News
Pratt & Whitney Canada Sets Industry Standard for Business Aviation

May 4, 2010, Geneva, Switzerland  – Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) today reiterated its customer service commitment at a news briefing held during the 10th annual European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland. Pratt & Whitney Canada is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

"Product performance, speed and simplicity are the hallmarks of our customer service promise," stated Raffaele Virgili, Vice President, Customer Service, P&WC. "This is what our customers value and what we strive to deliver.

"When an AOG (aircraft on ground) customer comes to us with an issue, we take ownership, resolve it and have the customer back in the air within 24 hours-and we measure ourselves against that figure." With more than 2,100 people around the world managing customer queries, performing maintenance and repairs, and providing face-to-face customer contact, the Customer Service team is key to maintaining the dependability of P&WC engines.

Dependable performance

Pratt & Whitney Canada continuously enhances its engines and pursues product initiatives to improve reliability, durability and maintainability, which is why the engines have become synonymous with dependable performance, excellent fuel economy and environmental friendliness, added Virgili. P&WC invests approximately $400 million a year to further R&D, conducts extensive testing prior to entry into service and drives best-in-class quality, cost and delivery-all guarantors of a highly reliable customer experience.

Rapid response

Pratt & Whitney Canada has been taking front-line services to the next level ever since it launched its Customer First Centre (CFirst) in 2007. This is yet another way for P&WC to stay attuned to the shifting needs of the marketplace and better meet customer needs.

More than a traditional help desk, CFirst brings together a multidisciplinary and multilingual support team to resolve issues so customers can return to service quickly. CFirst handles an average 100,000 contacts a year.

In addition to CFirst, P&WC has an extensive aftermarket support network with global reach. This network includes more than 100 field support representatives; 5 parts distribution centres; 88 mobile repair technicians; the largest pool of rental and exchange engines in the industry; a leading Eagle Service Plan (ESP(R) program); a customized Fleet Management Program (FMP(R) program); the most comprehensive warranty coverage in the aerospace industry; as well as an extensive Service Centre Network with more than 30 facilities around the world.

The global expansion of P&WC's training capabilities network is another demonstration of how the company is working to anticipate customer needs and provide the best value in the industry. Through the recently announced collaboration with FlightSafety International (FlightSafety), P&WC customers and employees alike will have access to FlightSafety's world-class learning facilities and a strong technology-based training curriculum for the full range of P&WC engine products.

Keeping it simple

Pratt & Whitney Canada is focussed on making the customer experience as simple as possible. The result: P&WC is improving customers' ability to obtain information so they can make quick and informed decisions about their operations; it offers the most comprehensive warranty coverage in the industry; it continues to simplify warranty processes; and, with its Service Centre Network and designated overhaul facilities, P&WC is making claims management more efficient.

Pratt & Whitney Canada has also integrated its asset management group, thus providing a one-stop shop for new, used, repair and exchange parts and accessories. And through its diagnostics, prognostics and health management (DPHM) unit, P&WC helps original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), aircraft owners and operators make informed decisions about preventative maintenance, thus reducing unscheduled maintenance, lowering operating costs and increasing operator aircraft availability.

"At Pratt &Whitney Canada, we recognize that excellence in customer service is earned every day, with each and every customer," concluded Virgili. "And that is why we approach each Customer Service call as if it were our first. This makes us even more attentive to customer needs and better positioned to take action in a timely manner."

About Pratt & Whitney Canada

Pratt & Whitney Canada, based in Longueuil, Quebec, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines powering business, general aviation and regional aircraft and helicopters. The company also manufactures auxiliary power units and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., United States, is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.

Pratt & Whitney Canada goes the extra mile to keep its customers flying. It now counts more than 10,000 operators around the world, with new-generation engines, green technology, and unmatched support. Customers can rely on more than 30 company-owned and designated service facilities, a 24/7 Customer First Centre for expert and rapid assistance, and an extensive parts distribution network to deliver unmatched front-line service. Pratt & Whitney Canada's comprehensive service portfolio includes: field support representatives on all continents; mobile repair teams available around the clock; an extensive parts distribution network that grows every year; the largest pool of P&WC rental and exchange engines in the industry; an industry-leading Eagle Service Plan; a customized Fleet Management Program; and the most comprehensive warranty coverage in the industry.