Socrates Says

Friday Filosophy #7

April 13, 2012/in Filosophy/by learningwithoutscars

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.

Jackie Robinson

At one point in your life you either have the thing you want or the reasons why you don’t.

Andy Roddick

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

Helen Keller

TESTIMONIALS

Five First Tasks to becoming the Digital Dealer

Guest writer Mets Kramer continues his series on the Digital Dealership with today's post: Five First Tasks to Becoming the Digital Dealer.

When I started as a service supervisor, part of my job was closing invoices. On average, I probably opened (and therefore should have closed) 2 work orders per day. Yet my metric target was 9 days average invoicing cycle   That meant 9 days between the last day someone worked on the machine and when the invoice was sent. At the time I thought that seemed quite reasonable. There were always some outstanding items on the work order, or more commonly I was too busy to close them faster. The metric was an average number of days, so some work orders were much slower to invoice. Unfortunately, as we all know, invoices sent well after the end of work are more likely to be disputed and less likely to be paid.

Years later, now responsible for all service operations, I started to ask myself where the 9 days came from. Why not 10 or 8 or 7 or any other number? There was always some reason to be found why an invoice couldn’t be sent yet.   Then I started wondering why, when I send my car in to get work done at the dealership, do I get an invoice right when I want my car back. Why don’t they wait 9 days to send me my bill?   I came to realize the reason was because the car dealership had figured out how to make sure every part and charge was on the work order before the work was done. They do this because they won’t get paid if they give your car back before they send a bill, and they can’t hold your car until the bill is ready.

The car dealership had done the work and created tasks to remove all the problems that delayed getting everything on the work order on time. So, I started the same process at the branches. Finding out what stopped invoicing the same day and found ways to remove the hurdle. It included using purchase orders with confirmed values, real-time digital service reports and even just better vendors. We even changed the metric on invoicing cycle. 75% of work orders had to be closed within one day, 25% could average up to 5 days. This new metric created tasks for people to figure out how to prevent delays and we showed it was possible to invoice same day in almost all cases.

It’s what Ron calls the Art of the Possible.

In 1993, I got my first dial up internet access, via my 14.4 modem, on my IBM ThinkPad 700. That’s almost 30 years ago. Clearly the internet has been around for a long time. Now, in 2021, here we are talking about the digital dealership and still have open tasks and reasons why we aren’t as digital as most other industries. The truth is, it is possible! Possible to have our dealerships capable and positioned where we want them to be.

The Art of the Possible, is about completing the tasks you know exist, to achieve your goals.   It might be a matter of getting some additional help to complete the task. Either because of manpower, knowledge, or technical limitations. Sometimes it’s as simple as implementing what you already have in existing systems.   Many of you will agree, you have software systems in the dealership with capabilities you don’t use. Even though it would make the dealership better.

We’d like to help. Make some time to send Ron Slee or myself a list of 3 – 5 tasks you want to complete. These tasks should be oriented toward a goal aligned with becoming a Digital Dealership and from any department. Examples can include “I’d like to allow customers more flexible ways to communicate with us” or “I’d like to store and use information properly to drive sales”. Send us your open tasks and we will help you work through implementing them.

A few years ago, I went to see a dealer after my presentation at AED. I presented on using customer fleet data to predict sales and drive sales activities. This dealer had all the capacity to implement this concept, and even agreed they should be doing it, but it was still an open item on their list, for the last 20 years. Don’t let small hurdles get in the way of being a better dealership for your customers, don’t let a list of POSSIBLE tasks stop you from becoming a Digital Dealer.

Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.

For our course lists, please click here.

September 30, 2021

Testimonials

Guest writer Joanne Costin writes her blog post this week about the importance of testimonials. In your business, testimonials from your employees are key to attracting and retaining staff.

Harness the power of employee testimonials.

I’ve been writing a lot about tight labor markets and various strategies to attract and retain workers. It has me thinking about employee testimonials. While you may be familiar with using testimonials to sell customers on the value of your dealership, you may be overlooking an opportunity to use them in your recruitment efforts.

When I recently spoke with Dick Finnegan, an expert in reducing employee turnover, he talked about “the stay interview.” The interview is a way to improve trust between employees and supervisors because the No.1 reason employees leave or stay is the relationship with their boss. Five questions are at the heart of his method to improve retention 20-50% among a wide range of clients. I love these questions, but not just for the value they bring to the employee/supervisor relationship. Answers to the first three questions could be the foundation for a strong employee testimonial.

The questions to ask:

When you travel to work each day, what things do you look forward to?

What are you learning here?

Why do you stay here?

Even if an employee has a positive view of their job and their company, if you ask them for a testimonial without providing any direction, chances are the final product be lacking. However, if you ask questions that nurture a conversation and require employees to think, the results will be more powerful.

The case for employee testimonials or employee stories

Employee testimonials are underutilized in recruitment campaigns. Candidates today want an honest look at the daily responsibilities of the job and insight into the company culture. Who would be better to offer that than your employees? The power of a testimonial comes from its authenticity. When the language is real, the faces are real, and the messages are real, testimonials provide that insider viewpoint that is often missing from other sources.

The first focuses on the day-to-day responsibilities of the employee and the elements of the job that bring satisfaction. In a 2022 Jobseeker Report from Employ, 41% said they left a job within 90 days because their day-to-day role wasn’t what they expected. Presenting an accurate picture of the role is a key step in improving retention. If applicants understand the role and can see themselves in the role, they are more likely to stay and be successful. This video from Wagner Equipment Co. highlights the role of the technician.

The second question focuses on learning. With 20% of jobseekers leaving for growth opportunities, having your employees discuss what they have learned on the job can help you showcase your commitment to personal development. Candidates also want to hear about potential career paths. If your employee’s story includes a promotion from technician to technical support or management, it’s one that prospective job candidates will notice.

The third question, “Why do you stay here?” speaks to company culture, to trust and a feeling of belonging. Unlike health insurance, higher wages, or other benefits, trust is something employees can’t be sure they will get at a new company. Whether it’s exemplified in the way the company treats workers dealing with an illness or the way managers respond to employee suggestions, the reasons why employees stay reveals the culture of your organization. RDO’s conveys this effectively through its Why Work Here video. In an effective testimonial it’s the details that matter and make each story personal.

Does it look like I belong here?

Dealerships and construction companies alike continue to struggle with attracting women and minorities to roles. One of the reasons is that applicants just don’t see themselves fitting in. Testimonials and other imagery on your website can go along way to showcase an inclusive environment. John Deere makes a powerful statement about inclusiveness to women through a collection of stories about women in construction on its website.

Focusing on the needs of military has helped Southern Company earn recognition as a best place to work for veterans. Testimonials on their website convey the aspects of working at Southern Company that appeal to veterans as well as military spouses.

Where to reach prospective employees

You may think placing your testimonials on LinkedIn is the only way to go, but Zippia reports that while 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn, 55% use Facebook, 47% are using twitter and 14% use Instagram to reach prospective employees. Because 37% of all job seekers are passive, the company reports that social media can be a useful source of hidden talent.

Zippia reports that 79% of job seekers use social media when searching for jobs. Job seekers use social media to vet potential companies in the same way employers use it to vet candidates. Instead of a “We’re hiring” message, a post that speaks to what the role is about or why people stay in their job will differentiate your dealership.

Similarly, your career page should be more than a list of job openings. Employee testimonials clearly belong here, along with other essentials such as benefits.

In a tight labor market. employee testimonials are a powerful tool to help dealers recruit prospective employees. Asking the right questions will help solicit the responses that will accurately convey the day-to-day rewards of the work, the learning opportunities, and your company culture.

Did you enjoy this blog? Read more great blog posts here.

For our course lists, please click here.

May 30, 2023

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