Unlocking the full potential of every service visit is vital to enhancing service departments’ bottom line. As the automotive landscape evolves, not only is there significant revenue to be generated, but consumer preferences are also undergoing transformative shifts. Join us on today’s episode of Inside Automotive, where we welcome Chris Schaubert, the Fixed Operations Director of Ron Marhofer Auto Family. Schaubert provides valuable insights into the current dynamics of fixed ops- shedding light on the latest trends and developments shaping the industry.
Key Takeaways
1. Schaubert highlights a notable trend in the fixed ops department, emphasizing the consistent influx of consumer traffic. He states, “On average, during peak seasons, we are performing exceptionally well in terms of consumer visits.”
2. Beyond simply attracting footfall, Ron Marhofer Auto Family is pioneering innovative initiatives, such as their expressed service departments. They also emphasize the express teams’ ability to understand and focus on their journey of what becoming a mainline certified technician looks like.
3. While these initiatives have proven successful in boosting traffic, the company is also taking steps to incentivize its technicians. For example, each year, the Auto Family generously provides its technicians with complimentary boots, showcasing their commitment to employee satisfaction and well-being.
4. Schaubert believes, “It’s all in what you present to the customer base. For us, we are actively working on optimizing operations to make it more readily accessible to them.”. Moreover, the Auto Family is exploring potential partnerships with ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft, aligning with some of their existing programs. However, as of now, Schaubert emphasizes the immediate focus on having the right personnel in the right positions to ensure effective implementation and success.
5. Despite the primary challenge of cold weather, Schaubert underscores the opportunity it provides for consumers to witness the effectiveness of EVs during winter storms. While colder months typically see lower traffic, Schaubert asserts, “Our service departments have seamlessly navigated through the challenges with EVs,” highlighting their unwavering reliability and performance in adverse weather conditions.
"Our main focus is to understand the return on investment, partnership dynamics, and engagement with every vendor we work with." – Chris Schaubert
