VDI Australia has created a new national leadership role to reshape the post-sale support experience for bus operators, as fleets become more complex and expectations around service delivery continue to rise.
The company has appointed Mike Blundell as national quality, customer support and training manager, bringing quality assurance, operator training and customer support coordination under a single national remit.
The move reflects a broader shift across the bus industry, where operators are placing greater emphasis on lifecycle support rather than just vehicle delivery.
Blundell brings nearly two decades of heavy vehicle experience, including 13 years in the Australian bus sector, spanning technical service, aftersales operations and training development.
The newly created role is designed to sit across VDI’s existing technical, parts and aftersales teams, rather than replace them, with a focus on improving consistency and accountability for operators.
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VDI managing director Peter Woodward says the appointment recognises that the relationship with operators extends well beyond delivery.
“As VDI grows nationally, our responsibility to operators extends well beyond delivery,” Woodward says.
“This role is about being deliberate and accountable in how we support fleets over their full life through consistent service quality, practical training and a customer experience that reflects the standards operators expect from their best partners.”
A key feature of the new structure is the expansion of a customer service coordinator model, giving operators a single, named point of contact across bookings, parts and technical support.
Blundell says the focus is on moving beyond traditional escalation models to more direct resolution.
“When an operator contacts us with a concern, they should leave that conversation with a clear answer and a next step,” he says.
“The foundation was already there. The focus now is giving that team the tools and authority to resolve, not just refer.”
You can read more about this appointment in the upcoming April edition of ABC Magazine.
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