ATcon is a management consulting firm for automobile and truck dealers specializing in Fixed Operations Consulting and Service Advisor Training. We generally avoid the segregation between service, parts and body shop. By utilizing a holistic approach to consulting we facilitate and enhance the potential for success and greater profitability.
Consulting companies have long made the mistake of categorizing themselves as service, parts, or body shop specialists. We believe our potential clients are best served and have the right to expect assistance in all of these areas, as well as recognition of the need for coordination between departments to achieve the desired results.
ATcon is known for its “clean sheet” approach to consulting. We understand fully that no business has the same situation. Therefore each consulting activity results in recommendations tailored to the individual client.
Why?by Bob Kellerman | |
 | I am blessed with four wonderful grandchildren! Recently, I have been lucky enough to be spending time with my 3 year old grandson. He has learned the question that we often seem to forget - “Why?” No matter what we tell him, his response is “Why?” Of course, he is the normal 3 year old in asking that question - but he makes me wonder, “Why?” I meet with many Fixed Operations “Professionals” in my job and I hear lots of reasons why we don’t or can’t get things done; why we don’t, or can’t, do a walk around write-up, or why we don’t, or can’t, properly perform an active delivery. So I have adopted my grandson’s reasoning “Why?” Why can’t we do a walk around write-up? Why don’t we perform an active delivery? The answer is clearly that management has not bought into or committed to the processes. Won’t or can’t are non-management excuses. When I speak with the managers, especially when the dealer is in the room, they all seem to understand the concept and value. But when we get down to the lane or office I hear all of the “why we can’t” instead of “how we can.” I hear “it takes too long,” “we don’t have a drive…” I can dismiss these excuses because I have run inner-city stores where the customers are in a rush - talk about not having a drive. I have succeeded in stores where the customer parked with the meter running half a block away and found time to do a walk around and active delivery, etc. To me, the true value of a manager is the person who figures out how to instead of why not. Are you a manager, or a follower? Do you allow your staff to decide whether or not it can be done, or it’s too hard to do? Develop a plan and train the staff. Make everyone know “this is how we do it” and hold them accountable to doing it your way. It’s not that hard to be a manager, but it takes some real dedication and effort to be a leader - which are you? If you need help developing a plan or training your staff, ATcon can help. Contact Bob Kellerman at bkellerman@atconsse.com and 205-834-6376, or our office at 800-692-2719. |
| What is customer retention and how do you track it? What is good retention? Is a customer who comes in for every mileage service a retained customer? Is a customer who comes in every time you mail out a discount coupon a retained customer? Is a DIY customer who buys 5 quarts of Oil and a Filter from you retained? There are many answers to these questions and just as many ways of tracking retention depending on “Who you ask” But a fact everyone agrees on is that Retention begins with Satisfied Customers. How are your advisors doing satisfying your customers? ATcon is the leader in Advisor training programs based on the simple principal “People buy what they need from people they like and trust.” Whether you need to train your Advisors or just a tune up Contact Bob Kellerman bkellerman@atconsse.com 205 834-6376 Or our office at 800 692-2719 |
We hire and train our staff to do a good job, but how do we define “What’s a good job?”
We set goals and objectives for our Managers, Advisors, Techs, etc. But what do we use as a barometer to determine what those goals should be and if they obtainable?
We have seen pay plans written by good managers that pay for what they consider a good job, often those plans relate back to “what we did at my last job”, but does that work here?.
Remember pay plans don’t manage people, Managers manage people, but a good pay plan can help keep good people focused and keep them in your employ. It’s not about paying a lot it’s about paying properly.
ATcon can help you develop a pay plan that both you and your staff can be comfortable with.
For any questions or help contact Bob Kellerman bkellerman@atconsse.com
205 834 6376 or our office 800 692 2718
What kind of a Manager do you have? How did your Service Manager make His / Her way to the position? Did they make their way up thru the ranks? Technician, Service Advisor, Warranty Administrator, Assistant Manager then Manager many of us came up that way.
We learned to manage by watching the people we worked for, gaining some understanding of the math formulas that we use from the previous leader, sometimes detailed and accurate sometimes not so much.
Many Managers learn to run the reports and know what percentage of gross profit is, What the Effective labor rate is, Hours per Ro are but do they know what it takes to change these numbers? Do they know how to retire an expense and maintain the levels you desire? What it takes to pay for a new piece of Shop Equipment? How can your Manager gain the understanding of Automotive Service Mathematics?
ATcon offers in depth Service Manager training of the Seven Controllables the Seven formulas of Mathematics and how to use them to change the profitability of your organization. The training is done onsite hands on for your store so they don’t just get ideas but a true understanding of the Mathematics.
If you want to have your Manager know how to properly and completely understand Service Operations
Contact ATcon at 800-692-2719 or Bob Kellerman at 205-834-6375 or bkellerman@atconsse.com
In today’s busy world people are accustomed to making reservation (appointments for everything in their lives; Haircuts, doctors & dentist visits, servicing their A/C and Heating systems in their homes, etc.
But what about servicing their car or truck? Some dealers handle the reservations by service advisors. Some use a BDC to take calls and also internet reservations. What do you do?
How many cars per day do you take in? Is it a number 20,30,50? Or do you do the math to determine how many hours are you able to handle per day? How much estimated time will each service visit last?
Clearly just taking in a number (Counting Bumpers) can be feast or famine
35 Lube Oil & Filter Services 5 technicians can be 10.5 hours’ work (out of work by 10 am)
35 Transmission repairs 5 technicians can be 280 hours (out of work sometime next week )
What is your plan? Do you need help?
Contact ATcon at 800-692-2719 or Bob Kellerman at 205-834-6375 or bkellerman@atconsse.com
We as dealers put a great deal of time and expense into training our technicians. We train them on new product information, Repair processes etc. Mostly as required by the manufacturers.
But how do we train the Service Advisors? The manufacturer teaches about product information. But what about how to handle customers?, How to build relationships? How to properly communicate with customers? How to show the value and benefit of your services?
This type of training is most likely the training they need. Sure you have experienced trained Service Advisors but where were they trained? Who trained them and when. Are they trained in the processes that you use in your operations? We often hear from Service Managers that “I train them myself” no offense to the Managers but are you a trainer? Do you have the time to train your staff and are you and your advisors “on the same page”? One of the most important parts of training is the sustainment of the training. When ATcon does Service Advisor training we believe in “training the trainer”, hence the Service Manager even General Managers should participate in the training. This way the process is built into the store not just the staff. When new advisors come on the manager can continue the process.
Who is training your staff? How trained are they? When do they receive a “tune up” on their training?
For more information on Service Advisor, Service or Parts Manager training call ATcon at 1-800-692-2719
Contact Bob Kellerman at bkellerman@atconsse.com
Dealers: Avoid Conspiracies to Commit Fraud in Your Dealership
by James E. Lawrence.
According to Bernard Boule, who has developed products for auto retail for 20 years and holds numerous patents, trademarks, and copyrights:
- Theft costs $9/employee/day. This amounts to $280,000 a year for dealers with 100 employees.
- Dealerships most vulnerable to this type of theft are those with fewer than 100 employees.
- 50% of all dealers experienced theft during a 5-year period during the 90's, growing at 5% annually.
- The majority of dealers can expect to be victimized by theft of some type every year.
- Reports show in the last 5 years 80% of employees have been involved in theft from their dealership.
Longitudinal crime statistics in the U.S., Canada and UK show that when the economy slows, increasing numbers of employees look for ways to maintain their standard of living at a clear cost to their employer. This can range from outright theft to increased Workers Compensation claims to padding timecards. In short, NOW IS THE TIME TO PREVENT FRAUD IN YOUR DEALERSHIP…
| This is the first of a series of four articles by David Linton written for F&I and Showroom e-magazine, the industry’s leading source for F&I, Sales and Technology. | |
 | Selling the Service 'Up' Many advisors in the service lanes confuse “selling” with “transacting.” Selling is a process that persuades someone to buy something, while transacting is simply conducting business to a settlement. What they fail to realize is that the latter can’t be accomplished without the former … If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to drop me an e-mail at dlinton@atconsse.com. Thanks, |
| This is the second of three articles on pay plans appearing in Ward's Dealer Business by David Linton. | |
| | In Search of The Perfect Pay Plan Many service department compensation plans are designed with the specific intent of managing people. But the old axiom is true: Pay plans don't manage people, managers manage people. Don't think a pay plan will do the work for you. “We are in a revolution in reward systems,” … If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to drop me an e-mail at dlinton@atconsse.com. Thanks, |
| | In Search of The Perfect Pay Plan Here is a link to the first of three articles starting in December in Ward's Dealer Business by David Linton. We will send you further links as they appear. Click here to read the first article If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to drop me an e-mail at dlinton@atconsse.com. I would like to wish you all the very best during this holiday season. Thanks, |
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