There’s no denying the positive impact of successful service departments in top-performing dealerships. While fixed ops account for only 12% of a dealership’s total revenue, they account for 60% of net profits. In general, when a service departme

Every dealership has seen this customer—the one who demands to be reimbursed for damage they claim happened while the car was in the dealership’s care, or because of faulty service work. You might find it challenging to deal with these customers,

Do you have 60 seconds to gain a service customer? Let me restate that: Do you have a structured 60 seconds to gain this customer? Why the emphasis on “structured”?  Let me explain. Let me start with this. If you are a dealership that doesn’

For every 10 technicians retiring, only two are coming into the industry, according to John Paulik, senior vice president and general manager of Tri State Truck Center, a Freightliner and Western Star dealership in Shrewsbury, Mass. “We are also lo

Some time ago I interviewed shop owners about the most critical marketing strategies for their shop.  Here are their answers.  I think you’ll find this info valuable. Let me know if I missed any. (FYI: Part of this was posted as an article on Rep

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) — A local auto body shop is giving women the tools they need to take charge of their cars and their safety. Trubilt Collision Center opened its shop Tuesday to women in the community to teach them car safety. The center

Life in the retail automotive industry is taxing. Managers and employees work long hours and, in many cases, are with their co-workers more than they are with their families. Miscommunications, tension or arguments can detract from the efficiency of

If fingers point to the top, the lack of focus on fixed operations is a burden shared between both dealer/principals and manufacturers. The amount of effort directed at parts and service from either party is underwhelming compared to that of new vehi

It’s the Daytona 500 of vehicle manufacturing: the race to bring connected cars, light trucks, and SUVs to market. Unprecedented safety, driver assistance, and infotainment features promise to revolutionize the driving experience. Still, few indust