Mechanical Parts vs. Sheet-Metal Turns: What's Changed and What Hasn't
Your parts department's inventory strategy is probably still built around an assumption that died five years ago. Most dealers still manage mechanical parts and...
The Parts Manager's Paradox: Why Your Cycle Count Schedule Is Half-Obsolete
The Parts Manager's Paradox: Why Your Cycle Count Schedule Is Half-Obsolete Here's an unpopular take: most dealerships are cycle counting parts like it's 2009,...
Body Shop Parts Supply Chain: What's Actually Different Since 2019
Body Shop Parts Supply Chain: What's Actually Different Since 2019 Seventy-three percent of body shop managers report longer parts lead times than they did fiv...
Parts Matrix Pricing Setup: What's Changed and What Hasn't
It's 7 a.m. on a Tuesday and your parts manager is standing in front of a stack of invoices trying to figure out why a $340 alternator from three weeks ago stil...
Mobile Service Dispatch: What's Actually Changed in 2024 (And What Hasn't)
Seventy-three percent of service advisors still spend more than two hours per day on manual dispatch coordination. That's not a typo—it's 2024, and the majority...
Myth #1: Heavy Line Technicians Are More Productive Today Than They Were 10 Years Ago
The heavy line—that phrase alone tells you something. It's not the "general service lane." It's not the "standard maintenance bay." It's the heavy line. The nam...
Appointment Density Through the Day: What's Changed and What Hasn't
How many of your service advisors are still booking appointments the same way they did five years ago? If the answer is "most of them," you're probably leaving...
The Old a la carte Model: Still Alive, Still Problematic
Sixty-three percent of dealership service departments still operate primarily on a pure a la carte model, charging customers per service line item with no bundl...
The Wholesale Cost Squeeze That Never Lets Up
Most service directors are pricing tires exactly the way they did five years ago. Markup-plus-labor, maybe a slight regional adjustment, then hope the customer ...
Battery Test Policy on Every Visit: What's Changed and What Hasn't
How many of your service advisors are actually running a battery test on every single vehicle that comes through the door? If you're like most dealerships, the ...
Alignment Sell-Through Rates: What's Changed and What Hasn't
Most dealership service directors haven't touched their alignment pricing or presentation strategy in three to five years. The thinking is simple: it worked onc...
Service Drive Photography for Upsells: What's Changed and What Hasn't
Back in 1995, the first digital camera cost about $1,000 and took photos at 0.3 megapixels. Today, every service advisor has a phone camera capable of 12 megapi...