Now that everyone is thoroughly stuffed after that big Thanksgiving meal, and we are all thinking about eating that much was in some cases a big mistake, let’s talk about the top 10 mistakes that advisors make based on feedback from warranty administrators and manufacturers.

Mistake number 1: Poor customer concern write up: Remember that all customer write ups need to be from symptom based questions that you can use to explain the customers concern such as when, how often, and where to clarify to the technician how to duplicate the concern.  Here are some poor examples we got this week!

1. Cell light is on and vehicle shakes. 
   i.      Take a second here and talk about how clarifying questions could communicate to get a better concern.  Is it shaking at idle, shaking at take off, or is this advisor talking about steering wheel shaking?
   1.      So a better write up would be after the client is questioned would be: “Customer states that the vehicle is stumbling and shaking on acceleration from a stop and the check engine light comes on”
2. Customer is hearing a howling noise on the highway
   i.      Where?  What speed?  Front? Rear? Right?  Left?
   ii.      If I were the tech and got this concern, I would probably be a snot and give the RO back to you with a “whatever dude”
   1.     So a better write up would be “Customer states they hear a howling noise in the driver side rear area at 50 to 60 mph”

Mistake number 2: Not reading the vehicle inquiry before customer leaves the service counter.

1. We have several vehicles a day that leave with recalls not completed
   i.      This shifts the liability to your dealership if failure occurs
   ii.      This is extra revenue you didn’t make
   iii.      Now we have a customer that has to return and miss work- again
2. The number one reject warranty administrators have is “ no vehicle coverage for repair”  That is because you did not check delivery dates on the drive
3. You can set the customer’s expectation of who is going to pay for the repair before they leave your desk.  This allows them to wrap their mind around having to pay for the repair if the coverage is expired.
4. Write off’s suck!  The tech got paid and probably you as the advisor got paid but it cost your dealership twice the money.  Now there will be no company BBQ this year!

Mistake number 3:  Guessing at mileage or writing incorrect mileage on the RO.  This sounds incredibly stupid to you veterans out there but we have at least 20 of these we deal with daily.  

1. Here is one that we got in an audit this week which made everyone at the table get red in the face:  The advisor had a pre-write sheet with 36860 miles that he wrote on the sheet.  Then when he opened the RO he put 35860 miles in the computer.  The warranty expired at 36000 on this vehicle.  The manufacturer called it fraud and then went to work digging to find everything they could.
2. Even mileage is always a dead giveaway.  RO’s that have 15000 or 3000 or anything ending in 00 are usually mileage that was guessed at on the drive.  These are a target for auditors.
3. Mileage progression errors.  Mileage less than previous claims.  Always check history and get any discrepancies handled with service manager prior to repair.

Mistake number 4:  Repeat repairs due to advisor not checking history and getting service management involved

1. Repeat repairs have a negative impact on your trend reports
2. They affect your CSI
3. They should always have service management involvement up front prior to dispatching

Mistake number 5:  you did not attempt to verify the customers concern or you were unable to verify the customers concern.

1. This would be items such as LR window inoperative.
2. Radio display blank
   i.      This may just be operator error that you can simply give customers instructions on how to operate

Mistake number 6:  Explaining to the customer all work completed on their vehicle.  Customers want to know what was wrong and what you did to fix it even if it is covered under warranty.

1. This affects the CSI and the manufacturers survey
2. Be careful when explaining that you do not use language that infers the manufacturer has product problems
   i.      I have heard advisors say things like “Oh all of these F150’s have that problem”  or “These C classes have huge vibration issues”.  This makes the customer “on guard” to see if there are any other “issues” with their vehicle.

Mistake number 7:  Really poor communications in the write up that would indicate coverage intended. First is the part covered under warranty?  If not-

1. Put in the write up what coverage you checked to be sure that the repair is submitted the same coverage as you checked (That is if you checked- if not shame on you)
   i.      So if covered CPO- Extended- or other coverage please note that in your story so no one has to go behind you and guess at how you want the repair covered
2. If you are writing a service part repair – please note the previous RO, date, and miles in the comment section.
   i.      Also be sure that you check to make sure it was the same part number on each repair. If not – then this will not be a service part warranty
   ii.      Remember that additional parts may not be covered. ( check your manufacturers policy)

Have a great week everyone!  Now on to the shopping for Christmas.