n Episode 35 of the Friction-less Workshop Podcast, host Anthony Perl and automotive trainer Andrew Uglow tackle one of the most common sources of workshop friction: the complaint that service advisors don't provide enough information to technicians. But is this really about lazy advisors, or is there a deeper systemic problem?

Andrew reveals why this complaint is actually a symptom of broken communication systems, not individual failures. He explores how technicians and service advisors literally speak different languages - one technical, one customer-focused - and why neither side fully understands what the other needs. The episode exposes how workshops inadvertently create information bottlenecks by failing to establish clear communication protocols.

Key topics include the shared responsibility model for information flow, why technicians need to ask better questions instead of waiting for perfect information, and how service advisors can translate customer concerns into actionable diagnostic data. Andrew shares practical frameworks for creating effective communication systems that eliminate 80% of workshop friction.

Listeners will discover why the "us versus them" mentality between front and back of house destroys efficiency, how to implement simple communication protocols that work, and why both technicians and advisors need training in each other's roles. The episode also addresses how modern workshop management systems can help or hinder communication, and why face-to-face interaction still matters in a digital age.

Perfect for workshop owners tired of communication breakdowns, service advisors feeling caught in the middle, technicians frustrated by incomplete information, and anyone responsible for improving workshop efficiency. This episode provides actionable solutions for one of the automotive industry's most persistent problems.

Keywords/Tags

#ServiceAdvisor #WorkshopCommunication #TechnicianCommunication #WorkshopEfficiency #AutomotiveWorkshop #CommunicationBreakdown #WorkshopManagement #ServiceDepartment #TechnicianFrustration #InformationFlow #WorkshopSystems #AutomotiveIndustry

Categories

1. Primary: Business > Management
2. Secondary: Business > Communication
3. Tertiary: Technology > Automotive

Target Audience

1. Workshop owners dealing with communication issues
2. Service advisors feeling blamed for information gaps
3. Technicians frustrated by incomplete job information
4. Service managers trying to improve efficiency
5. Dealership fixed operations managers
6. Workshop communication trainers

3. SHOW NOTES

Episode Summary

Why do technicians always complain about service advisors not providing enough information? Andrew Uglow reveals it's not about lazy advisors - it's about broken systems. Discover how to create effective communication protocols that eliminate workshop friction and improve efficiency for everyone.

Main Topics Covered

1. The "service advisors don't give us enough information" complaint
2. Why technicians and advisors speak different languages
3. The shared responsibility model for communication
4. How workshops create information bottlenecks
5. Why waiting for perfect information wastes time
6. The importance of technicians asking better questions
7. How to translate customer concerns into diagnostic data
8. Creating effective communication protocols
9. The "us versus them" mentality and its costs
10. Modern workshop management systems: help or hindrance?
11. Why face-to-face communication still matters
12. Training advisors and technicians in each other's roles

Key Insights & Learnings

1. Systemic Problem, Not Personal Failure - When communication breaks down consistently, it's not about individual incompetence - it's about missing systems and protocols that should exist but don't.
2. Different Languages - Technicians speak technical language (codes, systems, specifications) while advisors speak customer language (symptoms, concerns, experiences). Neither is wrong, but translation is essential.
3. Shared Responsibility - Information flow isn't just the advisor's job. Technicians must actively seek clarification and ask diagnostic questions rather than passively waiting for complete information.
4. The 80/20 Rule - Simple communication protocols can eliminate 80% of information-related friction. You don't need perfect systems, just consistent ones.
5. Cross-Training Value - When advisors understand basic diagnostics and technicians understand customer communication, the entire workshop operates more smoothly.

Stories & Examples Shared

1. The Translation Problem - Real examples of how customer descriptions like "it makes a funny noise" need to be translated into diagnostic questions about when, where, and under what conditions.
2. The Waiting Game - How technicians waste time waiting for "complete" information instead of proactively gathering what they need to start diagnosis.
3. The Blame Cycle - Why the "us versus them" mentality between front and back of house creates a self-perpetuating cycle of poor communication and mutual frustration.

Simple Protocol Success - Workshops that implemented basic communication checklists saw dramatic improvements in first-time fix rates and reduced comebacks.

1. Communication protocol templates
2. Workshop management system best practices
3. Customer interview frameworks
4. Diagnostic questioning techniques

Action Items for Listeners

For Workshop Owners/Managers:

1. Audit your current communication systems - do they actually exist or are they informal?
2. Create simple, written communication protocols for common scenarios
3. Implement regular front-of-house and back-of-house meetings
4. Invest in cross-training: advisors shadow technicians, technicians shadow advisors
5. Stop blaming individuals and start fixing systems

For Service Advisors:

1. Learn basic diagnostic questioning techniques
2. Understand that "the customer said..." isn't enough - dig deeper
3. Translate customer language into technical language before passing to technicians
4. Don't be afraid to go back to customers for clarification
5. Build relationships with technicians - understand what they need

For Technicians:

1. Stop waiting for perfect information - ask questions proactively
2. Understand that advisors aren't trying to make your job harder
3. Learn to translate your technical needs into questions advisors can ask customers
4. Provide feedback to advisors about what information helps most
5. Remember: you're on the same team

For Service Managers:

1. Create communication templates and checklists
2. Facilitate regular communication training
3. Break down the "us versus them" culture
4. Measure communication effectiveness, not just blame
5. Recognize and reward good communication practices

Subscribe & Review

If this episode helped you understand communication breakdowns in your workshop, please subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps other workshops discover these solutions.

Related Episodes

1. EP32: Technician Pay Reality Check
2. EP33: The Recognition Revolution
3. EP34: Career Progression Myth

EP36: The Good People Myth (Next Episode)

Andrew has a variety of free downloads and tools you can grab.

Discover if your workshop is Retention Worthy© here or visit his website, https://www.solutionsculture.com where the focus is on bringing reliable profitability to automotive workshop owners and workshop management through the Retention, Engagement and Development of their Technical Professionals.

Andrew has a variety of free downloads and tools you can grab.

Discover if your workshop is Retention Worthy© here or visit his website, https://www.solutionsculture.com where the focus is on bringing reliable profitability to automotive workshop owners and workshop management through the Retention, Engagement and Development of their Technical Professionals.

This podcast was produced by 'Podcasts Done for You' https://podcastsdoneforyou.com.au.

Workshop Communication crisis.

2

How Poor Leadership Training

costs $1 million plus per year.

3

Join passionate automotive trainer and

coach Andrew Uglow as he exposes the

4

hidden cost of promoting technicians

without leadership training.

5

In this episode, you'll learn why

the automotive industry loses over

6

$1 million annually per dealership.

7

To staff turnover.

8

Discover the critical gap between

technical skill and people management, and

9

understand how proper form and training

could transform your workshop culture.

10

Along the way, you'll hear stories

including shocking data from KPMG's

11

research on metropolitan dealership

losses, and why the best technical minds

12

often make the worst people managers

unless they're properly developed.

13

I'm your co-host Anthony Pearl, and this

is the Frictionless Workshop podcast.

14

Let's get cranking.

15

Andrew, we should get onto the toll topic

of whether there is enough information.

16

That is given to service advisors

or not, or whether they're

17

just getting crap information.

18

As you directed me before when we

were just talking about this before

19

we started recording the program.

20

It's really interesting area of the

right information and communication

21

is such a critical element and it can

go astray really quickly, and if they

22

don't get the right information, it can

just feel like you're up against it.

23

What you're trying to deliver in your

24

Andrew Uglow: job.

25

I'm sure we've spoken about this in the

past and I'd like to do this particular

26

complaint with its identical twin,

um, and its identical twin years.

27

I don't get enough time.

28

I don't get enough time.

29

They expect all of this to happen

in a really short space time.

30

I don't get enough time.

31

And if I was to, you know, rank

which complaints I get most

32

frequently, it would be these two.

33

I either get really poor information,

suboptimal information, crap information.

34

I don't get enough time

to do the job, you know?

35

And, and I point to your experience

that you spoke about, where you

36

brought your car in, you waited for

it, and they go, ah, look, sorry,

37

we, we, we didn't get enough time.

38

Well, the, the poor technician on

the end of that, you, like, you don't

39

know what's happened for the business.

40

They might have had someone

out at training, they might

41

have had someone call in sick.

42

They might have had someone

have a rostered sick day off.

43

It might've been warm and sunny, so

they have to walk down the beach.

44

I don't know.

45

Um, but.

46

The net result was, here's

this technician, and they're

47

like drinking from a fire hose.

48

They're trying to get through all

this work, and they just simply can't.

49

And so they didn't have

enough time to do it properly.

50

And I go back to in, in your example,

I go back to the idea that let's go

51

and review how that happened in the

business because there's gonna be

52

a couple of things that got missed.

53

And you go back to, well, you know, I've

only got a certain number of texts, I've

54

only got certain number of time I can do,

I've got, we talk about workshop loading,

55

the type of work that I'll permit.

56

You know, this amount of warranty,

this amount of retail, this amount of

57

internal, all those sorts of things that,

that come into play around background

58

behind how that happened for you, but

at the same time shouldn't happen.

59

That's not, that's not

good customer service.

60

And I go back to the idea

of time, which I'm gonna go.

61

Time and information are directly linked.

62

They are, like I said, they are

identical twins and these are

63

kind of the same face of the coin.

64

You know, I don't get good information.

65

Yep.

66

Okay.

67

So we've said this before I'm sure,

but let me call it out directly.

68

The quality of information that the

technician gets is directly proportional

69

to the speed and accuracy of their repair.

70

Okay?

71

So the quality, not the volume, but the

quality of information that the technician

72

gets is directly proportional to the

speed and accuracy of their repair.

73

And if they don't get quality

information, well, their first

74

step is to go and get it, because

how do you fix anything, anything.

75

Speaker: If you don't

have quality information,

76

I'll give you part two of my

story, Andrew, because it's

77

going to add value to this.

78

So they fixed the issue fairly

quickly when they got onto it.

79

I was still at the dealership for

maybe about three hours before my

80

car was obviously in the line of

things, and they fixed that problem.

81

Then they said at the end of it,

oh, by the way, you also need

82

new breaks, new braid pants.

83

I said, great.

84

I said, we have to order them in.

85

Okay, great.

86

Order them in.

87

Said that should be four or five days.

88

Fantastic.

89

I waited and I heard nothing

and rang up and they said,

90

oh, well we didn't order that.

91

And so then they proceeded to order it in.

92

They did tell me as, as well at the

time that it was getting close to

93

being, you know, you really should

get them done, as opposed to, I'll

94

get it done in the next six months.

95

And I do a lot of freeway driving, so

I'm like, okay, let's get that done.

96

Anyway, they'd bring it in and I, I had

said to them, they were obviously aware

97

of what had happened before, and I said,

I'm going to wait for this to be done.

98

That was where the information clearly

went to the technician and saying,

99

all that needs to be done is this and

this, it needs to be done quickly.

100

I was in and outta that

dealership in about an hour.

101

Um, and I prepared to be there for,

for another three or four hours

102

because of the previous experiences.

103

But clearly the information that was

given to that technician at the time

104

was, we need to do this quickly.

105

This is all that needs to be done.

106

Let's get it happening.

107

And I was in and out

and that was fantastic.

108

That was a great experience because

I actually was prepared to lose half

109

a day and I got half a day back of

things that I could be doing, which was

110

Speaker 2: wonderful under

promised and over delivered.

111

So, and, and I go back to there's

two different skills, isn't there?

112

There's two different, two different

elements that we're talking about.

113

One is fixing the car and like a point

to like, maybe not every technician,

114

'cause there's always special people, we

know this, but by far the vast majority

115

of technicians want to do a good job.

116

They take pride in their work.

117

They, they genuinely want to perform.

118

They get a thrill out of doing well.

119

It's personal to them.

120

And, and versus the quote

unquote fixing the customer.

121

And there are certainly

some jobs that we hate.

122

Industry as having weight jobs and

anything that is weird, like check

123

engine lights, all that sort of stuff.

124

We've got no idea what it is.

125

It's like this fog that you walk into.

126

And all we know and we talk about

the quality of information, all we

127

know is that there's a light on.

128

Well, what does that mean?

129

Well, that could be anything.

130

Like most cars today and even cars

in the last five, 10 years, um,

131

there's 10,000 different DTCs that

will bring up a check engine light.

132

So, which.

133

Or you know, as the car is alike, we

dunno which one of those 10,000 I need to

134

be looking at until I get onto the car.

135

So doing that as a wait

job is, is problematic.

136

So coming back to the idea of information,

there's a whole variety of different

137

reasons why techs don't get good

information from service advisors.

138

And I don't wanna throw service

advisors under the bus 'cause

139

they do a really hard job.

140

And again, like just about

everyone in automotive in

141

workshops is the meat and sandwich.

142

You know that there's two things pulling

in opposite directions for each of them.

143

And they get stuff from this direction.

144

They get stuff from

that direction as well.

145

So no one's living the life of Riley.

146

Can I say, you know, one of the

big challenges for the technician

147

is technicians speak technical.

148

They think technical.

149

They perceive the world through

technical lenses, and the

150

service advisors just don't.

151

And the customers certainly don't.

152

The customers don't even

have the words to use.

153

My car's doing something and they come

up with whatever phrase they've Googled.

154

They're using language that that may

or may not be correct, valid, accurate.

155

It can have an entirely different meaning

in the language of technical versus

156

Speaker: the language of quasi technical.

157

You know, it was almost easier

in the days before Google was

158

so commonly available, isn't it?

159

When they're just rolled up

to the dealership and said,

160

I dunno what's going on.

161

It's

162

broken,

163

Speaker: it's

164

Speaker 2: wrong.

165

Something's wrong.

166

One of the best questions, I'm sure we've

mentioned this before, one of the best

167

questions that service advisors can ask

any customer is, is it doing it now?

168

Yes.

169

Okay.

170

It's doing it now.

171

Great.

172

Show me, or let me get one of my

technical gurus and you can show them,

173

because service advisors are crazy time

poor, so not being technically skilled.

174

And, and so as a consequence of

this, we have two possibilities.

175

Either what's said isn't what's meant,

or we end up with Chinese whispers.

176

Something got rephrased.

177

And so we talk about service advisors,

capturing the customer's verbatim.

178

I love that word, the verbatim.

179

What a beautiful corporate generalization.

180

We want to use the same words

the customer said, the verbatim.

181

Um, and that's really important.

182

And at the same time, that's

also sometimes profoundly un.

183

And I go back to the fact that

quality information or valid

184

information has three parts.

185

And, and I think service advisors

haven't been taught this.

186

This is a revelation for technicians.

187

When I, when I teach this as part

of our diagnostic classes and our

188

Resourceful technician formula, we talk

about the quality information model.

189

The quim and the information

is always explicit.

190

Don't gimme vague generalizations.

191

Oh, my car's funky.

192

Oh, is it?

193

Well, good for you.

194

That's exciting.

195

You know.

196

Just what is, what is funky?

197

You know, it, it busts

a move on a dance floor.

198

Like what is that?

199

You know?

200

So, so quality information

is always explicit.

201

Always explicit detail and explicit.

202

The second part is that it's being tested.

203

So when you say stalling, you mean

the engine cuts out completely?

204

Oh, no.

205

It just moves up and down and up

and down and up and, oh, okay.

206

So it's surging or hunting.

207

It's not stalling.

208

That two different, you

tell me it's stalling.

209

I'm testing a whole different

world of things to something

210

that's hunting and surging.

211

'cause they have different meanings

in technical versus in non-technical.

212

It just drives weird.

213

It, it doesn't feel right.

214

It looks like it's going to stall.

215

And so as a service advisor, my role is

to test that what you mean as a customer.

216

And what I understand are in

fact the same thing because

217

we we're chasing the meaning.

218

As much as we're chasing the

words, I, I need the words,

219

but I, I need the meaning more.

220

And so, quality information,

explicit and specific, tested.

221

And the third part is usable.

222

Don't say noise in car.

223

We talk about this one all the time.

224

Um, noise in car.

225

Well, okay.

226

That's no good.

227

Would you, would you like a hug?

228

That must be really hard for.

229

Can we do something about getting

a better stereo in your car?

230

You know, like what?

231

What is that child in the ba,

in the child in the backseat?

232

Would you mind taking

them for a few weeks?

233

There you go.

234

Speaker: The Frictionless Workshop Podcast

is brought to you by Solutions Culture.

235

For details on how to get in touch

with Andrew, consult the show notes

236

below, and don't forget to subscribe

so you don't miss an episode Now.

237

Back to the podcast.

238

Speaker 2: Like, look, we've had, we've

had all the proverbial, like there was

239

an ad years ago on TV for Volkswagen

and this guy's driving his car and he's

240

trying to open and close the glove box

and doing all this sort of stuff because

241

there's these noise he can hear and

he pulls over to this old mechanic and

242

the old mechanic gets into the car and

listens, comes back and he lubricates the

243

earring of the girlfriend who's sleeping.

244

Their earring was squeaking,

you know, and it was all about

245

the quality of Volkswagen.

246

And Volkswagen are awesome.

247

Ask anyone who works for Volkswagen

and they'll, they'll, they might

248

tell you that maybe, I don't know.

249

But this, this was the point that we

go back to the quality of information.

250

What, what are we actually dealing with?

251

Is the information that

you give me usable?

252

Is it functional?

253

So if you go, well, noise in car when

turning left or noise in car over speed

254

humps or noise in car on wet roads.

255

Oh, okay.

256

That, that's now a whole

lot more useful for me then.

257

Okay.

258

I've got a large, expensive mechanical

device that moves over on easement

259

surfaces that has a large, expensive

mechanical device driving it.

260

Whether that's mechanical or

electrical and it's making some noise.

261

Well, okay, it's so what?

262

Speaker: It happens sometimes.

263

I'm not quite sure when it's not happening

right now, but it happened the other day.

264

Speaker 2: Right.

265

Okay.

266

Speaker: That, that should be used.

267

Speaker 2: This is where we get into,

um, we have for customer facing staff,

268

the same skills or type of skill shortage

that we have for technical people.

269

And so just like it's hard to find good

technical people, it's also hard to find

270

good customer facing people because.

271

There's a lot of money

at play with cars, right?

272

And so some customers get very

upset because there's a lot of

273

money, there's a lot at stake.

274

Um, no one wants to spend more money.

275

I don't know of any customer ever who

woke up in the morning and goes, I can't

276

wait to take my car into the dealership

paying an enormous bill for something.

277

I've got no idea what they actually did.

278

I, this is so exciting.

279

You know, I've got all this spare money.

280

I think I'll invest it on, oh,

who knows what at a dealership.

281

No one says that.

282

And so there's a variety of

problematic elements in this, but why

283

aren't we getting good information?

284

Well, is it fear of customers?

285

Is it fear of angry customers?

286

Is it a lack of skill at

the service department?

287

Is it time because

they're crazy time poor?

288

Are we not booking our work correctly?

289

You know, are we not booking

our customers correctly?

290

Um, one of the things that I find a

lot of businesses aren't doing is.

291

Re-booking their customers.

292

So if we go, ah, Anthony, thanks so much

for bringing your car in on Day x, day y.

293

Super excited to be able to, to

take care of your car for you.

294

Was there anything else

you want us to look at?

295

And if you click here for

yes, click here for no.

296

And if you click yes, it takes you

to a a, there's a thousand different

297

things that it could take you to.

298

But let's just go.

299

Minimum viable product takes you to

a a Google spreadsheet and it says,

300

oh, Anthony, what's your problem?

301

And you describe the problem and you

go, when does that problem happen?

302

Well, this, this, and I can give

you, I, I love a menu, Anthony.

303

When I go to KFC and they go, hi,

can I take your order, please?

304

I go, can I have two or beef patties,

special sauce, lettuce, cheese?

305

But I don't know if you've tried this.

306

I, I have.

307

And you're gonna go, Andrew, really?

308

I've got the idea.

309

Seemed like a good idea at the.

310

Like a, like a lot of my bad ideas,

they started out as good ideas.

311

I just wanna stir the person.

312

And there's this silence on the

other end of the, the thing.

313

Uh, we don't sell that.

314

It's not on our menu.

315

And I've just gone thank you.

316

And, and, and I go back to the idea

of offering the customer a menu.

317

Having them choose stuff.

318

They don't have the language, they

don't have the technical acumen.

319

Give them a selection.

320

Would you like fries?

321

Would you like wedges?

322

Would you like this?

323

Would you like that?

324

Is it hot?

325

Is it cold?

326

Is it wet?

327

Is it dry?

328

Is it all the time?

329

Is it sometimes?

330

Is it.

331

Startup is the first 15 minutes,

does it last 15 minutes?

332

Does it only happen after a thirst?

333

Like give them a menu, have them

go, yes, no, yes, no, yes, you

334

can capture this in a sheet.

335

And now I've quote unquote, got

the customer's verbatim and I can

336

hand that off to the technician and

it was a Google spreadsheet and a

337

link like, how long does it take?

338

Realistically, how long I can

send them A-P-D-F-I, I can

339

send 'em a thousand survey.

340

There's a million different

programs that can do this.

341

Why aren't I doing that on the front end?

342

So that'll save time in the dealership.

343

That'll get what you are trying

to convey, because now you've

344

got time to think about it.

345

You're not standing there rushed, oh,

you know, I've gotta get the train,

346

I've gotta do this, I've gotta do that.

347

I've got all these other things.

348

I'm like, well, you do it when you

got a chance to think about it.

349

So, um, we love menus.

350

The flip side of I don't get enough

information and I don't get enough time.

351

Well,

352

looking at the time chunk.

353

Again, if we're gonna test this,

well, how are we measuring the

354

job, the time that I'm allocated?

355

Is that valid?

356

Is, is that what it really takes or am

I trying to speed things up and push?

357

What about the skill of the tech?

358

And I go back to is it a matter

of skill or is it a matter of

359

resourcefulness we are dealing with here?

360

And resourcefulness isn't on

automotive radar, it just isn't.

361

We use the vague

generalization of experience.

362

It's a thing, but it's incomplete.

363

It's actually a resource on us.

364

What about the physical environment?

365

You know, do, does the tech have to

spend 20 minutes shuffling cars to

366

get the car out and now they're 20

minutes behind their time because our

367

facilities, uh, are choked with cars

or, you know, customer parked or the

368

tow truck dropped off a car or something

like that and now the tech's pulling

369

their hair out, trying to meet a time,

and all of these factors were outside

370

of their, outside of their control.

371

What about the cultural environment?

372

You know, what's that?

373

Because you take a good person, put 'em in

a toxic environment, they can't perform,

374

they can't, it's just not possible.

375

Whereas you, you take an average

tech and put 'em into a good

376

environment, don't perform.

377

They will.

378

So what about the environment we're

we've, we've created, you know,

379

um, and it's interesting when you start

to talk about technicians, you know, this

380

whole idea of I get crap information.

381

And this whole idea of they

don't gimme enough time.

382

What's actually behind those complaints?

383

And it's fear of screwing up.

384

Like there's a genuine fear

of doing the wrong thing.

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I don't wanna upset the customer.

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I don't wanna cause

problems in the business.

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I don't wanna cost the business money.

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I don't want the shame of my peers

in the workshop thinking I'm a peanut

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because I made a stupid mistake.

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I don't want the, the, the

social consequences of failure.

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I don't want, you know,

all these other things.

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It gets expressed.

393

That's what's happening for them,

for the most part that I can tell.

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It gets expressed as I don't get enough

information, which may or may not be true,

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or conversely, I don't get enough time.

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And that could be a skill problem.

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That could be actually a time problem.

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That could be,

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Speaker: well, it could be

uncertainty, couldn't it?

400

Of your own work and saying, well, I feel

like I think I've done the right thing.

401

I've gotta go double check it.

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And that takes extra time, right?

403

And.

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And that is all because of a

perception of their own ability.

405

They may actually be spot on 99%

of the time, but they're still

406

going back double protection.

407

Yep.

408

Matter

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Speaker 2: of competence, for sure.

410

Speaker: Yeah.

411

It can be a good thing and it can be a

bad thing and it's how you manage that

412

and communicate that as a business,

which is gonna make a real impact.

413

Speaker 2: Yeah.

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And so I wanna ask for these two

things, you know, not enough time

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as a tech and poor information.

416

The test that I wanna ask is.

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Where's professionalism in this?

418

If we're gonna be professionals, right?

419

Like I'm being paid to show up.

420

So that means if I'm taking the

money, that makes me a professional.

421

If I'm doing it outta my own

free will, 'cause I've got

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nothing else to do with my time.

423

I'm a volunteer, different level

of expectation for volunteers.

424

But because I'm being paid here,

the expectation is professionalism.

425

And so where is professionalism in this?

426

And I go back to professionalism

in workshop management,

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better workshop leadership.

428

Here.

429

Am I giving my service

advisors enough time?

430

Am I coaching my customers?

431

Am I training my customers

on adding good customers?

432

You know, because that's part of my

responsibility as a service manager

433

and, and I know that sounds really

manipulative, but I'm gonna go, no, it's,

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it's actually, if I've got good customers,

I can serve good customers better.

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I can be more productive, I can be

more efficient, I can add more value

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because the customer's a good customer.

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So let's coach our customers

to be good customers.

438

Let's coach our front.

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Customer facing team to, to lead customers

rather than just serve customers.

440

'cause that's, they're

two different things.

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Where's professionalism

for the technician?

442

Where's the quote, unquote,

development for the technician?

443

Where is the development

for the service manager?

444

I keep coming back to this same piece.

445

And again, when, when all you have is a

hammer, all the world looks like a nail.

446

Right?

447

Prove.

448

But it's a gap.

449

It's something that we don't do.

450

We do bits of, but we just, we, we miss.

451

There's some, not just some gaps.

452

There's some absolute gaping holes

in what we do, and it's hurting us.

453

It's hurting customers, it's hurting

profitability, it's hurting reputations.

454

It's a big deal.

455

So, you know, not enough time.

456

Mm-hmm.

457

Well, let's go and test for that.

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When you say not enough time, how

do you mean and crap information?

459

Well, we can test that We use

the quality information model.

460

Is it explicit?

461

Have you tested that?

462

What you think it means is what

the customer meant, and is this

463

information useful or is it just.

464

I don't know, an emotional

unload, because emotional unload

465

isn't gonna help me fix the car.

466

It's just not useful.

467

Like by all means, work with

the customer emotionally because

468

it's a stress, it's a thing.

469

Do that.

470

Speaker: What's interesting in this

day and age where we have so much

471

technology available to us, that old idea

of let's go back and check the tapes.

472

Sometimes that's actually a really

interesting thing to do because I'd swore

473

they didn't say this, they didn't do this.

474

'cause it could be just a listening

thing and not, and the information was

475

actually there, but they actually just

didn't take it in in the right way.

476

Maybe they didn't read it the right way.

477

Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure.

478

I've just done a skim and they skimmed it.

479

They didn't read it.

480

And that's the thing,

481

Speaker: Andrew, to, to wrap all of that

up, I think it is really an important

482

thing for the technicians to understand.

483

That there's some self-examination

that needs to happen in this process.

484

Speaker 2: It's never one thing.

485

Gosh, if it was one thing, we

would've fixed it decades ago.

486

It's, it's usually a complex compound

thing and shared responsibility.

487

Speaker: Thank you for listening to

the Frictionless Workshop podcast

488

for details on how to get Andrew

working with you and your technicians.

489

Take a look at the show notes.

490

There's also a link to some

special content you can access.

491

I'm Anthony Pearl reminding you to

subscribe so you don't miss an episode.