FORMATION OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES OF TRUCK MANUFACTURERS THROUGH SERVICE BUSINESS MODELS AND AFTERSALES MARKETING
Abstract
The article examines how service business models and aftersales marketing reshape the sources of competitive advantage for truck manufacturers in a market where customers increasingly evaluate not only the vehicle, but also the reliability of its operation during the whole lifecycle. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the mechanisms through which service models create competitive advantages and to identify the priority instruments of service differentiation. The research combines analysis and synthesis of servitization and after-sales literature, content analysis of official manufacturer materials, and comparative benchmarking of Scania, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Volvo Trucks, DAF and IVECO service practices. The results show that competitive superiority in the heavy truck segment is formed through the integrated delivery of uptime, predictable total cost of ownership, maintenance contracts, connected services, spare-parts availability, fleet analytics and support for the transition to electric and digitally connected vehicles. It is argued that aftersales marketing should be interpreted not as a narrow post-sale communication function, but as a relationship-oriented subsystem that manages onboarding, service-contract activation, retention, renewal, cross-selling and migration to new technologies. The article identifies three dominant service-model configurations: the contract-based reliability model, the connected uptime model and the ecosystem support model for technological transition. The practical value of the study lies in the proposed priorities for manufacturers, importers and dealer networks: integrate service strategy into product planning, develop lifecycle segmentation of customers, use telematics and CRM for personalized aftersales communication, ensure operational availability of service and parts, and shift the marketing proposition from selling vehicles to delivering operating solutions. The findings may be used to improve service portfolios, dealer-network coordination and B2B communication strategies in the truck industry.
References
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Oliva, R., & Kallenberg, R. (2003). Managing the transition from products to services. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 14(2), 160-172. https://doi.org/10.1108/09564230310474138
Baines, T. S., Lightfoot, H. W., Benedettini, O., & Kay, J. M. (2009). The servitization of manufacturing: A review of literature and reflection on future challenges. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 20(5), 547-567. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410380910960984
Gebauer, H., Gustafsson, A., & Witell, L. (2011). Competitive advantage through service differentiation by manufacturing companies. Journal of Business Research, 64(12), 1270-1280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.01.015
Raddats, C., Kowalkowski, C., Benedettini, O., Burton, J., & Gebauer, H. (2019). Servitization: A contemporary thematic review of four major research streams. Industrial Marketing Management, 83, 207-223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.03.015
Kohtamäki, M., Parida, V., Oghazi, P., Gebauer, H., & Baines, T. (2019). Digital servitization business models in ecosystems: A theory of the firm. Journal of Business Research, 104, 380-392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.06.027
Paiola, M., & Gebauer, H. (2020). Internet of things technologies, digital servitization and business model innovation in BtoB manufacturing firms. Industrial Marketing Management, 89, 245-264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.03.009
Kolagar, M., Parida, V., & Sjödin, D. (2022). Ecosystem transformation for digital servitization: A systematic review, integrative framework, and future research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 146, 176-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.03.067
Xing, Y., Liu, Y., & Davies, P. (2023). Servitization innovation: A systematic review, integrative framework, and future research directions. Technovation, 122, 102641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2022.102641
Iriarte, I., Hoveskog, M., Nguyen Ngoc, H., Legarda, I., Uranga, M., Nazabal, M., & Atxa, A. (2023). Service design for digital servitization: Facilitating manufacturers' advanced services value proposition design in the context of Industry 4.0. Industrial Marketing Management, 110, 96-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2023.02.015
Minaya, P. E., Avella, L., & Trespalacios, J. A. (2024). Synthesizing three decades of digital servitization: A systematic literature review and conceptual framework proposal. Service Business, 18, 193-222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-024-00559-x
Liu, B., Li, Z., & Fu, Y. (2024). Financial performance response of manufacturers to servitization: Curvilinear relationship mediated by service business focus and moderated by digital technology application. Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 34(4), 571-597. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-07-2023-0200
Durugbo, C. M. (2020). After-sales services and aftermarket support: A systematic review, theory and future research directions. International Journal of Production Research, 58(6), 1857-1892. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2019.1693655
Saccani, N., Songini, L., & Gaiardelli, P. (2006). The role and performance measurement of after-sales in the durable consumer goods industries: An empirical study. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 55(3/4), 259-283. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410400610653228
Sellitto, M. A. (2021). The after-sales strategy of an industrial equipment manufacturer: Evaluation and control. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 38(7), 1593-1613. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-11-2019-0339
Gebauer, H., Glaa, B., Witell, L., & Perks, H. (2025). Key adjustments to service offerings to accommodate product innovations: The case of electric vehicles. Industrial Marketing Management, 128, 71-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.05.001
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Daimler Truck. (2024). Daimler Truck bundles e-infrastructure and charging services in Europe under new TruckCharge brand. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/daimler-truck-bundles-e-infrastructure-and-charging-services-in-europe-under-new-truckcharge-brand-52729969
Volvo Group. (2020). Volvo Gold Contract Service Offering Standard with the New Volvo VNR Electric Model. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.volvogroup.com/en/news-and-media/news/2020/dec/volvo-gold-contract-service-offering.html
Scania Group. (n.d.). Services 360 Pro. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.scania.com/group/en/home/products-and-services/services/services-360/pro.html
DAF Trucks N.V. (n.d.). DAF MultiSupport Service Contracts. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.daf.com/en/products-and-services/daf-services/repair-and-maintenance
IVECO. (n.d.). IVECO Services. Your must-have portfolio of products and services. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.iveco.com/-/media/IVECOdotcom/Content/Services/services.pdf
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