Shop Operations

If there is one thing our industry has done since the very beginning, it has put technicians into the role of service advisors. The rationale is that they have a good understanding of automobiles, which will enable them to be competent advisors. Unfortunately, that’s the furthest from the truth.

As is true with the top techs, the top service advisors in America need a number of tools in order to succeed. Here’s a list of important tools you can provide to your advisors that will help them maximize sales, customer satisfaction and your shop’s profits.

When it comes to advertising, strategies are endless, mediums are constantly changing and advice is often conflicting. Doing something is better than nothing, but funneling a shop’s dollars into an ineffective ad campaign is a mistake no one wants to repeat.

While conducting reference checks on potential employees is a sensible way of managing your business risk, employers must carefully follow legal limits on the type and extent of background checks they can conduct.

Most meetings are – at best – boring and a waste of time. For most shops, meetings aren’t a positive experience. That’s because many team meetings fall into one of two categories: either the boss pulls everyone together to scold and lecture about problems, or the team uses the meeting as an opportunity to complain, whine and make excuses.

Would anyone walk into a Starbucks and ask to lower or match their price on a cup of coffee? We all know the answer to this. Starbucks doesn’t just sell coffee. They sell something special; they sell the experience, the friendly service and the connection they make with you as the customer. The truth is, you can buy coffee anywhere, but you can’t get a Starbucks anywhere. You need to think of your brand in the same way.

I am sure we can all agree that our industry, and society, has been going through quite a transformation. One of the changes that’s had an extraordinary impact, and will have an even bigger impact in the coming years, is transparency. Not only do today’s consumers have an expectation of transparency, but they have access to pricing information that was beyond our wildest dreams just a few short years ago.

When it comes to customer complaints, most shop owners are aware that there’s some economic price they’ll ultimately have to pay for the complaint, but will typically have no idea how much each complaint actually costs. This article will aim to bring some clarity to this long-disputed issue.

From the time your advisors first pick up the phone, all the way through your service recommendations, there is one thing that is happening over and over again: The sales process.

Years back, when I was looking to hire a technician, my first criteria would be the person’s skill level. In fact, I based my decision mainly on the tech’s skill, ASE certifications and experience. The result? High turnover.

Our mission at Repair One is “to provide quality and dependable auto repair and service with complete integrity and to build long-term relationships based on honesty, service and respect.” In order to accomplish our mission, many steps and procedures must be in place and consistently followed.

Managing difficult employees and holding them accountable in a litigation-happy environment often feels akin to walking a tightrope while wearing a blindfold. And, while not every under-performing or disgruntled employee will take legal action, companies can discourage litigation by instituting and consistently following good discipline and performance policies.