| There is a quote I came across from Don Reed, | | | | Service Personnel must exist. And that leads us |
| CEO of DealerPro Training Solutions and it reads | | | | to the second part of the |
| like this. "Success is achieved through the | | | | statement..."Accountability." Having a process in |
| RELENTLESS APPLICATION OF THE BASIC | | | | place in which no one is held accountable for its |
| FUNDAMENTALS! This is the result of a creative | | | | successful application is....well....crazy... wouldn't you |
| process known as ACCOUNTABILITY." | | | | agree? |
| In your Service Department, are you relentless in | | | | What do we hold them accountable for......the |
| the application of fundamentals? Are you and | | | | consistent and "relentless application" of standard |
| your personnel accountable? | | | | processes. |
| Lets look at what that word really | | | | If there is a process in place and Johnny Service |
| means...fundamentals.....the dictionary says that | | | | Advisor decides not to include them in his daily |
| fundamental means "the forming of or the basis | | | | standard processes, then by default, you have |
| of." So, it is the beginning of every interaction and | | | | told everyone that the standards are not really |
| transaction with every Service Customer. | | | | anything you can be held accountable for. In other |
| What are the basics of your Service | | | | words, it becomes an Option. |
| Department? What do you consider the bedrock | | | | In the real world of Service Departments, |
| of your best processes or practices? | | | | anything that is an "Option" soon becomes a |
| It should consist of 5 elemental processes or | | | | "Forgotten." |
| procedures. They are as follows. | | | | How do we hold them accountable? We observe |
| 1. There should be a process for meeting and | | | | and then we ask questions. The key is to ask |
| greeting your Customers in the Service Drive. | | | | good questions. |
| 2. There should be a process for conducting a | | | | "Hey, Johnny Service Advisor, I noticed during the |
| preliminary inspection of the Customers vehicle. | | | | last write-up you had there, you didn't advise the |
| 3. There should be a process for recommending | | | | Customer about the recommendations from the |
| needed services and completing the write-up with | | | | previous Repair Order. Is there some reason you |
| the Customers concerns. | | | | did not advise the Customer?" |
| 4. There should be a process for reviewing | | | | Asking questions is the right way to hold |
| findings from the Technicians Inspection of the | | | | someone accountable without being accusatory or |
| vehicle with the Customer. | | | | aggressive. Just ask questions about what you |
| 5. There should be a process for completing the | | | | observed and there won't be any issues. |
| Service Visit with the Customer to include | | | | As you are looking for ways to increase your |
| scheduling the next appointment. | | | | Service Absorption and Gross Profit, remember it |
| Without the "relentless application" of these 5 | | | | all starts with the basics. Combine the "relentless |
| basic processes or procedures, your Service | | | | application of basic fundamentals" with |
| Department cannot begin the process of | | | | "accountability" and you will have a winning |
| improvement. A solid bedrock of standardization | | | | combination to drive the results you are looking |
| from which you measure and evaluate your | | | | for. |