Benchmarks are they Valid??

[scotstrong]

Gene:

One significant flaw in your "one stall per tech" theorizing: You seem to indicate that the only reason a stall can be tied up is parts availability. One other significant cause of tying stalls up is "waiting for approval". In many shops, this happens much more often than the parts availability issues; but is no less problematic for production and achieving certain criteria.

[sp7128]

We actually have more techs than bays .....With the market changing so fast, in the last few years ....there is probably many more facilities, than just us with more techs than bays.

[TheOne]

Lots of flaws in his "theorizing"! No benchmarks are not like sphincters, not everyone has one. There are many out there just trying to survive the day.

The comment "benchmarks, to be effective must produce a profit in the long run through customer retention and long term profit or they are not valid"., is wrong on a multitude of levels. To begin with benchmarks produce nothing. They do not produce profits, and the do not produce customer retention. They are static comparitive measurement. They are simply measurement tools used to evaluate systems, processes, and people.

You suggest we refference the atricle about the lean sales process. You might want to read again the title itself, the word PROCESS is key. The dealer profiled is altering his PROCESS, and comparing his result against BENCHMARKS for evaluative purposes.

Again to quote "We must not follow our governments lead.....this is normally what causes the gross profit to stagnate...". Ridiculous over simplification, and just plain wrong. I've been involved in hundreds of stores, and evaluated financials for hundreds more, and can more accurately generalize that most dealerships employ to FEW people in key positions causing poor financial performance and low customer satisfaction which in turn hampers customer retention. This phenomenom is further exacerbated by terrible pay plans that tend to do nothing for employee satisfation, and destroy any real possibility of the dealership meeting reasonable financial benchmarks.

I believe if you have seen "many times" one government person digging with a shovel and three supervisors watching, that would make you the fourth supervisor.

Your replies to other comments also demonstrate inconsistency. "your clients usually have !% policy adjustment". Its not a reach to view the typo as an attempt to a 1%, yet in your earlier post you state clearly that 5% is ok, because noboy is perfect. Which is it Gene?

Again in your 1 stall per tech comments you you draw irresponsible conclusions and push corrections without the slightest regard for what may or may not be really going on.

For 17 years I searched for a word other than consultant to attach to my company and my name. I believe that if one is going to make a living advising others about how to run their business, the advice ought to be consistent and worth the price of admission....