Hino Malaysia Continues To Emphasise Customer Service With Total Support Skills Contest
Hino Malaysia (a.k.a. Hino Motors Sales (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd) continues to put emphasis on excellence in customer service with its Hino Total Support skills contest. The 9th annual Hino Total Support contest which took place recently ran the theme “Best in Town” with a focus on 2 core values i.e. “Maximise Vehicle Up-time”, and “Minimise Vehicle Lifetime Cost”. 
The final round of the contest saw a total of 95 contestants from 15 Hino authorised dealers competing in 5 categories i.e. Sales, Services, Spare Parts, Customer Success Operation (CSO), and a new category – “Best in Town”. Contestants in each category had the opportunity to showcase their skills and highlight Hino’s mission “To be Malaysia’s most customer-centric and reliable commercial vehicles company”. 
The Sales category centers around the philosophy of providing the ‘Best-fit Product’ to customers. Contestants in this category undergo evaluation through theory and practice based on their comprehension and understanding of Hino products and their familiarity with the Total Support programme.
Contestants are tested on Hino’s fundamental commitment to Total Support for its customers, and includes explaining components such as maintenance contracts, Free Service Programme (FSP), Hino Connect, Hino Membership Programme, as well as selling skills.
The Service category is also a crucial one as Hino’s reputation relies heavily on its service quality, which directly impacts its brand and business. Customer satisfaction is important in shaping a positive image for Hino. Both Service Technicians and Service Advisors are tested on their skills such as troubleshooting, diagnosis and repair, as well as the ability to evaluate and explain to customers on technical issues. 
For the Spare Parts category, the contestants are tested on their product knowledge as well as their familiarity with the Hino-developed inventory system, HIECHO-X.
The Customer Success Operation is pivotal in establishing a strong connection between Hino and its customers. A successful CSO team member needs to possess crucial soft skills such as effective communication as well as empathy. The primary objective of the CSO team is to communicate about the company’s range of products, services and initiatives. In addition to providing information, CSO personnel need to actively listen to customers, gather insights to understand requirements and identify areas for improvement.
The newest category in Hino’s Total Support contest, “Best in Town” falls in line with the contest theme. This contest is specifically crafted for second-generation Hino dealership owners. This prestigious competition centres around recognising and celebrating the most exceptional “Best in Town” activities undertaken by Hino’s 3S dealerships.
Contestants in this exclusive contest will have the opportunity to deliver compelling presentations in front of all Dealer Owners. They also have the opportunity to share their dealership’s standout activities and success stories throughout the year and how they ‘think out of the box’ to keep attracting and maintaining their customers. This contest serves as a grand platform to showcase their unwavering dedication and relentless efforts in the pursuit to be the “Best in Town.” 
The new “Best in Town” contest offers unique prizes where the Champion receives a champion trophy and a RM5,000 cash incentive. The 1st runner-up receives an exclusive trophy and RM3,000, while the 2nd runner-up gets a trophy and RM2,000.
The overall 3S Champion takes home the prestigious Challenge Trophy, RM3,000 cash prize as well as a trip to Thailand for the 6 participating members. Meanwhile, the overall 1st runner-up and 2nd runner-up receive RM2,000 and RM1,000 respectively. The champion of each of the 4 categories (Sales, Service, Spare Parts, and CSO) receives a RM1,000 cash prize and a reward trip to Thailand in 2024. Each category’s 1st and 2nd runners-up win RM500 and RM200 each. This brings the total value of the prizes to about RM100,000. 
The Hino Total Support contest is not only meant to strengthen excellence in providing customer satisfaction, but also as a platform to recognise and appreciate the effort put in by Hino dealers. Hino recognises that its dealers contribute consistent to its brand reputation by excelling in customer-related programmes that extend beyond vehicle sales. This contest also emphasises the holistic commitment to Total Support within the Hino community.
