Technician Efficiency vs. Productivity: Definitions, Formulas, and Benchmark
Technician Efficiency vs Productivity: Quick Answer Technician productivity measures how much available time technicians spend on repair work. Technician efficiency measures how quickly they complete billed work compared with flagged or sold hours. A dealership needs both: productivity protects bay utilization, while efficiency protects speed, labor gross, and effective labor rate. Technician Efficiency and Productivity […]
Building Service Customer Experience: A Leadership Guide 2026
A great dealership can lose customers simply because of poor service experiences. It’s not just about fixing cars anymore—it’s about how customers feel when they visit. Long wait times, unclear communication, or interactions that feel rushed can make customers reconsider their choices. Training for service customer experience might be your best bet. It focuses on […]
Automotive Service Advisor Training Success Guide 2026
Service advisors play an essential role in keeping customers happy while ensuring the service department runs smoothly. But here’s the challenge—without proper training, even the most personable and fast-thinking advisor can struggle when faced with difficult customer situations, unexpected vehicle issues, or navigating dealership software. That’s where service advisor training makes the difference. It gives […]
The Ultimate Automotive Dealership Training Guide in 2026
Employee turnover is a big problem for many dealerships. It’s costly, time-consuming, and hurts your brand. One common reason for this turnover is ineffective training—or none at all. Without proper support, your team struggles to close deals, connect with customers, and feel confident in their role. This can lead to frustration and burnout, both of […]
Shop Foreman in Fixed Ops: How to Drive Production and Culture
Most dealership service departments misunderstand the role of a shop foreman. Too often, the position is treated as a senior technician with extra authority. However, in reality, the shop foreman in Fixed Ops is a production leader. The role is not about fixing the hardest cars. It is about driving output, accountability, and culture across […]
Why Automotive Continuous Training is the Key to Growth
Dealerships currently face a tough reality where customers often walk in knowing more about new electric models and tech features than the salespeople on the floor. This knowledge gap, paired with high employee turnover, creates a frantic environment that disrupts stability and hurts the customer experience. When your team feels unprepared to answer questions or […]
Why First Service Appointment Experience Impacts Retention
Getting customers to return for their first service appointment shouldn’t be so hard, but it often is. Many dealerships lose touch after the sale, letting potential long-term relationships slip away. Without a plan in place, those first-time service opportunities can easily end up at a competitor’s shop, taking future revenue with them. The key is […]
How Parts Department Inefficiency Hurts Your Dealership
Have you felt the sting of parts department inefficiency? It’s a common pain point for many dealerships. Poor inventory management leads to lost sales opportunities, delayed service jobs, and unhappy customers. The result? Your profitability takes a hit while your competitors thrive. Fortunately, there’s a clear path forward. Modernizing your parts department can streamline operations, […]
Strategic Priorities for Fixed Operations Profitability 2026
It feels like the showroom floor gets all the glory, doesn’t it? Yet banking entirely on vehicle sales is incredibly stressful. Market shifts, inventory delays, or rate hikes can dry up revenue overnight. You watch the front end struggle while the bills keep coming, creating a frantic cycle where you constantly chase numbers just to […]
Why Service Department Execution Fails & How to Fix It
When service department execution falls apart, everything slows down. Technicians lose valuable time waiting for parts or approvals. Jobs pile up because workflows are clunky or outdated, and repair orders lack the detail needed to keep things moving. Frustration builds, customers get impatient, and trust takes a hit. Improving service department execution doesn’t have to […]
Why Service Managers Struggle with Managing Former Peers
Sitting down for lunch with your usual work friends suddenly feels different. The jokes don’t land the same way, office gossip makes you uncomfortable, and everyone feels the awkwardness. This shift from peer to leader often proves more challenging than mastering any technical part of your new role. You are caught between two worlds—staying too […]
Net Promoter Score in Fixed Ops: What Service Managers Need to Know
As manufacturers evolve how they measure customer experience, Net Promoter Score (NPS) is becoming a bigger focus in Fixed Ops. For manySERVICE MANAGERS and SERVICE ADVISORS, that shift creates confusion, frustration, and a lot of unanswered questions. In Service Drive Revolution #345, the conversation explores what Net Promoter Score really measures, how it differs from […]
