R this and R that

R this and R that. Which one is the right R for our Dealership? If we concentrate on ROI, what do we lose in ROR? Is it possible to have too much focus on ROR?

Wait. I didn’t explain what I am talking about very well. Ok. ROI is referring to Return On Investment. This “Investment” can be anything. Time, Money, Parts, Labor…anything. And when we “Invest” we have a perceived “Return” we would like to get back.

ROR is Return On Relationship. And this too requires an “Investment.” Of ourselves. That’s why ROR is a little more important (IMHO) than ROI. Because we put “ourselves” in the building of the Relationship, when we don’t get a “Return”, we feel bad about the decision.

If we put a part on a car or give a discount, and the Customer goes sideways or doesn’t come back, we feel the loss of revenue. And when it doesn’t work out, we might mutter under our breath, but we can move past it because we don’t have a piece of us on the chopping block. We can “write it off” as a “bad investment.”

When we start building Relationships we put some of ourselves into this Relationship, and the last thing we want is our Customer to go someplace else to have Service work performed on their vehicle. Our “Return On Relationship” suffers and we have a difficult time “writing it off” because it is about us.

Yes, we need ROI. Profit is important. Revenue is important. We work for MONEY! But, the Relationships we build with our Customers is even more important. Without ROR, every Dealership will fail.

So, what do we do different in Service to build a Relationship that is different from every other department in the Dealership? Not much.
In Sales, do we not strive to build a Relationship or a connection with the Customer as they come on to the lot, call us on the phone or send us an email?

In Sales, do we not have a Sales process to guide the Customer from the initial Meet and Greet through the Sales transaction to delivery and then

Layers of a typical sales funnel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

follow-up?

In Sales, do we not advertise for additional business using every media available to us?

In Sales, do we not have a process that every Sales Customer is taken on a tour of the Dealership and introduced to every department so they can make the transition from “Here is a New Sales Customer” to “Here is OUR New Customer?”

In Sales, do we not have one meeting a week at a minimum to generate excitement, introduce upcoming Sales events, reinforce best practices, go over aging inventory, describe specials and define Goals for the coming week/weekend?

So, if we do all of these things in the Sales department, and it is part of the Standard Operating Procedure to build a Relationship with the Customer, why would we do something different in Service?

We wouldn’t. In building Relationships with our Customers, we need to be consistent and Send the same message to our Customers from the initial contact to the initial Service appointment.

In Service, we need to start the ROR process from the moment we first meet the Customer. The strongest message we can send begins with a proper Greeting, a friendly outgoing attitude and a complete and thorough walk around every time they come in for Service.

In Service, we must have a Sales process to efficiently guide the Customer and ADVISE them as to the proper way to MAINTAIN their vehicle so they get maximum life and value from their purchase.

In Service, we must have an advertising budget to keep in contact with our Customers in a manner they have come to expect and taking into account how they want to be contacted. We must be as media savvy as any other Dealership department.

In Service, our ROR process must include a “How to” of the Service department. Everything from “How to make an appointment” to “How will the Advisor advise me on needed services and repairs?”

In Service, we must conduct weekly meetings with our personnel to generate excitement, describe specials, discuss service issues, reinforce best practices and define Goals for the week.

If our Standard Operating Procedure was the same for every Department in our Dealership, would we not have an EXCEPTIONAL Return on Relationship which would give us an EXCELLENT Return On Investment?

One word every Service Department needs.

What would be the one word to describe what a Service Department needs these days to compete?

There are so many to choose from. However, the one word that keeps coming up when I visit Dealerships across the country is adaptability.

The Dealerships that are doing well, adapt to changing market conditions and Customer demands.

Even if this is your first day in a Dealership, you know that the ability to adapt is the key to Exceeding Expectations.

The dictionary tells us that it means to “adjust to new circumstances.” Boy, if that is not the definition or guiding principle of the Service Department these days, I don’t know what is.

If you think about it, the Service Department is the only “gray” area in the Dealership. Everything else is black and white.

We have the part in stock or we don’t. We have the car on the lot or we don't. We can fund you or we can't. We are open extended hours or we are not.

In the Service Department, they don’t have those hard and fast rules because Customers and the situations that Service Advisors deal with are seldom written in stone. It’s more like an “etchasketch.”

This requires a person that is adaptable, flexible and understanding with the backing of an organization that is adaptable, flexible and understanding. Having either without the other won’t work.

And if you have Service Advisors who do not understand this concept or cannot adapt to a Customers Expectations, you will have problems.

When you have staff that are rigid and inflexible, you end up with Customers getting service that they would describe one of several ways. They say things like “Functional, yet cold” or “They helped me but they were somewhat unfriendly” or “I had to yell at them to get them to listen to me” and lastly “What the %$&^ is wrong with you guys?”

On the flip side, if you have personnel that are really trying to work within your Dealership system and are not “Empowered with Authority” you end up with comments like “I have used you guys in the past and I’ll continue, but not as much as I used to” or “I don’t know if I’ll come back, even though your Advisors are great” and “They were ok, but if I find someone else that is closer or cheaper, I’m going to go with them” and lastly “What the *&^% is wrong with you guys? Don't you want my business?”

The Service Department that has “Empowered with Authority” all of their Advisors will consistently outperform and outsell any other Dealer that has not taken that step.

This means Advisors are Trained to be adaptable and flexible and they do what is in the Best Interests of the Customer.

This leads to a Customer experience that can only be described as “Exceptional at Exceeding Expectations” and "spontaneously helpful." And of course results in unsolicited referrals and an increase in business.

Learn to adapt, be flexible, change as needed and Empower with Authority and your Customers will respond with feverish repurchase loyalty and unsolicited testimonials.

Smothered by the Rut Blanket

What would a Professional Service Advisor do?

Professional Service Advisors are prepared for the day ahead of them and don’t get caught in the “why bother because everyday is the same” rut.

Now, why is this so important? I mean, c’mon, isn’t every day just the same?

Open the door, reset the alarm, start the coffee, turn on the computers, check for night drops, check your email, flip through the stack of carry-overs, etc, etc, etc.

Sounds like the “same ol’, same ol’” to me. No change required. No need to do anything different. You can live your life like a sheeple. Lots of companies need sheeples.

If that is the kind of career and the kind of earnings you want, then go for it. It is easy to be easy. You can let your whole life creep along this way, no problem.

What you have to realize is that it is not the daily routine that gets you; it’s the thinking behind the daily routine. If the day before you looks like and feels just like yesterday, then it must be the same.

And that’s when the rut gets you. Ruts do not grab you suddenly from behind like a mugger on a city street. It is not a full front assault. Because if getting into a rut was like that, we would all take precautions and avoid it.

No, getting into a rut or “stinkin’ thinkin’” is more like being smothered by a soft layer of blankets, one blanket at a time. When you get that first blanket, it’s all warm and cozy (just like your daily routine) and it feels good. Who wouldn’t feel secure in a snugly little blanket?

Then the next blanket gets piled on and you feel even more warm and cozy, just like Grandmas house at night in the winter after a cup of hot chocolate. Doesn’t that sound nice?

And every day another soft blanket gets piled on and before you know it, you are being crushed by a pile of blankets a thousand feet tall. You can’t breathe, you can’t move, in fact, you can’t even get out from under that pile of blankets. It’s so freaking heavy it squeezes the life out of you like hot cheeze wiz. Gruesomely gooey.

Blankets don’t seem so warm and cozy now, do they? Ruts are like that. Softly smothering you while wrapping you up with a false sense of security. And nothing rips through that blanket like a bucket of cold water than the Dealership getting sold, or the manager getting fired. Where is your blanket now Linus?

Earl Nightingale said “A rut is nothing more than a grave with the ends kicked out.”

We all want our days to have some routine and normalcy. It is what makes the world go around. What we don’t want to do is assume that everyday will be the same as the last one and start assuming that our Professional life and career growth stops merely because we have figured out a way to stay “warm and cozy.”

Professional Service Advisors get prepared for their day and their careers because they know that every Customer is different and it is better to be prepared to Take Action that to have Action Taken. And they take that into their Professional life as well. They don’t stand around and wait for the manager to say “Hey, have you completed training this year?” They are constantly taking the time to become better at their profession and better prepared than their competition.

Here is another way to think about it. If this does not describe you, then it’s the Advisor standing next to you getting prepared. Your immediate competition.

Here are 10 ways you can get ready for your day, your career and your Professional life. Get out of your rut.
1.Read more. Read anything that contributes to your abilities, your skill sets and education. You own those 3 free and clear. Making them better pays dividends to you 10 times what you put into it.
2.Practice your skill sets frequently. Role play, write a new greeting, new script, anything that will stimulate your mind and get you thinking about how you can do something better or different for your Customer. This will lead to a sense of satisfaction and just as important, more income.
3.Start a focus group in your workplace with other Advisors. You don’t need permission from anyone, JUST DO IT! Believe it or not, there are other Advisors in your store that have issues just like you. Waiting for someone to help is not going to get it done. Pick a subject that needs attention in your Service Drive, get the other Advisors together and get started on taking care of it.
4.Mentor someone at work. Teaching them the right way to do things will keep you on the right track, stimulate new thinking and may, just maybe, lead you to a new way of doing business.
5.Join a Professional Organization or Association. This will let you connect with others in the car biz while allowing you to gain knowledge and skills. Google it.
6.Join Toastmasters. If you are a true Service Professional and have not taken advantage of learning how to speak on your feet (for nearly nothing by the way) how Professional can you be?
7.Take a class. Writing, Speaking, Computer etc… Get new knowledge!
8.Teach a class at work. Teaching and Mentoring is the new “old school.” Skills and knowledge are being lost in the workplace faster than can be replaced. Someone has to lead the way, why not you?
9.Write down what you have to do the next day before you leave that day, go through all of your carry-overs, go through all of your appointments and make notes so you are prepared to talk to your Customer, check with Parts and make sure the VOR Parts got ordered (can you see where this is going?) etc.
10.GET HUNGRY! GET PASSIONATE! People love doing business with people who are HUNGRY and PASSIONATE about what they do. ( I use Caps to show you how PASSIONATE I am about the Service Business) There is absolutely no better experience than dealing with a Professional who wants to do a better job because they are HUNGRY and PASSIONATE about their Profession.

Preparing for the day ahead is not just about the very next day. It’s about being ready for every day, about changing your life and getting out of it what you want.

Professionals get prepared.

“Missed it by that much”

There is an old saying carpenters use. “Measure twice, cut once.”

I recently went to a Dealer to present DealerPro and our Performance Driven Training Program and guess what…I measured once and missed the cut.

I didn’t miss by much. About a 1/16th of and inch or so. When you really think about it, on a small scale, 1/16th is not that much at all. It really does not seem that big a deal.

But miss by 1/16th of an inch when you are calculating something like the square footage of your home and taxes are involved and suddenly you remember things like high school algebra and can quote complex mathematical theories.

The point I am making is everyday we all say things to ourselves like “Oh, it’s ok if I don’t give that Customer a menu because I know that they don’t buy anything” or “I’m not going to worry about that multipoint inspection. They were in just a few months ago” and we give ourselves a pass.

Why?

It’s just a little bit and it won’t make a difference. Right?

I flew 200o miles to present our program to a Dealer that was not prepared to see me because I failed to follow my own process. I got busy with other things and did not “measure twice, cut once.” Can you guess the end result?

It’s never the big disaster that kills a deal. Big disasters almost always start with small decisions that don’t really seem that important when you are making them.

Deciding not to personally call this Dealer and get him on the phone even after we had talked a couple of times, did not seem that big a deal. I mean, everybody reads their email…right? And everybody can read and follow directions…can’t they?

It was only a little shortcut. And it caused a huge miss.

Are your Service Advisors taking those little “shortcuts” because in their minds “it’s just a little thing” and nobody will notice? Are you allowing your Service Team to circumvent, use “choice implementation” or refuse to follow processes that are in place? Are they “missing the cut?”

Take the time NOW to review everything you are doing that is working and everything that is not working and find out why.

Grandma dropped her car off and did not get a multipoint inspection? Why?

Mr. Jones came in for a recall and was not offered a menu? Why?

Billybob the local twice a month customer came in and was not greeted properly? Why?

Silly Sally the Service Advisor did not complete and walk around on her 10 writeups today? Why?

Ms. Coffeecellphone came in and was completely taken care of and even wrote a letter to the owner about her recent service experience. Why?

It’s not just about what is not being done. It also about what is being done correctly.

Find out what is being done correctly… train, show,coach, review, train, show, coach, review, lather, rinse, repeat daily for maximum results.

Do this enough and missing by just a 1/16th becomes a footnote in your Success Story.

Me, I’m back to measuring twice. I hate missing the cut. Don’t you?

Training Your Service Customers: Pays Big Dividends

If you are like most dealers, you are reading this article and scratching your head, wondering, “What the heck is this guy talking about training your service customers?” To begin with, I want you to come to grips with the concept that training can solve most any problem. Training can give you a higher return on your capital investment. Training can generate more bang for your working-capital buck. Training can reduce employee turnover. Training can improve closing ratios and increase owner retention. Training will generate more net profit. Think about it.


You just hired a new payroll clerk who has five years of payroll experience using ADP. However, your payroll system is on Reynolds and Reynolds. What do you do? You train the clerk to use your computer system, and, within a few days, your payroll process is back to normal. You just lost your top F&I producer and you have this successful salesperson who has always wanted to move into F&I, so you do the right thing and offer him the position. You know that in order for him to be successful in producing F&I income, he must have some training on how to become a top F&I producer. So, you send him to a professional F&I training class. Now, how about that service advisor you just hired from the competition down the street (big mistake), who is supposed to improve your falling CSI, stop your declining repair order count and increase sales? Obviously, achieving those worthy goals will require a lot of communication and sales skills. Clearly, you will also seek out a professional to train this new advisor, right? (I hope you said yes).

Now you’re starting to get the picture regarding training. This trained advisor can now go to work each day and focus on achieving the goals that you have given him/her, improve your falling CSI, stop your declining repair order count and increase sales. All three of these can be accomplished by this advisor simply training your customers. It all starts with the first oil change.

When I was a service advisor, way back in the 70s the manufacturers actually helped me train my customers. That’s right; every customer was given a maintenance booklet that resembled a checkbook, with coupons about the size of a check. The customer was required to complete all of the required maintenance items listed on each coupon. As an advisor, I would remove the coupon upon completion of the service, attach it to the hard copy of the RO and validate the coupon stub with my dealership stamp and date. Upon delivering the vehicle back to my customer, I would review what was required on the next coupon, explain when the next service would be due and tell the customer that these services were required by the manufacturer in order to maintain their manufacturer’s warranty. It worked like a charm.

My customers would walk up to me with their keys and maintenance booklet in hand and state something like, “Hi Don, I’m here for my 15,000-mile service.” When they came back to pick up their vehicle, I reviewed the 18,000-mile service. In those days, the required service intervals were every 3,000 miles for the life of the vehicle. I had very happy customers (CSI) because their vehicles were properly maintained. My repair order count continued to climb each month and, of course, so did our sales. So, why can’t we use this same process in today’s service departments? The answer is, we can. The question is, why aren’t we using this same process in service departments? Do you realize this kind of training is exactly what the aftermarket quick lube centers are doing with your customers?

Starting today, ask each of your advisors what maintenance is required by your respective manufacturer. I’m betting they don’t know. If that is the case, then require them to read the warranty book and they will find the words “required maintenance” inside. So, wouldn’t it be a novel idea to advise each and every customer, on each and every visit to your service department, of the maintenance requirements for their respective vehicle? If you did so and they agreed, do you think they would be driving a more reliable vehicle? The people who build the vehicles think so. If they have a more reliable vehicle, will your CSI improve? Yes. If your CSI improves, will your customers keep coming back? Most likely. If you advise them on what is required next and when it is due, will even more of them come back? Probably. If more customers return for more required maintenance, would it be a good idea to offer them recommendations for additional maintenance based on your local driving conditions and their individual driving habits? Absolutely.

Now, what are the benefits of following this simple process from the 70s? Your CSI improves, your repair order numbers increase and your sales go up, along with a nice steady supply of repeat customers for your sales department. With someone always saying, “Sell more cars,” isn’t it about time you get serious about service and start training your service customers?

---Don Reed

Exceeding the Expectations

What would a Service Professional do?


A Professional understands their Customers Expectations.

Now this has got to be the easiest “no brainer” post you have read in years! You would think that every person who works in the Dealership has heard of Customer Service (here’s a little hint: WE ALL DO) and would take the time to understand their Customer expectations.

You would think.

And every day in the field at a Dealership there is a couple of moments where there is the “I have no idea” look on people’s faces when asked about what their Customer came in for, what was the reason for their visit, why are they here, how are we helping them, what’s the story etc....It's like a mystery novel.

The reason is they have become order takers. This new breed of Service Advisor has been trained by corporate America all of their lives with “instantology”, which is using the smallest amount of brain activity required to actually have meaningful interactions with their Customers.

This in turn has led us to a new term in Training called “you don’t need to know” in which Customers are regularly greeted and serviced by non-communicators who cannot distinguish between a request for service or a statement of concern unless it’s printed on the touch screen menu in front of them.

This collection of "Service (aacckkkk, cough cough) Professionals” are then left to founder and fumble with your Dealership Customers (you know, the "lifeblood of the Dealership, our main focus, why we are open"...etc...you've heard all of that before, right?) with more skills in “instantology” than in COMMUNICATION and CRITICAL THINKING!

This has reduced our once world renown model of Service Excellence we called the “American Way of Doing Business” to a misdirected application called "Someone told me to stand here and talk to you."

And because we choose to do business this way we find ourselves in constant need of reminding our Service "Professionals" what they are supposed to do and why they are supposed to do it.

In turn, this has increased our Customers chances of having to do business with someone who has little desire and are completely clueless how to deliver Exceptional Customer Service because it does not come with instructions on the box.

The true Professional Service Advisor not only knows what his or her Customers expectations are, they EXCEED them. They are anticipatory because they have taken the time to study their product and their Customer. And they truly understand Service. More importantly, they understand how the Customer could EXPECT to use their vehicle in their daily lives. Lastly, they understand their Customers EXPECTATIONS when they come in for Service.

How do they know these "magical things?"

The true Professional Service Advisor has taken the time to become an excellent COMMUNICATOR and only relies on “instantology” for storage and processing of the Customers information as a means of assistance and not as a means of conveyance.

Basically folks, you can’t get the computer to pull out its wallet no matter how hard you try.

When you have taken the time to really understand and anticipate your Customers Expectations by asking if they have been met one on one and by becoming a true Communicator through study and application will you become a True Service Professional.

Be Professional.

Service Advisor Training---Expense or Investment?

Service Advisor Training---Expense or Investment?

A significant number of dealers these days are becoming more and more aggressive in selling used vehicles. Some have even lost their new car franchises and now rely solely on used vehicle sales along with parts and service sales to pay the overhead and hopefully provide them with a significant Return On Investment (ROI). I’m confident you will agree that it is critically important for all dealers to earn the highest possible ROI on every single investment they make, right?

Now, in order to increase sales in any department you have to start doing things differently and/or do different things. If not, then you simply continue to do what you’ve always done as stated so clearly by Zig Ziglar: “You have the perfect processes in place to get you exactly what you got last year.” I’m talking about training here in order to positively affect change. Some of you will take the approach of “saving your way into profitability” by vowing not to increase your expenses but you remain willing to make investments every day of your business life. Let’s consider some examples.

NADA research shows that the average used car cost (investment) is about $13,300 and sells for around $15,000 resulting in a gross profit of $1700 which is a ROI of 13%. ($1700 divided by $13,300 = $13%). Assume you can turn that inventory investment of $13,300 every 30 days (great job) that would be 12 turns per year at $1700 gross PRU for a total gross profit of $20,400 resulting in a ROI of 153%! My guess is none of you would hesitate to invest $13,300 in a used car knowing that you will realize a 153% ROI over the next 12 months. As a matter of fact, many of you wouldn’t hesitate to make multiple investments: 50, 75 or even 100 of those $13,300 cars to earn that kind of an ROI. Makes perfect sense to me!

Research also shows that a Service Advisor servicing 12 customers per day (4 Warranty and 8 Customer Pay) and averaging 1.5 Hours Per Repair Order at NADA benchmark’s will produce about $1637 in Gross Profit per day, $36,016 in Gross Profit per month and a total of $432,194 in Gross Profit per year. Let’s assume you diverted just one of those $13,300 used car inventory investments into a $13,300 training investment in your Service Advisor and that training produced an extra .5 HPRO (33% Improvement), you would realize a Gross Profit increase of about $12,000 per month or $144,000 over the next 12 months resulting in a ROI of 1082%! (If your stock broker can do that for you please send me his name and number.) Let’s finish the math here by adding the additional gross profit of $144,000 to the $432,194 and you have a total gross profit of $576,194 produced by one employee—The Service Advisor. Now I ask you, how many employees do you have producing over $576,000 a year in Gross Profit? Maybe your F&I Producers. How many salespeople are producing that kind of gross for you? This is the equivalent of selling 28 used cars a month at $1700 PRU. How many sales people are selling an average of 28 cars a month to match the performance of a 2.0 HPRO Service Advisor? How’s that $13,300 training investment working out for you now? Is it an expense or an investment? Maybe you should ask your broker to answer that one for you?

Let’s continue on with this logic and consider the following:

1. Who gets the most incoming Sales Calls per day—Salesperson or Service Advisor?

2. Who meets and greets the most Sales Opportunities per day—Salesperson or Service Advisor?

3. Who has the greatest impact on Owner Retention—Salesperson or Service Advisor?

4. Who has the greatest impact on Brand Loyalty—Salesperson or Service Advisor

5. Who needs Telephone & Sales Training—Salesperson or Service Advisor

The answer to questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 is the Service Advisor. The answer to question number 5 is both the Salesperson and the Service Advisor. The simple fact is anyone in your dealership who comes in contact with your customers as well as your potential customers, must be professionally trained on how to effectively communicate (Sell) to them all.
I’m sure far too many of you Dealers, General Managers and Service Directors will continue to try and “save your way into profitability” versus being proactive and commit to re-allocating some of your inventory investment into your training investment. For those Dealers, General Managers and Service Directors who “get it” you can look forward to record Service and Parts Net Profits in 2010. It’s your choice to make.

Article by:

Don Reed

CEO-DealerPro Training Solutions

NADA University Partner

Service Advisor Needed Immediately - Classified Ad - OTTAWA, ONTARIO

Service Advisor Needed Immediately - Classified Ad

***Service Drive Manager and Service Advisors Needed Immediately (Ft. Worth)

SERVICE DRIVE MANAGER MUST HAVE 5+ YEARS EXPERIENCE AND ADVISORS MUST HAVE 2+ YEARS EXPERIENCE!

Allen Samuels Dodge/Hyundai is looking for qualified people to join our team. Our talented teams of professionals perform at high levels due to their efforts and proven processes that are performed 100% of the time.

Please send resume to rheywood@dealerprotraining.com or fax to 727-230-7502

We provide professional training by a Fixed Operations Specialist.

Allen Samuels offers unlimited earning potential, with an extremely generous compensation program in addition to industry leading benefits. Top performers deserve top pay. If You have the Desire and Drive, We have the Vehicle.

Job Summary:

Service Drive Manager is responsible for leading a team of advisors, perform set processes and making sure that their team performs the same processes with each and every customer.

The service advisor is responsible for the highest quality customer service and selling additional needed service to customers. The service advisor is the dealership's first-line customer-relations and service representative.

Job Responsibilities:

*Perform service drive processes 100% of time with every customer.

o Greet each customer in a prompt, courteous manner, let customers who are waiting in line know that they will be helped soon

o Communicate with service customers to determine the nature of the mechanical problems

o Secure agreement from customers before repairs; cover cost estimate; and approximate time when vehicle's work will be completed

o Obtain customer and vehicle data

o Maintain a dealership-prescribed standard for "hours per customer repair order written"

o Inspect all vehicles for bodywork, notify the customer if work is needed and provide an estimate for body shop work

o Advise customers on the care of their cars and the value of maintaining their vehicles in accordance with manufacture's specifications, using maintenance menus

o Keep a daily log of repair orders written, status as well as carryovers

o Handle minor customer complaints and misunderstandings

o Communicate the need for additional work when needed; explain the details to the customer, including the additional cost and time consideration and document properly on repair order

o Follow up progress of each repair order during the day, contact customers by telephone regarding changes in the estimate or time promised

o Handle telephone inquiries regarding work in process and appointments and return phone messages promptly

o Deliver vehicles to customers and answer any questions, review work performed and explain charges and coverage

o Interpret warranty information and policies to customers

o Advise customers of parts ordered and make an appointment to have them installed before customer leaves

o Assist the service manager as necessary

o Follow company safety procedures to avoid exposure to fumes, dirt, dust and harsh chemicals

o Demonstrates behaviors consistent with the Company's Vision, Mission, and Values in all interactions with customers, co-workers and suppliers

o Adheres to all company policies, procedures and safety standards



Required Experience

Qualifications:



o Must meet company's requirements for employment

*CSI skills a must with proven sales history

o Must have valid driver's license

o Ability to drive manual transmission vehicles

o Demonstrated customer service skills

o Previous service advisor experience 2 years +

o Ability to read and comprehend instructions and information

o Sales experience (preferred)

o Excellent verbal and written communication skills

o Professional appearance

*Must have valid Texas driver's license



Physical Requirements & Working Conditions:

o Exposure to inclement weather

o Ability to operate an automobile

o Prolonged periods of standing, stooping and bending

The Top Ten Excuses and Myths of Dealership Training Programs

Number 10.

“We’ll do it ourselves.” The Truth is very different than the Reality. Most of the time Managers find it hard to devote 5 minutes to a vendor or the factory Rep let alone the hours of training required to make a change in an Advisors behavior.

Number 9.

“It’s too expensive.” We have a saying at DealerPro… “Never let money stand in the way of training.” No, Mr. or Ms. Dealer, it’s too expensive to do nothing. Every day you wait, you are losing Gross Profit. Those days of Lost Opportunity add up to months and then years of money flowing out of your Service Department. Let us help you achieve your Goals for 2011.

Number 8.

“It’s not the right time.” When is it ever the right time? Every day there are new challenges. People quit, the computer system crashes, the parking lot is being repaved…there is no right time. In fact, waiting for the right time is the exact opposite of the right time. It is always the wrong time to wait and it is costing you money Mr. or Ms. Dealer.

Number 7.

“I’m in the middle of hiring new people.” What a perfect time to get them trained properly. What benefit is there to waiting for training? None, there is no benefit. Every successful organization on the planet has a training program for new hires that gets them started on the right foot. You want them to be properly trained and started off on the right foot don’t you?

Number 6.

“We do things differently around here. Your program won’t work.” In the 11 year history of DealerPro that refrain has been heard hundreds if not thousands of times. We have proven that our system does work without regard to location or region. It works because it’s based on people and processes.

Number 5.

“My people won’t like it.” That may be true. If they are underachieving, they won’t like our program or any other program. When you start making changes people who have been comfortable get…uncomfortable. Why? If you want to succeed, you have to do things differently.

And comfortable people just want to stay comfortable, don’t they?

Number 4.

“We are too busy to do training.” Mr. or Ms. Dealer, this is exactly why you need to do training. If your level of “busy” matched your level of profits, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. There are busy Dealerships and then there are Dealerships that appear to be busy. In the latter, we find that there is a lot of wasted opportunity.

Number 3.

“What if I don’t like the Trainer?” We are a Performance Based company Mr. or Ms. Dealer, and as such, everyone is measured all of the time. If there is a Performance issue, chances are we already know and will be talking with you and your Trainer to identify the problem.

Number 2.

“I have a friend/consultant/the factory with a similar program and we want to use them.” While we support Training and certainly respect anyone who can provide a program, the differences between DealerPro and the “other guy” is tremendous. Here are a few items to consider.

1.Will the friend/consultant/the factory return every month for 13 months for 3-5 days of training in the service drive?
2.Do they have any “skin in the game”? In other words, are they fee based or performance based?
3.Do they have an Automotive Retail background? Our average Trainer has 20 Years experience as a Service Manager or Service and Parts Director.
If the answer to any of these questions is no, then you really need to consider DealerPro as your first choice.

Number 1.

“I’m not really sure about all of this. Isn’t this what I am paying my Service Manager for?” Mr. or Ms. Dealer, we find that most Service Managers and Service and Parts Directors are good at doing lots of things.

We are the best at one thing, Training Service Personnel.

And because we are the best our Dealers enjoy an average 35-40% increase in Gross Profit.

Bottom Line, there really is no reason not to start Training.



Let us help you get the Profits you deserve from your Fixed Operations.

Contact me at rheywood@dealerprotraining.com

“The Cheapest Oil Change In Town”

In every market and at every dealer there is the perception in Fixed Operations that cheap oil changes will add profit.



While it is true that cheap oil changes will bring Customers to your door, it is up to you to do something with them when they arrive.

Here are 3 Ways you can maximize the cheap oil change.

■Be “Over The Top” with your Customer Service. Be clean and neat, be accomodating, be prompt, be courteous and be Thankful. Think of the Customer as someone who is test driving your Dealership to see if they like the ride. Give them the best ride possible.
■Do a Complete and Thorough Inspection of the vehicle. Instead of a “27 Point” how about a “Driveability Check” or a “Winter Safety Check” or a “Brake, Light and Fluid Check” in addition to your usual 27 Point Inspection. The object is to give the Customer something that they were not expecting when they came in for “just an oil change.”
■Give them a Reason to Complete Service Work with You. Hey, you advertise, you plan for, you spend money and you lose money on the oil change and then…you don’t give your Customer a compelling reason to have service work completed at your Dealership? What are you thinking?
Making money in Fixed Operations is difficult when you don’t plan for the Oil Change Customer who might or might not be your Customer. It is impossible if you do not maximize the Cheap Oil Change Customers visit.

For Trainers

The greatest single feeling of accomplishment you can experience as a Trainer is one where someone you are Training suddenly…Gets It.

And right in front of you… before your very eyes, there is a Change.

See, in Training, change is mostly slow, frequently subtle, hard to see and sometimes hard to measure. It requires energy, time, committment, belief, knowledge, skill, communication, background, application and mostly… Will Power.

So, when someone “Gets It” and it happens right in front of you, it is a pretty special moment. Because up until that time you have invested all of yourself on…Faith.

Nothing more.

Faith in that person. Faith in what you Teach and how you Train. Faith that if you keep trying and never give in to the naysaying, the complaints, the whining, the bitching, the negativity…then you will have that moment…that special moment that occurs only after you have given of yourself and invested in another person based solely on Faith… with the only Thought and the only Reward… a moment in time when… that person…Gets It.

So, for you Trainers out there, the ones with the skin in the game, the heart on your sleeve, the feet on the deck and the eye on the prize…Keep It Up. We are counting on you.

We are counting on you to see us for what we can Become and what we can Achieve. We are counting on you Mr. or Ms. Trainer to Push us when we think we cannot be Pushed any more, to Train us when we think we have been Trained enough, to ask us to Commit to what you are Teaching us and to hold us Accountable for what we do or do not do.

That is what we are asking of you Mr. or Ms. Trainer.

Because if you do not…who will?

And because we have Faith in you Mr. or Ms. Trainer, we will…Try.

Rest assured that we will stumble, we will procrastinate, we will regress, we will start in fits and flubs…and through it all we will be counting on you.

Counting on you to be there to guide and lead. To lead us when we want to quit and remind us what we can become. You never quit on us and that is why we look to you. Because you have Faith.

For if you give up on us, what Hope do we have? If you do not Train us, who will?

Remember that you fill a Role…the most important Role any person can have …the most Respected of all Professions a man or woman can undertake…that of one who Leads and Trains. We ask that you don’t give up on us.

We ask that you…Try. Because we want to be the person that “Gets It” and make everything you do worthwhile.

We are counting on you.

Not Taking Action Has Consequences

Yesterday I had the privilege of addressing a room of Service Managers and Factory Personnel. And I have to believe that everyone in that room was there to find or gather some new information that would help them take action on something that might be causing them some problems at their Dealerships.

Why would you attend if you had no hope of getting something, right? I hope that everyone one of them got something that they can use right away at their Dealership this week, something they can take action on.

And because I had a long drive home afterwards I started thinking about the consequences of not taking action.

In the Service Department the consequences really multiply quickly.

Lets take a look at John Q. Advisor.

John Q. is a underachiever at ABC Motors. His HPRO is at .9 and his Gross Profit Margin is below 70%. Now, John Q. is not necessarily a bad guy. In fact, he is a likeable and hard-working employee. He comes to work on time and believes he contributing to the overall success of the Service Department.

Johns current performance level is not acceptable. And the consequence of not taking action has verifiable results. Take a look at Johns numbers.

His current HPRO at .9 at the national labor rate of $85.00 an hour equals $76.50 in Gross Labor Sales. His Parts Gross Sales are $61.20 at a 80% parts to labor ratio which adds up to a total of $137.70 per CP Repair Order written. John has been performing at this level for 3 months.

The national average HPRO is 1.5 and by accepting Johns performance it is costing the Dealership money.

How much money?

Adding .6 at $85.00 equals $51.00 in Gross Labor Sales. Factor in the Parts Gross of $40.80 and each RO that John Q. writes is costing the Dealership $91.80 in LOST SALES! John writes an average of 220 CP ROs a month.

That is $20,196.00 per month and over a 3 month period that adds up to $60,588.00! I have to ask you, would you pay any Advisor $20,196.00 extra a month? $252,352 a year?

By not taking action, YOU ARE!

Everyday that John is not Trained and not held Accountable for his performance there is a concrete and verifiable loss. Not only a monetary loss but a performance loss that affects the whole department as well.

Why?

Accepting Johns results sends a message to everyone in the Dealership that a lack of performance is ok and that continued performance at this level is not a concern that needs to be taken care of. In fact John and every employee in the Service Department need not worry about the future. It is secure at ABC Motors.

You know what is worse? John thinks that it’s ok. Should John go to another Dealership for whatever reason, he would soon find himself out of a job, again. Why? Because Underachievers are not tolerated everywhere!

So not only is the Service Manager at ABC Motors costing the Dealership money by not Taking Action, by not Training John, by not holding John Accountable, the Service Manager is perpetuating Poor Performance and Condoning it!

Do you have a John Q. in your store?

Are you suffering the consequences of not taking action? What are you going to do about it!

Are You Trying to Save Your Way to Profitability?

Getting profitable. Wow. How cool would that be?

You come into the store the first day of the month, open the door to your office, turn on the lights, sit at your desk and open the drawer that you keep your last months financial statement in and read through it until you come to the page that has the final numbers….and you smile a little self satisfied smile….when you realize “we paid all of our bills before we even opened the door this morning.”

Sounds like a science fiction novel? Or a fairy tale?

Maybe…especially if you are trying to save your way into Profitability.

It can be done…no doubt…that first month or two after you have made the cuts in Personnel, and wages (a favorite of all the employees by the way), and supplies, and vendors (they love that thing you do…you know..”Hey dude, I’m not paying $75.00 a car anymore for ding repair, it’s $50.00 now.”), and weekend meals for the Sales Dept…..you know what I’m talking about…and at the end of the second month…Wala…Profit. Right there on the statement. Just like you thought.

Then….the unthinkable happens…even less Traffic…. which you guessed it…. leads to less Sales and that of course takes us to less Profit because there is less Revenue and less of….well…EVERYTHING!

Now what do you cut? More importantly, how can you remain Profitable?

Maybe the question is not “Are my Expenses too High?”….maybe it’s “Are my Profits too Low?”

If this is you, then you need to start looking at Profit Generation and not Expense Cuts. Let me elaborate.

There is an area in your Dealership that has been known to generate Profit….consistently…if it’s being done correctly….it’s called the Fixed Operations or Service and Parts Department. I know….you can’t believe it either….it’s been there all along. Just waiting to be capitalized on.

Let’s present some facts. Now, I’m not picking on anyone, just discussing. Don’t get offended…I’m just the messenger and the alarm sounder.

The average hardworking Salesperson in the average Dealer selling an average New Vehicle will generate an average of $1450.00 in Gross PUS. If the New Vehicle has a $30000.00 sale price, that equates to .048333 or almost .05% average Gross Profit PUS.

Lets look at the Service Numbers. The average hardworking Advisor writing an average of 12 ROs a day will generate an average of $2754.00 in Sales with an average overall Gross of $1636.00 or 59% Gross Profit, per day.

Compared that to the average hardworking Salesperson overall average monthly Sales of 11 Units generating a total average monthly Gross of $15950.00, the average Advisor, well, has the bigger potential!

The average Advisor will generate $32,720.00 in average Gross Profit for the month!

Ok, what’s your point?

Since Saving our way to Profitability is a short term fix (and one sure to demoralize and in some cases, scare the employees), why not invest and allocate available resources into the Fixed Operations? One thing is for sure, the Sales to Gross ratio is a lot better, and the potential for getting even more is a lot greater.

So, which seems the better course of action?

Saving your way to Profitability or Generating More Profit?