Fixed Ops Magazine - 2023 Vol20 05 - 49

* Paper-Based Systems: Some service centers still
rely on paper-based systems, making it cumbersome
to track RO status and technician assignments
accurately.
* Preset Appointment Quantity: Managers set
(based on a prediction) what they believe is the correct
number of appointments for each day, rarely
achieving the perfect balance needed to keep technicians
busy and customers satisfied. It is virtually
impossible to predict the correct number of appointments
with variables, such as technician schedules,
skill set, speed, upsells, and work mix.
* Unmanaged Work Mix: Many shops lack the ability
to pre-assign work to technicians based on skill level
AND speed. Without this, shops will often have too
much of one type of work while other technicians
are left sitting idle.
THE NEED TO RETHINK DISPATCHING
Several factors underscore the need to rethink the automotive
service department dispatching process:
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2023 || FIXED OPS MAGAZINE
* Customer Expectations: In today's age, customers
expect quick service completed on-time. Waiting for
long periods due to inefficient dispatching processes
can lead to dissatisfaction and loss of business. When
customers set an appointment, they expect vehicle
work to begin at their appointment time. Unfortunately,
advisors must often tell customers that their
appointment time is NOT the actual time the technician
will begin work, resulting in poor survey scores.
* Technician Productivity: Technicians are valuable
assets, and their time should be optimized. Relying
on manual dispatching can result in idle time for
some technicians while others are overburdened.
The right dispatching process is crucial to employee
retention, as well as maximizing hours in the shop.
* Data and Technology: Advanced shop management
software can integrate service appointment scheduling
directly with dispatch. Leveraging this technology
can significantly enhance the dispatching process,
offering transparency, real-time appointment availability,
and informative updates for the customer,
service advisor, BDC, and dealership management. In
addition, this technology can help achieve the right
job mix for maximum productivity, profitability, and
customer satisfaction.
* Service Department Profitability: Maximizing
technician hours will help grow profits. Improving
customer satisfaction leads to increased customer
retention and more RO's. Your dispatching process
is key to improving these metrics.
RETHINKING THE DISPATCHING PROCESS
To create a more efficient and customer-centric dispatching
process,
automotive service departments
should consider the following strategies:
* Digital Appointment Booking WITH Integrated
Dispatching: Choose a software solution that offers
both online scheduling and dispatching all-in-one.
By dispatching directly from the scheduler, your online
appointment availability for customers, advisors,
and call center agents will be instantaneously updated
with the latest information. This transparency is
also key for wait time estimates and promise times
commitments.
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Fixed Ops Magazine - 2023 Vol20 05

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