What Does Your Service Department Say About Your Dealership?

Is your service department as clean and well organized as your showroom? Would you like a live feed of your service department as the header on your homepage? Probably not, but the image you project from the service department can make a big impact on your revenue stream. Your customers will visit your service department many more times than they visit your showroom. After all, most people service their automobiles more frequently than they replace them. With today’s competitive automotive environment, keeping a dealership’s service department efficient and maintained can help make them one of the most profitable areas in the dealership.

Service departments have many aspects, but the layout and efficiency of each individual workstation should be the focal point for any dealership. Increasing efficiency, productivity and safety for your technicians will increase your throughput and increase your revenue stream. The cabinets and storage systems you use in your service department should be modular and configured to suit your specific needs, and tools. Some important features to look for are:

Quality tool storage drawers that can handle the wear-and-tear
Roll-out shelves for easy access to heavy or frequently used items
Work surfaces which allow access to power, USB ports and/or Ethernet
Pump cabinets designed with knock-out panels both behind and below the unit for easy access to utilities.

Workstations should look clean and orderly, with lower cabinets that feature modern aesthetics, ergonomics and safety features. Each of these features should be designed for the professional technician who wants reliability, quality and efficient storage of the tools they use.
A well-laid-out service center will reinforce branding and the overall dealership image in the eyes of customers. In addition, it can improve employee productivity, safety, satisfaction and retention.

Take an honest look at your service department. Are you doing everything it takes to increase productivity, safety and efficiency in your service areas? If the answer is “no,” then it is time to start looking at your workstation design. You could unlock a new or increased revenue stream.