Management Success! Receives Award for Excellence in Advertising

Readex Research recently conducted a survey sponsored by FenderBender magazine studying people’s perceptions of advertisements. The results of the survey revealed what types of advertisements communicate the most effectively to FenderBender readers.

The advertisements for the study were chosen from FenderBender’s August 2015 issue. The respondents were asked to report how they perceived each advertisement. The first method of reporting was to choose one of three categories (attention-getting, believable, or informative) to which they felt the advertisement belonged; the second was to provide their own personal feedback on what message or feeling the advertisement conveyed to them. 

The Management Success! advertisement is directed toward auto shop managers who are having a difficult time effectively managing their employees, thus creating a “black hole,” which pulls their employees’ production down and prevents the shop from becoming highly profitable. The main goal of the advertisement is to encourage the managers to take the Management Success! Black Hole quiz to find out what areas of their management need improvement. 

For more information about Management Success’ training and consulting services, please visit www.managementsuccess.com. 

About Management Success!

Management Success! is an auto industry consulting firm that specializes in elevating the quality of life of shop owners all over the US and Canada. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Glendale, CA, Management Success! helps shop owners become effective managers in order to increase profits. The Management Success! team believes shop owners deserve to be well-compensated for their hard work. Management Success! fully arms shop owners with every executive ability needed to win.

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Please contact Morgan Scott at Management Success’ Marketing Department at Morgan.Scott@managementsuccess.com or (818) 500-9631 for more information regarding Management Success! conventions and training programs.

FIND THE BLACK HOLE IN YOUR SHOP!
TAKE THE BLACK HOLE TEST!

Attributes Of A Good Service Writer By Mike Lee

There are many things that lead to a successful business. One of them is a good Service Writer. I have visited lots of shops where it was obvious that the Service Writer was not trained and was not motivated.

There are many important attributes of a good Service Writer.

1. They are alive.
2. They are motivated.
3. They like people.
4. People like them.
5. They enjoy their job.
6. They have good communication skills.
7. They have patience.
8. They know what they are doing.
9. They have stable lives.

There are others, but these are some of the more important ones. 

Are They Alive? 

It is amazing how many Service Writers are just going through the motions. They are not happy and this communicates to customer immediately. Customers react unfavorable to a Service Writer, who is acting like a walking zombie.

If they are not motivated, it greatly affects their sales. You can advertise like crazy, but the sales will be slow because the Service Writer is turning people off. This is especially true when they answer the phone.

In some shops, they have a mirror right beside the phone with the word “SMILE” above it. This way, when anyone answers the phone they will look at themselves in the mirror and remember to smile while talking to the customer.

Are They Focused?

I have seen in the past, Service Writers who are pretty good at their jobs, suddenly, start forgetting things and not following up or stay on top of their job. At the same time, the sales start to drop when it was busy. Later in talking to the Service Writer, you will find that he has some major problem going on.

Sometimes, you will find that they have a drinking or drug problem or they are going through a divorce or they have financial problems. When a Service Writer has personal problems, it will affect his ability to do his job.

Do They Like People?

When we do interviews with Service Writers, occasionally, we find that they actually don’t like sales. Mainly this comes from not knowing how to handle people in general or not knowing how to sell.

It is really apparent to customers when a Service Writer does not know how to deal with people or is not happy with life in general.

Often times, Service Writers get busy and are short with customers or they fail to take enough time with the customers to make sure they have handled all of the customers questions and considerations. Handling customers requires a person who likes people, who has patience with people that are confused and don’t fully understand what they are agreeing to have done with their car. Anytime a Service Writer loses his patience he generally loses the customers.

Do They Know What They Are Doing?

A high percentage of problems Service Writers have with customers come from their inability to handle problems thrown at them by customers. I have seen Service Writers start to lose their effectiveness when they start having problems that they don’t know how to handle.

They have problems with price shoppers, they don’t know how handle upset customers and what they or others at the shop did to help create the upsets.

Their lack of training causes them to lose sales, upset customers and not enjoy their job. Many do not fully understand their responsibilities and what is expected of them.

I can not tell how many times, I have seen Service Writers suddenly light up and take off once they understand what they are suppose to do and how to do it more effectively. Many times, you can turn a Service Writer who is not doing well into a happy, very effectively salesperson, who makes good money for themselves and you, by having them adequately trained on their job. Is your Service Writer producing at the levels you would like? It is only money…Yours!

Management Success! 

FIND THE BLACK HOLE IN YOUR SHOP!
TAKE THE BLACK HOLE TEST!

Loren’s Auto Repair Hosts Management Success General Repair TOP 20 Group Meeting

From August 29^th to 30^th, 2015, the TOP 20 general repair shop owners met to network and discuss concerns and issues general repair shop owners face and what they can do about them. The discussion took place at Loren’s Auto Repair in Kalispell, Montana and was hosted by owners, Loren and Travis Sallee.

On Friday the 29^th, the group began the get-together sightseeing at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park. With an elevation of 6,647 feet and encompassing beautiful mountains, lakes, and wildlife, it was a peaceful way to clear their mind before the discussions. In the evening, they dined at a restaurant in Whitefish.

The following day, the group discussed challenges they are each currently facing, and they provided suggestions and solutions that could help the challenges of each owner. They went over using tablets for inspections and how that is incorporated into shop flow. One shop owner who already uses tablets gave useful pointers to the others on beneficial ways of implementing it.

The meeting also consisted of a tour of Loren’s Auto Repair. Travis Sallee walked the group through the shop, which was designed and built by his father with the help of Travis. He showed their shop’s different systems, such as workflow, and talked about the history of their shop. The group finished the day off by having dinner at a restaurant in Kalispell.

On Sunday, Jim Smith led the group on a profit & loss and KPI study. Members got to compare numbers and zero in on members who have exceptional performance in various categories giving everyone ideas on how to improve their bottom line. The meeting concluded at noon on Sunday, leaving enough time for everyone to get back home and start their week off with a fresh mind and new ideas.

For more information on Management Success! or the General Repair TOP 20 Group, please contact Morgan Scott at morgan.scott@managementsuccess.com. 

FIND THE BLACK HOLE IN YOUR SHOP!
TAKE THE BLACK HOLE TEST!

Pine Aire Truck Service Hosts Management Success! TOP 20 Group in Bay Shore, New York

August 2, 2015

Bay Shore, N.Y.

Photo credit: Pine Aire Truck Service

From July 31 to August 2, truck shops from around the country gathered in Bay Shore, NY for a Management Success! Truck TOP 20 Group meeting, hosted by Dave Bloom at Pine Aire Truck Service. Moderated by Truck TOP 20 Consultant, Desirae Smith, this meeting was held to network, learn more about business systems, discuss issues faced by truck shops, and develop solutions to common concerns. By the end of the three days, the shop owners created a nationwide directory of the TOP 20 Group shops to help promote each other.

The group spent the first day visiting other businesses to observe and learn about their systems. One of the businesses was ABLE Weldbuilt Industries, an equipment and tow truck manufacturer; there, the attendees observed their processes and products. They also visited a Kia dealership to study their flow lines and had the opportunity to spend time with the service manager. They concluded the day with a visit to a local microbrewery and an evening at the beach in the Hamptons.

The following day was spent in-house, where the owners reviewed their knowledge of KPIs. They also discussed different issues that affect their businesses and how to solve these issues. The evening was spent at a local restaurant, Ciao Baby.

During the final day, the group focused on the financial side of business with a profit and loss study, discussing points of profitability, and learning how to improve profits.

Robert Spitz, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Management Success! remarked, “I am always impressed with the level of professionalism and dedication demonstrated by the members of this group, not only to their respective businesses, but to the trucking industry as a whole.”

Desirae Smith, Truck TOP 20 Consultant at Management Success! is thrilled with how the meeting went: “This meeting was our best Truck TOP 20 meeting yet! We covered important topics that were sequitur and popular for the TOP 20 shops. This meeting really was for them. Further, the special camaraderie that already exists within this group was taken to another level due to all the social/group activities and networking. Everyone enjoyed the meeting and took something new back with them to implement at their respective shops. We are looking forward to the next one already.”

One of the most valuable aspects of the TOP 20 meetings is the opportunity to network and learn from other group members. It is a chance to acquire new knowledge and to encourage each other in achieving future goals. In response to this, Evan Lang from E.L.M. Repair and Refrigeration commented, “I always learn from others’ experiences, and it helps my perspective on my and others’ businesses. The meetings are a great time to share our experiences and help ourselves and others.”

For more information on Management Success! or the Truck TOP 20 Group, please contact Morgan Scott at morgan.scott@managementsuccess.com. 

FIND THE BLACK HOLE IN YOUR SHOP!
TAKE THE BLACK HOLE TEST!

Management Success! Launches New Advanced Service Writer School: Taking Sales Skills to the Next Level

On June 17 and 18, 2015, Management Success! launched its new Advanced Service Writer School. Attendees were shop owners and service writers who had already completed Service Writer School and wanted to take the next step to further improve their sales skills.

Advanced Service Writer School takes a more detailed approach to understanding sales by digging into sales fundamentals and the entire sales process. It expands on topics covered in Service Writer School and ingrains all service writing skills for smooth delivery and heightened professionalism. Starting from the moment the customer walks in the door, Advanced Service Writer School teaches step-by-step what to do in order to obtain customers for life and be profitable.

Some topics covered are how to overcome customer fears, understanding different types of customers, and successfully handling challenging situations. Combined with drills, these lessons push students’ service writing skills to a higher level.

The students who attended Advanced Service Writer School were very satisfied and eager to return to work to implement all they learned. Donald Cisco from Webster Tire & Auto Service thought it was an “excellent follow-up to Service Writer School [with] another great supervisor.” Caleb Hancock from Randy’s Auto Care commented, “The drills are where it actually helped me become confident on how to use the information and when to use it. I definitely recommend this class to the other shops who have attended Service Writer School.”

After a successful first run, Management Success! is excited to continue Advanced Service Writer School with many more shop owners attending in the future.

For more information on Management Success! or Advanced Service Writer School, please call (818) 546-5836 or contact Morgan Scott at morgan.scott@managementsuccess.com.

FIND THE BLACK HOLE IN YOUR SHOP!
TAKE THE BLACK HOLE TEST!