Because bakery delivery routes often start in the early morning, drivers can experience equipment problems during nonstandard business hours. Who can they call? To answer these needs, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp., Gaffney, SC, established 24/7 Direct, an around-the-clock customer service hotline. “It is not manned by a call center,” said Bryan Henke, manager of product marketing. “You won’t just reach someone who will just get you towed someplace. We use people who have actually worked in our factory and know the product inside and out.

“A driver can feel comfortable that he is talking to someone who actually knows what they are talking about at 3 o’clock in the morning,” he continued. “Our staff has 16 years of experience on average. They are ex-factory employees, worked in engineering or some other discipline with the company. It has been a huge added value to someone who wants and needs help from an expert quickly and during off-hours.”