Recent Stories
EV technicians need a new, safer toolbox

In addtion to new EV tools, proper safety training for technicians and other service department staff who may come in contact with the vehicle — from parts runners to porters — is essential.
EV safety training: It's not just for techs

Training expert Carol Broadwell Dietrich discusses the importance of electric vehicle safety training for every dealership employee who may come in contact with them, and how EV training might evolve in the coming years.
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With EVs, ‘threat of shock is very real'

More EVs on the road mean more will be needing service and maintenance from dealerships. Manufacturers are ramping up safety training for technicians before they are allowed to work on the vehicles.
Richard Hershey, master technician at Pompano Ford in Pompano Beach, Fla., uses the SWIS headset that Ford is rolling out to about 3,000 dealerships in the U.S.
Ford rolls out headset for dealership service techs to connect with vehicle experts

Ford is rolling out the HMT-1 (for head-mounted tablet) assisted-reality system, made by RealWear, to nearly 3,000 of its dealerships nationwide. Dealerships will receive one or two of the devices, which retail for about $1,800 per unit.
BMW reps use Blitzz’s video chat function and a smartphone camera to help solve customer issues.
Face-to-face roadside help available to BMW drivers

BMW partners with software company Blitzz to provide video chat-enabled roadside assistance.
New process means happier employees, customers

At Esserman International Motors in Doral, Fla., a revised schedule allowed 15 porters to do the work of 21, and freed up mechanics to become more productive.
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Car dealerships find new ways to recruit and retain porters

Dealership service departments are increasingly turning over the job of hiring and managing porters to outside companies.
Service Manager Francisco Mora, right, says porters such as Daniel Pittaluga play important roles at Esserman International Volkswagen.
8 ways dealerships can recruit and keep porters

Paying competitive wages, setting clear expectations and evolving industrywide treatment for people in entry-level positions are important practices, says Joel Furno, founder and CEO of Citrin, an automotive hospitality management company based in Columbus, Ohio.
Glasses help M-B techs fix problems faster

The collaboration among Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft HoloLens 2 and Dynamics 365 software allows engineers to help diagnose issues at any Mercedes dealership.
Automakers, dealerships see mobile service as investment in customer loyalty

Some dealers are convinced he's found a way for his service department to broaden its reach.
Porsche's glasses connect service techs with factory in real time

Porsche's Tech Live Look technology uses online augmented-reality technology to enable dealership techs to communicate in real time with the automaker's Atlanta-based technical support team about thorny repair issues.
“I had never even picked up an impact gun,” says apprentice Justin Moran, “but now I’m able to change brakes, I can do tire rotations, alignments, oil changes and even some troubleshooting.”
N.J. dealers launch tech apprenticeships

The New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers created a new program to train tech workers with a $907,000 grant from the state.
Almost 10 years later, Paul's still on call for service customers' emergencies

Nearly a decade after he launched a hotline for service customers' emergencies, a dealership executive continues to staff it 24/7 -- personally.
Replacing lube techs with oil-draining devices can save money, boost efficiency

Pairing a single quick-service tech with a device that extracts used oil automatically from a car or truck during an oil change can save dealerships at least $95,000 a year, according to an Orlando parts and service director.
New wiper tool gets into tight spots, but do techs really need it?
New wiper puller is designed to help technicians remove blade arms more quickly, but some techs question the need for the device