectations are changing very rapidly these days. In an Amazon world, where quick turnaround and consistent execution is the norm, we need to be agile and adjust to what consumers are now demanding of a service incident. So, while items like schedule flexibility and first-call completes are ever more important, having the right technological capabilities to access and interact with the appliance are becoming equally important. Q: We're all well aware of the nationwide shortage of qualified appliance service techs. How is Whirlpool addressing the problem? A: We recognize that the shortage within the technician labor force continues to be a challenge for the industry. We've found by looking through our competency development lenses that it takes more than a technical-minded technician to perform against today's customer expectations. Whirlpool has found that service extensions, such as home delivery, are a way to create further career trajectory for technicians. By partnering with our exclusive network, we've learned that expanding the job criteria and skill sets for recruiting top talent is a requirement to be successful in capturing good talent. Balancing the technical and relational components of service recovery is key, and diversified talent/skill sets are critical to accomplishing those objectives. We found success in engaging with technicians through ServiceMatters University [Whirlpool's online service training platform] and continue to make investments in learning and development. We feel a positive outcome will be that technicians will be great at what they do and, more important, will enjoy doing it. S E R V I C E D E P A R T M E N T Rich Lindblom is a longtime BrandSource member and Maytag Leadership Council officer. He recently sold his business, Advanced Maytag Home Appliance Center in Schaumburg, IL., after more than four decades in independent retail. You can reach Rich at egvrich@gmail.com. RO BRANDSOURCE EXCLUSIVE: WHIRLPOOL'S MARC PEREMANS TAKES ON SERVICE INDUSTRY CHALLENGES Whirlpool's MARC PEREMANS

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