AutoFix AdvisorCast

Michael Doherty [00:00:00]:
This is the Autofix Advisor Cast, powered by World Pack. Hey, service advisor nation, what's happening? Thank you for tuning into another episode of the Autofix Advisor Cast with your host, Michael Dougherty. Kind of get right into it. I really hope everybody's doing well, hope everybody's healthy, and hope everybody's working together to make clients happy, because that's what it's about, right? Building and maintaining client relationships. You know, I saw it was actually on Reddit, I'm not a big Reddit fan, just kind of stumbled across it and I thought it was kind of funny, to be honest. A technician on Reddit not too long ago made a comment that said finding a good service advisor is like finding a skittle pooping unicorn. And I just thought that was freaking hilarious, right? So again, a technician said on Reddit, finding a good service advisor is like finding a skittle pooping unicorn, which means they're rare. So it kind of got me thinking, you know, I mean, how do we as service advisors, I mean, how can we all aspire, right, to be that mythical skittle pooping unicorn, right? So I think there's different levels of service advisors, but I think we're all have a lot of common goals.

Michael Doherty [00:01:36]:
And one of the things I want to talk about today was, you know, it kind of was really important to talk about is, you know, preparing, you know, for the day, right? So I've heard the phrase before, like, if you show up on time, you're late, right? And I hope for a lot of service advisors out there that you're not showing up just on time to get the day started, because there's so much that goes into your day. There's so much planning and whatnot. So I wanted to ask about, you know, for the service advisors out there, obviously, you know, what, what does your day look like? You know, are you getting to your job a half hour early, 15 minutes early, just on time? You know, how's that working out for you? There's so much that goes into planning the day. And I know, I truly do. I can say that because I've been in the hot seat before as a service advisor. I understand, you know, you. You plan the day out and it just. It just crumbles.

Michael Doherty [00:02:30]:
So it just nothing goes to plan. However, I still think it's really important to get there. I, you know, I'm not going to mention what time I used to get to work. People say, oh, that's ridiculous. Well, you're not me. You're not doing what I'm doing. You're not putting the effort in, Right. And I'm not saying that disrespectfully.

Michael Doherty [00:02:49]:
Right. I mean, it's kind of like football players, you know, they talk about, you know, they watch film after the game, they study tape, they see what they could have did better. I mean, I'm constantly. My own worst enemy. You know, I'm, I'm, I'm overthinking, wondering how I, you know, trying to get better every day at what I did as a service advisor, how can I improve things? But, you know, a lot of it's just really simplistic and it comes down to planning. So, you know, I recommend getting there at least a half hour early, maybe a little bit more, but at least a half hour early before you open. And, you know, try to find an area where you're not going to get disrupted. And obviously, if you get there early, you know, before the shop opens, that shouldn't be a big issue.

Michael Doherty [00:03:34]:
But, you know, grab a pen and a paper and write down, right? Write down five tasks, you know, five goals that you want to accomplish that day, right? Whether it's, you know, you want to make sure this car gets out of the shop today, maybe you're getting jerked around on parts from the dealer, right? Not world pack. And, you know, you're just kind of getting the run around. You know, you need to define how are you going to get that solved and get something moving forward with, you know, parts, etc. But again, you know, make a list of your top five and really try and, you know, knock that list down during the day. You know, I saw a quote not too long ago. It said, if you talk about it, it's a dream. If you envision it, it's possible. If you make time for it, it's real.

Michael Doherty [00:04:25]:
And that is very factual. So again, if you talk about it, it's a dream. If you envision it, it's possible. If you make time for it, it's real. So again, that goes directly towards writing your goals down for the day of at least five things that you want to accomplish that day. And as you do them, as you make progress and get those goals accomplished, check them off the list, right? It's, it's rewarding, it really is, you know, because you can tell yourself, yeah, I'm going to do X, Y and Z today. But let's be honest, the phone's ringing, emails are coming in, customers are walking in, technicians, you know, there's just so much going on, right? And making that list and literally checking it off, that you got a task done and a goal accomplished for the day, I think is huge. Right.

Michael Doherty [00:05:19]:
We got to take those small victories. Right. And big victories. So, you know, again, in the effort of continuous improvement, I think that is really important to, you know, write down objectives for the day and get them accomplished as much as you can with everything. Yeah. Going on. Right. I mean, it's, it's goal setting.

Michael Doherty [00:05:41]:
It's not made to be easy, but if you can get it done and check it off, I just think it's really rewarding. Speaking of rewarding, I want to ask how many service advisors out there having the morning meeting, being in the morning meeting, are you bringing that positive feedback that you've got from a client the previous day or maybe the previous week they left, they had a great experience and then they put a five star, smoking awesome review on Google for you guys. Right. And you know, again, it a team effort. It's not just the service advisors, it's everybody that was involved in the shop as a whole that made that experience for the client. And yes, I understand that these service advisors are kind of the face of the business and, you know, you're likely checking them out and asking for a review and how their service was, et cetera. But again, it really is a team effort. Right.

Michael Doherty [00:06:34]:
So, you know, it's never the front, it's never the front and the back. Right. I mean, that's nonsense. It's a team effort. So, you know, when you're having that morning meeting, are you bringing up those positive reviews that you've gotten to the technicians that worked on the cars? You know, if you're not, I think you need to. It's really important that they hear what these people have to say, especially if it's a positive. Positive or negative. You know, don't be afraid if it's negative.

Michael Doherty [00:07:01]:
But you know, again, have a discussion about it. Have a conversation if it's negative, not an argument. And I probably would say the negative ones, if you do get those, you know, wouldn't do that in a group setting. You know, maybe pull the technician aside and say, hey, can you check this out? Tell me what your thoughts are Again, have a conversation about it. Right. No finger pointing. You guys got to figure out a solution together. But the positive ones, you know, especially, I mean, just, it shows team unity, right.

Michael Doherty [00:07:27]:
It shows recognition in a group setting, which is great. I currently work at a company where I do. I get to do marketing for automotive, independent automotive shops. And the team that I work with is really great. They're super Focused on taking care of the client. But we have an inner message board. People are constantly, you know, hey, thanks for this, thanks for that. Just all around the team.

Michael Doherty [00:07:52]:
It's just very positive environment, you know, and that's important. So again, promoting that really early in the morning, right? Kind of kickstarting the day, if you would, with just, you know, some positive feedback that the technicians can hear as well about the cars that they worked on. Right? So. And every once in a while, I'm sure you could talk to whoever's in charge of the marketing budget, you know, hey, can, can we take a hundred dollars this month and, you know, break it up and maybe do some gas cards, maybe do some Starbucks gift cards, maybe a, you know, tool credit, something. I know $100 on a tool isn't much, but again, depends on what your marketing budget is. Things you can write off. But, you know, you know, say that positive review to that technician and hand them, you know, a gas card, you know, hand them a car, you know, a gift card for a coffee. Hand them, you know, a tool credit for the tool truck that's definitely going to show up on your lot.

Michael Doherty [00:08:44]:
And when it shows up on your lot, all the technicians like kind of scurry out of the shop. And let's be honest, they're going to be gone for 20, 30 minutes. So. But, you know, it gets them excited, right, to go on that tool truck. So, you know, whatever. But again, you know, team unity, having those morning meetings and sharing positive things that happen in the shop that also directly involve technicians. Right. I think it's really important one thing too, I thought about, you know, as a service advisor, and not all service advisors do it.

Michael Doherty [00:09:21]:
I think I got more in the swing of it as time went on of a comfortability level. But, you know, as far as being a team player, being out in the shop, you know, bringing the technicians parts, you know, so that they don't have to look for them. If they're in the middle of working on a job, they don't have to stop, go wash their hands, go look for parts, etc. I mean, yeah, let's, let's help, right? Let's, you know, let's get our hands dirty once in a while. It's not a bad thing to do. You know, it's okay to get some shop on your hands. It happens. And trust me, I'm sure you guys have cleaners and degreasers in the shop that'll take that shop off your hands, right? So, you know, help out around the shop, you know, if time allows.

Michael Doherty [00:10:04]:
You know, I used to devote probably 20 minutes. I'd say 20 minutes every couple of days I'd be back there pushing a broom, sweeping up around technicians, bays, kind of picking up trash, if you would, things that could be not so great with customers, vehicles that, you know, everybody doesn't see, maybe your razor blade laying on the floor, you know, chemical spill, something. But again, you know, I mean, rolling tires down to the tire machine, like if tire show up from UPS or FedEx and you know that the vehicle is going to be in that day for Mr. And Mrs. Jones. You know, I mean, help, right? That's what it's all about. It's about efficiency, it's about help, it's about team unity. I mean, I think them seeing you in the shop, the technicians helping out, doing some of that stuff.

Michael Doherty [00:10:50]:
And I know, I know a lot of service advisors can say I don't have downtime to do that. No, but I'm sure you're back in the shop probably at least twice every half an hour. If not, you know, I mean, again, if you, if you can help out, make it more efficient, then do that, right? I think that's really important. So, you know, again, just trying to, you know, be better, right? How do we up our game? How do we show more team cohesiveness, more unity? And you know, I mean, back to again, that comment that I read on Reddit from a technician that said that finding a good service advisor is like finding a skittle pooping unicorn. You know, what I got out of that was, you know, especially from my standpoint, you know, I. You got to put the time in, you got to put the effort in. I mean, the, the job I do now, you know, it is, we work on Central time. So my day starts probably around 9, 9:15 Eastern Time, technically.

Michael Doherty [00:11:51]:
And we work until about 4:35pm Central Standard Time. And you know, I'm engaged before that time, I'm engaged after that time. You know, I clock out technically, and then go have dinner with my family, spend some time with them. And then probably around 7:45 at night, I come back up and I work for about another hour, hour and a half, sometimes two hours, because I want to get better at what I do. And you know, you can't cheat the grind. You know, you got to put the time in, you got to put the effort in. There's no way around it. I mean, just during business hours is, is what's expected.

Michael Doherty [00:12:32]:
But you know, if you want to set personal goals for yourself as a service Advisor as a technician, you know, do things different, right? You got to set that standard. You know, some of it's discipline, some of it's go getter attitude, but you know, I mean, yeah, I, I wanted to be that service advisor that was like the Skittle pooping unicorn. And to be honest with you, I'm not bragging, I'm not being boastful. I'm very humble. I got there, you know, I got there. I did. But it was through, you know, doing more than the minimum. And I'm not saying all the service advisors are doing the minimum, but there is definitely some, you know, self rewards involved in doing that, you know, in that process, in doing the early mornings, the late nights, the weekends.

Michael Doherty [00:13:22]:
Put the time in and you will be surprised of where your career goes, really, I promise you that. You know, you know, but be humble with it, right? Have your piece of humble pie. Don't be braggadocious when you get there, when you turn into that skittle pooping unicorn. But it is, it's rewarding. You will get there, I promise. If you're not there already. And if you are, congratulations. You know, seriously, I mean, you can't cheat the grind.

Michael Doherty [00:13:49]:
You got to put the time and you got to put the effort in. As with anything but service of Azer Nation, I really appreciate you. Thank you so much for allowing me to come into your lives and talk about these different things every week. It's really cool. And I thank my sponsors, worldpack and autofix Auto Shop Coaching. Thank you so much both you guys for allowing me to do this. And yeah, I wish you guys a great rest of the week, upcoming weekend. And weather's getting nice out kind of all around.

Michael Doherty [00:14:24]:
I hope everybody's got some spring summer activities planned. Whatever you're gonna do to make yourself happy. But you know, again, just, you know, put the effort in, put the time in and more unity, more positive vibes at the shop. More group recognition, right? More cohesion. I know you can do it. Make it happen. All right, have a good night. See you guys.

Michael Doherty [00:14:47]:
Bye. Hey, thanks for listening to the Autofix Advisor cast. If you're ready to take your shop to the next level, check out our sponsor, WorldPAC and the WorldPAC Training Institute, WTI. Big thanks to them for their sponsorship. Follow the podcast on social media for more insights and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Oh, and tell your friends we want to help the industry grow and help advisors love their jobs again. See you on the next Autofix Advisor Cast.