Dan Shine Editor of Fixed Ops Journal magazine and Senior Editor overseeing finance and insurance coverage for Automotive News [email protected] 313-446-5813 See All Staff Page Recent Stories Service kiosks made for contactless world The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated consumers' preference to do a number of everyday tasks — from shopping to ordering takeout — without dealing with a person. New business practices, resiliency are bright lights in dark times For all of its challenges, 2020 provided some enduring lessons in how to improve service department operations. Just ask Jim Henne of Performance Toyota in Sinking Spring, Pa. N.C. dealer partners with TV show host to engage techs during slowdown When COVID-19 hit, John Hiester wondered if his techs, when things got slow in the afternoon, would want to pass the time turning wrenches on old cars. Soon, it snowballed into a competition and having the winning car auctioned for charity. Don't totally ‘forget about 2020' I completely understand the sentiment to put last year in the rearview mirror. But there were remarkable turnarounds, too. Service leaders do whatever it takes to get staff through pandemic Service managers played untraditional roles in leading their departments through the pandemic, including cheerleader and sanitizer-in-chief. Pay, poor tools, pandemic are sore spots for technicians, but EVs interest them The Carlisle & Co. Automotive Technician Survey in the fall of 2020 had more than 17,500 responses representing 17 brands across the U.S. and Canada. The survey shows the challenges the industry has with technician satisfaction. When pandemic is over, don't let go of new service habits The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in better customer service practices at dealerships. How pandemic could permanently change service departments Dealership service managers weighed in on mobile service vans and finding efficiency amid a pandemic during Automotive News' Fixed Ops Journal Forum. Pandemic forced a Fixed Ops Journal Forum adjustment. Sound familiar? For most of 2020, Fixed Ops Journal has written about how the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted so many things at franchised dealership fixed ops departments. We know how they feel. Service department leaders share stories of survival Panelists for the second and third installments of Automotive News' five-part 2020 Fixed Ops Journal Forum discussed how they kept their service departments running during the pandemic and lessons that were learned. FOJ Forum focuses on recovery, recruiting and regrets How far has business climbed back from the depths of the pandemic? What's being done to win customers from independent repair facilities — and keep them? And how about the perennial challenge of recruiting and retaining technicians? Crisis offers ways to lift customer retention Carlisle & Co. data show dealership service departments get troubling customer retention and satisfaction scores, and any increase in customer-pay sales per repair order is likely the result of higher prices, not growing demand. But there is an opportunity for improvement, too. Tablets help train store's express advisers, pave way to main shop Franchised dealerships constantly strive to boost customer service rankings by doing things such as minimizing wait times and improving communications. To achieve this, some stores have their service advisers put down their pencil and pick up a computer tablet. Updating service lane's tech means finding right software, rallying all advisers Tucson Subaru service director Scott Gregg faces a tough challenge in getting veteran employees to embrace advanced service lane technology. Playing the heavy won't work. Third annual Fixed Ops Journal Forum goes virtual Load More
Dan Shine Editor of Fixed Ops Journal magazine and Senior Editor overseeing finance and insurance coverage for Automotive News [email protected] 313-446-5813 See All Staff Page