Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 20

FIXED OPS JOURNAL

Teaching the 6 R's of service

E

very service and parts operation
can improve, but Dick Chitty encourages dealers to employ a continuous improvement system rather than an all-at-once overhaul.
"Do not attempt to make major improvements in a short time frame," Chitty counsels.
"Be assertive in wanting improvements, but
be patient. Make continuous improvements,

however small, and make them stick."
He suggests having one or two service and
parts staff members develop a plan to improve one portion of the operation at a time.
That includes running a pilot test and analyzing it before making a permanent change.
Chitty offers what he calls the 6 R's of taking
care of, and following up with, service customers:

 Reservation
 Reception
 (W)rite-up
 Repair
 Re-delivery
 Re-contact.

- Jesse Snyder

For Kuni Lexus of Portland, 1989 was a landmark year. That's when the Oregon dealership opened as Toyota's luxury brand made its
debut. The year was also pivotal for Dave VandeLinde; he was hired by Toyota straight out of Pittsburg State University in Kansas. Today, after
a rich career in Toyota-Lexus field posts, VandeLinde, 50, is about to begin his sixth year as service director of Kuni Lexus. The dealership,
meanwhile, is in its second year under a new owner, Holman Automotive Group. VandeLinde mentor Dick Chitty, Lexus' first parts and service
chief (see Page 18), still points to Kuni Lexus as an example of a dealership that gets fixed ops right. Here's a photographic tour.

THE SERVICE

PHOTOS BY FRITZ LIEDTKE

Clockwise from top:
Four express service bays run
with a pit-crew approach:
1.5 techs per repair order.
Tire fixes are free. Parts
inventory turns 15-18 times
a year. Three-lane service
drive is always busy.

PAGE 20

JUNE 2017



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017

Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017
Contents
Editor’s Letter
Service Counter
Legal Lane
Web threads
Chitty’s law
Port of call
Richard Truett
Featured film
Wisdom of age
Future techs
Intake, outgo
Feedback
NADA numbers
Top 50
Guest comment
Five Minutes With
Shop Talk
Fixed in Time
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Intro
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Cover2
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Contents
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Editor’s Letter
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 5
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Service Counter
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 7
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Legal Lane
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 9
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 10
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 11
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Web threads
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 13
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 14
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 15
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 16
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 17
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Chitty’s law
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 19
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 20
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 21
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 22
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 23
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 24
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 25
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 26
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 27
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Port of call
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 29
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 30
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Richard Truett
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Featured film
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 33
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Wisdom of age
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 35
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Future techs
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 37
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Intake, outgo
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Feedback
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - NADA numbers
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - 41
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Top 50
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Guest comment
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Five Minutes With
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Shop Talk
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Fixed in Time
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Cover3
Fixed Ops Journal - June 2017 - Cover4
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