Volvo Car UK and the dealer network are experiencing a reduction in service penetration in the 4 year + vehicle parc. To address this issue, a marketing initiative known as Volvo Fast Track (VFT) has been developed. Under this initiative, dealers offer owners of certain vehicles a competitive price (such as a discount) for certain service and repair jobs.
The identification of such work is triggered manually by dealer staff by selecting a VFT price via the Volvo GPSS/VSTG interface in Point-of-Sale, and is not directly linked to the age of the car, or whether the WIP was pre-booked. Only specific jobs qualify for VFT. Ordinary jobs for which a customer has been able to negotiate discount, are not deemed VFT.
In making the decision as to whether any particular job should be flagged as VFT, dealer staff pay regard to the following factors:
In general, VFT customers gain a competitive market price for the job, but may lose other benefits such as a complimentary valet, and delivery & collection.
The high level systems objective is to analyse the volume and profitability of business that is performed on the VFT basis. This analysis enables dealer management to determine the effect of VFT on the overall sales volume and profitability of the business.
On the Autoline system, a customer enquiry file records details of all GPSS jobs loaded onto a WIP in Point-of-Sale, to allow for reporting. Lost sales are also recorded, together with reason text, and any unknown parts or labour items or unmapped fluid codes, allowing for further analysis. This information is provided in the form of three standard reports:
To print a menu pricing report:
From the VOLVO UK OPERATIONS menu, select the GPSS option.
The Menu pricing maintenance menu is displayed.
Select the Menu Pricing reports option.
If there is more than one Point-of-Sale (SO) company, the system prompts you for the SO company.
Select the SO company.
The Menu Pricing Reports form is displayed.
Select the Report type:
To determine which details are included in the report, click the 
icon.
You will get one of the following results:
If the Menu sales or Lost sales option is selected, the Filter Options form is displayed.
If the Unknown items option is selected, the Unknown Item Filter Options form is displayed.
Complete the filter options as required and click OK.
The report is run automatically, and the items that match the selected filter options are displayed in a grid.
Tip: Alternatively, if you do not need to set the filter options, click the 
icon to run the report.
To print the report, click the 
icon.
The Print Menu Sales Report form is displayed.
Tip: To change the printer or printer options, click the Change button.
Click the Print button to print the report to the currently selected printer.
The message Report printed is displayed.
Click OK.
The Menu Pricing Reports form is displayed when the Menu Pricing reports option is selected from the Menu Pricing Maintenance menu. From this form you can display and print a menu pricing report, and determine which details are included in the report.
Menu Icon Description File > Exit Returns you to the Menu Pricing Maintenance menu. File > Print Allows you to change the printer and print options if required, and print the report to the currently selected printer. Displays the Microsoft calculator. View > Filter options Allows you to determine which details are included in the report by setting filter options for menu sales and lost sales, or the filter options for unknown items. View > Run report Runs the report according to the selected filter options. Help > Help Displays help on the current application using the default browser.
Report type: Select one of the following options:
The Menu sales tab is displayed when the Menu sales option is selected. From this tab you can run a Menu Sales report which details all GPSS jobs loaded onto a Point-of-Sale WIP. By setting the filter options, you can produce a simple list or totals-only report for a specific date range, and limit the report to specific price types, job groups, models and vehicle ages. You can also sort the report by menu code, job group, model code or date the GPSS job was loaded onto a WIP. By default the system prints a simple list report.
A simple list report is generated when the Show as filter option is set to Simple list. When the report is run, the grid is populated with the menus that match your filter options. For each job included in the report, the following details are summarised:
Tip: Right-click the mouse to display a context menu. Options are available to view the menu, and view a summary of the Sales Ledger account, marketing record or user details.
Date: The date on which the GPSS job was loaded onto a WIP in Point-of-Sale.
Menu code: The full menu code.
Model group: The service model group.
Job group: A description of the operation.
WIP No: The Work-in-Progress record number.
Invoice No: The document number on which the job was invoiced.
Account No: The Sales Ledger account number.
User ID: The user ID of the person that loaded the GPSS job onto a WIP in Point-of-Sale
Selling: The retail price of the menu, including VAT.
Nett price: The retail price of the menu, excluding VAT.
Legend:
The legends group box indicates the current status of the jobs listed in the report:
Grid:
In the bottom right-hand corner of the form, a grid is displayed that gives a summary of the following totals:
A Totals Only tab is displayed when the Menu sales option is selected, and the Show as filter option is set to Totals only. When the report is run, the grid is populated with the items that match your filter options. For each job included in the Menu Sales report, the following details are summarised:
Menu code: The full menu code.
Total: The retail price of the menu, excluding VAT.
The Lost sales tab is displayed when the Lost sales option is selected. From this tab you can run a Lost Sales Report that lists each menu for which a lost sale was recorded. By setting the filter options, you can produce a simple list or totals-only report for a specific date range, and limit the report to specific lost sale reasons, price types, job groups, models and vehicle ages. You can also sort the report by lost sale reason or the date on which the lost sale was recorded. By default the system prints a simple list report.
A simple list report is generated when the Show as filter option is set to Simple list. When the report is run, the grid is populated with the menus that match your filter options. For each job included in the report, the following details are summarised:
Tip: Right-click the mouse to display a context menu. Options are available to view the menu, and view a summary of the Sales Ledger account or user details.
Date: The date on which the lost sale was recorded.
Menu code: The full menu code.
Model group: The service model group.
Account No: The Sales Ledger account number.
User ID: The user ID of the person that recorded the lost sale.
Reason for lost sale: The reason for the lost sale, such as Parts Availability or Price.
Nett price: The retail price of the menu, excluding VAT.
Total lost sales: The total value of lost sales, excluding VAT.
A Totals Only tab is displayed when the Lost sales option is selected, and the Show as filter option is set to Totals only. When the report is run, the grid is populated with the items that match your filter options. For each reason included in the report, the following details are summarised:
Lost sale reason: The reason for the lost sale, such as Parts Availability or Price.
Total: The retail price of the menu, excluding VAT.
The Unknown items tab is displayed when the Unknown items option is selected. From this tab you can run a detailed unknown items report or summary.
A detailed Unknown Items report is generated when the Report type filter option is set to Detailed. The report identifies, for each menu, any parts that do not exist in the parts stock file and/or the Volvo parts master price file, and/or any VSTG codes that cannot be found in the VSTG file, and any fluid codes that are not mapped to a part.
When the report is run, the grid is populated with the menus that match your filter options. For each item included in the report, the following details are summarised:
Menu code: The menu code in which the unknown item exists.
Description: A description of the menu.
Model code: The service model group.
Type: The type of item:
P: Parts
L: Labour
Code: The part number, fluid code or operation number.
Notes: A description that indicates the reason why the unknown item is included in the report. For example, Fluid code not mapped to a part or Unknown part number.
A summary of unknown items is generated when the Report type filter option is set to Summary. The report identifies any parts that do not exist in the parts stock file and/or the Volvo parts master price file, and/or any VSTG codes that cannot be found in the VSTG file and, for each item, advises the total number of menus affected.
When the report is run, the grid is populated with the items that match your filter options. For each item included in the report, the following details are summarised:
Code: The part number, fluid code or operation number.
Type: The type of item:
P: Parts
L: Labour
Menus affected: The total number of menus in which the unknown item exists.
The Filter Options form is displayed when the Menu sales or Lost sales option are selected, and the icon is clicked on the Menu Pricing Reports form. From this form you can determine the type of report to be produced, and which details are included in the report.
Up to six tabs are available for completion, depending on which option is selected:
Complete the filter options as required and click OK.
From this tab you can determine which report is produced, which details are included in the report and the report format.
Date range/to: Allows you to limit the menus included in the report to a specific date range. Enter the first and last dates in the range.
Tip: Click the Ellipsis button to display an electronic calendar.
Sort on: Determines how menus are sorted on the report. If required, select one of the following options:
- None (this option is selected by default)
- Menu
- Job group
- Model
- Date
Show as: Allows you to determine the report format. Select one of the following radio buttons:
Simple list: Produces a simple list report for menu sales, or a simple list report for lost sales.
Break on change: For the menu sales report, this option allows you to produce a break on change of menu code, job group, model or date on which the job was loaded onto the WIP. For the lost sales report, the option allows you to produce a break on change of lost sale reason or date on which the lost sale was recorded.
Totals only: Produces a totals-only report for menu sales, or a totals-only report for lost sales.
Job status: These are tick boxes that allow you to determine which jobs are included in the report. There are two options:
- Invoiced
- In progress
Both boxes are ticked by default.
From this tab you can determine which lost sale reasons are included in the Lost Sales report. Lost sale reasons are displayed in a list box and are all selected by default. Deselect any reasons that you do not want to include in the report.
Tip: Click the 
icon to deselect all prices or the 
icon to select all prices.
From this tab you can determine which prices are included in the report.
Itemised: This is a check box that tells the system to include itemised jobs in the report. The box is ticked by default.
Fixed: This is a check box that tells the system to include fixed price jobs in the report. The box is ticked by default.
Volvo prices are displayed in a list box. For example, Retail, VFT and any dealer prices. Volvo Fast Track (VFT) is the only price type ticked by default, which means that retail and dealer jobs are not shown on the report. If you want to include price types other than VFT, you must select them here.
Tip: Click the
From this tab you can determine which job groups are included in the report. Job groups are displayed in a list box, and are all selected by default. Deselect any job groups that you do not want to include in the report.
Tip: Click the icon to deselect all prices or the icon to select all prices.
From this tab you can determine which models are included in the report. Models are displayed in a list box, and are all selected by default. Deselect any models that you do not want to include in the report.
Tip: Click the icon to deselect all prices or the icon to select all prices.
From this tab you can control the items included in the report by vehicle age (current to 10+ years old). Vehicle ages are displayed in a list box, and are all selected by default. Deselect any vehicle ages that you do not want to include in the report.
Tip: Click the icon to deselect all prices or the icon to select all prices.
The Unknown Item Filter Options form is displayed when the Unknown items option is selected, and the icon is clicked on the Menu Pricing Reports form. From this form you can determine the type of report to be produced, and which details are included in the report.
Report type: Allows you to determine the type of report that is produced. Select one of the following options:
Include: Allows you to determine which details are included in the report. Select the required options:
Parts: Tick this box to include any parts that do not exist in the parts stock file and the Volvo parts master price file. This box is ticked by default.
Parts only found on price file: This box is only enabled when the Parts box is ticked. Tick this box if you only want to include parts that do not exist in the Volvo parts master price file.
Labour: Tick this box to include any VSTG codes that cannot be found in the VSTG file. This box is ticked by default.
