The greatest threat to any company is inadequate performance from its employees. Even severe economic factors such as high fuel prices, high interest rates, and heavy competition have less of a negative impact than that of poorly trained service consultants.

It is no secret that your service consultants see more customers than anyone else in the dealership. Think about it-if an average service consultant handles 18 repair orders per day for 23 working days per month that equals 414 customers or 4,968 image projections per year.

In todays fiercely competitive service repair business, service consultants must do more than just meet customers expectations, they must exceed them. Contrary to the supply of vehicles, the supply of customers is limited. There are just too many dealers competing for the same dollar. Brand loyalty is a thing of the past. The specific product and the image of the dealership have become more important in the selection process.

Dealerships must perform progressively to create the level of service consumers want. The process requires that managers study those who do a good job, as well as those who have failed. It means changing attitudes about old ways of doing business, and developing a genuine commitment to a new standard of excellence. An organization devoted to service is in the express lane to a profitable future.

Most service consultants are simply order-takers. Your customer comes in for an oil change, and that is all they get, no tire rotation, no walk around, no multi-point inspection, nothing but an oil change. If you are lucky, a service menu may have been presented. How many one-line repair orders does your service department generate daily? How many customers would have had their tires rotated or their brakes inspected if your service consultants had just asked?

A service consultant trained in selling techniques is only one facet of a multi-faceted job. Service consultants must excel in at least three unique skills: They must be credible service consultants- they must be salespeople- and they must be consumer relation experts.

Customers are looking for someone they can trust. Most people do not look forward to a service appointment at their local dealership. Customers believe with the amount of money they have already invested in their vehicle, it should not break down- and when it does, they are not happy. In addition, often the service department makes their experience even more upsetting when, instead of a friendly greeting complete with eye contact and a warm smile, they are offered shrugged shoulders, rolling eyes, and a tired expression. This kind of negative non-verbal communication creates an atmosphere of disinterest that causes the customer to feel unwelcome. Communication is blocked and the customer distrusts the credibility of the dealership. It takes a special person to face customers who may be in a negative frame of mind, as they often are in the service drive, and sell them service and a good dealership image.

With proper training, structure, and organization your service consultants can perform to win and make the difference in 2008.

David Brown, president of Brown &- Associates consulting firm, has 36 years of experience in the automobile field, including 16 years in the GM parts division and the Chevrolet Motor division. If you have any questions or comments about this article, please call 866-578-8773or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .