Our mission: Reliable service across Europe
Spanish service hero José Gándara proudly represents the OMNIplus ServiceNetwork
José Gándara’s interest in the world of mechanics was sparked when he was just a child. Although he admits that he was never the best of students, he has always had a talent for handling vehicles. At the age of 14, he started working on cars and what started as a hobby became a career. Now, after 21 years at OMNIplus in Madrid, he has been selected as one of three OMNIplus Service Heroes after a colleague suggested that he apply. "I had never won anything before, so I couldn't believe it", says Gándara proudly.
What heroes are made of
"How buses and coaches work is quite logical really. The mechanical system, the electrical system - everything is set up much more cleanly and comprehensibly than in any other vehicle", says Gándara. He has been known for his can-do attitude since the very start of his career at Daimler Buses and OMNIplus. Here's a good example: In the early 1990s, Mercedes‑Benz sold vehicles for local public transport to Mérdia, Venezuela, which were equipped with an ABS system that required both American and European approval. Gándara and a team of experts adapted the system to comply with the American rules.
For this special assignment, he worked in a high-tech research and development centre – one of many precious memories from his professional life. As part of the assignment, he had telephone contact with the then President of Venezuela, who promised him a bottle of Cacique Special Edition Rum if the project was completed on time. The project was completed on time – but that bottle never arrived, Gándara laughs.
“I prefer to work on buses and coaches. They are much more attractive and enjoyable to repair than cars or lorries.”
José Gándara Iglesias, OMNIplus ServiceNetwork Service Hero
A day in the life of an after-sales hero
Today, José Gándara works closely with Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid (EMT Madrid), which controls urban traffic in the Spanish capital. Of the approximately 730 Mercedes-Benz vehicles, more than 60 are covered by a full warranty and more than 100 are covered by a powertrain warranty at the OMNIplus ServicePoint in Madrid. In order to meet growing passenger demand on Madrid’s local public transport network, Gándara and his colleagues work every day to ensure that vehicles covered by the warranty are ready for use. The team receives a list of repairs every day. They work through the list conscientiously to ensure that vehicles are not stuck at the depot due to technical problems.
“Our customers know they can rely on us. Rapid availability and competent services are appreciated.”
José Gándara Iglesias, OMNIplus ServiceNetwork Service Hero
Meticulously organised
There are two important rules that our hero follows: order and organisation. His seven-year-old tool trolley looks brand new and is immaculately organised. Every tool is always in its place and ready for the next repair. He has also developed a colour coding system for classifying vehicles in the workshop so that his colleagues can quickly identify the repair status. Green for buses and coaches that are repaired and ready to be returned to the customer. Yellow for buses and coaches that have already been inspected but have not yet been repaired and red for buses and coaches that still need additional parts to be repaired.
It is precisely this thorough approach that colleagues and customers alike value greatly. He is organised. He is reliable. He is an expert in his field. José Gándara is deservedly our OMNIplus ServiceNetwork Hero!
OMNIplus ServiceNetwork – comprehensive coverage across Europe
With over 629 authorised service centres and four defined service categories in 39 countries, OMNIplus has the largest and densest bus and coach service network in Europe. All service centres meet the stringent OMNIplus quality standards for maintenance, repairs or other services relating to buses and coaches. Specially trained personnel and worldwide availability of spare parts combined with an extensive service network ensure that your fleet is always ready for use.
