I have been thrashing The Garage drum (check out www.NetProfitTraining.com) for a number of columns now. We and a hundred of our closest dealer friends have learned quite a bit this past year, both from victories and gaffes while implementing this un

Less than 10% of used car buyers return to the dealership for customer-pay service work. But don’t take my word for it. Run the numbers and see for yourself. Run the VIN numbers for all the used vehicles you sold in 2009 and compare it to the VIN n

We do a lot of brain busting determining how to generate sufficient stall revenue, so that the entire dealership’s expenses can be covered by service and parts.  Essentially we have established there are three distinct work types in auto service s

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own world we lose sight of what others in similar, but still different industries have to cope with. Choices, choices, choices?? I can’t recall how many times I’ve visited with a parts manager and hear

It’s no secret that automotive dealerships universally are dealing with shrinking customer counts in service and parts. Not only has the sudden and significant downturn in new unit sales impacted this figure, but the fact that vehicles only nee

There is only one way to increase your retail (customer-pay) service department revenue: sell more service! After reading the previous sentence my friend and co-worker, Ray Carter, would say, “ya think?” I realize this strategy of selling more se

It’s time to stop complaining and start planning for the new world I know you’re reading this in February, right around NADA time, but I’m writing it during the holidays and that has me thinking about all we’ve been through this year and what

Telephone Techniques to Improve Customer Retention  A service advisor’s ability to communicate effectively on the telephone can positively impact the dealership and improve customer retention. According to JD Power & Associates, 74% of all cus

I find simply observing processes to be quite constructive. Sometimes just stepping back and carefully viewing how methodology is being carried out, yields the discovery needed to solve agonizing evils — and can be more effective than all the p