Make it happen where it counts I’ve been taking a hiatus from parts lately and doing a lot of service lane work, both for manufacturers and dealer clients. Now that business has come back somewhat, everyone seems to have gotten religion again (as i

It’s no secret that service customer retention in new car dealerships is dismal, actually pathetic. Hang around a new car service reception area and note the age of the vehicles. They are relatively young compared to the average national fleet of s

Twenty years ago, I was doing some consulting work for a Chrysler dealership in the Midwest. Day one was simply an on-the-drive observation day, I stood near the advisors to simply watch and listen. Mid-morning, a vehicle approached the service drive

A couple weeks ago, I was conducting a heady Service Manager Performance Group, where we discussed good ideas, why we keep lousy employees, why we have lousy applicants and whether we were paying as much tax as a secretary – you know, real up-to-da

Independent garages are not your enemy, and in many ways, are not even your competitors; fast lubes and tire stores aren’t, either. The customer-pay automotive maintenance and repair business is a $207 billion annual industry. Of that amount, $28.5

I just got back from my annual pilgrimage to the Concours d’Elegance at Amelia Island. What makes this show so special? Aside from an eclectic collection of prime historical vehicles, some of which are restored to a condition far superior to when t

Recently, I was staying in a well-known chain hotel north of Atlanta, working in my room at about 4 p.m. Suddenly there was a banging sound, like someone repetitively whacking a tile floor above. I listened for about 15 minutes and finally it got on

It’s May 2012 and the official start of the family vacation season is upon us. As you begin to roll out your summertime service promotions, be sure to include automatic transmission fluid exchange services as part of your marketing strategy. As the

Consumers looking for parts and accessories are now more comfortable than ever to research, price compare and purchase auto parts and accessories online. Dealers are growing to recognize this as an additional revenue stream, and have been able to tur