TUNITY TO Know Us
Factory Tours SCHOOL BUS MANUFACTURERS AGREE ON VALUE OF MEETING WITH MANUFACTURERS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
WRITTEN BY ERIC WOOLSON
Bus manufacturers may have differ- ent opinions about products but they strongly agree on the value that factory
tours deliver to all parties involved. “I would encourage each and every potential cus-
tomer to come to our factory and become familiar with us and the product we manufacture,” advised Matt Scheuler, director of sales for Collins Bus Cor- poration. “Not only will customers get to know us as a company and learn about our core values. Tey will also learn about our manufacturing processes and what sets us apart from the competition.” Rusty Mitchell, product management director at Blue Bird Corp., agrees, as factory tours allow customers or prospective customers an opportunity “to get to know us.” Even a familiar name like Blue Bird, an industry leader for 86 years, relies on facto- ry tours as an arrow in its marketing quiver. “We’d certainly love to think everyone in the
£ Tours of a school-bus manufacturing plant, like the Thomas Built Buses facility in High Point, N.C., allow customers to see first-hand the process of making their orders a reality.
world knows Blue Bird, but we’re not so presump- tuous to think there’s no competition,” Mitchell added. “Te factory tour is an opportunity to let our product and factory shine.” Mario DiFoggio, manager of the Center for
Education and Marketing at Tomas Built Buses, said dealers typically encourage customers to visit the factory. “It’s a very effective tool for them. Once we bring
a potential customer into the factory, it really helps to accelerate interest in what we have.”
Customizing the Tour Blue Bird, based in Fort Valley, Ga., hosts at least 100 visits annually, ranging from a single individual to as many as 50 people. “It could even be a supplier who needs a better understanding of the building process,” said Marketing Communications Manager Erin Lake. “We customize tours so visitors get all the informa- tion they need to make a purchasing decision and understand what Blue Bird is from an engineering, manufacturing, corporate and employee perspective. Tey get all that.”
While there’s no such thing as a garden-variety
tour, Blue Bird’s Mitchell emphasized that every visit has one thing in common. “It’s intended to be informative and it’s fun but
you have to have an objective for us to provide our guests with a tour that meets their needs,” he explained. Tomas Built has the same approach. “We’ve been here almost 100 years and we’re proud not only of our heritage but how we put buses together. Tours can be as broad or specific as they want. We really hone our tour for what the customer likes or needs to see,” DiFoggio said.
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