Who's responsible for selling maintenance in the shop?

[wesnellans]

I've experienced a HUGE (as in, roughly $20k YTD over last year same period) drop in customer pay repair order parts sales, and it's almost ENTIRELY maintenance items. I sold fluid replacements, spark plugs, filters, etc, A LOT until the beggining of last year. We've had a bunch of turnover in the service lane, and try as I might to get the powers-that-be convinced, they're seemingly of the same mind that the fault lies with our techs not suggesting services. Same techs, mind you, different people up front.

I've been at this for 25 years, and I've yet to see a technician who's selling services. As I did when I was a SW, I see it as part of the job description. If you're a Service Advisor, you need to be up to speed on what the recommended services are on the vehicles coming through the door, check to see what's been done, and suggest to the customer the needed services.

Where does the technician enter into this, assuming the job's been done right up front? I mean, sure, if the tech notices the transmission fluid is burnt, or they're replacing a caliper and the fluid looks contaminated, etc, they should be recommending more than just slapping on a new part and patting it on the butt, but doesn't the responsibility of selling services lie with, oh I don't know, the Service Advisor?!?

Rant over. For the moment.

Am I in left field on this? How do YOUR shops sell needed maintenance/service items? Rely on the techs to point them out, or is it the responsibility of the guys and gals on the drive?

Thoughts, folks?

[btk]

It is everyones responsibilty to sell maintenance, from the advisors to appointment coordinators to technicians. But there is an easy solution to your problem, pull the repair orders and review all the recommendations made by the techs and you will know real quick where the problem comes from. if you review 50-100 repair orders you will know where the problem is coming from and more importantly how to fix it. Remember one thing, even though you have the same techs , many times they will stop recommending if the advisors are not selling-so likely your problem is probably advisors but dont excuse techs for that behavior.I would look at the repair orders from start to finish, so if I look at the initial write up and see a 10 year old car with 80,000 miles on it and then I look at service history and see nothing but oil changes , I would question the advisor about his discussion with the custoemr and was maintenance recommended and if it was it should be documented that customer was advised on needed service, then on that same car once it goes in the shop I would see what if any thing was recommended by the techncian and the same conversatin should be had. Keep an eye out for technicians that recommend the same things over and over again, they are probably not letting you know everything that car needs and they are more insterested on what they are good at and can make money on. Just a thought

[possum]

MENUS, MENUS, MENUS!

That's a funny word looking at it written like that, but definitely a money-maker. It brings consistency to your customers, technicians and advisors.
Also a Service Price Guide from your DMS can really streamline too because the techs or advisors can check upsell parts and labor and give the customer a complete quote. They may decline, but wont buy anything if its not presented professionally.

[FixedManager]

As BTK said it's everyone's job, including yours. Great answer BTK

[tcollins]

BTK and Possum have the answer. It comes down to process and accountability. Does the tech do a full and complete inspection of the vehicle, every time? Does that inspection get back to the advisor in a reasonable time? Does the advisor present that inspection to the customer every time along with a menu based on mileage? Does the advisor have the customer sign the inspection? Does the advisor create a "recommended, not done" line on the RO and have the customer sign it? Here's the big one, is the service manager holding each accountable for every step every time? A recent study suggested that more than 60% of all work needed but not completed was never presented to the customer.