Selling or Counselling — What is really required today?

Many warehouse distributors, jobbers and shop owners have been inquiring about the availability of a service advisor sales course. It appears that when sales are down, or soft as the industry likes to refer to it, a motivating sales course will help resolve the problem.

I would like to throw out the following points for consideration by the industry:

* The vehicle service intervals have changed due to the enhanced technology development on the vehicle.

* Technology development within the vehicle has radically changed business formats, forcing shop owners to move their business from a “breakdown and repair” format, to a “preventative maintenance” format.

* The aftermarket is witnessing the Canadian DIY market shrinking and the DIFM market growing.

* Consumers are not stupid, but they are uninformed about today’s vehicle technology, the cost and the skill level required to work on them.

* Diagnostic analysis is a new concept to the consumer compared to tune-up and repair.

* The industry lacks a great deal of educational literature explaining to the consumer, from the consumer’s point of view, how the vehicle has changed and what they should be aware of to ensure a safe and reliable vehicle is at their disposal.

* The service advisor position is THE most important position within the shop that creates an everlasting first and final impression on the consumer.

These are critical points that must be acknowledged by the industry.

Today’s service advisor’s main role, when it comes to dealing with the consumer, is to educate the consumer in detail about their vehicle based on how the consumer uses the vehicle coupled with the consumers expectations with their vehicle. A properly educated consumer can make an informed decision. The service advisor also has the objective to secure the on-going repeat maintenance business and whenever possible, obtain all the family “fleet” business, that is, the desire to retain and service every vehicle that is within the customer’s household. In order to achieve this, a positive experience must take place on each visit to the shop for the consumer. The number one function of the service advisor is to build a relationship of trust and understanding with the customer/client. In order to secure this trustworthy relationship, the service advisor must slow the front counter processes down.

This is where the difference in the approach compared to past processes takes place. “Selling” can lead to a different result compared to the term “counselling.”

The term “selling” has always had a distinct image. Consider the dictionary definition:

“sell >verb (past and past part. sold) 1 hand over in exchange for money. 2 deal in (goods or property). 3 (of goods) attain sales. 4 (sell out) sell all of one’s stock of something. 5 (sell up) sell all of one’s property or assets. 6 persuade someone of the merits of. 7 (sell out) betray (someone) for one’s own financial or material benefit. 8 (sell out) abandon one’s principles for reasons of expedience.

PHRASES sell short fail to recognize or state the true value of. sell one’s soul (to the devil) be willing to do anything, no matter how wrong it is, in order to achieve one’s objective.”

The connotation of selling can be perceived as very negative and create negative consumer results. It can also result in a “bang them in and bang them out” shop. “We got that one job sold, now on to the next customer.”

Now consider the term counsel:

“To consult, advise given especially as a result of consultation. A policy or plan of action or behaviour. Advise or educate them to avoid rash actions. Professional guidance of the individual by utilizing collecting, or collected, case history data.”

If we are dealing with an uninformed consumer, perhaps the industry must realize it really isn’t selling skills that are required, it is probably more like “basic people skills” that are required. Courtesies, politeness, manners, considerations, voice control and appearance are basics that lead to enhanced people skills today. The average service advisor across Canada has a wealth of knowledge about today’s vehicles and has the business tools available to determine what is required to maintain them properly; however, many lack the one-on-one people skills required in order to secure long-term relationships with the shop’s customer/client base. This type of development is not enhancing “selling” skills: it is enhancing “personal development” skills.

Changing the shop’s processes from “selling” to “counselling” starts with an attitude adjustment and then becomes a process adjustment that is required today in terms of the approach at the counter to the individual consumer.

Another important responsibility that the service advisor carries is that of billed out shop productivity and dollar gross profit management. If the service advisor lacks proper business skills and can not determine what the shop will NET on the invoice/repair order before it is closed out, then he/she can “sell” all they want but that doesn’t mean the shop is going to be more profitable. Increased sales may help the commodity sector but does not necessarily help the shop. The industry must clearly understand the difference.

The next time you are hearing or thinking selling or salesman skills, slow down and determine what is really required at the front counter today in your shop to secure long-term client relationships, get ALL the business and achieve more bottom-line dollars for your business. I’m not saying the industry is wrong, because ultimately it decides which way it is going to go, but perhaps the overall thinking in how it operates is out of date, or too short-term focused, considering the real times our industry is in today.

Robert (Bob) Greenwood is President & CEO of E. K. Williams & Co. (Ontario) Ltd. and Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd. Bob has 29 years of industry-specific business management experience. He has developed shop business management courses for independent Service Providers recognized as being the most comprehensive courses of their kind available in Canada. Bob is the first Canadian Business Management Consultant and Trainer to be recognized for his industry contributions when he received the prestigious Northwood University Automotive Aftermarket Management Education Award in November 2003. E. K Williams & Co. (Ontario) Ltd. offices specialize in the independent sector of the automotive aftermarket industry preparing analytical operating statements for management purposes, personal and corporate tax returns and business management consultation. Visit them at www.ekw.ca and sign up for their free monthly management e-newsletter. Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd. is a leading edge company devoted to developing comprehensive shop management skills through the e-learning environment. Visit www.aaec.ca and take the free overview. Bob can be reached at (613) 836-5130, 1-800-267-5497, FAX (613) 836-4637 and by E-Mail: greenwood@ekw.ca or greenwood@aaec.ca