6 Traits of the Highest-Performing Service Advisors | SDR #265
This episode of Service Drive Revolution (host Chris Collins with Grant, Christian, Hoagie, and Cliff) mixes sports anecdotes with a focused discussion on six characteristics common to top-performing service advisors. The hosts identify traits such as perpetual dissatisfaction (drive to improve), strong knowledge of performance numbers, the "slight edge" of consistent small actions, being a control-oriented closer, investigative curiosity, and an "appetizing" presentation when recommending work. The video includes practical examples, dealer anecdotes, and a call-to-action for advisor training resources.
Chapters
Welcome, everybody, to the big show. We have an exciting couple minutes here for you. Maybe more than a couple minutes. We're going to talk about the characteristics of top performing advisors. It's a great list. You don't want to miss it. And then there's other shenanigans that happen in here.
Or frankly don't happen. Like we've missed opportunities that came about. So stay tuned for this edition of service Drive Revolution.
I call this part two in our series of coaches at home.
Is that a good name for it? Part two. So the first one, you should go check it out if you haven't heard it is, you know, basically in a nutshell, what parts managers should do with the strike and, you know, the supply chain issues with parts. Great episode. We had a lot of fun doing it. Now today, subject is more about advisors and kind of the way that Christian and I crafted this is kind of in the sweet spot of each one of your bats. Right. So for Grant, we're talking about characteristics of top performing advisors. But first, we should talk about the game last night. So we. I don't remember how we came up with the idea, but with all the coaches being in town and you being semi. I mean, you're not super committed to the idea, but you're a semi Dallas Cowboys fan. Like, you dabble in.
Sure.
You wouldn't mind if they won.
It'd be nice.
Yeah. Protect his emotional investment.
That's right. That's right. It's that love hate where one minute you're like, I love these. This team. This is awesome. The next minute we're like, I wonder if the Houston Texans need a new fan.
Because I live in Houston, so, you know. Or the Kansas City Chiefs.
I don't know if that's a bigger jab.
Well, I've had a phone call with Hogie one time after a Cowboy game where they lose, and I'm like, you know what? I think I just might go to the Kansas City Chiefs. You know, there was Dallas's first professional team. So, you know, he's like, it's okay. Come on over.
Water's warm. You know, it's funny is all the people that went to the Patriots, like, when they're like, I'm a Patriots fan. You're like, oh, did you grow up? They're like, no, I grew up in Fresno. You're like, why are you a Patriots fan? Because they win. That's why they're having a hard time right now.
Yes, they are. Yeah.
It doesn't make any sense to be walking around in a Patriots jersey in.
Fresno, there's a bunch of Brady hanging.
In closets, I think.
Well, I guarantee those people aren't Patriots fans anymore. But yeah, I get very sports snobby about that. I need to have their qualifications as to why they're a fan of that team.
Okay. But what is acceptable?
So hometown. Yes, from there.
Okay.
Passed down from generations. So like my father, grandfather was a thing and it passed down father, you know, two or three generations away, you had a player that was one of your all time favorite players, like in a specific college and they went to a team. Right. And so you wanted to follow that person, but you have to stay consistently if that's your qualification with that person. So like if you were a really big fan of Tom Brady at Michigan and then he goes to New England Patriots and then he goes to Tampa Bay, you have to follow him with. Because that's the reason why you're that fan.
Right. What do you do with your old jersey?
You got Burnham, which I think is true. Do a lot of people fall into Tampa?
Yeah, well, I think if it depends on the reason why. I mean, if you're following that player, then yeah, that's fine. It has to have your qualification as to why you do it. But there's several different reasons why I would.
So I'm acceptable with my fanness then.
Chris would say it's fair.
Fair weather.
You have a. You have a hall pass with your wife for a Kardashian, right?
Yes.
The Kardashians made this tequila. I forget which one. You should try it. Yeah, it's called 818. That's the like the high end version of it. Like they have a cheap one and then that's the.
Shouldn't you pour it?
Right.
So I don't know.
Oh, you want me to.
Why does she. I mean, I don't want to over pour all this.
Really.
I mean, all these.
He does.
He doesn't pour his own drinks.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, okay.
Yeah.
It took four people to get his can of beer open.
Right.
Because he wasn't doing it.
Okay, there you go.
I like the look he gave me too. Yeah, like you. You expect you to do that.
I'm left handed too, by the way. But I, I managed. It was fine.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Anything else we could do for your clip?
No, no, no. Just make sure that we're okay.
All right.
What you just said is fascinating.
And so back to the thing. So it was pointed out that there was a Cowboys Chargers Monday Night Football game the Week that we were doing Top Dog. And so we had the, the idea that we'll get tickets to that, we'll get a box, and we'll all go as a team. Everybody will come in early. Right. So everybody had to come in a couple days early. And wives came and it was pretty fun. And you know, really, you were the catalyst behind the idea because you're such a big fan. I was funny. Kind of funny. Side note, before we get to the real funny part of it was that in the deal for us to buy the suite or whatever, I said I want field passes because I wanted you to be able to go on. On the field. Right. And never thought for one second that there were two field passes before and after the game.
Yeah, I wouldn't thought that.
And so they tell us, oh, it's hard to get, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then they said, oh, we got you. We got you field passes. They're after the game. And I'm like, what? Like I've gone on the field after the game. I went on. I went on the, The Cowboys field after the game.
Yeah, we talked.
Yeah.
Not super interesting because you're just there with. You're on the field, but big deal.
Cleaning everything.
I wanted you to be on the field when they were warming up and they were around and you know, there's always vets that come around and in the, in the whole thing. And so.
So then the guy says, I, you know, threw a fit or whatever. So then they found two field passes for before the game. And the guy told him. The guy. The guy, the. I want to say he's the head of sales. I'm not sure. Nice guy. But it's so funny how the Chargers run things so different than the Rams. Like it's two completely different countries, even though it's the same facility. It's just nuts.
Yeah. The Rams are so much different. And the only reason I deal with the Rams is because I. Every year I'll go see the Seahawks. Rams.
Right.
I'm not a Rams fan, but when the Seahawks come, I go, yeah. And so he said that those field passes are only for friends and families of the players. And then he had to trade a player for two of his field passes, which. But he did it.
Kind of interesting. Interesting to. To give me the, like a little guilt, like.
Yeah, yeah.
It's funny, like when advisors do that sort of thing about CSI or something like that too. Right. Because it's a little bit of a ransom. No, in a. In a sense. So we're so you go on the field.
What did you see when you were on the field? I don't think we talked about that.
About the players, because I didn't get a. I didn't get a feeling that it was like I was hanging out with a bunch of people that were familiar. Familiar. Familiar or. Or family with the front. Like, there was a girl that was standing in front of us. I even asked her. I was like, hey, how. How did you end up down here? And she said she works for the Cowboys. She's their brand manager or whatever for the Cowboys. So that's why she was down there, because a few of the Cowboys people were coming up saying hi to her.
Not players.
Yeah, yeah.
Staff.
Yeah, staff. So. But, I mean, we saw Jimmy Johnson down there.
Oh, really?
Yeah. He was down on the field talking to Mike McCarthy. Yeah. Yeah.
How much. How much would you love for them to trade places?
A lot.
If you could wave a wand.
Very much.
As old as he is, with Viagra commercials and everything, he's still.
Viagra commercials.
Well, I don't know. I just know that he did them.
He did, though, right?
Yeah, he was proud of it. He love. I got. I got a pocket full right now. Get up my way and help him.
Get that place in the keys. That's what those.
Those commercials last a long time.
They do, but what a great coach. He was like, man, hold on.
You just walked right over that. That was a good little bit. I like that. That was good.
What did you say?
I said, those commercials last a long time.
Oh.
That's a good one.
See her all week?
Yep.
Who else did you see?
Oh, Larry Fitzgerald. It's pretty cool to see him.
And he's not a. He's not a. He's not a cowboy.
No, but. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinal. No. Yeah, yeah.
Pittsburgh.
Yeah.
He.
What is this guy?
He was very effective against the Seahawks.
Yeah, he was good. And that's the thing about being down there is, you know, those guys are big dudes. Like, he just. I mean, they're big, but to see, like, truly how big they are and at the same time how athletic they are, like, it's insane. I mean, it's. It's crazy. Like, it's like Larry Fitzgerald. You see the guy and how big he is, and he was a wide receiver.
You know, and can move like a wide receiver and catch and, like, agile and, you know, it's just. It's. It's crazy.
I think even over the middle, he was crazy.
Yeah.
Troy Aikman was down there, walked past us and Just looking at the size, like, he is a big man.
Yeah.
And then you had.
You think he's like 65, RG3 right there. Yeah.
At least. Yeah.
You know, RG3 is not. I mean, he's big dude, but he's not overly big. Troy Eggman was like. His hands are massive.
Disappointed in Troy's choice of shoes, though.
Oh, you're as. Shoe fashion.
Very like sketcher. Dress shoe.
What?
Oh, I didn't see that. Yes.
That was not open.
I mean, I was disappointed.
So he's in the box with Joan Buck.
Correct.
Yeah.
Like the exercise while you walk. Sketchers.
Yeah. No, no, the.
Our little rowboat.
No, I just. I was disappointed in his choice of. I didn't know it was a shoe. Yeah. But we did notice you even said it. A lot of them. Everybody's going with the sneaker with the suit look.
Yeah.
Which I'm digging.
Yeah.
I dig that.
I've done that.
Yeah. Yeah. I like that. For sure. But yeah, so.
But you gotta.
You.
Yeah, you.
You gotta kind of up your game a little on the sneakers. Like.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
They can't be worn. Sneaker.
Yeah.
Saying they gotta be for sure.
Probably not white.
RG3. RG3 had white.
White with the pink.
He's RG3, though. I'm just talking about us.
Saw Jerry Jones down there for sure.
Oh, Jerry was down there.
He looks just as old in person as he does on tv.
Boy, they're holding that face together with rubber bands.
Texas.
Him and Robert Redford.
Yeah.
Like.
Yeah.
Tug a face.
Yeah.
Much more.
Yeah.
Looks like he's in a wind tunnel.
I bet you could.
It's like the gown did you make.
Did you talk to him? Like, did you give him any. Any feedback on maybe get out of the way and let. Somebody were off.
They were off on his side. They're off. I'm sure.
Who was the last coach that you won a Super bowl that he ran out of town?
Barry. Switzerland.
But could you argue. And I. I'd be curious from your point of view, could you not argue that? Remember when Gruden went from the Raiders to Tampa, he inherited what's his name's team. Who was the coach? He inherited Dungey.
Yeah.
And then.
Right.
Would you contend that Switzer inherited Jimmie Johnson's team?
Yes.
To be fair, in that scenario with Gruden, the Raiders went the same year. So he left.
Oh, he left a good team and went.
They ended up playing his old team in the Super Bowl. His old Raiders team.
But.
But his Point is temp.
Added defense. They had. Remember that SAP and all those. Man, that defense was amaz. Your Raiders did not have that defense.
Well, I think Barry Switzer's the reason they didn't win four or four.
Yeah. So did you. Did you say, jimmy, come here? We need to. You need to step back and get your kids out of the way. Your son doesn't need to be the next exaggerated version of down there on the field. We saw them, Bob and Joe or. What are their names?
Jerry and Steven.
One's Junior.
Yep. One.
We call him Junior. Do we got to call him Jerry? You don't want to call Jerry and everybody turns around.
That's the question. Like, what do you think they call him? You think Nick Little Jr. Little Jerry.
LJ yeah. You call him LJ. You think so?
Can you imagine you were born into an NFL team. I was asking. I was asking you guys last night, because I think it's an interesting question, is if you had the choice and you can only own one, would you rather own Apple or an NFL team? And Pogie says. He goes, apple. Like, that was the obvious answer, right? And I'm like, how rich do you need to be, Ogie? Like. Like, if you have an NFL team, you make 200 million a year. There's only 32 or whatever. Like, that's it. And you don't. They pass on a lot of people, right? Like, there's a lot of very rich people on the outside, like Bezos. They want an NFL team that can't get one.
We could live on 200 million a year and have an NFL team. You can't. With a trillion dollars with Apple, you can't buy an NFL team, really.
So the question I asked them was, so if you're one of the kids Jerry passes away, would you want to keep the team? They have three kids. They has three kids. Jerry, Steven, and they have a daughter, Charlotte. Or when dad passes away, would you want to sell them, get them, get 11 billion for him and just the three of you split 11 billion, keep the team.
There's nothing. There's nothing better than having an NFL team. It's the best time of the year. Like, everything is better when football's on. And imagine if you're in. Have you seen the. The little weird owners thing they have at the Dallas stad him? So that little elevator that goes up to their little box.
Yeah.
Like, oh.
And it's just the three of them in there. Like, it's not that big. Like you. That's your box now. Like, you get to go up in the little elevator and sit there and call plays or whatever Jerry's doing.
No, you don't know that. There's, like, signals. I'm sure he's like, I like signaling.
That in there, though. Jerry's calling plays for sure.
He's gone. It's. That's a twitch.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The coaching man, like, I thought forever, like, Jason Garrett was the best thing that could happen to the Seahawks in the sense that we were never going to lose an important game to him. And I feel the same way about.
McCarthy, the guy now.
It's definitely.
Yeah, he's helped San Francisco out.
So the.
And so then the interesting thing is we.
We.
We're all in the box together. We have a bunch of drinks and food and the. We're kind of. They're called cabana. So we're right. Like on the field, right?
Yeah.
You looked like you were. So this is.
Your team was about to give birth.
And describe it, and your team is playing well, I guess it was a rough start, but then you were playing pretty well coming out of halftime. I thought the adjustments were made, but literally you wanted to be alone. You did not want to be in. Like, when. When the Cowboys would score, you weren't high fiving us. You wouldn't even smile. Like, a couple times when they made big plays, I would look at you and you were just as stoic as when they threw, you know, when they lost the ball. I don't know. It's. And so you'd prefer to watch a game alone. So all that really was for naught. You would have been happier being in your hotel room watching the game in your underwear alone than with us.
No, that was. I loved every minute. And I was in. I was talking to Hoagie and Cliff and I was, you know, talking to everybody.
I talked to Cliff a couple times. You were not. You were like. You weren't emotionally available. Like, he was.
I don't know. I just. Just into it, I guess.
I don't know.
Or not into it.
But you.
You definitely think that your energy affects the game. Like, you think that your focus affects how they play. Like, you're contributing by focusing so hard. Is that.
Well, no, I mean, that's just how. When I played, that's how it was.
Yeah.
Whether it was great or bad, it was just kind of. Let's don't get too excited. Let's don't get too low. Let's just be consistent.
Let's just.
And you've just carried that over to being a spectator.
It was not. I. I got to be completely honest. That is not what I expected. And I'm not saying there's a right or wrong.
What did you expect?
I expected him to be way more animated, Maybe way more, like, high fiving when they score.
Energy and.
Yeah.
Like, do you think that you wouldn't have known if he was rooting for the Chargers or the Cowboys if you were watching him from across the field with binoculars?
Yeah.
Like, when they did something great, he didn't even. Sometimes he didn't even crack a smile. Like, very stoic.
No. Well, I think that's the. That's the thing that happens when you're a tortured fan, is that.
When something really, really good happens, you're like, oh, there's a payment coming for this.
He kind of said that in so many words, too. Like, that. Well, because you're like, aren't you happy about the winning? He's like, well, I've. I've experienced this before.
4 and.
You know, it's early. It's too soon.
I'm not a Cowboys fan, but I can relate to the tortured fan thing.
Yes.
I totally get that.
Yeah, it's. I told you. I was a sophomore in high school, and the Cowboys won a Super Bowl.
It's been a while.
It's been a while.
And then you're standing there, and Jerry's right there, and you know, hey, Jerry, get over here.
Like he's gonna listen to me.
He needs to listen to somebody.
Not gonna listen to me.
The results don't lie, Jerry.
Tough.
Are you.
For just a second.
Yeah. Just go in your ear for just Correct. Yeah.
You probably heard this before, however.
Yeah.
Gonna put this out there.
Damn.
No, I bet nobody tells.
No.
I would say, Jerry, you're surrounded by a bunch of yes men, and I'm gonna tell you the truth, and you need to listen, because I don't think too many people are telling him. His kids certainly aren't.
No, no.
They look like.
He raised them right.
They toe the line. They're well behaved. He needs a. He needs. He needed to have one more son. The dark. The dark force that throws. That throws a bowling ball in the, you know, crystal shop.
Like Brent.
Brent Jones.
Brit. Oh, that's. That's the guy's name.
Yeah.
Jones.
Sounds like the guy that wouldn't pay.
Attention if somebody's named Brent. Is that the dark. Is that the black sheep of the.
Just Brent Jones?
Okay, so am I the only one that expected him to be more animated?
Oh, I. I felt like, he was right on with what I expected.
Really?
Yeah. Yeah, he was dialed in.
I called that one wrong.
I just ever.
Missy. Missy thought it was the. The funniest that even this morning she was talking about it, she couldn't believe. She's, like, so funny.
I went up to him a couple of times. I, like, pat him on the back, but I didn't get too excited. I didn't say they got this in the bag because I didn't want to.
Oh, yeah. I don't want to jinx it.
I didn't want to go too far, but I just let him know that I saw it.
We want to say that all the way up until, like, the second level.
No. There's a possibility that even if the game's over, it'll be somehow called back and they'll get 10 seconds more and the other team could win. Yeah. Like it's that bad.
Yeah, for sure.
For sure.
Okay, let's. Let's segue to characteristics of top performing service advisors. So we are in lots of stores. We see.
Different brands, different styles, different states. You know, the markets are different, different laws, you know, everything across the board. But there are some similarities in characteristics in.
You know, winners versus under performers. Or you could say losers. Right. But most people probably fall in the under performer. They're not living up to their potential. Yep. They're just kind of going through the motions. It's a job.
Yeah. And, you know, that's the thing. As we go around, I think that we find out as we talk to advisors, managers, everybody that's in the businesses. You know, just today we're doing a virtual advisor training class. And it doesn't matter where you go. It doesn't matter what the market is. Big, small, manufacturer.
I was telling the advisors, I said, everything is the same. Like, the challenges, the customers, the, like, whatever it is. How many times we go into a store, we hear, well, you don't know our customers here. Are all of the times correct? Yes. They're this person or, oh, you don't know our customers. They expect whatever. And I think the common thing I see everywhere I go is that the customers are the same. Like, that's just the way that they are. The things they expect, the what things they want, like, it's doesn't change. Right. It's the same no matter where you go. So I always. The one caveat to that I'll say is, so we went into a store in Mississippi, and yes, absolutely.
Every category starts with when he went into you.
So I went to A store in Mississippi. And we're talking about, you know, the meet and greet at the vehicle and doing the walk around and doing that whole thing, right? And I'm telling the advisors, I'm like, you'd be surprised. You know, they're giving me all the reasons why it won't work. I said, you'd be surprised. This happens everywhere. Customers go with it. Like they don't know any. Any different. They know any better. Just go with it and. And they'll be fine with it. So we talk about it in the morning meeting. We're ready to go. We're ready to get out and get. First thing, this girl goes out there and she greets this customer and starts doing the walk around. And lady. The lady goes, why are y' all doing all this?
And she's like, well, man, we're, you know, we're gonna. She's like, I don't understand why y' all are trying to be all fancy and everything.
Just sh.
I was like, oh, God, your market is different.
Yeah. Yeah. So that was. That was. Yeah, that was a fun time. That was. That was enjoyable. But yeah, for the most part, when you go places, I think we all agree, like those advisors that are top performing have the same. The same things. So I thought about it and I wrote down six that I felt like exhibited that. And really in no particular order, but number one, just not satisfied. You know, I think about myself as an advisor when I was doing it, and I. I don't feel like I was ever satisfied. Like I remember, you know, as you start to. And I went through a few service directors and different pay plans and paid off labor hours, paid off grills, paid off, all the different ways. And I just, I had. I was never satisfied with what I was making. You know, for me, it was a little bit of challenging just because I had a stay at home wife. I sat a wife who was a stay at home mom, and she was with our two kids. So it was kind of like necessary, right? I mean, it's very motivating, but just never satisfied, you know. And it's not just me. I see advisors anywhere you go. We got some advisors that are going to be here this. This week. Top performing advisors that are winning advisor of the year award. And that's the thing with them. Like, they just are never. They never put their feet up and go, cool, I did it right. And so that's the thing. They're always raising their level of not only performance, just kind of. They're raising their level of expectation for who they are. Right. How they want to perform. So that for me is, is something I see just across the board with everybody.
I think it's super interesting when you talk to an advisor that's not satisfied in that manner. And let's just say they had great CSI the month and you say, hey, great job last month on your csi. Well, I could have got, you know, whatever.
They can always.
Or hey, great, great sales last month. Well, I could have done this or, you know.
Yeah. Or when your team wins on Monday Night Football.
Same thing.
Yeah, yeah, but you're like, well, yeah, let's see.
If it's early.
Yeah, that's the thing. Like, there's no. We don't put a banner up for being 4 and 2. Right. Like you don't put a banner up for being.
There were some fans here last night that were broke, by the way, we did not mention that it was a Cowboys home game in la. There were more Cowboys fans there talking.
About, what do you think percentage wise of this?
I mean, I've got.
Go ahead.
75, 30.
I would, I would say 60.
Let me know what he says.
60, 40.
No.
Yeah, he missed. He missed a five. Yeah, I got it.
I sent it to Hoagie and Chris.
He'S a parts guy. Come on, it's a parts number. It's math.
Whatever.
Last night I said it to them and they were just talking. They start continuing on talking and how he goes, wait, what, what did you just say?
Circle back to it.
Yeah, but it was definitely, there's definitely 80%. I mean, it was heavy.
A lot of them were happy though. They were just like. A lot of advisors out there are happy.
Yeah, yeah. And that's the thing, right? They do that, have that really good month and they're like, hey, I did it right.
Yeah, foreign too. Yeah, let's wait. There's not a trophy.
Absolutely. And so that, that's, that's the one thing, number two is they know their numbers.
Oh.
Or they know not only their numbers, but they also know the numbers of the other advisors that they're with on the drive.
Yeah, they're always figuring out what they're tracking.
Correct. And, and I think it's that, that not satisfied. So like, if you're, if you're not satisfied with the numbers, you know your number of what you need. And I think that's one of the things that's so good about the, the pay plan that we talk about with advisors is that it's very simple. Like they can look at an RO and Know what I made on that ro? Right? Like it's. There's no question about. They don't have to go look up a spreadsheet or do a chart to figure out what the pay is. Right. So they can just look at it. But they know their numbers and then they know their own goals, what they want to make per year and how that translates in the work that they do. And then they know the other advisor numbers. Because if you're in a competition with people, you got to know what their numbers are.
Right.
And you got to know if you want to be number one. You got to know what this person's. So that's the thing I see is advisors that we have, and that's why I think our comp is so awesome, is that it's. I don't think it's any coincidence that the one that are doing and winning comps, they know what second, third, fourth and fifth place are doing at the same time.
Yeah, yeah, that's. That's a great connection.
Yeah.
Just for everybody listening that doesn't know we have software that the advisors compete against other advisors in the category that they're in. So like American or. Yeah, you know the different. Some are brands, some are categories, but they compete in different categories. Yeah. And you're right, they know. Yeah, they know. They know who beat them last month. Like, or who was on their tail or. Yep, yep, they know. They also know what they have open.
Like they know what's gonna close.
Yeah, yeah. Like, even for me, when I, when I first started coming up as an advisor, I knew that I knew who the top performing people were. So I remember when I first started doing it, our service director would put the numbers up. We're Reynolds of rentals. So he'd run the advisor performance and you put it up on a bulletin board so you could literally watch out and see where everybody's numbers were. And I remember seeing the people that were the high performing ones and looking at kind of what correlated and made them really good and then coming to mimic that. Right. So you go and you see, I wrote up seven ros yesterday. Henry wrote up 15. I need to write up more ros. Right. I need to get out on the drive. I need to. So they know those numbers and what they need to do to. I think there's a number, right.
There was an advisor that we went on a visit for and that advisor would call the other advisor out when they weren't offering all the maintenances. I don't know if you know who I'm talking about but I think about that comes to mind that same type of person that they're looking at everything and knowing what's going. They're calling the other stuff out too. So I think that's great.
Yeah.
So know the numbers. So number three, they've got the, what we call the law of the slight edge, you know so it's not, I think we had said it like no ego and, and just always looking at ways to get better. I think of the advisors that show up that volunteer to get there early, open the door and so they can get the toe in so they can get the drop offs from the night before. Get the, the night drop.
You know, go. Don't mean to do it all about myself but I just remember whenever I was an advisor, our dealership that I was at a Toyota dealership, we opened at six so but everybody got there at seven. And the reason why we opened at six is because we were next to the medical center in Houston and the medical center is huge medical cancer treatment center. I think it employs like 50,000 people. Like it's.
Oh wow.
Like it's insane that area. So we would open up at 6 because a lot of people would drop their car off really early because they're going over the hospital next door and somebody asked for who wants to open the door at 6? And I was like I'll do it. Because from 6 to 7 it was just yours.
Yeah, that's.
Nobody else was there, it was just me. So six to seven by the time we would open at seven o' clock in the morning I already had like ten ros written so I was already kind of rolling in my day just to get. Because I was getting the toe ins, I was getting the night drop, I was getting all that stuff. So it's that law of slight edge.
Right. Nobody ever figured that out.
I think they did. I think they just weren't wanting to.
They didn't want to challenge the king.
Get up probably.
Yeah.
And I think that continues to. Taking phone calls.
Yes.
You know you'll take the call.
The porters like you'll help a customer in the drive when nobody else. You know all of those things add up over time.
Or you get the desk that's by the door that everybody walks in because you know they'll come to you and it's always funny to me. I'll have the advisors that are the low performing that want to get away from the door.
Yeah, yeah.
And the ones that are high performing they want to stand by that door because that's where everybody's coming in. So they're going to come in and ask for me. And, and that's. I've never put that together.
That's so true.
Yeah. 100. I mean they never. And then also to the advisors that are. Don't have anything to do and they're going up front to the used car department and saying, hey, do y' all have any recall cars that we haven't gotten to yet? Like that's the thing, right?
Yeah, it's good.
Yeah. I think with that conversation too, you know, that the, the example of them wanting to sit close to the door. You know, it's no secret that if you sit close to the door, you do a lot of work. You don't get paid for either. They're not afraid to take care of people. So looking for the law of a slight edge, I don't think it only applies to sales. I think think for, for this, this advisor we're talking about that's, you know, going after all this. They're also trying to anticipate the needs of customers. How can I better serve this customer? How can I jump out in front of scenarios for them?
You know, I always saw that as playing the long, the long game. Like I knew even if I wasn't getting paid for something, they were going to come back and ask for me because everybody else was, you know, doing the, the I'm not available or they would get on the phone. And so I think you're. If you're making friends, when you're a service advisor, if you're making friends, you're building a customer base. I always thought it of it like that. And, and when you can do stuff for customers that's easy, like put wipers on or whatever that stuff, you know, it's time you can talk to them and build rapport.
Yeah.
And you're building a connection.
Yeah, that's a great point. Because if you sit by the front door, I just, I think of that example, if you sit by the, the front door, there's so many people that are coming in.
You're.
You become a secretary for the other advisors.
Yeah.
You know, just like all the stuff.
I'm here to pick up my car. It's just that all day long.
Guy's always helpful. Right. He's always the helpful one. And to your point, I think, you know, people are coming back to you because you were helpful when they were there for a part or we, you know, when they were doing something, they were there for something other than to Buy something from you or whatever.
I think you even seen them while they're say, hey, my name's Cliff. If you need anything else, please let me know. Like they're putting it out there and making business.
Yeah, yeah.
Prospecting.
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah, yeah. That's the other thing. Like the business cards were right on the thing and people would just grab them too. Like.
Yeah. And I think for. For those people that do that too, just know that there is going to be. To Hoagie's point, there is going to be a lot expected you in that position. Yeah. So you can't be upset whenever you're in that role or that position and you're like, man, people just come to my desk all day long. I mean, that's kind of what you want. I mean, you want them coming to your desk. And people, as we say in the advisor training, you're always on stage.
Right.
And so when people. When you're sitting there and interacting with those customers in a positive way, people watch. Whether you think they do or not, people watch and they see how you react to somebody and they'll come up. I can't tell you how many times I've seen it where a customer will come up to an advisor and go, hey, so I saw you talking to that customer. So tell me about that. And like, oh, and then you start talking about it.
Right. That's a. This is actually a good time. So just so those of you that know that are part of our program, whether you're in the coaching program or whether you have just the on demand subscription, is that Coach Grant? Every single month. He is our lead advisor trainer and he runs an amazing class. He's had some people take that class two, three and four times because every time they go in, they get something out of it. But every month we're. We're doing virtual advisor training and he's really got it dialed in to where it's good. So if you haven't signed up for his class that you absolutely should. And if you're thinking about getting on the coaching program, don't miss that extra. Of added. Added value with that. But he does a. He does a phenomenal job with. With advisors.
Thank you for knowing. It's amazing. I appreciate that.
I've sat in on a couple of.
It is. It is. It's good because I don't. That's one of the things I think we do that's really awesome is that how many times we talk about it advisors and we say they go into a place and they give them a tablet or a clipboard and be like, there's a service drive. I wish you well. And I think you've even said it before, if you need anything, come see.
Me, but it's a lie.
And then when they come to you.
It'S like Canadians saying, sorry, they come.
See you, go, hey, it's the right.
Thing to say, but they don't mean it.
Remember when you told me to come see you? Hey, I need to help with something like, oh, yeah, I can't right now. Go see. Yeah, go see somebody else. Right.
Buried in paperwork.
Yeah, you're gonna have to come back.
In a little while.
Absolutely. So light of this law of slight edge. So the next one is they're a control freak.
Oh, that's interesting.
I like that. That's one of the things that I've noticed with advisors is that are really high performing is they are a control freak.
Don't touch my customer.
Don't touch my customer. Don't check them out, don't greet them, don't. Don't hand my work out. Don't call them. Talk like they look at them. Yes. Almost like that. Don't you dare look at them when they walk in here. Yeah, it's, it's, It's a control freak. And I think in order to be a high performing advisor, I think you have to have that. And I think sometimes I see advisors that are accused of being greedy, and I don't. Sometimes I think greed is, I go with Gordon Gekko. Greed is good. Like, I think being greedy in terms of, not the money aspect, but being greedy in terms of wanting it all from the customer and not just bits and pieces, that equals that high performance.
Well, if you think about the ones that, that don't perform well, they're handing the customer off. They're passing them.
Correct.
When we talk about that in other avenues. But they're, they're handing it off, they're passing it. When that RO leaves the desk, you ask them where that car went or whatever. Oh, I don't know.
Well, also, yeah, the, the other side of that too is when you're an advisor like you, you are fielding the problems from the shortcuts of the other advisors, which creates more work for you. You also get their customers every once in a while. So their offer, whatever you get their customers, you can look and see that they didn't do. Like, they're not, they're not checking history. They're not making good. They're not. And so the last thing you want to do is have them, you know, create any sort of confusion for the customer or cause you more work.
Yeah. That's why I always find it confusing some when advisors don't want, when you start to bring up them checking out their own customer. Some advisors, not these good people, not the top.
That might be the most important part of the whole thing. That's the end. Like how you start and how you end is everything.
Yes.
What happens in the middle, they forget.
Correct.
They're willing to hand that customer off is what I'm, that's the ones I'm talking about. Like they're willing to pass that off.
And to the cashier.
Yeah.
For whoever.
Yeah, yeah.
There's no way.
Yeah.
Like I would, I would even ask the customer like when are you coming in? Like can you come a little earlier? I'm gone or whatever. Like you know.
Well yeah, I mean and that's a control part. That's controlling and that's everything from controlling the communication to controlling their expectations for the visit to controlling, you know, everything. I mean controlling every aspect of it. I, I, as, as a high performing advisor, you do not want to leave anything to chance. I just don't, don't want to leave anything to chance. I don't want it any confusion. I want them to know exactly what's going to happen from the moment they walk in the door to the moment they leave.
Yep. Yeah. It's funny too because the advisors and it's you know, more common than the advisor we're talking about obviously. But it is, it is interesting. Just like you go across the country and you see trends with the way advisors talk about customers. Right. Like you can be you know, in nowhere, Canada or San Diego or wherever and they tell you all that stuff about their customers and how they're different and then the list is exactly the same. It's the same thing with advisors and why they can't get good csi. You know, it's like it's the car.
Wash, they can't, you know.
But the control freak, they're checking every car. They're, you know.
Yeah.
Like it's, it's funny. It is. But yeah, that was really well said is they're just not leaving anything to change.
Yeah, I, I, I remember.
So there's a, there's a service advisor, his name's Harris they used, that worked for James.
Yep.
And he had, we've talked about this before but he had like record breaking CSI where he would have 91 hundreds like every month in a row consistently. Like and I was There once in the, in the store, and he was, he was like all upset and he was having this, like, argument with this new tech that was on his team. And I went to the advisor that sits next to him. I think his name was Mike. And I go, hey, Mike, what's going on with Harris? Like, what? And he goes, oh, he's got a new tech. And he had, he had them pull the car up that he had worked on, and he went out there, inspected it, and they hadn't topped off the washer fluid. And he's like, I'll be damned if my customer's gonna leave here. And that light comes on. Like, he checked that all the time. Like, his attention to detail was nuts. But it's not an accident that he, you know, month in and month out had 90 perfect surveys.
James Sunny with seven months. With perfect. Yeah, like it was seven straight months. Almost is over half.
And yeah, to your point, like, he, he was a control freak and he, he was inspecting like he was checking the washer fluid, the. The air. Because of the T. What are they, TPM lights or whatever that. Come on. He wasn't. Yeah, he wasn't leaving any of that to chance. I'm sure this new tech was like, yeah. Never had an advisor talk to me like this.
Yeah.
But it's like a guy that goes in place for Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady or whatever. There's just a different level of. I remember I saw an interview with Gronkowski talking about his first time in practice with Tom, and he read the play so fast. He asked him three times, like, what it was, and it's like, no, dude, you need to hear the play and you need it. Like, we're. We're in and out of the hut. Like, this isn't. We're not sitting around here talking like, yeah, know your. Know your play, know what you're doing. Right. There's a. There's those quarterbacks bring that to the, to the table. And a good advisor is the same way.
Yeah, for sure.
And I think in the end, the techs love working for them because they have more work. Yeah. There's a loyalty there from the customers that you can't. You can't even monetize. Really.
Yeah. And I think that's one of the things that I'll talk to advisors about whenever we're, you know, if they have a problem with attack. And this kind of goes beyond the characteristics of. Of top performing advisors, but it is a little bit of a trick that advisors can have. And I mean, you can say this to them if I'm wrong or right as a. As a tech. But, you know, I'll have advisors that'll say, I have a problem with. With my tax. They won't do this, they won't do that. Or they have all these issues. And my, my thing to them is I was like, be a really good advisor. And if you're a really good advisor, and I'm talking selling work, taking care of customers, like, all the things that go along with that, that it gives you leverage over your tech. I could say, how many times I. You'd have. I'd have a tech that would come to me and be like, yeah, I don't want to do that and be like, hey, look, that's cool. I can put you on another team. That's. That's okay. They're like, well, no, no, no, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying, okay, I'll do it. You know, it's just like, you have.
That leverage, Daddy's own.
Well, yeah, because they know that they're with a high performer and they're like, you have that leverage over them of like, you can go work on another team if you want. That's okay. Like, maybe we just don't work out. And I'm like, yeah, no, no, no. I don't want.
You're not allowed to disrupt the matrix.
Yeah, I don't. I don't.
Right.
I mean, from a technician standpoint, do you think that?
Sure.
For sure. Well, and also, once you, as a tech, you've seen enough advisors that don't do some of those things that it's that call constant thing when you. When you come across one that does. Yeah, there's a different.
Yeah, yeah. You don't.
I think, like, like anything in life, the thing that technicians appreciate is somebody who's consistent, that's trying to do the right thing, that will tell them the truth. Like, you know, just basic, simple things that a lot of advisors don't do. They don't tell them the truth. They don't communicate. You know.
Yeah, but if your ticket comes back and I have to guess whether it's really a waiter or not, but like.
Yeah, yeah, that's what I mean. It's like.
It's a different.
Yeah, you're. You're only. You're only messing yourself up when you do that.
Yeah. Yeah.
Then I got two more great investigator. And the reason I say a great investigator is asking questions of the customer. Not only in terms of trying to get to the. Because we're talking about. And I bring it up with text. Like, how much did text hate it whenever an advisor customer comes in and says, yeah, I hear roaring noise and they write roaring noise from vehicle. Yeah, from car.
Bottom one recently just said, sounds like water sloshing.
Yes. Yeah. And it's just like, then those advisors get upset that the technician went and drove it and came back is like, no problem found. It's like, well, did you investigate? Like, did you ask more questions? Like, did you find out why the customer is having this problem when they had like all these different things? And so be an investigator not only in terms of that, but be curious and investigating in terms of like, getting to know the customer. It's like if you're doing a walk around with them, get to know them, find out who they are, what they are, connect with them. Like that, that whole thing. Right. I think that's a piece of. I tell advisors all the time, be curious, get to know people, ask questions.
I, I read that note as great impersonator and I'm like, what do you think that happens?
Why, why are you cheating the list?
Totally. I. I cheated. I'm sorry.
That's okay.
But like, I'm. They do like Jim Carrey impressions or Trump impressions, like trying to figure out what it was that got them that movie lines. Yeah.
He was really hoping there was a punchline there.
I don't know. He was waiting for it. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, I, I don't want to, I don't want to get too deep in the wood in the weeds on that. But yeah, it's just, it's being somebody that is naturally curious with your customers, wanting to know who they are, wanting to engage with them, find out. Because we talk a lot about that connection piece. Right. And then last is an appetizing presentation. So one of the things I talk about there is.
What we, what we talk about or what we sell is not glamorous or glorious. And like, I tell advisors, like, look, it's a tough sell. Nobody's going home and me calling their neighbor over and be like, hey, come take a look at this timing belt. I just had to put, you know what I mean?
Like.
Yeah, sucker right there, boy.
You ever seen anything like that? Yeah.
If you ever seen a water pump that shine like that.
Yeah, yeah.
So it's, it's that. So you have to have an appetizing presentation and we're talking about verbiage and words that you use. So not using recommend, using do past due things like that, using health inspection as opposed to MPI sheet. You know, sometimes we're getting that Carlingo that we do.
Ro.
Yeah.
Oro.
Correct. Right. You know, niag. Yes. Using more like investment instead of. Of using words like cost or, you know, that kind of thing. So it's just that appetizing presentation and making. It doesn't mean those words are bad. It just means there's a different presentation method to it.
Right.
Like, you're presenting it in a different manner that's more appealing to the customer as opposed to. Yeah, you're.
You.
It's going to cost you 1600 bucks. Like, that's just.
Nobody wants anything that costs them 1600 bumps. Right. So, yeah, that just.
You're.
You're presenting something in a way that's not very glamorous or enjoyable, presenting it in such a way that they're looking forward to spending the money they have. Right.
Yeah. I think all those things.
The. The way it's perceived on the customer side of it, you know, we get lost on our own world a lot. But how much you're elevated in the perception of a customer that's using, you know, professional language like that. You see advisors, too, I think sometimes when they're. When they're taught some of that, it changes the way they feel about themselves a lot. I think a lot of those lost in the. In, especially when you're new, you think the most important things are to learn the dms, to learn, warranty coverages to learn. And really the most important thing or foundation is. Is, you know, connecting with people and.
You know, all. All that stuff. But. But yeah, that's interesting.
Yeah, it's. It's funny how I think that's what our program does is it just kind of gets you back to being really good at the basics. Like, technology is great, all the different MPI systems and all this stuff's great. But how are you connecting? Like, how are you. What presentation are you providing that is appealing and appetizing to the customer? Are you using words that are correct? Are you. That. You know, just that whole engagement. So.
Yeah.
Just starting to. Effective.
Yeah. Yeah.
Just being effective, right?
Correct.
Yeah.
And it doesn't matter where you are in the country or the world. People just want to be treated right. They, you know, they want. They want value. They want to feel like they matter. It doesn't matter where the customer is.
Yeah, yeah.
In Mississippi or, you know, Toronto.
Right.
And. And that's the thing, is that it's just. But yeah, we've talked about this market and all that. This is I don't care where you are. These are the things.
That's a great list. It was really good.
I love the word appetizing presentation. I think that's cool. It made me think of like a fancy restaurant. And it's the presentation that the waiter. Waitress does that makes you buy it. It's not the table. Taste of the. Yeah, I think about that baked potato is a appetizing presentation. Remember at that one restaurant.
Yeah. So real quick, the analogy I think about that is whatever your. Whatever your most satisfying meal is that you have. Like, whatever that is. Whether, like you.
What's your.
Which tuna in a. In a container.
Something that's like a pouch, not some kind of. Yeah, So I like Italian. It's probably my favorite. So let's go. Chicken parmesan. Okay, so if you have a chicken parmesan done, and I'm sure you want some side with it. Correct. Like, what do you have with.
I mean, you have a little bit of pasta with it.
Okay. So whatever that is. Chicken parmesan with pasta. And we go out there on the street and we just get like a trash can lid. Yeah. Turn the trash can lid over, put the parmesan and the noodles and everything on the lid. Put it in front of you. Are you digging into that? Are you really not? Right.
No.
Yeah.
Get the same thing, same meal, cross perform the same way. All that. You put it on a plate, drink utensils, like the whole shebang. Right. The presentation, it's more appetizing, for sure. It's the same kind of thing. It's. It's cooked the same way. Everything is the same thing. It's just, it's, it's presented to you in a different fashion and it makes it more appetizing.
Yeah, it's great. Yeah, that's good. Great list. That's. That's a good stuff. Well, thanks everybody for listening and make sure you tune in next week for part three of this.
Amazing conversation that you get to listen into. And we'll see you next time on Service Drive Revolution. Thanks so much for watching this episode of Service Job Revolution. We're uploading new stuff every day, so make sure you subscribe and click the bell icon so you don't miss out. If you have a question you'd like us to answer on the show, call 8333-ASK-SD and we'll answer your question on the show. That's 8333-ASK SDR. For special deals on our books and training, head over to offers.chriscollinsinc.com now it's offers.chriscollinsInc.com I'm Chris Collins, and I'll see you in the next video.
