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If you get this type of feeling, its time you find a service advisor!


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So I have my Service Advisor off to training for a few days in San Diego and that means I am manning the front end. I am pretty dang good at talking to people I would like to think but had to present some pricing to a customer and all he kept saying when a price for a job was given was, "Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww." I just realized how much I dislike talking to people in a Service Advisor capacity. Like I really can't stand it LOL. That is not to say I don't like speaking to my customers because I do. I just hate the daily grind of dealing with the one off customer that has unrealistic expectations that no one can meet. God bless all your service advisors out there. I am about ready to hire my second one just so I never have to do this again haha.

 

 

Moral of the story is if you ever have that type of feeling then its high time to get a service advisor! Make sure they are a people person too, that helps!!!

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I am right there with you bro, I can talk to my customers all day about what needs to be done to their vehicle, what to do while your in alaska, and everything else under the sun. But as soon as its time to take someones money, or tell them how much their repairs are going to be I hate it.

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I don't necessarily mind asking for the sale however there are just certain people that cannot be pleased when it comes to dollars. They can be the nicest sweetest people but they cannot be parted with their money and its the most frustrating thing to deal with at times. I literally have no problem taking home a bit less if it means that I don't have to deal with that annoyance.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I don't have a lot of patience for that either. We can talk politics, we can talk about eastern Europe, we can talk about their car all day but the minute they suggest my techs time is worthless the conversation is over Its really quite simple - this is broke, it costs this much to fix it. If they "weeelll the guy down the road said..." I lean into the shop and say "put it outside and bring in Mrs smiths car" thanks have a good day. I'm busy, I don't have time to play lets make a deal. "How much cash no tax?" Yea right call Albany and apply for a tax # and ask for a refund at the end of the quarter.

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  • 3 months later...

Got to love 'em all! We see about 300 cars per month at my shop and naturally we're going to have a few of them that don't like the prices. Like you've all said, it isn't worth discounting and fighting over. I have a bigger issue with folks who lean up against my glass walls watching their car like a hawk asking questions about what we're doing and why in a demanding and rude manner. Had a customer freak out about how we took off a spin on oil filter because whomever did it last time over-torqued it and it collapsed with the filter tool. We had to take him out there and show him all while he's cussing and yelling. After about five minutes of being patient and explaining I finally told him I can't have him freaking out in my shop upsetting my other customers and staff. 'I know what I saw and if I have problems YOU'RE going to fix them!", he yells. I walk up to him, look him in the eye and said "I know you think you know what you saw but your truck is going to be just great or I will fix it at my cost." He just stares back at me and I at him. When we finished I have the Tech put the car up in the air to show him nothing is wrong with his truck, nothing is damaged, everything is fine. He again persists with his line of doubtful questioning and I say, "I've already told you this but I will go through it again..." He calms down and apologizes about five times, comes back the next day for tie rod ends and couldn't be nicer. Says to me, "I'm from Brooklyn, this is how we are. Where are you from?" I'm from here in Iowa and tell him. "I'm not so sure you're not from Brooklyn, too." We laughed and we have a new customer.

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Got to love 'em all! We see about 300 cars per month at my shop and naturally we're going to have a few of them that don't like the prices. Like you've all said, it isn't worth discounting and fighting over. I have a bigger issue with folks who lean up against my glass walls watching their car like a hawk asking questions about what we're doing and why in a demanding and rude manner. Had a customer freak out about how we took off a spin on oil filter because whomever did it last time over-torqued it and it collapsed with the filter tool. We had to take him out there and show him all while he's cussing and yelling. After about five minutes of being patient and explaining I finally told him I can't have him freaking out in my shop upsetting my other customers and staff. 'I know what I saw and if I have problems YOU'RE going to fix them!", he yells. I walk up to him, look him in the eye and said "I know you think you know what you saw but your truck is going to be just great or I will fix it at my cost." He just stares back at me and I at him. When we finished I have the Tech put the car up in the air to show him nothing is wrong with his truck, nothing is damaged, everything is fine. He again persists with his line of doubtful questioning and I say, "I've already told you this but I will go through it again..." He calms down and apologizes about five times, comes back the next day for tie rod ends and couldn't be nicer. Says to me, "I'm from Brooklyn, this is how we are. Where are you from?" I'm from here in Iowa and tell him. "I'm not so sure you're not from Brooklyn, too." We laughed and we have a new customer.

 

 

Nice story! I think I would have fired him immediately... and my shop is a mile away from Brooklyn! LOL

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  • 1 month later...

I actually like talking to people, and selling stuff. My issue is I love fixing stuff more. I find myself routinely getting too technical with customers and usually by the end of the convo they are out there floating by the moon, That is where my buddy comes in. He has a very direct, passive aggressive approach. I laugh at how stupid he sounds sometimes, and ppl are like oh ok! Yeah lets do it.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         3 comments
      Got your attention? Good. The truth is, there is no such thing as the perfect technician pay plan. There are countless ways to create any pay plan. I’ve heard all the claims and opinions, and to be honest, it’s getting a little frustrating. Claims that an hourly paid pay plan cannot motivate. That flat rate is the only way to truly get the most production from your technicians. And then there’s the hybrid performance-based pay plan that many claim is the best.
      At a recent industry event, a shop owner from the Midwest boasted about his flat-rate techs and insisted that this pay plan should be adopted by all shops across the country. When I informed him that in states like New York, you cannot pay flat-rate, he was shocked. “Then how do you motivate your techs” he asked me.
      I remember the day in 1986 when I hired the best technician who ever worked for me in my 41 years as an automotive shop owner. We’ll call him Hal. When Hal reviewed my pay plan for him, and the incentive bonus document, he stared at it for a minute, looked up, and said, “Joe, this looks good, but here’s what I want.” He then wrote on top of the document the weekly salary he wanted. It was a BIG number. He went on to say, “Joe, I need to take home a certain amount of money. I have a home, a wife, two kids, and my Harly Davidson. I will work hard and produce for you. I don’t need an incentive bonus to do my work.” And he did, for the next 30 years, until the day he retired.
      Everyone is entitled to their opinion. So, here’s mine. Money is a motivator, but not the only motivator, and not the best motivator either. We have all heard this scenario, “She quit ABC Auto Center, to get a job at XYZ Auto Repair, and she’s making less money now at XYZ!” We all know that people don’t leave companies, they leave the people they work for or work with.
      With all this said, I do believe that an incentive-based pay plan can work. However, I also believe that a technician must be paid a very good base wage that is commensurate with their ability, experience, and certifications. I also believe that in addition to money, there needs to be a great benefits package. But the icing on the cake in any pay plan is the culture, mission, and vision of the company, which takes strong leadership. And let’s not forget that motivation also comes from praise, recognition, respect, and when technicians know that their work matters.
      Rather than looking for that elusive perfect pay plan, sit down with your technician. Find out what motivates them. What their goals are. Why do they get out of bed in the morning? When you tie their goals with your goals, you will have one powerful pay plan.
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