Recently, a new client of mine was surprised that the first thing I did when I came into his dealership was to familiarize myself with the manufacturers Policy and Procedure manual - and by familiarize, I mean that I read it cover to cover.  This has been a process of mine since I first entered into the automotive field almost 20 years ago.  If there has ever been a publication that is released by a manufacturer, which outlines pretty much every expectation they have for each of the…

Are you familiar with this term:  "bottom right hand drawer syndrome"?  If you are not, it will likely create a major headache for you and cost you a good deal of money...

What is this syndrome?  In years past, before manufacturers started reducing the amount of time they would allow a claim to age, many warranty administrators would shuffle difficult claims to a "special" place so that they could "re-visit" it at a later date...often that hiding place was the lower right hand drawer…

I have worked in most positions in a dealership.  In each department, there are established procedures that are used to complete tasks to meet forcasted goals.  Sales use stringent procedures to ensure that cars are pushed across the curb.  Service departments use multiple procedures to generate upsales and high customer satisfaction indexes.  General office departments use precise procedures to keep all of the legal and accounting aspects of the dealership in order.

What about your…

I have found that training, or lack thereof, makes a huge impact on the success of a fixed operations department.  Manufacturers spend a great deal of money developing curriculum to enhance dealership personel performance.  They entice the dealership to utilize this training in the way of money allocation for car sales and parts ordering.  I am amazed at the number of employees who simply cannot stand to be forced to increase their knowledge.

From the very beginning of my career, I…

One of the most overlooked and biggest issues revolving around warranty infraction is lack of communication between the Warranty Administrator and the Service Manager.  Many times, the Warranty Administrator gets so self-involved with repair order review/correction that they forget that it is the Service Manager that is ultimately responsible for the fiscal well being of the service department.  Don't get me wrong, when I wore the hat of Fixed Operations Manager the last thing I really…

If you find yourself caught up in a consultative review or a full blown corporate audit, you will be amazed at one area where you will lose a great deal of money:

YOUR PDI REPAIR ORDERS!

That's right!  If your PDI checklist forms are not filled out properly - WITH the appropriate management signatures, or there are mileage inconsistencies, or untrained techs performing the service, the auditors will simply debit the PDI.  That will equal around $100 per repair…

Office Management is compiling all of the numbers to generate Service Management commissions over the next couple of days.  There are factors that you control as an ongoing basis...there are others that you do not address until after the fact.  Did your Warranty Administrator submit for the maximum allowable dollars (100%) vs. their peer indexes this month?  How much is being applied to your policy adjustment account because of claim non-payment or claim debit? 

In Fixed Operations,…

Here is a question for Service Managers and/or Fixed Operations Directors:  How much time do you spend reviewing your warranty department on a daily basis?  If you are performing the tasks and duties that are the responsibility of your warranty administrator, then you need to re-evaluate who you have in that position.  Are you simply assisting with those duties?  Have you placed too many other tasks upon your warranty administrator?  (i.e. cashiering, phone operator, service drive assistant,…