Many auto dealers recognize that time is money. When every employee focuses on job performance, businesses operate smoothly – and with a profit. But what happens when employees aren’t performing at their peak? And how would you know?

Your Fixed Operations Director should know first. Furthermore, if you hired the right person for the job, they would know what to do about it.

What should you expect from your Fixed Operations Director? In general, you’ll want this employee to:

  • Identify goals and establish the annual fixed operations operating budget
  • Coordinate hiring, training, monitoring, and mentoring
  • Develop positive customer communication strategies

Certainly, these tasks will help you meet your dealership goals. But are they enough?

The answer is no.

What Great Fixed Operations Directors Do Well

Most Fixed Operations Directors in this position can perform their jobs in about four hours daily. What do they do with the other half of the day?

Great Fixed Operations Directors work proactively. You’ll find them analyzing reports, coaching and mentoring, and working directly with technicians and customers.

Your Fixed Operations Director should:

  1. Meet daily with the service and parts team to review goals and progress. These meetings can be informal touchpoints or huddles or more formalized, but one characteristic remains consistent. The sessions must be quick, to the point, and get the techs back to work ASAP.
  2. Willingly observe the service reception process daily and learn from it before making recommendations for improvement.
  3. Evaluate service call effectiveness. For example, are customers encouraged to make an appointment?
  4. Devote time daily to observe technicians performing tasks such as vehicle checks or other repairs. If a tech is not working at 100% capacity, find out why. Is the issue training? Lack of parts? Something else?
  5. Take action when needed. Great Fixed Operations Directors deliver for their teams.

Working with technicians and service people in fixed operations is essential for a director’s day. Without action and communication, your dealership’s plans, budget, and goals are merely plans. The director breathes life into those plans by working closely with the stakeholders in this area.

Find the Best in the Business

Some dealers think finding an outstanding Fixed Operations Director is more complicated than finding a new part for a discontinued vehicle.

You can simplify the process by working with an automotive recruiter who knows what skills your dealership needs. Your dealership and the customers it services deserve nothing less.

So when you’re ready to have the recruitment team at Autopeople in your corner, give us a call at 1-800-659-9501, visit our website at www.autocc.wpengine.com or email us to discuss what Autopeople can do for you.