School’s out, and the weather is phenomenal. It’s the time of the year when the flow of customer traffic into the service department slows to a trickle. They’re gone on vacation or taking care of their kids. Plain and simple, there are other priorities for your customers right now.

You still have a department to run, though, and you’re expected to keep your technicians humming along. Easier said than done some days, for sure.

If you find your staff twiddling their thumbs instead of turning wrenches this summer, here are a few ideas you can implement.

Make Training a Priority

Technicians, service advisors, support staff – there’s always a module or course to catch up on. While the service drive is slow and the shop has empty bays, emphasize the importance of catching up on training.

Your staff will be more inclined to kick off work early and hit the beach. But for those with the slightest business acumen, you can coach them to realize that getting these courses done now while it’s slow will free them up to earn more when it’s busy, instead of working on required training.

Release a Service Promo Campaign

In some areas, service departments in the summer slow down significantly. But because you still need to get your bottom line into the black, drumming up some business may be necessary.

Create a service promotion that’s ideal for summer. Perhaps it’s a complimentary A/C inspection with the intention of cashing in on expensive air conditioning repairs. Or maybe it’s a complimentary charging system test, helping you sell batteries.

Remember, this is to supplement your summer income. While there should be measurable results, understand that you’ll be attracting customers that probably won’t become regulars. You’ll get off-makes and older vehicles. Just be thankful they’re entering the door and do your best to service them well.

Work on Internal Jobs

Every service department I’ve ever worked in got backed up with internal work over the summer. Technicians took vacation too, leaving internal work simmering on the back burner. While the flow of customer work is lessened, push to get caught up on new vehicle prep, pre-owned vehicle certifications, and the like.

If you’re really struggling to keep techs busy, work out a plan with the new car sales department to equip several vehicles with popular accessories. Create a custom package for your store, potentially making the accessory package a long-term thing.

Summertime can be tough to keep the income flowing into the service department. Maybe you’re finding it the case for your store, or maybe you’re one of the fortunate dealers who don’t have this problem. The point is to keep working toward customer service excellence by providing knowledgeable repairs, good value, and vehicles your customers will love.