Why don’t we train our fixed operations teams on customer service handling?

I have been in the retail automotive industry since 1984.  I have recently taken a step back from managing a dealership and after 39 years, I would share a few things that our industry continues to struggle with, and how to possibly resolve them.

Most of our dealerships provide professional training for our variable departments. Each year we spend thousands of dollars and many hours training strict processes that our sales managers, product advisors and financial services managers follow. These processes start with greeting a customer and continue completely through the entire process, including follow up if a deal is not closed during the customer’s visit.

Why do we not do this for our fixed operations? 

Our sales customers come back to buy a new vehicle if we do everything correctly every 3-6 years. In contrast, our fixed customers should visit us at least twice a year. 

Most of the time when a customer visits a typical service department, they are greeted without a smile, they receive a look over a computer monitor with a “be with ya in minute.”

These processes start with greeting a customer and continue completely through the entire process, including follow up if a deal is not closed during the customer’s visit.

We all understand how busy our service advisors are. However, with some simple customer service training we can easily overcome the initial interaction. This continues on with keeping a customer updated on the progress of their vehicle, regardless if the customer is waiting or has left it with us for the day. 

Phone calls can be equally as frustrating. If you have a BDC, most calls are answered and appointments booked in a prompt professional manner. Trying to get through to a service advisor, however, is another issue. Phones are not answered, and messages are not returned in a prompt professional manner.

Our parts department is not much different, customers are greeted at a parts counter with a look from the advisor like the customer is bothering them. Customers reaching parts by phone are greeted with “parts can ya hold?” or just “parts.” If the phone isn’t answered, most of the time messages are not returned promptly — or even at all.

Most of our fixed operation managers are promoted through the system, and the only training the managers received, if any, was from their managers when they were either service or parts advisors. Bad habits and attitudes are passed down to each generation.

The solution to this problem is to train fixed operations like we do sales. 

I am not talking about training on how to improve your hours per repair order. I am talking about true sales style training on how to meet and greet your fixed operation customers, answering the phone and installing a good sound process on how to open a repair order and follow up throughout the process. 

Doing this style of training will improve your service and parts sales, improve your customer satisfaction scores and most importantly, grow your fixed operations retention!

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Additional technology is no match for old fashioned personal customer service

Service Advisors are probably one of our most valuable resources, however the job continues to be one of the lower paying and most stressful in a dealership. We continually add things to their plates that are supposed to make the job easier and better, however, most of these additional tasks only add to the growing list of things to complete with each customer.

Very recently I purchased a used vehicle which had a couple of outstanding recalls. I called to book an appointment with one of the larger ownership group dealerships. The call was answered promptly, however, the person answering did not have any real knowledge or experience pertaining to my call. They were able to book my car on the same day for what was to be a one-hour appointment, allowing me to wait at the dealership.

When I arrived at the dealership I was greeted promptly, and the person took my keys, confirmed my appointment and told me to wait in the customer lounge. During my wait, a few staff members said hello to me, however, no one met with me regarding my vehicle. After about 45 minutes I walked outside and noticed that my vehicle had not moved. Another 20 minutes went by, at which time a Service Advisor asked what I was waiting for, which I quickly explained and they notified me that a repair order had not even been opened yet.

They were extremely apologetic, and offered to book me in the following day. I explained I was travelling the next day, and this would not be possible. At that point the Shop Foreman wandered by, and the Service Advisor spoke to him about the situation and he said he could do the work in about 15 minutes if I could wait. If that hadn’t happened, I would have left the dealership and possibly not come back to them to get the recalls completed. The job was completed quickly, and I was on my way.

After the service was completed, I received a text with a video from the technician explaining what he had done and that the work was in fact completed. I also received a checklist specific to my vehicle, however, it was blank as all that was done were the recalls. I then received numerous emails about my experience, including a survey, and a note that I would be contacted by the manufacturer with another survey (and “anything less than a 10 was failing grade” etc).

Here’s why I share the details of this simple service visit; the only thing that mattered to me was getting my vehicle into service in a timely manner and to be kept updated while I was waiting. Instead of all the “frills”, it would have been a far better experience to have a properly trained Service Advisor (dressed in a manner that identified them as an employee in the service department) and to have a process in place for the Service Advisor to keep track of all their respective repair orders.

I really didn’t need a follow-up video of the technician telling me that the recalls had been done. This just added additional time before they were able to get another vehicle in the shop. Every time we add another process to a Service Advisor’s workload, something else suffers. Most of the time the Dealer Principal/General Manager has been sold on an idea or solution that has been developed by people/organizations who have never performed the job at hand. They have most often never opened a repair order and had six people lined up waiting for them to get their vehicle into service.

Technology is often seen as the solution, however in a lot of cases all it does is add another cumbersome step to an already incredibly stressful job. Senior management and suppliers must come to understand that many technology solutions/add-ons do not 100 per cent integrate with the existing DMS, and in turn, actually adds tasks that need to be duplicated numerous times to get completed.

The solution is communication with the front line. Service Advisors need to have input when new products or systems are being considered, and, (more importantly) need the same level of training provided to our sales teams.

I am not simply referring to training that focuses on how to sell more per repair order, but training that addresses key Service Department processes; how to manage the work flow through the shop, how to communicate and update customers on their vehicles progression while being worked on by the technician, and when the vehicle is completed for pickup.

All the system generated e-mails, texts and videos will never have the same impact as a person reaching out to their customer with quick, concise and accurate information.  Even in the current world of incredible technology, people still remember and appreciate the personal touch. Personal touch is the best retention tool you will ever have at your dealership.

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