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You know this…the automotive industry is evolving faster and faster, and Service Managers are facing a growing number of challenges. From rising customer expectations to advancements in technology. Oh yeah, and employees. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. This post expands a little on some of the most common challenges.
The trick (spoiler alert), is to have the right people doing the right things using the right tools and strategies to help navigate these challenges. One of those tools, of course, is TimeAI.
Meeting Customer Expectations
In today’s fast-paced world, customers expect fast and efficient service. Both: Fast and efficient! Service Managers must ensure their teams can quickly diagnose and repair issues while providing excellent customer service. All of it needs to happen in ways that ensure you are retaining customers while bringing in new ones.
Keeping Up with Technology
Advancements in automotive technology have transformed the industry, with a crazy amount of new features and systems being added every year. It’s almost impossible to keep up. Nonetheless, Service Managers must stay up to date—investing in new equipment and training programs—to ensure their teams are equipped to service modern vehicles.
Retaining Skilled Technicians
Skilled technicians are SO essential to any service department’s success, but they are increasingly difficult to find and retain. We work with a lot of stores across the country and we see all approaches—sign-on bonuses, tool stipends, on-going education tuition reimbursements, competitive salaries and benefits packages, pizza on Saturdays, and more. In the end, we find, compensation is the number one retention tool. And that, of course, is directly tied to the shop’s overall efficiency.
Managing Costs
Then there are costs! Managing costs is a constant challenge. Every day is a balancing act, providing quality service in ways that don’t spike labor, or parts, or other costs. Hiring costs! The list goes on; it’s so tricky.
Ensuring Compliance
Service Managers must ensure their departments are compliant with all relevant regulations and safety standards. The service drive and shop need to be safe; employees need to be operating safely; liquids and materials need to be disposed of properly; the concrete needs to be trip free; service records need to be accurate. And on and on. This challenge is a biggie.
Again, the trick is to have the right people and tools. Tools, as you know so well, make all the difference in automotive.
