Greg Bleasel is Vice President – Product Support for Hino Australia, which has won the manufacturer’s global parts award for 17 consecutive years and the global service award for 14 years straight.
Prime Mover: That’s an impressive record. How do you maintain that level of excellence?
Greg Bleasel: I’m fortunate to lead a great team, and we’re always focused on continuous improvement. In our network it starts with our technicians and frontline staff ensuring they are well trained and that our courses are regularly updated. Training is never a ‘set and forget’ activity for us. We constantly review materials, adjust content based on feedback, and incorporate new technology and diagnostic approaches as the product evolves. We also hold regular meetings with the parts and service managers to share insights and drive consistency across the network. Those discussions allow us to highlight best practice, address challenges, and reinforce our company-wide focus on customer satisfaction. Programs such as capped price servicing and various efficiency and productivity initiatives help us maintain high standards and keep the dealer network aligned with customer expectations.
PM: Is there a secret to your success?
GB: The key is to never stand still. We make sure the processes we have in place are being utilised and continually refined. In our industry, customer needs are always shifting, technologies are advancing, and vehicles are becoming more sophisticated, so our support functions must stay ahead rather than react. That mindset has played a big part in our long-term success.
PM: The Hino Skills Competition is almost unique in the Australian OEM landscape, is it driven by Hino Australia, or is it more of a dealership project?
GB: It’s definitely driven by Hino Australia. We launched it in 2008 with service technicians, and the positive feedback encouraged us to expand it a few years later to include parts and then sales. Each year we refine the format, update the technical challenges, and look for ways to make it more engaging and more reflective of the real-world pressures our staff experience. It really engages our dealerships, and even those who don’t win are motivated to return and aim higher the following year. It provides meaningful recognition, especially for technicians and frontline staff who don’t often receive it, and it reinforces their connection with the broader dealer network and the Hino brand. The competition also encourages self-development, because participants spend time studying, preparing, and practising their skills in the lead-up. First place winners across the parts, service, and sales categories receive a cash prize and a trip to Japan, so it’s both a motivator and a reward. Beyond that, it’s a culture builder that strengthens pride in workmanship, reinforces technical excellence, and supports the collaborative spirit we value at Hino.
PM: Is the incidence of online training increasing?
GB: We’ve offered online training for many years, and it’s now an essential part of how we support dealerships. We have induction programs for new parts and service managers to help them understand Hino’s fundamentals and procedures. Those programs cover everything from the brand’s history through to operational guidelines, warranty processes, and customer communication expectations. Often when someone starts in those roles, they’re very busy, so online training lets them learn at their own pace before moving into leadership courses that combine online and face-to-face components. This blended style lets us deliver more comprehensive training without taking people away from the dealership for long periods, which dealers appreciate.
PM: How widespread is this approach?
GB: For technicians and parts interpreters, we strike the balance between online modules and hands-on training, as some skills simply require in person instruction. Technical troubleshooting, advanced diagnostics, and workshop-based tasks clearly need physical practice, so we integrate both approaches. While we apply the same blended approach in service and parts, warehouse training includes safety procedures, inventory management, and process optimisation which are all areas that lean more to face-to-face training in a practical setting.
PM: Are non-genuine parts an issue in the Australian market?
GB: Anyone who says they’re not an issue would be mistaken. They’ve been around since I was an apprentice, and they’re still here. A customer will always prefer genuine parts, but some look at non-genuine options because of cost. They may fit and appear to work, but they’re not ADR tested and not built to Hino’s standards, which factor in performance, safety, and durability over the lifecycle of the vehicle. To demonstrate this, we commissioned independent testing on non-genuine brake and headlight components, which showed overheating in the braking system including rotors, pads, and bearings, significantly reducing braking performance. That difference can be critical in avoiding an accident. Non-genuine headlights also failed to match the illumination levels of genuine components. These are the sorts of details that customers often don’t realise. The issue isn’t whether a part fits, it’s whether it performs as intended under real operating conditions. We’ve made the testing videos available on the Hino website so customers can see the results for themselves. Ultimately, even if non-genuine parts fit, the real question is whether it’s worth the risk. Genuine components are engineered and tested for that specific vehicle, while non-genuine are not subject to the same testing and may affect performance, safety or warranty coverage.
PM: Is the Hino-Connect telematics system playing a bigger role in parts and service?
GB: It has evolved significantly. It began as a case-management tool, and now we have around 8,500 vehicles activated with Hino-Connect. Thanks to the reliability of Hino trucks, we don’t see large numbers of issues coming through, which is a positive sign, but the information we do receive is incredibly valuable. Every fault code is captured, which allows us to analyse trends and better understand what’s happening in the field. We also use Hino Connect for maintenance reminders and service scheduling. Retail customers increasingly use the Hino Connect online portal to monitor vehicle location and fuel usage, while fleet customers are digging deeper into diagnostics. For example, they can compare brake wear or fuel consumption across their fleet, which helps them coach drivers or identify where operational improvements can be made. Safety and driver behaviour analysis are key areas of interest, particularly for fleets with diverse applications or multiple drivers.
From our perspective, aggregated and de-identified data, including things like heat-mapping and usage clustering, helps us make informed decisions about dealership locations and where support is most needed. It allows us to plan ahead, understand areas of growth, and ensure our customers have access to the right resources where and when they need them.
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