Being in the service department can be a challenge. There's always a million things to do, and never enough people to do all the tasks. There's high turnover in many service departments, and training is often fast and less thorough then most managers would like.

But there are a few easy ways to make sure your customers feel great about their service experience, things that seem incredibly obvious, but that many service departments haven't really implemented!

1. Make sure each customer gets greeted. 9 times out of 10 when I pull my car into a service bay, or walk in a door, I wait at least 2 minutes before I'm even greeted. Even if you're on the phone, mouth "I'll be right with you" to let the customer know they are acknowledged. I know this seems like a no-brainer, but it baffles me how often I walk into a service department and am not even looked at!

2. Explain processes and procedures. It's a fine line between letting a customer know what you need to do, and talking down to them. Don't make them feel stupid for not knowing the inner workings of their car, but ensure that they have a grasp at what needs to be done, and why.

3. Be honest and transparent. This is something the auto industry gets dragged over the coals for all the time, and working to start making changes needs to happen today! I hate going into a service department and having an advisor tell me I absolutely have to do this or that, or my car will be ruined. I work in auto, I have a grasp of what is dire and what would just be a good thing to get done. I especially hate when service advisors do things without my permission! I think making each interaction honest can only help the auto industry as a whole. Instead of "You HAVE to do this" we could say "I also think you should get this done sooner or later. We can do it now, or you can bring it back in when you would like to have us look at it." Simple, little things will really go a long way.

4. Keep to your appointment schedule. If you advertise online that you have a certain day and time open, stick to that! Working hard to make sure that appointments are met, and that cars are done on time really helps your customers trust you. I called a dealership a few months ago and asked to bring my car in for an oil change the following day. I asked if I needed an appointment, and the man on the phone assured me I didn't, that it wouldn't be busy, and that they'd get me through quickly. When I pulled my car through the service bay, the attendant came and asked if I had an appointment. When I told him about my phone call from the day before, he said "Oh, well we don't have any room for people today. Sorry." I was SO UPSET! When people call for appointments, just make the appointment and then STICK TO IT!

5. Go the extra mile. Don't be afraid to go the extra mile, offer to shuttle people back to work if you can, throw in a tire rotation or car wash with oil changes, etc. These little things may feel like they're unimportant or unnecessary, but customers will notice. 

Trying these simple service tips may help your dealership get the trust and loyalty of customers, which is what you need to get service to the next level! 

Toyota Motor North America is recalling about 228,000 2016 and 2017 Toyota Tacoma midsize pickups in the U.S. because their rear differentials may leak oil.

Differentials leaking oil could become damaged and stop working, causing a loss of vehicle control, Toyota said in a statement Thursday. Damaged rear differentials also create noise and reduce propulsion if the vehicle is driven without being repaired.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalls page includes a complaint a driver from Honolulu who said on Dec. 18, 2015, that the differential on the his or her 2016 Tacoma needed to be replaced at less than 10,000 miles because of the noise -- which worsened over time. The driver’s service records said “silver shavings” were found in the differential, which continued to make the noise after being replaced.

Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified by mail starting in mid-June, Toyota said.

Toyota dealerships will check the recalled vehicles’ rear differentials for oil leaks. If a leak is found, the rear differential carrier gasket and fasteners will be replaced. If the differential is damaged, the entire rear differential carrier assembly will be replaced. Fasteners will still be retightened if no leak is found.

It is unknown if any injuries or crashes are related to the recall.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global automotive aftermarket startup ecosystem is witnessing rapid growth. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Toyota, BMW, Tesla, GM, TVS Automobile Solutions and Mahindra, are constantly scouting, investing in, and acquiring startups that enable speed to market, long-term business sustainability, and the development of end-to-end automotive solutions for customers. Startups focusing on service aggregators, eCommerce platforms and telematics are driving growth and technological penetration globally.

New Frost & Sullivan analysis titled, Competitive Benchmarking of Select Startups in the Global Automotive Aftermarket, analyzes the global startup ecosystem for passenger vehicle automotive aftermarket. The study shares insight into the product and service channel stakeholders in segments such as electric vehicle infrastructure, telematics, in-vehicle technologies and ePlatforms. In addition, key funding patterns, OEM interests, partnerships, product capabilities, business strategies and future investment avenues are also discussed and assessed.

To know more about Frost & Sullivan's research and sign up for our Growth Strategy Dialogue, a complimentary one-hour interactive session, with Frost & Sullivan thought leaders please visit: https://goo.gl/1S4L0s 

"Autonomous technologies are ensuring the growth of startups in the artificial intelligence and augmented reality segment," said Frost & Sullivan Mobility Research Analyst Benson Augustine. "These nascent technologies are poised to disrupt the future market once their prototypes are market-ready. However, government policies, safety regulations, and real-world behavior still need addressing."

Developments and trends driving aftermarket startup growth include:

• Service aggregators and aftermarket telematics will act as innovation partners for existing part eRetailers in targeting do-it-for-me (DIFM) customers.
• Telematics-focused startups are triggering application developments for the mobility segment, while insights and real-time monitoring open up channels for connected maintenance and repair services.
• China and India will continue to drive startup evolution in the Asia-Pacific region as they integrate unorganized aftermarket distribution networks with existing businesses.

"From a funding perspective, electronic vehicles driven by a $370.6 million investment in Boston-Power, was the highest funded startup segment in 2016. ePlatforms such as Your Mechanic, Navdy, Tuhu, Zubie Sparesbox, Click Mechanic, and Mojio garnered the greatest number of investors, and Boston-Power, Zubie Sparesbox, as well as Your Mechanic, witnessed the most funding rounds in their respective segments," noted Augustine.

Competitive Benchmarking of Select Startups in the Global Automotive Aftermarket is part of Frost & Sullivan's Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership subscription.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

TACOMA, Wash., April 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A jury this week was unanimous in its finding that NAPA Auto Parts and Genuine Parts Corp. (NYSE: GPC) were liable in the asbestos-related death of a heavy equipment operator and awarded his survivors $81.5 million.

In its verdict, the jury found that GPC and NAPA were negligent and strictly liable for their defective asbestos-containing products, used by Jerry "Doy" Coogan of Kettle Falls, Washington. Mr. Coogan died in 2015 at the age of 67 of complications from mesothelioma, a deadly cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure.

"Many sellers of friction parts such as brakes, clutches and gaskets have known for nearly a century that their products contain asbestos and can kill. But they refuse to acknowledge their responsibility," said Dallas attorney Jessica Dean of Dean Omar & Branham, LLP, who along with attorney Ben Adams, represented the Coogan family. "Even worse, some continued to sell these products until 2001, which means that other families will surely suffer the same fate."

Mr. Coogan, who learned to be an excavator from his grandfather, operated and repaired backhoes, cranes and other construction equipment for many years, exposing him to asbestos products made or sold by the defendants. Mr. Coogan also loved restoring hot rod and classic cars. His hobby led him to often purchase asbestos-containing parts from NAPA stores near his home in northeast Washington.

"Doy Coogan had no idea that he was being exposed to deadly asbestos from just doing what he enjoyed," Ms. Dean said.

The $81.5 million verdict is believed to be among the largest ever awarded in Washington. The trial, heard in Pierce County Superior Court in Tacoma, lasted more than 12 weeks. The jury returned its verdict after five hours of deliberations. 

The case is Gerri Coogan, et al. v. Genuine Parts Co. et al., No. 15-2-09504-3 in Pierce County Superior Court in Tacoma, Washington.

Dean Omar & Branham, LLP, is a nationally recognized trial firm that handles cases across the country for individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries or have died as a result of irresponsible conduct of others. For more information, please visit http://www.dobllp.com.

ATLANTA, April 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC) announced today an acquisition for its U.S. Automotive Parts Group.

The Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Merle's Automotive Supply (Merle's), with an effective close date of May 1, 2017.  Merle's, founded in 1969 and based in Tucson, Arizona, is a 14 location automotive parts distributor serving both the commercial and retail markets in the greater Tucson and southern Arizona area.  The addition of Merle's will consolidate into our U.S. automotive operations and is expected to generate approximate annual revenues of $45 million.   

Paul Donahue, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Merle's is a leading automotive distributor in the greater Tucson area, and this strategic acquisition significantly enhances our automotive store footprint and competitiveness in the Arizona marketplace.  We are excited to welcome the Merle's team to the U.S. Automotive Parts and GPC family and look forward to working with them and continuing our shared tradition of providing quality parts and excellent service to our customers."

Forward Looking Statements

Some statements in this report, as well as in other materials we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or otherwise release to the public and in materials that we make available on our website, constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Senior officers may also make verbal statements to analysts, investors, the media and others that are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements may relate, for example, to future operations, prospects, strategies, financial condition, economic performance (including growth and earnings), industry conditions and demand for our products and services. The Company cautions that its forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and while we believe that our expectations for the future are reasonable in view of currently available information, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results or events may differ materially from those indicated as a result of various important factors. Such factors may include, among other things, the Company's ability to successfully implement its business initiatives in each of its four business segments; slowing demand for the Company's products; changes in legislation or government regulations or policies; changes in general economic conditions, including unemployment, inflation or deflation; changes in tax policies; volatile exchange rates; high energy costs; uncertain credit markets and other macro-economic conditions; competitive product, service and pricing pressures; the ability to maintain favorable vendor arrangements and relationships; disruptions in our vendors' operations; the Company's ability to successfully integrate its acquired businesses; the uncertainties and costs of litigation; disruptions caused by a failure or breach of the Company's information systems, as well as other risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2016 and from time to time in the Company's subsequent filings with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements are only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no duty to update its forward-looking statements except as required by law.  You are advised, however, to review any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our subsequent Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and other reports to the SEC.

About Genuine Parts Company

Genuine Parts Company is a distributor of automotive replacement parts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australasia.  The Company also distributes industrial replacement parts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico through its Motion Industries subsidiary.  S. P. Richards Company, the Office Products Group, distributes business products in the U.S. and Canada. The Electrical/Electronic Group, EIS, Inc., distributes electrical and electronic components throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  Genuine Parts Company had 2016 revenues of $15.3 billion.

Meet Derrick Woolfson, a BDC Manager at Younger Auto Group, and learn about his dealership story. 

The DrivingSales My Dealership Story series gives people in dealerships around the country the chance to meet others in the industry, learn their story, and see how they are impacting automotive.

DrivingSales is thrilled to announce that Craig Wilson will be a moderator during Presidents Club. Here's a sneak peek of what Craig will be doing while at the event, and how you can learn from him! 

We interviewed many vendors during NADA 2017 to hear what they think is ahead for the auto industry. Check out our interview with Xtime.

*The thoughts and opinions expressed by interviewees do not reflect the opinions of DrivingSales. These interviews are purely editorial content and are not sponsored by any party.

We interviewed many vendors during NADA 2017 to hear what they think is ahead for the auto industry. Check out our interview with ELEAD1ONE.

*The thoughts and opinions expressed by interviewees do not reflect the opinions of DrivingSales. These interviews are purely editorial content and are not sponsored by any party.
 

Penske Automotive will soon be letting go of more than 160 employees.

The layoffs affect employees at Penske vehicle service locations including Detroit, Pontiac, Milford, Warren and Lansing, according to a release the company sent into the state's WARN site.

Penske says this morning that due to the loss of a contract with General Motors, they'll no longer be providing certain fleet and or transportation services for the automaker.

That could result in the permanent layoff of more than 165 employees at locations across southeast Michigan.
The layoffs would be effective April 1.

In addition to the cities mentioned earlier, the company's location in Grand Blanc will close, too.