Shuttered during the pandemic, then for months afterwards for extensive renovations, the Mack Trucks Customer Center in Allentown, Penn., has a new look – and a new name.
The Mack Experience Center has been revamped to bring customers a more comprehensive experience. Visitors, upon entering the lobby, will be able to see Mack trucks dressed in their own fleet livery on wall-mounted televisions.
Visitors enter a meeting area where they can watch live streams of trucks on the track outside. (Photo: Mack Trucks)
In the showroom, they’ll be able to inspect all aspects of their truck, even the undercarriage if raised on a hoist that allows visitors to stand underneath the truck. Outside, the test track has been repaved and given two additional obstacles – a mud and rock pit – where vocational trucks can be put through their paces.
A new gift shop and the Mack Historical Museum – both open to the public – have also been redesigned. The US$3.2-million investment was aimed at giving Mack customers a more personalized and comprehensive experience with the brand and its trucks, said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America, at the June 6 reopening.
It’s part of the company’s evolution from truck maker, to that of one that provides a full suite of services around the actual vehicle.
A showroom displays Mack’s current product line, and includes a hoist that allows visitors to comfortable inspect the undercarriage of a truck. (Photo: James Menzies)
“We love our trucks. We think our iron is the best looking on the road, but it’s about more than the iron,” Randall said, noting the updates were meant to reflect that. “It’s about the services and solutions we provide to support our customers, so ultimately they’re succeeding with their customers.
“You want the truck to be the referee in the game that calls it, but doesn’t have an impact on the game. It shows up and runs the way it’s supposed to run and ensures uptime for the customer. If the engine is not running, the wheels are not turning and our customers are not satisfying their customers and not driving revenue. The experience center tells that holistic story about our services and solutions beyond the asset,” he said.
David Galbraith, vice-president of global brand and marketing for Mack Trucks, led the redesign. He said “experience” and “focus” were two objectives the company wanted to deliver.
“What you see is a platform from which we can tell the Mack brand story,” he said in opening remarks, prior to a ribbon cutting with local dignitaries. Galbraith said the facility serves as a “critical touchpoint” for the brand, where customers can take a deep dive into their products and address their most pressing needs.
Asked what would make the redesign a success, Galbraith said, “If customers or dealers leave here saying ‘That was really worth my time, I want to bring my team back,’ or ‘when can I visit again’. That is success.”
About 1,200 customers and dealers are expected to visit the facility each year.
Market update
On the topic of success, Randall touted the strong start for Mack’s Class 6/7 medium-duty MD model that entered production in 2021. Mack went from not being a player in the segment, to having 5.5% of the Class 6/7 segment in the U.S. and Canada last year.
“The acceptance of this product is nothing short of a success for Mack,” Randall said, noting a second shift was added at the Roanoke, Va., plant that produces the truck. “As we experienced challenges with supply chain constraints and production issues, it has been nice to have something else for our dealers to lean on and sell in the market.”
The company also continues to gain share in the on-highway segment with its Mack Anthem tractor.
“On-highway accounts for 50%-plus of registrations and it wasn’t a strong point for Mack historically,” Randall admitted. “That has opened doors for Mack to be able to talk to fleets who try them, and what ends up happening is once they run them, they see the economics and fuel efficiency and driver feedback and we get more and more penetration into those fleets. That’s part of the strategy on growing Mack to be more relevant in that on-highway business.”
