DEALER PLATES

[OLDPARTSGUY]

Fixedopsmgr

I was going to let this drop, but had to know
What is your definition of a department manager?

[Old Irish]

I don't think Fixedopsmgr is off base, really.

In fact, I've spent years trying to get employees to pull together as a team....and getting department managers to be concerned with what's good for the *dealership*, not just what's good for thier own *department*. No, I haven't met with total sucess... but I think the efforts are finally starting to pay off.

This does NOT mean arbitrarily dumping workload on others, or allowing yourself to be dumped on.

It DOES mean lending a hand where needed and trying to avoid responding to requests for help with "It's not my job." It isn't always easy to do, especially at first...because not everyone will go along with you. However, the high road has never been the easiest to travel.

Hey, if you guys prefer working with that kind of attitude and in an atmosphere of "us" versus "them", carry on. Let the decades old rivalries between departments continue on, by all means. Why try to change anything, right ? Keep crying "poor me"....heck, every other manager in your store is undoubtedly crying it so you might as well, too.

Cheers, Good night, and good luck

DD

[Fixedopsmgr]

Thanks for the support Old Irish.

I dont think our store has that many less problems than any other store. We do try to approach them a little differently though. There are not to many times that anyone is just told that this is the way it will be. Everyone has a chance to say whats on their mind. If I thought that for a minute that by having a parts person hand a shop tag out was going to cause a problem I would find another solution. Sometimes it is hard to get everyone on the same page. In this day and age most people are out for themselves. It's to bad, but thats the way it is. I dont consider myself a babysitter, I prefer to be a mediator. When someone from parts or service has a problem they always are asked for a solution. More often than not they don't have one. They just think it should be done a different way. When I have a tech that becomes a cancer in the shop I do not put up with it. It is discussed and if there is no improvement then they are gone. Why let one person destroy what you have tried so hard to build.

OldPartsGuy
The definition of a manager can be defined in many ways. Along with the normal stuff, below are the ones that matter the most to me.

LEADING AND COACHING. They are the hardest ones.
PROMOTING TEAMWORK within all departments.

It works for me most of the time!!!


"It's not always about who's right but about what's right"

[This message has been edited by Fixedopsmgr (edited 01-27-2006).]

[WPC]

We have a relatively small store, with 6 salespeople. Our system works fine. We issue a dealer plate to each salesperson and it becomes their responsibility. If they lose it (or it loses itself) then they are responsible for cancelling it and replacing it. I can only remember two times in 12 years that we've replaced one.

[partsman103]

after reading the various responses, I have come to the conclusion that Parts Dept Personell are THE most important people in the dealership.

:-)

[JustBob]

If you could just convince the Dealer Principal of this.