The #1 thing that drove me crazy in stores were the phones. I would spend days, weeks, months, planning a marketing strategy to make our phone rings and then I would end up answering most calls myself, setting up appointments, and answering status calls(my least favorite call to get!).

I've watched service advisors look at their ringing phones and NOT answer it. When I saw that, it required, what I called, an immediate training session with the advisor. As like most of you who have spent times in stores, you've heard every excuse in the world. "it wasn't my phone ringing", "I saw on the caller-ID it was so and so's customer so I was waiting for them to answer." Our training session would focus on our current marketing and then numbers. I would remind them of the deals and then look at their numbers with them. Most advisor pay plans I have walked into contain a salary and commission component. Say just for an example, the advisor received 5% of their parts and labor sales gross profit. I would show them their average repair order and point out that every time they answer the phone, setup the appointment and take care of the customer when they come in, they put $13.75 ($500 p&l per ro divided by 56% combined parts and labor gp% then divided by their 5% commission.) take 20 ro's per day and that's $275 in commission per day!

How many of you have had a commissioned writer come into your office and say i need to make more money and you have responded with, "then sell more!"

My first service writer position I was one of twelve writers. We didn't have voice-mail (it was available) because it never rang more than once or twice. Every incoming call rang at everyone's desk. If you didn't answer, you didn't get customers.You don't get customers, you don't make money. With all the technology now, we've taken that drive away from our service writers and they do very little to setup their own appointments. Customers are making their appointments online or with a cashier or receptionist.

What I'm getting at is we are hiring people to fill seats. You have a need for a service advisor, you place an ad. You get a resume from a potential candidate who has 15 years experience with your manufacturer. JACKPOT!! You interview them, hire them and then quickly put them at a desk to fill the void and to take the load off the rest of the staff. How many of you spend at least 2 weeks training a new writer, regardless of experience, before putting them on the drive? How well do they know ALL your processes before they hit the drive?

We've been taken hostage. People threaten to quit and we offer more money. They say dealer ABC is offering them more. Do you pay the "ransom" or do you have a backup plan in place that allows you to control the negotiation?

No matter how many years you have been in the automotive field, you are never too old to learn. I have always had a desire to learn all I can which is why I have spent significant time in webinars and training classes. My current position allows me more time to learn. To sit back and kick around new ideas. Find ways to overcome those seemingly impossible situations. 

The last store I worked in had very poor CSI. Once we opened the doors on my first day I knew why. Customers came in and advisors "greeted them". No smile. No good morning, No handshake. I went around making sure I smiled and gave everyone a hello and welcome. The advisors looked at me as if I was nuts. That morning smiles, handshakes and introductions became part of the meet and greet process (which they obviously didn't have).

In 1 month, we went from close to last to the top 3 in our zone every month. The advisors saw the bonuses they received and something clicked. They realized how little each one has to change to make a significant impact on the store.

ALL the steps from making the appointment to follow-up MUST have a written process in place. No team can win without a good game-plan!.

Jim