Culture issues in the Service department almost always start with the *gasp* Service Manager! The first step to getting a positive culture in the Service Department is to have a trained and excited Service Manager leading your team.
You didn’t start your dealership because you love HR, but my guess is that as your Parts, Service, and Sales departments grow, so do your headaches with the people in your dealership. One of the most powerful tools you have, as you work with people, is an Employee Handbook because it creates clarity for every single person at your dealership (yes, that includes you!)
When it comes to determining your labor rate, you must establish how much you need to pay your employees before you start to determine how much you need to bill customers hourly.
How do you move equipment through your Service Department more efficiently? Triage! To remove the bottleneck of waiting for parts, make a habit of triaging each unit as they enter your dealership!
When was the last time you evaluated your parts margins? Increasing your margins on parts can open up valuable income for your dealership, allowing you to better support your employees.
Picking a weekday dedicated to basic servicing jobs allows your dealership to communicate with your customers directly and sets your technicians up to be efficient through repetition.
What is your Service Department turn-around time right now? If your answer is more than “one week,” you need to start making your off-season service plans!
Yanmar America is the North American headquarters of Yanmar Holdings. Ranked #1 in Product
Quality for five years in a row by the Equipment Dealers Association, Yanmar provides innovative
solutions for Rural Lifestyle and Industrial Equipment customers.
Yanmar was the world’s first manufacturer to develop a practical small diesel engine in 1933 and
has continued to push the boundaries of innovation and technology ever since. As a manufacturer of
diesel engines, compact tractors and utility task vehicles, construction machinery, and industrial
equipment, Yanmar's products are sold in over 130 countries.
At Yanmar America, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products
and services, backed by a strong team of professionals who share our dedication to excellence. We
look forward to the opportunity to work with you in achieving your goals.
Virginia Beach-based STIHL Inc., produces a full line of high-quality, handheld outdoor power equipment including blowers, trimmers, brushcutters, and multi-task tools, as well as the number one selling brand of chainsaws worldwide. STIHL Inc. manufactures over 260 model variations of handheld outdoor power equipment for sale in the U.S. and around the world.