Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018 - 23

FIXED OPS JOURNAL

No-appointment policy can make quick service a little less so

RICK POPELY

foj@autonews.com

t the Reed Nissan dealerships in Orlando and Clermont, Fla., a sign on
the service drive advises oil change
customers that they can expect to
get in and out within 30 minutes - unless the
express service lanes are swamped with cars
and trucks.
That typically is the case on Saturdays, and
at times on weekdays when an unexpected
rush of customers shows up.
Such traffic is a key challenge of advertising
that no appointment is necessary for quick
service, says Raymond Reed, the dealerships'
owner. "When we have peak traffic, we have
the advisers explain that we're exceeding our
30-minute requirement," Reed told Fixed Ops
Journal. "We give the consumer the option to

work on the table," he says.
make the choice as to whether they want to
"If you properly use [the inspection] and
still come through."
make the consumer aware of what needs to be
Customers usually accept a longer time
done, it can be a real profit center."
when they can see that others are waiting as
Reed says his express service operawell, Reed says.
tions are profitable, although he ofIf a car or truck takes longer than 30
fered no specifics. The dealerships
minutes for a quick lube when the exlast month advertised oil changes for
press service bays aren't over$34.95 ---- near the middle of the
whelmed, Reed says he offers the
range of what local competitors
customer a discount on future work,
charge, he estimates.
such as half off the next oil change.
About half of the service traffic at
Though speed is important, Reed
the Nissan dealerships is quick sersays it should not come at the expense of a multipoint inspection that Reed: Inspection vice, Reed says. Most express customers pay for additional work, he adds.
reveals opportunities to sell other key to service
The dealerships started offering exmaintenance and repairs.
press service about three years ago. Reed says
"When they are eight or 10 deep on the
their service customer retention has gone
drive, there are times when [the inspection]
"through the roof" since. 
tends to get shortcutted, and then you leave

SPEED

continued from Page 22

"That's a benefit of being separated from the
dealership and being on the approach to the
store," says Ed Roberts, the dealership's parts
and service director. "It looks like it's a different business before you get to the dealership."
Bozard salespeople promote the Quick Lane
operation. Recent buyers are reminded of it
when they attend technology clinics at the
dealership that explain the features on their
cars.
Unless there is a warranty or repair issue,
the first service visit a customer makes will be
at the Quick Lane operation. Jeff King, the
dealership's general manager, says the center's service advisers make sure to let customers know that Bozard does basic maintenance
on other vehicle brands.
That information effort has helped boost
non-Ford and non-Lincoln traffic to 26 percent of the dealership's total Quick Lane business, King says.
Like most other dealerships that offer express service, Bozard does not advertise how
long a Quick Lane visit will take. Instead, customers get a time estimate when they check in,
based on how many jobs are ahead of them.
"We never say less than 45 minutes, because
we need that time to be able to do an additional sale," Roberts says. "To do wiper blades
or the cabin filter, you need a few additional
minutes and still get it done within that same
time frame."
With most customers, King adds, the time
fast service takes is more important than how

"It looks like it's a different
business before you get to
the dealership."

ED ROBERTS, Bozard Ford-Lincoln,
St. Augustine, Fla.

much it costs. "Price hardly ever comes into
play," he says, but if the work takes longer than
they expected, "they damn sure tell you that."

Wet and dry
Nissan's Zinger agrees that time is more important than price for most customers, so
dealers don't have to meet or beat every competitor's pitch.
"The range of pricing on an oil change is
maybe five or 10 bucks between dealers and
the aftermarket," he says. "You don't turn a
person off if it's $39 versus $29, but you'll turn
them off if it's an hour and 45 minutes versus
45 minutes."
Nissan started Express Service in 2010, and
Zinger says nearly 80 percent of Nissan dealerships and nearly 90 percent of Infiniti stores
have joined the program. He estimates that

almost two-thirds of service business at both
brands' dealerships consists of maintenance
level work.
To speed basic maintenance, Nissan dealers
assign two technicians per quick service bay.
The tech assigned to "wet" tasks changes the oil
and checks other fluid levels. The tech on "dry"
duty rotates the tires and checks brakes and air
filters.
The goal is to generate an inspection report
within nine minutes. That allows a service adviser to pitch customers on any additional
needed maintenance and still hit the time goal
even if the customer agrees to the extra work.
"We try to move the paperwork to the cashier while the operation is going on, so that
when they finish in the bay and the car comes
down, you don't have to wait 10 minutes for
your documents to show up at the cashier,"
Zinger says.

60 (really 30) minutes
Toyota Express Maintenance allows participating Toyota dealers to set their own prices
for quick service. The automaker's goal is to
get a customer out the door in an hour, says
Brian Campana, senior manager of parts, service and accessories sales and operations for
Toyota Motor North America.
Toyota recommends that dealers take quick
service appointments to avoid traffic jams on
the service drive, Campana says, but some
dealers accept drive-up customers.
And even though the prescribed time is 60
minutes, he adds, the target in the shop is 30
minutes or less to boost throughput and revenue. 

FEBRUARY 2018

PAGE 23

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fixed Ops Journal - February 2018