Life is Fragile

When I turned on my television set and watched the horrific events unfold in Japan, my first thought was, “What is this movie” then reality set in that this was a real event unfolding live for the entire world to witness. It was strange to still see other non trivial, but deadly events unfold around the globe, such as Gadhafi killing his countrymen and I had a thought. When we really look into the human mind and the behavior we display as a collective species around the globe, the view from the outside really isn’t that awe inspiring at times.

I would like to state that I would personally like to see more charity from everyday people, possibly the events of this last week will awaken in people the kindness and the pleasantries that exist in everyone. Our society over the last forty years has become much to self centered and closed minded. We live in a me-me era and it is not getting better anytime soon.

I remember as a teenager in school being told that technology was going to make our lives better, easier and more relaxed, because we would have more time to do and experience things that were meaningful. To a certain extent the people who stated this, to all of us thirty some years ago were partially right. Technology has made our work easier however technology has also increased the speed that all we move. We are able to produce more, which gives us the ability to want and have more, but the wants and haves are all things.

These are inanimate objects that we fill our lives with and we are diluted to believe that we think these items will give us happiness. The things that mean the most are people and the experiences that each one provides the other. Learning lessons from others trials and tribulations is really what this life is all about, “personal development, growth and a commitment to help in a time of need”.

Technology has also enabled us to become much more complacent and alone within our own zone. We just don’t interact with people as much as our parents or grandparents did on a personal level. That face-to-face connection has receded and continues to fade away for the most part induced by the power of technology. We are all connected via Facebook, twitter and all of the other social networks yet we lack the ability to have a personal coherent conversation built upon self respect and respect for others because we have zoned out.

I have witnessed people having an argument at a shopping mall over the most ridiculous things. These people have no sense of proper interaction whatsoever. They become hostile and expose everyone around them to their violent language and perverse body and hand gestures. This is not what society was predicted to become! Yet unfortunately, here we are.

A recent study shows that text messaging has increased exponentially over the last two years and it has almost overtaken the spoken word. Have you taken the time to watch people interact with one another at a shopping mall, train station, restaurant or an airport? People who don’t really know one another really want to keep to themselves. Most times they couldn’t care less about you, your issues or your small talk. They want to be left alone. In a sense, this is a sad state of affairs we have gotten ourselves into. Don’t get me wrong, I love my I phone and all the other technological gadgets that we own, yet they are creating the ability for all of us to be impersonal with each other.

We saw what happened in Japan and yet the uprising and the killing still exists in the Middle East and elsewhere around the globe. It is great to see that countries around the world are stepping up to the plate and helping the Japanese people in one of the worst recorded disasters in history. If only we all had that same sense of charity within our own communities, places of work and our own countries.

If only people could really see how fragile life is, not just for someone else, but for us all. Maybe that would be the day that everyone would cry out in one voice that we need change, positive change and fast. Collectively, as a world we have been doing the same thing over and over again and we always expect different results, isn’t that the definition of insanity?

People need to start showing more respect to one another, use proper etiquette and exude pleasantries towards one another. I liken our society to a sports team in disrepair. You cannot win games if there is constant infighting. Teams that share together, pray together, eat together and speak about positive things together, yes these are the teams that succeed and win the day. This is what we as a society needs to be doing now to get back on the right track. Again this starts at home and needs to flow through the workplace and into our communities to make a verifiable difference.

Technology has given us some great advances such as the ability to have early warning monitors to warn people of impending disaster as well as the ability to know that something as devastating as this is happening instantaneously somewhere on the earth. Just think, five-hundred years ago nobody would be at the aid of Japan if this disaster would have occurred, they would be on their own. Nobody would know and therefore nobody would care!

We could all benefit as a private citizen, a community, a workplace, a state or a country if people could be charitable, giving, kind, receptive and pleasant to everyone they come into contact with, do unto others what you would want done unto you. Use technology for all of its benefits but don’t be caught up in the stigma that is starting to permeate our society of being along, ultimately that could spell disaster for each and every one of us!

David

Great News – Need Reviews

Currently the economy seems to be picking up, albeit slowly. The automotive sector sold more cars the first few months of 2011 then the same period the last two years. Hiring is up which means more eligible consumers are entering the vehicle purchasing market. Used vehicle sales are driving the market forward with fuel economy vehicles paving the way to future record automotive sales. With fuel prices rising due to the continued unrest in the Middle-East, I think it is fair to say that fuel efficient vehicles are going to drive the market over the next two to three years; at least until consumer fears are alleviated.

With all this good news you are probably asking yourself when the bad news comes, with more good news, I don’t have any bad news to share. To continue taking advantage of the markets upswing, you should spend some time examining your processes and procedures and perform a review of what is and isn’t working for you, at your particular store.

Your service and parts department generate the largest revenues in the facility, so work on establishing procedures that will enhance your customers experience and raise it to a higher level of excellence. First time customers from a new or pre-owned purchase will choose to stay servicing with you more readily, if you offer them an experience that exceeds their expectations. Review your current CSI reviews and find out what your customers truly say about your level of servicing. Pick each CSI question apart and find the cause of concern with each one. The most important item on your list is FIX IT!

Get ready for the next wave of vehicle purchasing and servicing and ride to a larger profit margin by reviewing and fixing your department while you have time now to make the changes. Don’t wait until you become too busy to make the changes, you will never catch up. Unfortunately a lot of dealerships will wait until their competition has exceeded them on every level before changing. There is a saying that sums up my thoughts, “Change NOW - before you HAVE TOO”!


David

Consistency

How many Service Managers, Directors and General Managers are focused on the monthly financial statement and not really focused on the day to day numbers of the service advisors and their technicians. I know many who look to the financials to tell them where they have just come from over the last month.
The way to truly run your fixed operations is to know every day where you are going, your projections and the daily numbers for each employee, this enables you to tweak and pull more out of your department.

If you are a manager who is in constant pursuit of additional gross profit opportunities within your fixed operations, you need to focus on consistency. Focusing on the maintenance of your customers vehicles through the use of proper inspections and making the repair recommendations to 100% of your customers, will add bottom line gross to your business. All of your advisors or service consultants need to present the estimate and recommendations exactly the same way. The service-walk-around and write up procedures need to be the same for each and every advisor. Consistency is something your customers expect and crave.

McDonalds pioneered the up-sell and they are consistent no matter where you go, “Would you like fries with that, or would you like to supersize your drink”. You can visit a McDonalds in Madison Wisconsin, NY City or Chicago and you will hear the same things and McDonald’s food also tastes the same no matter what location you frequent. This is selling consistency at its best! People become accustomed to the same procedures, product and experience and look forward to the same experience no matter who serves them at the counter.

How many of your fixed operations customers have read their owner’s manual and know what services they need at particular time or mileage intervals, I bet not many. How many of your service advisors are recommending the maintenance items to your customers, again I bet not many. Coolant flushes, brake fluid flushes, transmission flushes, air filters, cabin filters, tire rotations, wheel alignments, transfer case oil changes, differential oil changes and you can probably add a few more items from your own facility packages.

The opportunities are endless and only need to be positioned and presented to your customers with clear concise language to each customer, every time. The key is to be consistent with each customer that frequents the facility. Most dealerships notify their customers when their state inspection is coming due, why not notify your customers that their yearly alignment or 30,000 miles service is coming due. Be proactive, not reactive and again be consistent.

Some tips on helping you become more consistent and gain more gross profit are things like having the service advisor perform;

• A pre-write vehicle history check and inspect for previous declined service recommendations
• Conduct a proper walk-a-round of the vehicle with the customer, touching and pointing out issues
• Present a good, better best menu and offer the maintenance service packages
• The advisor needs to maintain eye contact and ask probing questions of the customer concerning the issues with the vehicle
• The advisor MUST make at least one recommendation to the customer based upon the customers description of the vehicle concerns
• All advisors must meet and greet, perform the walk around, and position recommendations the same way

Consistency sold millions of burgers therefore consistency can help you sell more hours. When it comes right down to it that’s what we are really selling isn’t it?

David