• Express Maintenance Service (EMS) to reduce servicing time to 1 hour
• Infinium Dealership is the first dealership in Gujarat to receive the EM service
• EM Service based on Toyota Production System
• EM Service aimed at increasing customer satisfaction and retention
• EM Service to be extended to 10 more dealerships across the country in 2007.

The Express Maintenance Service was launched at Infinium Toyota by Mr. M. Kawabata, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor in the presence of Mr. Ajit Mehta, Chairman, Infinium Toyota.

This initiative utilizes the Toyota Production System and Kaizen methodologies to increase customer satisfaction and retention. It will bring Indian Toyota Dealers up to a global standard in Customer Service.

The EM Service reduces the servicing time of a vehicle to 1 hour by eliminating the stagnation time of in-between processes and process improvements (kaizen). Process Kaizen also enables reduced lead-times and guaranteed vehicle delivery times. For Dealers, the implementation of the TSM Advanced Program will bring a significant increase in workshop productivity.

Inaugurating the EM Service, Mr. Kawabata said "Customer satisfaction is a top priority at Toyota and we believe that the EM service is a step towards achieving our goal of Customer Retention. EM Service will improve the quality of Dealer after-sales operations and achieve global standards of Servicing."

The Service will be extended to 10 more dealerships across the country by the end of 2007.

In sync with Toyota's "Moving Forward" philosophy, the EM Service is part of Toyota Customer Service Marketing (TSM) Advanced programme that was introduced globally in 1994. TSM Advanced programme addresses the fact that nearly 50 % of the servicing time is spent in stagnation of the vehicle in between processes. EMS removes this Muda (Waste) from the system by redesigning the layout of the maintenance bays to ensure that no time is lost searching for equipments etc.

"It is our constant endeavour to provide our customers value addition in our services. Through the EM Service, we not only offer our customer speedy and efficient services but upkeep our commitment to Quality," said Mr. Mehta.

This service requires 3 people at the maintenance bay and requires specific tools and equipment that are imported from Japan. A customer could avail this service by prior appointment.

TKM has a set of 60 dealers across the country with a total service staff of over 3,500 personnel. Over 1,200 vehicles are serviced per dealer monthly.

About Toyota Kirloskar Motor
Toyota Kirloskar Motor is a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corporation and the Kirloskar Group. TKM has invested nearly Rs. 1,500 crore in its plant in Bidadi, employing over 2,400 people of whom over 90 per cent are from Karnataka. The plant started production in December 1999 and has an installed capacity of manufacturing 60,000 vehicles per annum.

---