Shop talk

We asked fixed ops managers: How does the training of your technicians and advisers benefit your service department?

"Training during our weekly adviser meetings and role-playing throughout the week is paramount, and that focus helped us move several KPIs on our CSI surveys. We trained our service advisers to use a standard greeting so that our clients feel welcomed, and streamlining questions to customers ensures that we gather the correct information for our technicians to properly diagnose our customers' concerns. Our techs also go through weekly trainings on wiADVISOR, which is a tool we use to electronically send our MPIs and estimates service requested. We've seen an increase in their hours per repair order since we started this training."

DAWN MATTHEWS, Service and parts director, David Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram, Glen Mills, Pa.

"We have increased our spend for training substantially over the past 12 months. The majority of our increase has been used in the technician area because technology is ever-changing and becoming more complicated. Our vision for 2020 is to increase the training for our advisers through digital content and hands-on learning. By increasing our commitment to training, we have greatly increased the proficiency in the shop and the overall customer experience."

JD HARWELL, Fixed operations director, Wade Ford, Smyrna, Ga.

"I keep my team of technicians and service advisers up to date on manufacturer trainings by having them take online courses or sending them out to the courses. I encourage any technician or adviser to get certifications by funding their courses and relating how it can affect their workflow efficiency."

COURTNEY DeTATO, Service manager, Blaise Alexander Chevrolet, Greencastle, Pa.

"At Love Chevrolet, we view training as an investment into our most valuable assets — our people. Our business evolves every day and our people need to evolve with it in order to provide our guests the best experience possible. Whether it be technical training for technicians, informational and process training for our service consultants or fundamentals training for apprentices, ongoing training benefits our service department by keeping us engaged with the latest knowledge and information, which in turn elevates us to be the best that we can be. Training should be an integral part of every service department."

MARK WILLIAMSON, Service director, Love Chevrolet, Columbia, S.C.

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Compiled by Danielle Szatkowski