Recently Mike Taylor joined our consulting team in the North Carolina area. The last 15 years he spent with Reynolds & Reynolds working with fixed operations setups and system utilization as well as training individuals how to maximize the performance and usage of a Reynolds programs. He commented that generally people only use about 20% to 30% of the available information the system can provide. I find this to be true and that you can have the best system and equipment in the world if not used it's literally of no value. One time really stands out to me as a client invested in the ultimate adviser terminals that would slide out and recognize even the handwriting as the adviser walked around the client's car. As I recall over $30,000 was invested so the advisors at the very best equipment possible. The reality is however as I visited the dealership many times the terminals never left the cradle. The investment dealer made to assist the advisors and proper walk around procedures was worthless and went unused. Before you shake your head in disbelief instead look around your dealership and ask what am I missing? What reports could I use in the system you use that could provide real solid information to take your dealership to the next level? Commit to spend an hour per week to learn more about the capabilities of your DMS programs. It will be time well spent! Oh yes Mike is willing to travel!

Most dealerships have purchased over six figures in shop equipment over the last several years. They invested in alignment machines and tire balance equipment many times to go with very little use. Advisors recommend rotations on a regular basis that many times come back with customers complaining they screwed it up because now their car vibrates going down the highway. The advisor should've recommended a rotate and balance suggesting that this might occur with 20,000 miles of additional wear on the tires. If they were only informed of the advantage of the rotate and balance they could not be upset. The customer would have made the right choice or have no cause for a complaint if the decision was to defer. I am amazed how much equipment sits idle at dealerships because of Advisor and Technician choices they make for their customers. Look at your labor operations that are going without recommendation at your dealership. Have you stopped selling flushes because of some belief they are not needed? Recently I sold my vehicle with over 100,000 miles by showing how it was cared for. Just a drop of clean fluid on my finger showed it was cared for beyond factory recommendations. Isn't the used vehicle you want to buy owned by a maintenance nut like me? No one will ever convince me a dirty fluid is just as good as a clean one. Who has convinced you to not recommend needed PRENTIVAVE maintenance items? Please ask them to be quite!