Sounds redundant, but if you have ever worked for an automotive group, you've probably actually heard those words. Meetings after meetings. The sad thing about it is the meetings usually involve only management. Walk up to any tech and ask them how many hours they have for the week and they'll tell you up to the minute. Ask them what your gross profit objective is for the month, you'll probably get a blank stare. Usually the first tech meeting I have after coming into a store, I ask "What are the shop hours objectives?" "What is our gross profit objective and how are we tracking for the month?" Nobody knows.

Ask a writer what their hours per RO are, and they won't have a clue. The bottom line is they need to be involved and informed as to how they are doing individually and how the department is doing as a group on a daily basis.

I normally start my day with a D.I.E. meeting. That's "Daily Information Exchange". Ideally you have each advisor, service manager, parts manager, lead techs and /or director. Each member of the group will receive a spreadsheet showing how they are doing plus how the department is doing as a whole. The meeting is short and upbeat, five to ten minutes tops. End it with a joke or something to brighten up their morning and send them off with a smile. We share good surveys and stellar sales days. We also talk about any issues or potential problems and the parts manager hands out special order parts reports. Any employee issues are brought up, but not discussed in detail. You have to keep it upbeat and positive. Even if gross is off or CSI is low, keep it for another meeting at another time or individually. It's not a time for a bitch session or problems between the employees. Again, send them out to greet customers positive and smiling. The customers will see and feel it and everyone will be kept up to date on how the department is performing. Five to ten minutes will start your day, and theirs, the right way.