I’m willing to bet this scenario sounds familiar:

The summer months have arrived. School is out and many of your staff are taking time off to spend with their kids. Vacations are planned and there’s competition to get the most desirable weeks. Those, of course, are those before and after long weekends, right?

But then, when you’re in the midst of summer, it all suddenly implodes. There aren’t enough service advisors to cover your bases. Customers are forming a queue outside the service manager’s door to complain about their service. And if you can write up all the customers, their work orders aren’t getting completed in a timely manner because the shop is a ghost town.

Granted, summer is usually somewhat slower in the service department than the other seasons. But even with fewer customers coming through the service drive, it doesn’t go like it should.

It’s a Common Scene

Most likely, some form of this summer scene happens in your dealership. Maybe not so bad, maybe worse. But as pleasant as it is to have summer arrive, most service managers can’t wait for it to end.

So, how do you get ready for the summer months? Whether you’re a service advisor or a service manager, here are a few tips to plan out the season.

For Service Managers…

• It should go without saying, but it still needs to be reiterated. Make a hard and fast vacation schedule. Set rules that absolutely MUST be adhered to. For example, limit the number of technicians away at a time while accounting for (but not expecting) the potential for ‘sick’ calls. The same goes for service advisors and support staff – always make sure enough team members are scheduled to handle the workflow.
• Plan to spend more time outside of your office than in it. With your team operating a few people down, part of your responsibility will be to support the ones that are working. Fill in for breaks, answer the phones, or spend time helping the valet. Not only will you help with productivity, but you’ll earn much respect from your team.
• Put your foot to the floor. Don’t let up in the summer months. If the customers are rolling in, do whatever you need in order to keep the department humming along. Remember, if your service department isn’t available for the customers when they want to come, they WILL go somewhere else instead.

For Service Advisors…

• Plan vacations at non-peak times in the year. I get it – sometimes the family wants to go to Wisconsin Dells or Disney, and there’s no choice but summer. However, less competition for peak summer vacation times makes for a better work environment. Plus, think of the opportunities to earn extra while other staff are away!
• Be ready for a hectic pace. Perhaps there are fewer customers coming in, but you’ll be moving faster to make up for vacationing staff. You’ll be tempted to sit out on the patio, enjoying the warm weather, but make sure you get enough rest for work the next day.
• Go above and beyond your duties. With support staff also taking turns relaxing, you might need to be a valet-slash-cashier-slash advisor from time to time.

Summer is coming fast. Get you department prepared and your team honed in!

I want to hear your stories. Have you experienced any crazy summer staffing issues in the service department? Comment below.