Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 42
FIXED OPS JOURNAL
LETTERS
Fixed Ops Journal welcomes letters from our
readers. Send your letters intended for
publication to foj@autonews.com; please
include your name, address, daytime phone
number and title (if any). Letters may be
edited for length and clarity.
EVs and dealerships
After reading the cover story in the
December issue, "Electrical storm," I am not
so pessimistic about the impact of electric
vehicles on fixed ops revenue, at least in the
intermediate term.
Most next-generation EVs are being built,
unless consumer preferences change
dramatically and quickly, for ride-sharing
applications. Quite rightly, as these vehicles
can stay on the road a whole lot longer, for a
lot more miles.
Although the average consumer vehicle is
only in operation 4 percent of the time, the
average ride-sharing vehicle is used 25
percent of the time - more than a sixfold
increase. If actual service dollars drop to
about one-fifth of current revenue, but usage
of EVs goes up by six times, not all that much
is lost.
Of course, only dealers who get into the
game of providing service for ride-sharing
fleets will benefit. But as a dealer quoted in
the article says, "You have to keep adapting
and changing."
JOHN F. POSSUMATO
CEO
Automotive Mobile Solutions
Haddonfield, N.J.
Missed add-on opportunities
Accessories sales not only should be
incentivized for every dealership employee,
as mentioned in the December article "Auto
add-ons," but all departments should be
having that conversation with the customer.
That starts at the top, with the dealer
principal and general manager. Until they
embrace accessorized showroom vehicles
and train their sales personnel to customize
accessory presentations to their clients, the
challenges will continue.
Another challenge is selling the value,
individuality and excitement of accessories,
rather than giving them away as part of the
PAGE 42
FEBRUARY 2018
deal. With luxury vehicles, the challenge is
often greater because the client typically
doesn't visit the dealer.
Another best practice mentioned is an eBay
presence for accessories inventory. It works,
and it is very profitable.
A customized USB with accessory pictures,
pricing and descriptions with each service or
parts invoice is fairly easy and inexpensive to
create, once the database is set up.
Given the diversity of dealers across the
country and the profit possibilities, the
missed opportunities in accessories sales
never cease to amaze me.
REBE LASCAR
Owner
Lascar Auto Consulting
Rock Tavern, N.Y.
Accessories benefits
The first and most important point I have
used in getting successful aftermarket sales is
making sure that the people selling the
products believe they will provide a benefit to
the customer ("Auto add-ons," December).
Some of the best employees I have hired
away from dealerships began looking for a
new job when they were pressured to sell
products they did not believe provided the
alleged benefits.
MARK S. LORE
COO
Driver Rehabilitation Center of Excellence
Chantilly, Va.
Industry's bitter pill
The writer of a December letter to the editor
seemed to imply that young people should
flock to become service technicians if they are
not in tune with four years of college. For her
and thousands of other fixed ops managers
and dealers who think like her, here is the
reality pill that everyone just wants to spit out.
I am a former dealership fixed ops manager
as well as a human relations professional and
dealership recruiter with more than 20 years'
experience. Many career opportunities await
young workers who opt out of getting a fouryear degree.
Here are just a few examples of industries
whose companies approach me looking to
poach our techs: railroads, trucking, utilities
and oil. These jobs pay well and offer full
benefits, including health insurance and
retirement plans.
What these jobs don't have: roller-coaster
pay weeks because of flat-rate pay plans, bills
for $30,000 to $50,000 for education if techs
want an associate's degree, and another
$30,000 to $50,000 in tool expenses.
Today's work force is avoiding our industry
like Ebola. There are solutions, but they are
bitter pills that automakers and the industry
do not want to swallow.
JOE HENRY
Owner
ACT Auto Staffing
Palm Harbor, Fla.
First service visit:
Who cares?
In response to your Feedback feature
(December) about dealerships scheduling
first service visits: About two years ago, I
leased an Acura MDX. I do not remember
whether people at the dealership asked me
about scheduling a service visit. If they did, I
would have said no.
Cars today go 10,000 miles before an oil
change. Any other work my car required
would be under warranty. It would be much
more convenient for me just to stop at an
instant oil change place when needed.
The only reason you would consider going
back to the dealership was if the oil change was
free. Even then, balancing time and the cost
saved could have an effect on the decision.
My Acura owner's manual doesn't even
have a maintenance requirement section.
When service is required, the digital
dashboard display tells you what and when.
I just do not see the big deal in scheduling a
first service visit when it is months away and
you would have no idea what you would be
doing that day.
STEVE RUTH
Vice president, engineering
Means Industries
Saginaw, Mich.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018
Contents
Editor’s Letter
Service Counter
Legal Lane
Jim Roche
Assembly line
Need for speed
Overcoming hurdles
Coupon clippers
Future market
Saab story
Feedback
Remote start
Richard Truett
Loaner management
Machine learning
Augmented reality
Letters
Shop Talk
Service benefit
Fixed in Time
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Intro
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Cover2
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Contents
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Editor’s Letter
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 5
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Service Counter
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 7
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Legal Lane
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 9
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 10
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Jim Roche
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Assembly line
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 13
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 14
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 15
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 16
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 17
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 18
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 19
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 20
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 21
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Need for speed
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 23
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 24
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 25
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Overcoming hurdles
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 27
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Coupon clippers
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 29
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Future market
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 31
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Saab story
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Feedback
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Remote start
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Richard Truett
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Loaner management
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 37
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Machine learning
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 39
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Augmented reality
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 41
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Letters
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 43
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Shop Talk
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Service benefit
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Fixed in Time
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Cover3
Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - Cover4
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