General Manager, Commercial Vehicle Service

Role Summary

The General Manager (Service) leads the entire after-sales operation of a commercial vehicle (trucks, buses, LCVs, tippers) dealership or service network. This covers workshop operations, spare parts, warranty, customer uptime, profitability, and team performance. In commercial vehicles, customer success is measured by vehicle uptime, so the role is built around fast turnaround and fleet-owner relationships.

Key Responsibilities

1. Service Operations

- Oversee workshop planning, job card flow, bay utilization, and turnaround time (TAT)
- Ensure first-time-right repairs and reduce repeat repairs and comebacks
- Manage breakdown support, mobile service vans, and roadside assistance
- Maintain adherence to OEM service standards and SOPs

2. Financial and Business Performance

- Own the service P&L;: revenue, gross margin, cost control, and EBITDA
- Drive targets for labour revenue, parts sales, AMC (annual maintenance contracts), and accessories
- Prepare budgets, forecasts, and monthly MIS reports
- Control receivables, especially from fleet customers and credit accounts

3. Customer and Fleet Management

- Build relationships with fleet owners, transporters, and key accounts
- Improve CSI/NPS and reduce customer complaints and escalations
- Promote service contracts, preventive maintenance, and uptime-based packages
- Handle major escalations and negotiate with large fleet clients

4. Spare Parts and Inventory

- Ensure availability of fast-moving and critical parts
- Optimize stock levels, ageing inventory, and fill rate
- Coordinate with OEM/parts suppliers on supply and logistics

5. Warranty and Quality

- Ensure accurate warranty claim processing and timely settlement
- Analyze failure trends and give feedback to OEM/product teams




- Maintain compliance with quality audits and safety norms

6. People Management

- Lead service managers, workshop managers, service advisors, and technicians
- Drive recruitment, training, certification, and technician productivity
- Build a performance-driven culture with clear KPIs and succession planning

7. Compliance, Safety, and Environment

- Ensure workshop safety, statutory compliance, and pollution norms
- Manage use of diagnostic tools, special tools, and equipment calibration

Key KPIs

AreaKPIsFinancialService revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, collectionsOperationsTAT, workshop productivity, bay utilization, first-time-right %CustomerCSI/NPS, uptime %, complaint closure timePartsFill rate, inventory turns, ageing stockWarrantyClaim rejection %, settlement timePeopleTechnician productivity, attrition, training hours

Qualifications and Experience

- Education: Diploma or B.E./B.Tech in Mechanical/Automobile Engineering (MBA preferred)
- Experience: 12-18+ years in automotive service, with at least 5 years in a leadership role; commercial vehicle or heavy-duty background is strongly preferred
- Knowledge: Diesel engines, transmissions, BS-VI/emission systems, telematics, EV/alternate fuel (a plus), DMS and warranty systems

Skills

- Strong leadership and P&L; ownership
- Fleet customer handling and negotiation
- Analytical and problem-solving ability
- Process orientation (lean, 5S, TPM)
- Positive communication in English and regional languages

Reporting

- Reports to: Business Head / Dealer Principal / Regional Head (After-Sales)
- Direct reports: Service Managers, Parts Manager, Warranty/Quality Manager, Customer Relations Manager

I can also turn this into a formatted Word job description, or tailor it to a specific brand (Tata, Ashok Leyland, Eicher, BharatBenz) or to a dealership versus OEM role.

📌 Walk-in || General Manager (Chennai)
🏢 Madras Garage Private Limited - Ashok Leyland
📍 Chennai