As of July 1, the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) implemented new standards regulating vehicle engine oil labeling on customer receipts.  Responsibility is placed on the shop to comply with the standards.

As a service to you, ISI is providing this general information on the standards and links where to find more information.

 The new NCWM standards require the following information about engine oil to be included:

• Viscosity Classification (preceded by the letters SAE)
• Name, brand, trademark, or trade name of motor oil
• Engine Service Category
• Obsolete Service Category warning

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Customers need to know they can expect the same quality of service every time they come to your shop.  Consistency breeds confidence: confidence in your service; in your team; and in your process.  This is why we all need Standard Operating Procedures in place.

We have established the 3 “E’s” in our Standard Operating Procedures.  This means everything is done to every car, every time.  This builds consistency and in return, the customers know they will get the exact same service every single time.

Here are some examples of Standard Operating Procedures.  By setting the standard of completing courtesy services in the same order, you can accomplish two things.  First, you are able to ensure the courtesy services are completed timely and efficiently.  Second, technicians are able to gauge the progress of other courtesy techs, which allows them to jump in and assist without needing to ask, “What needs to be done?”

Service reviews must be presented to every customer, every time.  In a recent study we conducted, we found that service reviews were only being completed 18 percent of the time.  What’s interesting is that 73 percent of those completed reviews resulted in add-on goods and services.  Numbers don’t lie – the more service reviews you complete, the more add-on goods and services you will sell.  Need we say more?

Build a better bottom line by creating consistency in your business.

Questions? Please contact us: isi@ints.com

When you greet your customers, are you meeting them at their car? Are you greeting them with the latest technology? Mobile Greeter allows you to greet, consult, and advise customers from the palm of your hand.

As soon as your customer drives onto the lot, Mobile Greeter on your iPad works with either Carfax QuickVIN or bluetooth scanning to instantly acquire vehicle VIN with year, make, and model. Greet your customer by name, review service history, and add services to the work order from anywhere on your property. Welcome your customers from the comfort of their own car.

Let the way you say hello to your customers set the tone for the rest of their experience at your shop.

Questions? Please contact us: isi@ints.com

With the recent introduction of LubeSoft Signature Capture for the Apple iPad, technicians now have the ability to review LubeSoft work orders and capture customer invoice signatures anywhere in the shop.  This convenient and mobile feature provides the ability to send electronic invoices to customers.  Signature capture provides your customer an easy way to keep an electronic record, while simultaneously allowing you to collect a valid e-mail address for future e-mail based marketing purposes.

Building a customer e-mail database with valid e-mail addresses is beneficial in numerous ways.  Specifically, it allows you to create different points of “touch” with your customer base, create opportunities to up-sell services, and send out reminders for services due.

You probably know by now that acquiring new customers is more costly than gaining repeat business.  Put time and effort into customer retention by using software such as Signature Capture, and reap the rewards.  Your customers will notice the difference. 

For questions, please contact us: isi@ints.com.

Even the slightest adjustment to the increments of merchandise can have major effects on your cost of goods sold, and thereby on your inventory turns.  Management of cost of goods and inventory turns can make the difference in whether your store is profitable or not. Since inventory costs are second only to salaries as a percentage of sales, effective management is crucial to running a profitable business.

Understanding the various increments of merchandise by category and how each will impact the overall cost of goods sold will make all the difference in your business.

Here are a few ways to monitor and manage your inventory.

1. Evaluate inventory turnover on a monthly basis.

• Monthly inventory turns should range between .75 to 1 turn/month.
• To calculate inventory turnover: divide the monthly cost of goods sold by the month end inventory.

2. Increase inventory turn ratio.

• Turnover goals should be between 8 and 12 times per year depending on the store volume.  By increasing the turn ratio, cash flow is significantly improved.

3. Take into consideration the current product inventory quantities on hand.

4. Monitor bulk oil.

• The cost consequence of ordering an emergency shipment can severely   affect your cost of goods.

For more information, read the expanded version here: https://www.ints.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Inventory-Management-0213-.pdf

Questions? Contact us at: isi@ints.com