HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-11-05, Page 153I..III1A.P1UN
GSS/Wednesday, Nov. 5, 1986
Tech Pubs
Tech Pubs delivers the message
hila Champion road graders
are acknowledged as leade
m the industry, the pr
is also backed up by a team of
professionals in support services.
After sale support is a vital
component of customer service and
the technical publications
department is a key link with the
end user and customer.
A part of the marketing services
department, technical publications,
under the direction of Ray Frydrych,
is responsible for the production of
current and Liaaaciy pub icatio ::
detailing the operation and service
of motor graders.
An employee of Champion for
nearly 10 years, Frydrych literally
learned graders from the inside out
before joining the technical
publications department. A
relatively new division of marketing
services, technical publications work
in tandem with the company's video
marketing strategy. "
"Fifteen years ago there was no
technical publications department
and the manuals for graders were
handled by en,gineering," Ray
explained. "But now, technical
publications is a priority for the
company. The customer won't
accept the machine without proper
support such as manuals for
operation and service."
The department actually works •
from repair, service and
disassembly videos to produce the
illustrations aid text for the
publications. The use of video with
the written word and illustration,
provides the customer with detailed,
and accurate information in an easy-
to-use format.
"The department is made up of
technical illustrators and writers
with heavy equipment background.
It is really a specialized field. So we
have to produce manuals for the
product so the customer can
ultimately drive, repair and order
parts for the machine," he said.
All publications, illustrated charts
and specialized materials are
prepared in three basic languages.
French, English and Spanish;
although the department has
produced materials for the Turkish
and Chinese markets.
"We are responsible for the
printing, inventory and distribution
of all materials and product -support
bulletins to a network of 300 dealers
and branches," Ray said. "We are
constantly updating and adding new
things to manuals. We are also
responsible for the inventory and
distribution of the service and sales
videos."
While much of the publication
work was farmed out or a part of the
engineering function in pre -
technical publication days, Frydrych
says today the°'department has
grown to a ``close-knit" department
of 10 people providing the latest in
technical information to the
Tech Pubs manager Ray Frydrych discusses the days
business with his technical writing staff. The department
catalogues the company's video productions and pro-
duces operation and service manuals.
t�.
474,0
d. •
customer.
"The customer won't accept a
machine without proper
documentation and support and we
provide that timely, technical
information in print and video." he
said.
As a young man with an interest in
architecture, Frydrych operated his
own music store in Goderich before
going to work for Champion in 1977
as a parts compiler. He moved
through several jobs within the
organization before his appointment
as manager of technical publications
in 1982.
The work of the illustrators and
writers is precise and demanding in
detail and accuracy.
"Technical publications is a very
specialized area that requires
specialized professionals. Many
companies simply farm this type of
work out."
But Champion is unique, not only
in its marketing strategy, but in the
fact it is almost self-sufficient. While
the use of video is a popular
5°J
marketing and service tool, Ray sees
technical publications playing an
important role and expanding with
the company.
"We hope to develop desktop
publishing and computer access and
word processing so we know how the
grader is made," he said.
The technical publications
department has been subjected to
many moves over the years but it
has found a permanent home in the
training centre, the former Gearco
II building.