Possible Solutions to Managing Capacity
Last time, we talked about the issues that can arise if you are not properly managing your capacity. (Click here to read that article.) So how do you best manage this increase in business by turning all of those issues into a smooth flow of profitable business revenues and profits?
How do you best manage this increase in business by turning all of the above issues into a smooth flow of profitable business revenues and profits?
Customer traffic should be controlled through a well-thought-out and carefully implemented marketing plan, and the use of trained service advisors.
Seasonal changes are obviously predictable. Armed with that information, a shop owner should approach all of the shop’s customers and advise them that during those predicted periods, obtaining appointments and/or getting into the shop with an unanticipated repair becomes quite difficult, if not impossible.
The objective is to encourage the customer base to plan its maintenance schedules around the busy periods. Many shop owners have been successful in rescheduling their customer business, as well as obtaining many new customers, by getting them in a month or so prior to the busy period.
Scheduling regular maintenance customers earlier than the busy period works to relieve much of the pressure during that critical period. Many shop owners and advisors use a variety of incentives to persuade customers to bring their vehicles in a month or so early.
Service advisors
Too many shops neglect to invest in training for their service advisors. Investing in the training of your service advisor in scheduling, customer communications, and other operational processes is critical to the success of every shop.
Year after year, we see shops spend thousands of dollars on marketing efforts only to have many of the customers mishandled and often lost by untrained service advisors.
This lack is emphasized during seasonal increases in customer traffic. Shops become overloaded and overworked, and they earn less profit as a result. Quality and effective service advisor training could assist with minimizing the pitfalls mentioned in this column.
It’s not too late to prepare for the seasonal change that’s going on right now. Control customer activity through marketing efforts and service advisor training. You may say: “I cannot afford to be without my advisor during this very busy time.” I say hogwash. You can enroll your advisor in online training that keeps them away from the counter for only a couple of hours a week. Find the very best training you can, and enroll your service advisor now.
Looking for good Service Advisor training? We have options! Coming up next month, you can enroll your Service Advisor in our Service Advisor Skills class, which runs online on Tuesdays, Sept 17-Oct 29, two hours a week. Want something more? Our Advanced Selling Skills class takes place Sept 30 – Oct 4 in Seattle.
