Everyone is looking for ways to be Productive at work. It’s time to set down that gallon size coffee or soda, toss out that long to do list…but wait you don’t have a long to do list. You have paper bits and sticky notes around your work station. You have to check on warranty claims and technicians reports. You have to stay on top of work flow which you have little control over.

Yes, you are a Service Advisor you have to rely on others to be productive.

Not!  You must control what you can and set the agenda for your day. You should think of your self as information central. This is your job. Planning and being prepared when your client rolls into your drive with vehicle history, manufactures suggested services and recall reports. Have a Process in place that allows you to share the service menu and point out the information for their vehicles needs. Gather the nuggets of need from your customer. Now turn that over to the technicians. See where this is going? The technicians follow up with you after they preform there MPI and you as information central gather that information and share it with the customer. All of the information. It is up to you as information central to share all of it! Your client may not choose to get all the work done but you are planting seeds for services needed. Most importantly by sharing all the information you will save them time and money, while keeping their vehicle within engineering specifications so they may enjoy the safety, reliability and performance that your customers have come to rely on.

Being Productive means sharing information with everyone on your team. You aren’t tightening bolts but you are the gear that turns your day. If you don’t get the information and process it to the right people then no one can get there job done.

Your benefit satisfied customers and increased productivity.

Customer satisfaction and team work in the shop all starts with you!

“How may I be of service to you today?”

Automotive Service Advisor Training and coaching is a luxury for some teams are you on an elite team? Do your managers want to see goals met and exceeded? The first step is having a process in force. One you can measure.

Contact:  Andrea@DealerServiceAcademy.com for your Automotive Service Drive Process Training and Coaching options.

What do your customers really want from you?

No matter what your industry, your customers want more than just great products and workable solutions.
What they really want to know is that you–personally–are the type of person whom they can trust to get the job done. With Automotive Service Advisor coaching and training Dealer Service Academy can give you the information to exceed your clients expectation. Your retail facility will never have slumping CSI numbers again! Your upfront communication skills will shine on the drive and your profits will soar.

Here are the seven things they want to see in you:
1. Independent Thinking
Customers want to know that you’ll represent their interests, even it’s not in your own financial interest–and particularly when the proverbial chips are down. (Of course, it’s your job to make certain that the chips stay up.)
2. Courage
Customers want to know that you can be trusted to do the right thing. They expect you to tell them if buying what you’re selling is a mistake, or not truly in their interests.  That takes real guts.
3. Pride
The best customers don’t want you to truckle and beg. Because they’re trusting you to deliver, they want to work with proud, successful people who can handle even the most difficult tasks.
4. Creativity
Customers don’t have the time to sit and listen to cookie-cutter sales presentations.  However, they always have time for somebody who can redefine concerns or issues and devise workable solutions.
5. Confidence
Customers are taking a risk when they buy from you.  They both need and expect you to exude the kind of confidence that assures them you’ll do what it takes to make them happy.
6. Empathy
Customers want you to see the situation from their perspective.  They want you to understand where they are, how their business works, and the challenges that they face–not just intellectually, but in your gut.
7. Honesty
Above all, customers want you to be honest with them.  In fact, the previous six values are built upon a foundation of honesty.  Without honesty, you have absolutely nothing to offer any customer

Do you have a service process in place?

For Automotive Service Advisor Training and Automotive Service Manager training and coaching processes.

Contact Andrea at (855)372-9255 ext 104 today or email andrea@dealerserviceacademy.com

Recently I received a emailed correspondence from a service advisor that was just fed up with all the added responsibilities piled on him and him peers in the service drive . He was asking me if the status quo has changed across the country.
Here is a snippet of that email:

“Many of the writers here feel taken advantage of because they have been asked to not only perform the functions of service write up but also cashiering and telephone answering and appointment making and customer follow up calls. They are also soon, going to be asked to perform the function of rental car check out and check in. Also because of some staffing issues at times the advisor must also go to the parking lot to retrieve the car for the customer on pickup. The reason many here feel taken advantage of is because all of this has been added to their daily duties without an increase in wages. I feel commissioned employees should be paid for duties that would be considered for an hourly wage employee.”

For the record I have not met this service advisor but hope to in the future.  I did go to the company website and read great reviews about this advisor.

My answer back was to email by saying “Yes for great customer service you must stay engaged with your customer, by phone, with presentations skills and status updates. You must be the go to guy for your client. Your building a relationship but do it smart! Be prepared when you client comes in go over key pieces like a menu and MPI. You set yourself up for better commissions. When you follow up on work completed you have another shot at declined services at active delivery. This is what Dealer Service Academy coaches and what our retailers want and need across the country. Your customer demands have changed they want information that only you can give him. Our customers today can get on the internet and find out anything they want within seconds. You must be prepared and knowledgeable when they come in and set the bar high! Don’t pass me on to someone else, tell me what I need and let me make a decision. They look to you for the answers.”

Also know that what he is experiencing is maybe just a need for a pat on the back from his boss and the new General Manager.
Don’t loose sight of the real stars in your service drive. Coaching the team you have is paramount. When new staff is hired and brought in everyone should be given a chance to shine.
Keep your team motivated.

Follow these steps with your automotive service advisors

1 Coach good phone skills

2 Being prepared for the customer, vehicle histories, service menus

3 Walking around a car with the customer every time!

4 Status calls before lunch, Time management is a must

5 Active delivery explaining all the service that your team accomplished for the customer’s convenience….take credit.

6 Show appreciation to your service advisors as they master all the tasks of the day!

We all know time fly’s but  sometimes we have to stop and smell the motor oil….

Dealer Service Academy has 2 new workshops coming up in March.
Please join us in
Phoenix, Arizona March 19th or 20th, 2013
Novi Michigan March 26 or 27th
To register or get a quote on in dealership coaching
contact Andrea at 855-372-9255 ext 104
Or click here to register now

With the growth everyday of texting among the general public for friends, family and business associates it is now accepted to text for everyday communication.  Using this medium leads in to opportunities for retail dealerships to market – both the sale of new vehicles and of course the service department to the existing client base. Today we look at ways to build the relationship and in turn grow business for the service department.

Confirmation of Appointments (permission based)
Service Department time is very valuable, which is why you keep to a strict appointment process — any minute that you spend that isn’t with a customer is a dollar you do not earn. Unfortunately, sometimes customers — who also lead very busy lives — forget about their appointments, which costs you revenue, causes disruptions in your schedule, and hurts your professional relationship.  Dealers do need to ensure permission is granted to send texts to the customer, getting written authorization to ensure the customer is allowing texts sent to their phone.

Research shows that less than 5% of appointments are canceled or result in a no-show after the client receives a reminder. A quick text to a customer after they call and set the appointment with “Thanks for the call we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday at 9:10 AM” can go a long way to build rapport.

Then a reminder 24 hours before the appointment simply stating “This is just a reminder that we have you scheduled for tomorrow at 9:10 AM at ABC Dealership, please call me with questions” can ensure they are aware of the time and the dealership.

Texting of Status Updates
As we all know keeping the customer informed on the status of their vehicle is a key driver in the service process. Since we know customers have a cell phone with them most of the time, it is now easy to send them a friendly reminder on the status of their vehicle. Simply stating that the car is in the shop, being washed or any other detail can go a long way with the customer rapport. Sending these can ensure that they don’t need to call you for status of their vehicle.

Please Note: We don’t recommend attempting to sell additional work via text message. Any required work to the vehicle is best explained over the phone (so they can ask questions freely) or in person at the dealership.

Another benefit of texting is that if you are discussing needed repair on a vehicle, such as brakes, it is quick and easy for the Service Advisor to take a picture of the current brakes and send a picture to the customer via text to review – should they request the ability to have a look.

Declined Services Offer Coupons
A time-sensitive “declined services” offer or coupon, after delivery of the vehicle! This is very important and has a high success rate!

Sending coupons by text pulls 10 times more response than coupons delivered in the mail or newspapers. It’s easier, less expensive, and more effective than any other medium — that’s why text coupons are growing faster than any other segment of the marketing/advertising industry.

Example of another industry coupon: