STAFF INEFFICIENCY * Start reconditioning from an immediate physical inspection So, let's talk about that, staff inefficiency. When you look at a dealership's financial statement, you see a section in the service department category called " Declared Unapplied Time. " Technicians producing at a 70% efficiency cost their dealership 30% less growth. These are stark details. To move to break even or 100%, questions must be asked: * Is the right recon staff in place? * Do we need more bodies? * Are we managing people and production to our stated labor efficiency? Recon Average Days-in-Recon and Time-to-Line significantly influence these outcomes. Parts management is a prime example of dealers finding efficiencies to move speed-to-sale forward. The average lag for getting parts for vehicle reconditioning ranges from six to fourteen days. Consider these tips : 28 * Push parts requirements, including parts for addressing recall situations, to the parts department from the technician in his or her bay * Focus on work in process - the flow of vehicles through recon and hold yourself and your team to meeting your stated Average Days in Recon or ADR * Understand how delays influence Holding Costs and sale margins That is the biggest problem in recon today: lack of foresight. Can upholstery work make that downtime productive if a car is pulled out of a bay to wait for parts or other reasons? Everyone involved can develop a mindset of looking for and being ready to capture opportunities to keep workflow profitable. One of the most significant efficiency, money, and time wasters for a car dealership is lax reconditioning