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Hitachi Global Air Power: Elevating Customer Service Excellence with Purdue MEP

Founded in 1965 in Michigan City, IN, Sullair built a global reputation for durable, reliable compressed air solutions. Its machines became known worldwide for legendary durability and reliability. Today, Sullair is part of Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., operating under the name Hitachi Global Air Power US while continuing to manufacture and sell Sullair-branded air compressors to customers around the globe.

The Challenge:

As a highly technical organization, many employees in customer-facing roles at Hitachi were promoted internally or hired for their technical expertise rather than their customer service experience. This created a gap in soft skills critical for managing customer interactions, especially in high-pressure situations such as troubleshooting industrial equipment failures. Leadership recognized the need to align the team on best practices for communication, issue resolution, and relationship building.

The Solution:  

To address this challenge, Hitachi partnered with Purdue MEP to deliver its comprehensive Customer Service Skills for Success series. Since 2024, the company has hosted two onsite cohorts and enrolled several employees in public workshops facilitated by Purdue MEP. The training emphasizes core customer service fundamentals, including communication and listening skills, managing stress, conflict resolution, and time management. Designed to foster self-awareness, the program equips employees with practical tools to navigate high-pressure interactions calmly and effectively.

The Results:

The initiative delivered several benefits:

• High Engagement & Positive Feedback: Over 30 employees have completed the program to date, with consistently positive feedback and strong participation.
• Improved Communication & Relationship Building: Teams reported greater self-awareness and a fresh perspective on customer service, leading to stronger relationships with repeat customers and distributors.
• Operational Impact: Employees demonstrated improved ability to de-escalate tense situations, particularly when supporting technicians during critical equipment downtime.
• Sustainable Commitment: Based on success and executive-level support, Hitachi plans to continue training in the future, reinforcing customer service excellence as a core competency.
• Employee Retention: Hitachi has achieved a 90% retention rate among employees who completed the customer service training, indicating a strong link between professional development and employee retention.

"Having this type of customer service skill set allows us to build more solid relationships and foster better communication with customers we interact with daily. The training gave our team the tools to handle challenging situations calmly and professionally, which is invaluable in our industry."

- John Skalka, Senior Manager, Customer Service, Hitachi Global Air Power US