Check your vital signs.

As we close out a most challenging year, perhaps we should think of 2020 as a “check your vital signs” type of year.

There has been a lot of “improvise, adapt and overcome” in the past 10 months. Everything we thought about the car business has been challenged and time compressed. We have had to be adaptable, creative, resilient, visionary, focused…to name a few.

What we can’t do is expect to return to “normal.” This is the new normal, and we are never going back. The things we have put into place to survive (and in some cases thrive) in 2020 are here to stay.

Enhanced video MPI, texting, e-pay, online scheduling, e-wave vehicle communications, electrification…the list goes on. And now more than ever…convenience, value, speed, transparency, trust.

For 2021, we need to avoid the following.

Complacency. This is not the time in our industry for “We’ve always done it this way.”

Forgetfulness. People don’t have the patience anymore for “We forgot to order the part, make you an appointment…” etc.

Ad-lib/Ad-hoc Service Departments. No, people don’t want “made-up and impromptu” unless it’s a party on the beach. If you are process-less, or worse, allowing everyone to use their own process, then you must accept the consequences, good or bad, and mostly bad.

Unprepared. There is no excuse for not knowing who is coming in, why they are coming in and what they might need. Successful organizations do not “wing it.”

Untrained personnel. Every professional organization on planet Earth trains and practices before the “big game.” Doctors start practicing with cadavers, football players with tackle dummies, bands on sheet music, etc. before they ever get into the lineup. Why would you allow an untrained person to talk to a paying customer?

Malaise. Brought on by several things like un-competitive pay plans, extended and sometimes gross overextension of personnel, lack of recognition, etc. Personnel are people. And people require maintenance, acceptance and tolerance.

Directionless and Leaderless. Someone needs to step up, say and do the right thing, make a commitment to excellence, create teams who believe in the vision, and follow through.

2021 will be an even bigger game of chicken. Think Mad Max vs Zombie Army. Blink, and you will be left on the side of the road. Don’t let 2021 come to you, go out and meet it.

Leonard is a Service Sales Process Trainer with a background in professional workshop and seminar delivery covering subjects like Leadership, Communications and Fixed Operations as well as being the lead facilitator for the Service Performance Groups sponsored by Audi America. In addition, he has completed onsite in-depth Fixed Operation evaluations and training in automotive dealerships across the country. He launched CarBizCoach, a Fixed Operations Training Company in 2018.