It's All About What Was Done to the Car

Posted 11/1/2008
By Jon E. Vance

• Repair order volume
• Average labor cost
• Top 10 year/make/models (Y/M/M)
• Most frequently serviced vehicles by region

The above key performance indicator (KPI) metrics allow a shop owner to compare and validate the repair orders they write on a daily basis. They are the raw ingredients that translate into knowledge and understanding of automotive repair conditions and trends.

When repair category information is included in the analysis, shops can identify repair volume or repair type frequency by Y/M/M. In other words, the service writer can see what kind of repair is most often performed on a particular Y/M/M by major repair category.

Knowing what is usually done to a car and acting on that knowledge gives repair shops the edge to concentrate technician effort on looking harder for known conditions on specific Y/M/Ms before they become serious problems - regardless of the initial reason the vehicle came in for service. This investigative automotive repair effort based on knowing where to look can lead to increased preventative maintenance sales, enhanced customer confidence in your shop and increased customer satisfaction, loyalty and shop return.

Know the numbers. Use the numbers. And implement a strategy to beat the numbers.

Stat Corner is written by Jon E. Vance, PMP, project manager with Mitchell 1. Mitchell 1 is a longtime associate member of ASA as well as a sponsored benefit provider.