Vehicle inspection on Warranty Repairs

[mcwarren]

What is everyone doing re: using your vehicle multi-point inspection form on vehicles that came in for warranty work only? Is it considered "soliciting warranty work'?

[Old Irish]

I would think so, yes.

Cheers
DD

[jazdale]

I don't see a problem with it.

Most inspections include the following.
Filter life remaining
Tire wear
Brake wear
Fluid levels and life remaining

Most of which, are customer-pay regular wear responsibilites.

Create good-will and allow the customer to budget their maintenance.
"Mrs Smith, we took care of the issue that you came in for at no charge. We also performed a 15 point inspection and noticed that your XXX will need replacing in the next YYY days. Would you like to set an appointment for YYY days from now? We will call you ZZZ days before the appointment just to make sure you don't have a schedule conflict.

Finding more warranty work is a different story.

[Lhansen]

I like the use of the checksheet on all vehicles coming into the shop. (If it's the installation of a SOP and the inspection was just done last week, I think it can certainly be skipped this visit, but we all know that problems can occur anytime.)
Upselling warranty is and always will be one of those forbiddens, but if you find an dangerous or out of line condition, you need to bring it to the customer's attention.
Get the customer in the habit of seeing the inspection form on each visit(even when it's a new vehcile) and build the relationship. That's what service is all about!

Thanks!

Linda

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Linda Graham Hansen
Auto Dealer Focus
www.autodealerfocus.com

[Old Irish]

If we have a car in the shop for whatever reason and discover a warranty defect that is *clearly* safety related or is likely to cause a major or more exepsnive failure soon we'll go ahead and add it to the work order with the proper documention, story, and signature. I've never had a factory rep object.

Of course, cosmetics and any other non-serious defects are strictly off limits.

Cheers
DD

[capsgs]

We only use the inspection form on LOFs and hi mileage CP cars. I feel it's a waste on warranty cars. The idea of the form is a selling tool. Besides if you present these to a customer too much, it takes away from their validity.

Chris

[djd93]

CAPSGS sounds like I did about 18 months ago. Since making the techs do them on every customer car every time our extra sales have gone up. These are needed services we just let go out the door before. And as far as warranty both Mazda and GM training we have had lately said yes. With the green, yellow, red the customer can watch the progress of their car and expect needed work. I ended up putting a copy of the inspections on the back of our menus to get the customer used to them. We are now at the point if an advisor does not give one to the customer they are asking for a copy. Just one example we went from selling maybe 8 tires in a good month to averaging 100 tires a month. With tire sales came brakes and other services. Without doing them I do not know were we would be now.

[dhoyt1]

As a warranty administrator and a prior asst. service manager I can tell you it is not a problem for warranty. I is important to remember that you are a business and you are giving the customer a service that is invaluable to he/she and your business. You wouldn't want to have a customer drive off and have a serious accident or break down, also you don't want to miss possible up-sells.

[mcwarren]

Thanks for your input. Most replies echo my sentiment, that being that is not only okay but should be considered our responsibility to our customer to inspect their vehicle and advise them of any issues. Having said that, I believe we also have to be sure that all up-sells are legitimate and not to up-sell cosmetic warranty and not to oversell warranty or CP, for example, an oil leak up-sell should take place on a dripping leak not on an oil film around a gasket sealing surface with the oil level correct for the component.

[This message has been edited by mcwarren (edited 07-24-2006).]

[This message has been edited by mcwarren (edited 07-24-2006).]

[gordyw]

I believe it should be used on all vehicles regardless of warranty, non-warranty or mileage. We started it at the first service visit to get the customer used to it and then they come to expect it later on. Also you want the customer to get several "green" readings prior to getting a report where it needs repairs. I know General Motors is pushing the inspections so they can not hardly come at you for doing them. Realistically it is no different than soliciting warranty work without an inspection sheet. If it needs the repairs as add ons then the service manager must verify and authorize it. It is what it is, and if it truly needs it it needs it.