Dealership Service Operation Manual: Hyundai Motor Company Case
This article presents a case study of the comprehensive revision and improvement of Hyundai Motor Company's Dealership Service Operation Manual. Hansem Global assessed the current state of the manual and transformed it into a refined document that meets Hyundai’s desired standards for dealership service operations.
Project Summary
In the spring of 2024, Hyundai Motor Company initiated a project to overhaul and revise its Dealership Service Operation Manual. Hansem Global was entrusted with this project, which aimed to improve and standardize a vast 600-page, 100,000-word English document. This manual serves as a key reference for Hyundai’s global network of dealerships and service centers, containing comprehensive guidelines on company values, facility standards, workplace safety, customer service processes, and marketing and logistics operations. Given its significance, the successful revision and standardization of this manual was critical for both Hyundai and Hansem Global.
Hansem Global had already established a strong reputation with Hyundai through years of successful collaboration on various technical and standard documentation projects. Our expertise in technical writing and document development, recognized throughout the industry, allowed us to secure this crucial project once again.
Challenges
Frequent Errors and Inconsistent Quality: Over the years, multiple stakeholders across departments had made content updates without a unified standard, leading to frequent typographical and grammatical errors. These inconsistencies compromised the overall reliability of the information.
Lack of Terminology and Formatting Consistency: Official terms for departments, job titles, products, and services were inconsistently used, creating confusion. Furthermore, the formatting of content varied, making it difficult for users to follow the guidelines effectively.
Absence of Evaluation Criteria: Without clear evaluation benchmarks, the manual had been written in a promotional style rather than as a practical guide for enforcing compliance. This diminished its effectiveness as a standard reference.
Our Solutions
Benchmarking and Trend Analysis
We collected and thoroughly analyzed similar documents from global automotive competitors to identify best practices, essential elements, and international trends. This analysis served as the foundation for creating a robust, standardized document.
Information Architecture Design
Based on insights from analyzing Hyundai’s existing manual and competitor documents, we designed an information structure that met the client’s needs. Key elements included:
- Support for Content Digitization: We developed a content structure optimized for management and publishing through a content management system (CMS).
- Mobile-Friendly Design: The structure was designed to ensure that content could be easily accessed and navigated on various mobile devices.
- Compliance with International Standards: The document adhered to the ISO/IEC Directives Part 2, ensuring logical consistency and accuracy.
Content Development
Following the new information architecture, we rewrote the entire document with a focus on:
- Optimized Expression: We developed the most effective ways to convey each type of information based on its characteristics.
- Enhanced Layout and Style: We redefined the layout and styles within the CMS to improve readability and comprehension.
- Simplification of Complex Diagrams and Graphs: We transformed intricate diagrams and graphs into intuitive tables, improving both comprehension and usability.
Content Refinement and Completion
We systematically identified errors and missing information from the existing content, corrected these issues, and enhanced the document through expert interviews and customer feedback.
Chapter-Specific Checklists
We developed compliance checklists for each chapter, enabling users to easily verify adherence to the standards outlined in the manual. This significantly improved the practicality and usability of the document.
Outcome
Over the course of the four-month project, Hansem Global successfully delivered a new global standard document that met Hyundai’s requirements and adhered to industry trends and standards.
Improved Content Quality
The new information architecture and rewritten content resulted in significant improvements in content structure, linguistic quality, and consistency in terms and expressions. The document’s scalability and reusability were enhanced, thanks to its CMS-optimized structure.
Enhanced Reliability and Consistency
The improved reliability and consistency of the content not only increased the manual’s practical value but also ensured the quality of future derivative documents through efficient content reuse.
Additional Success: Premium Brand Manual Development
Following the successful revision of the dealership service operation manual, Hyundai awarded Hansem Global a contract to revise the service operation manual for its premium brand. Starting in July 2024, we have been collaborating on expanding the existing document and developing tailored content that reflects the premium brand’s high-end image.
This project solidified Hansem Global’s role as a trusted partner in developing Hyundai’s key operational documents, ensuring clarity, consistency, and practical usability across its global dealership network.