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!
