P&P/Warranty guidelines--getting it through

[Jen]

Hi again! Got a good one for ya: How do you get EVERYONE to follow procedure? I have a heck of a time getting my Advisors to write up an accurate complaint line, the techs can't seem to include the 3C's in their stories, and the Service Manager won't do anything unless I stand there and make him! 99% of the time I don't have the time to chase everyone all over and say "fix this, sign this, you didn't do this..." Shouldn't the SM have a little bit to do with implementing procedure? The seminar I went to got me going, and I'm preparing a memo of sorts, complete with examples of past ROs that are both good and need improvement, copies of audit results and the amounts charged back for lack of info, no authorization, etc.,(so they can see the results of not doing things the way they should be done) and different "helpful hints"--basically I'm writing a novel!! I write memos ("reminders") often and include copies of newsletters or updates I receive, addressed to ALL service employees, as well as the SM, but no one seems to pay attention.
If you all knew how we do things at our dealership, you would probably be able to understand better why we have so many problems, so I will explain that in a later posting--should get much response!! But for now, anyone have any ideas on this?

[sallen1]

What you need is the 'training' of a Factory Audit! (just kidding, no one deserves that kind of brain damage) However, the quality of the people who do the work will determine the outcome. If your service department does not follow guidelines, policies and proceedures, perhaps they need to join the George Washington Program (make them a part of history...). We had to do some HR work writing up managers, warranty administrators, advisors, technicians and even the dispatcher to get the point across.

Ask yourself: Who will be accountable when the audit team shows up?

By the way, another thing that occured after the writeups was that the warranty administrator and the service manager developed a system for any ticket that didn't contain the proper documentation, the advisor AND technician were not paid. This worked after about 2 days...

[robc]

This is a question I frequently get asked. In fact, (and I am sure Dave, Gregg and others on the board who do consulting will back me up on this) when I do an audit the warranty administrator will without fail say to me "I've been trying to tell these guys they can't/should do xxxx for years!"

So take some small amount of comfort in the fact that you are not alone.

What to do about it? That varies from shop to shop. How's your relationship with your dealer? Does (s)he take an active interest in your job and warranty claims? If so, mention some of your concerns to them. Some of my most powerful arguments to get the dealers attention are:

"Look you and I both know you did this work, but there's not enough proof to back it up! Any auditor could walk in here and accuse us of fraud for submitting for work we can't prove we did." -- or --

"Maybe, and this is a big maybe, you're lucky and none of the techs/advisors/managers are stealing from the factory or you ... but the lack of control in the dealership is at a point where anyone could." -- or --

"If we had strict audit few, if any, of these claims would survive. Even a mild audit could prove costly and extremely embarassing unless changes are made."

If there isn't pressure from the top ... dealer to service manager to advisors to technician to lot kid, then these things will never get solved.



------------------
** Rob, Editor WD&S **
Help is only a message post away!
robc@dealersedge.com

[JerryM]

We have a new system in place. We have 2 Warranty Administrators, myself and another. WE hold the techs time tickets. WE tag the techs time. No 3 C's, No Punch Time? .... ....NO PAY!!!! This has REMARKABLE motivational results!!!!

[MARY SHERICK]

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. AFTER YOU SHOW THE SERVICE MANAGER, AND THIS IS WHERE I WOULD START, YOU NEED TO ROUND ALL THE TECHS UP, AND HAVE WHAT I CALL A "GOOD OLD FASHIONED WARRANTY REVIVAL METTING". YOU SHOULD START OUT ALONG THE LINES OF THIS IS THE P AND P. IT IS THE GOSPEL OF WARRANTY. VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU THAT YOU MUST HEED IT, FOR IF YOU NOT, YOU SHALL DESCEND INTO THE VALLEY OF POVERTY. IT WILL GET A LAUGH, BUT IT WILL GET THEIR ATTENTION. THEIR JOB (ADVISOR,TECH,SERVICE MANAGER, ETC.) IS NOT DONE UNTIL THE PAPERWORK IS FINISHED. THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR A HOUSE HALF-BUILT, OR A MEAL NOT COOKED FROM A RESTAURANT. WHY SHOULD THE DEALER OR THE FACTORY PAY THEM FOR AN INCOMPLETE JOB? THEN DO IT. IF THE PARTS ARE NOT TURNED IN AND ACCOUNTED FOR, CHARGE THE LABOR BACK, AND MAKE THEM PAY FOR THE PARTS. IF THEY ARE NOT TURNING IN THE OLD ONES, HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY ARE REALLY INSTALLING THE NEW ONES? IF THE TIME PUNCHES ARE MISSING, NO DIAGNOSIS TIME PAY, IN THE CASE OF CHRYSLER AND BMW, NO PAY AT ALL SINCE ALL RO'S MUST BE TIME PUNCHED. IF YOUR SERVICE MANAGER UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS HIS HIND END ON THE LINE WHEN THE DEFACATION HITS THE ROTATING OSCILLATOR, AFTER ALL THE P AND P STATES THAT IT IS HIS, OR HER, RESPONSIBILTY TO ASSURE THAT ALL THESE MATTERS ARE TAKEN CARE OF. HE IS WHERE THE DEALER LOOKS FIRST. IF THE SERVICE MANAGER CAN'T DO IT, THE GO TO THE DEALER AND ASK FOR A RAISE EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT THAT YOU WILL BE POTENTIALLY CHARGED BACK. THEN, IMMEDIATELY EXPLAIN THAT HE WILL BE WRITING THE CHECK TO THE FACTORY, NOT YOU, IF THE SITUATION IS NOT BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED THE WITCH, BUT YOUR JOB IS TO GET WARRANTY DOLLARS PAID, AND KEPT PAID, NOT TO WIN A POPULARITY CONTEST. YOUR DEALER WILL UNDERSTAND IF A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE LOST DOLLARS IS PRESENTED.

[David Henson]

I like Sallen1's George Washington..part of history idea (mind if I use that?).

I know what everyone means. Funny how I can go to a tech and get them to "tell" me everything I need to know but just can't get them to write it on the RO.

Being fortunate to have worked in dealerships for a large part of my life as everything from porter to service director and unfortunate enough to have been through more audits than the IRS, I sometimes can get the point across.

Still, it doesn't happen overnight. Tech comments, for instance, takes constant coaching. With managers constantly putting out fires it is easy to overlook the obvious.

I met with a friend who happens to be an upper level Chrysler manager a couple of weeks ago and he asked how I was able to get a point across to technicians when they couldn't. I've been giving that a lot of thought and maybe its because I've been one.

Those that know me also know I am not a fan of manufacturer audit tactics. But, as long as they give us the rules to play by (assuming they don't make them up as they go along), I'm still in the game.

My best advice: Keep the pressure on!