Unlock Hidden Profits: Tapping Customer Niches in Your Service Drive 

The automotive industry is facing a significant challenge: overlooked customer niches. These untapped markets are costing dealerships serious money, but together, we can turn this around.  The 14-Year-Old Goldmine  Here’s a stat that’s changing the game: the average car on the road is now 14 years old. This isn’t a problem…it’s an opportunity the industry […]

Your Dealership’s Economic Survival Plan  

Let’s talk about something most Dealerships don’t want to think about…economic downturns. They’re coming, whether we like it or not. The real question is: are you ready?  The State of Dealerships Today  Most Dealerships are one bad month away from serious trouble. Why? Because they’re stuck in old thinking patterns. All eyes on moving metal, […]

Mastering Service Drive Sales: 5 Strategies for Success 

If you’re a new Service Manager or thinking about stepping into that role, we need to talk. Many talented folks get chewed up and spit out by this job, and it’s not because they lack skills or work ethic. It’s because they’re focusing on the wrong things. So, let’s break down what really matters and […]

Mastering Service Drive Sales: 5 Strategies for Success 

In the fast-paced world of automotive service, making sales can often feel like an uphill battle. We’ve all been there – trying to explain additional services to a customer while juggling multiple appointments and dealing with the usual chaos of the Service Department.   But what if we told you there are ways to make […]

5 Costly Mistakes Dealers Make in Their Service Departments 

As someone who’s been in the automotive industry for decades, I’ve observed numerous dealerships make the same mistakes repeatedly. These errors, particularly in Service Departments, can significantly impact profitability. Let’s examine the five most critical mistakes and how to avoid them.  1. Prioritizing Metal Over the Curb (Vehicle Sales Over Service)  Many Dealers focus excessively […]

Unlocking Excellence: Insider Secrets of Elite Automotive Service Managers

Hey there, Chris Collins here! I’ve been in the automotive industry trenches for over 25 years, and I’ve seen it all when it comes to service managers. Some struggle to keep their heads above water, while others seem to effortlessly lead their teams to success. So, what’s the secret sauce that separates the average from […]

Essential Tips for Developing Top Performing Automotive Technicians

I’m always looking for ways to help dealership Managers improve their Service Departments. One area ripe for improvement is how we train and develop our automotive Technicians. With the ongoing shortage, retaining top talent is more critical than ever.  I recently sat down with the SDR coaches to talk shop and share our best tips […]

The 6 Traits of All-Star Service Advisors

Want to know the inside secrets of what separates the top-performing Service Advisors from the rest of the pack? After visiting hundreds of dealerships across North America and coaching countless advisors over the years, our team has identified the key qualities that the best of the best all share.  In this article, I’ll reveal the […]

Behind the Scenes: My Lessons Writing the Irreplaceable Service Manager Book

It was never my goal to be an author.  I fell into the car business at 17 and built my career turning around dealership service departments.  Writing a book was never part of the plan.  But in 2006, a mentor suggested I share my approach to help more Service Managers succeed. Thus began a 3 […]

Types of Automotive Service Advisors

Automotive Service Advisors Have you ever noticed the different types of automotive service advisors? Well, Coach Christian just gave us a big list, so we can all figure this out together!  We all know that they are extremely important to the dealership, and almost service drive heroes for customers. This list is also an entertaining […]

43 Service Advisor Training Resources

Service Advisor Training: Quick Answer Service advisor training teaches dealership advisors how to greet customers, write accurate repair orders, explain inspections, present maintenance recommendations, handle objections, communicate with technicians, follow up on declined work, and protect customer trust while improving service-drive performance. For dealerships, the best service advisor training should connect customer communication, sales process, […]

SERVICE ADVISOR TRAINING: FIVE WAYS TO INSTANTLY CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS

5 KEYS TO INSTANTLY CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS Hi, Chris Collins here and Mario. In this video we’ll talk about the five keys to instantly connecting with customers. I think, probably the thing that bothers to more than anything else is to how to instantly connect with customers, there’s fun stats out there where they say […]