Business SENSE: YOUR SHOP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: THE KEY TO PROFITABILITY

Motor, Nov 2005 by O'Connor, Bob

While garnering new customers, retaining existing ones and achieving consistent vehicle visit frequency and increased dollars-per-repair order continue to be shops' major goals, many appear to be lagging significantly in the utilization of one of their most valuable tools-their shop management system.

Observations of our industry indicate that the majority of those who occupy the position of service advisor don't use their shop management system to its fullest because they lack fundamental training in many of the basics of the software.

When we deliver sales training to shop owners and their staff, we suggest that whomever is working in the position of service advisor be required to wear a headset and keyboard at least 50 words per minute. Wearing a headset allows them to have both hands free to work toward attaining the required keyboarding speed. These requirements also apply to owners, administrative staff and anyone else who supports the service advisor by writing up customers or working in the databases.

When our instructors share these requirements, the audience usually responds in two distinct ways: Those who wear a headset would not consider doing the job without one. Those who do not wear a headset cop an attitude about wearing one, and offer up all kinds of reasons why they shouldn't.

We've found that most people occupying the position of service advisor do not come close to attaining the 50-words-per-minute speed. Many have to look at the keyboard while typing, which significantly slows their speed. So, what \ve have here is lightning-speed technology used by undertrained staff!

The Service Advisor Position

Today, the service advisor must perform many critical duties. He is the pivotal liaison between the customer and the technicians and, at a minimum, is responsible for acquiring initial and updated vehicle and customer database information. The service advisor is also charged with overseeing service and repair operations, attaining sales and gross profit goals and following up with customers.

In many independent repair shops, the shop owner frequently occupies the service advisor position. Because this position is so demanding in terms of time and duties, and because an owner has so many other demands placed on him, there's little time for the owner to receive formal shop management system training from the system provider. In most instances, the shop owner does not receive enough initial training on the software to master it, and almost certainly never gets adequately trained ou subsequent updates. Therefore, as time passes, the owner really knows less and less about the features and capabilities of this very valuable tool.

Some shops have grown to the point where they can employ one or more dedicated service advisors whose primary functions are customer service and sales. For simplification purposes throughout this article. I'll use the title of service advisor when referring to the position-whether occupied by an owner or any other personnel.

Utilizing Your Shop Management System

Assuming for a moment that the service advisor does wear a headset and can keyboard 50 words or more per minute, when and from whom does this person receive training on shop management software utilization?

The owner may assume the role of shop management system instructor for all new hires. Therefore, new hires really never get past being able to barely use a few of the fundamental features of their shop management system. More training on their shop management system would definitely enable both owners and staff to be more efficient and, at the same time, make their jobs much easier.

Technicians often utilize the shop management system for a myriad of tasks and needs, including, but not limited to, pulling up supplier and repair information; accessing online diagnostic information, such as from LATN; instant messaging and other email communications; and accessing customer/vehicle database information. Just as with the sendee advisor position, technicians of the future should be required to keyboard at a rate of 50 words per minute to qualify for the job!

Future Customers

The oldest members of the "baby boomer" generation are quickly approaching the time in life where they'll be putting fewer miles on their vehicles and perhaps even downsizing in the number of vehicles they have. Many younger mobile boomers have transitioned to an HV large enough to live in while they chase sunshine around the country. In addition to the RV, they usually have only one other vehicle, often towed behind the RV. This vehicle gets more towed than driven mileage and therefore requires less service and repair. This trend will likely continue, resulting in a decline in conventional service and repair business from this age group.

The youngest members of the baby boomer generation for the most part still have more vehicles in the household than drivers. This age group has become computer literate and has a very busy lifestyle. These motorists are more informed consumers and require a higher level of customer sendee.