Parts & Service Department

Missed Shots

How many times have you heard: “How many (fill in the blank) did we sell this (fill in the time period)”?

We’re always pushing our service advisors to sell every possible opportunity they can find (be it from a walkaround, factory maintenance, or what the technician finds).

We need to examine one specific word: “find”.  In this context, “find” is a verb, indicating some form of action. In our industry, action is an essential element of everyday life, and at ODS, we translate that into the simple word “do”.

For this discussion, and to start your thinking process in the right direction, ask yourself this one question: In terms of finding immediate service sales opportunities, who (in your dealership) is responsible for performing the action we call “find”?

Service Advisors find work every day through walkarounds and visual inspections at vehicle dropoff.

Technicians find work through diagnosis and in-depth vehicle examinations.

Service Managers find opportunities in terms of new revenue generation ideas, efficiency improvements, and expense controls.

Problem is…human nature only compels us to look for things that are of interest to us which might prove beneficial to our work skills or paycheck…and sometimes, work needed on a customer’s vehicle is simply overlooked because it is not advantageous to the Technician to do it, or for the Advisor to sell it, or for the Manager to ensure said work is being “found”.

Sure, you may have a “21-point inspection sheet”…if a vehicle comes in needing work (a necessary job which is excessively complicated and/or time consumptive), what’s the likelihood that item will make it’s way onto the inspection sheet, and then be sold? Moreover, what auditing tools do you have in place to ensure this process happens with every Advisor and every Technician?

I’ll provide a simple example…your battery vendor probably has a tester which they will provide you free of charge (or at little cost) which provides a complete battery test in thirty seconds, provides a printed battery health report as a customer sales tool, and also keeps track of total battery tests performed per week/month, and by whom. Obtain this device, and require 100% battery testing in your shop. Match your monthly car count against battery test count and determine how many opportunities were missed.

You will be astounded how many “shots” are not being taken.

People like to do what comes easily to them…unfortunately, not all opportunities in vehicle repair offer this luxury. All professionals are compelled to “do the right thing” which may not be the easiest, most interesting, or profitable act of our day. However, we discipline ourselves to ensure our area responsibility is covered, and we demonstrate an awareness to ensure repeat business and profit. This awareness must become a “culture” within your shop to ensure 100 per cent of the “shots”…good and bad…easy and complicated, highly profitable and not-so profitable…are taken.

What can you do today to ensure your team takes all of it’s “shots”?

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