Follow Up On Refused Work

Many stores have purchased customer-relationship management software to improve their communications with clients. One of the strongest tools incorporated into most of the CRM systems is a reminder/follow-up process for unsold work for something discovered during an inspection of the customer's vehicle. Too often, this work is forgotten. Here are a few ways to improve the capturing of this work.

• Follow-up: A showroom customer looks at a car but doesn't buy right away. Do you forget about them? No. You expect the salesperson to follow-up. The same expectation should apply to your service department.

• Type of Work: Typically, potential work the dealership should follow up on relates to tires, batteries and brakes. Other work can be added, but these areas are some of the lower-hanging fruit.

• Develop a Follow-up Report: This report should run daily to provide a tool to follow up with these customers. A reasonable time frame should be established for each call.

• Should You Discount the Job? Don't discount as part of the follow-up strategy.The first call should not have any mention of a discount. Use this as a last resort only.

Lee Harkins is president and CEO of M5™ Management Services Inc and can be contacted at 205-747-8305 and leeharkins@m5ms.com.To read the entire article click here.

Toyota Fixed Steering Rods for Over a Decade Before Recall
Records of warranty work and customer complaints in a California lawsuit show Toyota delayed reporting safety issues relating to a defect in steering control for more than a decade before recalling nearly one million trucks in the U.S. for the problem.
USA Today, June 14, 2010

Pickup Sales Picking Up and Economy Hitches a Ride
When consumers are out there buying pickups, you know the financial health of the economy is in a better place. Automakers see an 11 percent gain through May. The 1.1 million 2009 pickup sales were the lowest in 18 years.
Detroit News, June 14, 2010

Increased Fuel Economy Will Cost You Dearly
A recent study indicates that, while it's important to reduce the amount of fuel we use, short term measures could cost up to $9,000 per vehicle to achieve that goal. The study was sponsored by the NHTSA and the National Research Council using a 2007 base vehicle.
TheDetroitBureau.com, June 14, 2010

Hybrids Soar in May, Sales Running Well Ahead of Dismal Early 2009 Levels
U.S. sales of hybrid cars and trucks did well in May, reaching their best numbers since last August. They increased 18.7% from April to May. Much of the bump came from the Prius, Ford Fusion hybrid, and the limited-market Nissan Altima hybrid.

Hyundai-Kia "confident we can beat" Toyota's $50,000 Price on Fuel Cell Cars
Hyundai-Kia has been working hard on fuel cell technology for the past six years and is nearly ready to get hydrogen fuel cell vehicles out on the market by 2012. This ties in with Toyota's announcement last month that by 2015, it will have 50,000 fuel cell cars available for a price point of $50,000.

Jiffy Lube University Gains Training Accolades
Jiffy Lube recently received outstanding recognition for its signature, ASE Certified training program, Jiffy Lube University. The program was ranked 50th in the 11th Annual Training Top 125 Awards, conducted by The Training Magazine.

AddOnAuto Helps Dealers Succeed

izmocars, a leading Internet business solutions provider for the auto retailing industry, studied 120+ dealerships that were using the company's AddOnAuto (AOA) in-store accessory solution with tremendous success -- seamlessly integrating accessories shopping and financing with the car purchase and eliminating need to carry excess inventory or contract 3rd-party reselles and installers. More info at www.izmocars.com.

CARS Opens Registration for "Plugging-In"

Center for Automotive Research hosts 2010 Business of Plugging In conference, Oct 12-14, at Detroit Marriott at Renaissance Center. Hear up-to-date info on plug-ins, see display vehicles, try one out in "Ride and Drive." Click here to register. For sponsorship/exhibit opps visit www.bpiconference.com or email.

Dealers: Access Inventory & Leads Outside the Store

The Liquid Motors Mobile Portal Service will allow dealers to access their inventory and their leads and lead generating activities in real-time away from the dealership. making access and lead response times greatly improved from any Internet-enabled mobile device -- offering new-found freedom off the lot. at auction, etc. Contact Liquid Motors for more info.

In the Recovery Ward
By James Bell

Like a patient just moved from the intensive care unit to a regular hospital room, the U.S. auto industry is celebrating May's sales totals.  It pays to mention that the patient is indeed recovering, but not nearly ready to check out and go home.

In light of the depths of despair in 2009 and, in the case of GM and Chrysler, even passing through the gates of bankruptcy, last month's sales growth is positive but not inspiring.  Context must be granted to the recent wave of incentive spending spurred by Toyota and its recall situation earlier this year, as well as new willingness on behalf of some manufacturers to grab quick sales through fleet programs.  The true test of this recovery will come after the traditional model-year sell-through programs are done later this fall and the exciting new 2011 product hits showroom floors.  If we see continued positive sales data into early 2011, then it might be time to discuss ‘hospital discharge’ and celebrate going home again.

James Bell, Executive Editorial Director and Executive Market Analyst, Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, can be reached at jbell@kbb.com.

If you think the technology of next-generation cars is complicated, have you thought at all about what the mindset of the next generation of mechanics will be? Are we really going to call them "Wii Mechanics"? Right now they're sitting around playing Nintendo Wii and various other online games. They have "systems" running around in their brains that probably move at the same pace as the vehicles their parents are driving -- only with less maturity, for now. So it raises a couple of questions, and a few eyebrows -- where will we be looking, and how do we go about attracting young talent into the mechanics of the auto industry? Click here for some eye-opening insight. Then click on the image for more food for thought.

Hyundai Moves to the Front of the Pack
Steering Hyundai from ‘fast follower’ to unquestioned leader

John Krafcik, Hyundai president and CEO for the past 18 months, spent 14 years at Ford, where he held a number of engineering positions including Chief Engineer of the Expedition/Navigator and Chief of Truck Chassis Engineering. His technical know-how is what has pushed the company's product development into taking "bold positions".

“We’ve taken leadership positions on various technologies, including standard electronic stability control and side airbags. We decided to design and engineer our own six-speed automatic [the new A6MF2] rather than purchasing it, which allows us to better control costs as well as mastering the technology,” Krafcik noted.

Hyundai’s strategy of designing the new Sonata exclusively for naturally aspirated and turbocharged four-cylinder powertrains allowed engineers to optimize the car’s front-end structure, crash-package space, engine cradle, and other hardware for the lighter power unit.

Hyundai was among the first OEMs to publicly declare a vehicle weight-reduction strategy, another “bold position” that Krafcik asserted “will take hundreds of pounds out of every new vehicle we launch.” And, "All of the industry’s midsize cars are carrying around approximately 100 pounds of excess mass just to protect V6 penetrations.” Read more...

Take Eco-Responsibility for Your Car's Air Conditioning

It's summer. It's hot! You get into your vehicle and the first thing you do is turn on the air conditioning. But wait a minute, we're living on an environmentally fragile planet -- and it's now time to think "eco" when using AC. And, in fact, The Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide wants everyone to adjust their thinking to eco-AC for a healthier planet. So click here and then click on the image for some tips on keeping yourself "cool" on the road!