What We're Thankful For (Service Drive Revolution)

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Welcome, everybody, to Service Drive Revolution.

We have a Happy Thanksgiving show for you today. Please say hello to Christian Lafferty.

Hello.

Still, I think every week. Is this gonna be the thing? Kanye West 2024. That's the shirt. So this is his third Kanye west shirt. You said you got him at the Dollar store.

Yeah, on clearance.

And are you feeling some momentum for Kanye in 2020?

Yeah. Well, you figure out we've. We've got 200 weeks left till the next election. That's a lot of shirts.

Yeah. So you're, you're, you're, you're doing your part.

Yeah, I really did. No one could ever say otherwise. And these are almost Thanksgiving.

So if you're listening to this and you're not watching, his shirt says Kanye West 2020, but the 0 in 20 is crossed out and then a 4 is handwritten below.

So, yeah, our nice artwork there. You did that yourself. I personally, like, think we could go through these shirts and cut the sleeves off and, like, we could doll them up a little bit.

I gotta work out a little more before we get there.

Heavy Metal Thunder Yeah. Today, Christian, we're going to talk about the top five things we are grateful for. I love this with the Thanksgiving theme.

Yeah. Because it's that time.

And maybe your list is different than mine. Maybe we share this. We'll have to see how that goes. But I have a list of five things. Number five is going to surprise you.

Okay.

It's definitely going to surprise you. Things seem to be opening up a little bit. We're traveling again.

Yeah. So how do you feel about that?

I don't know. I don't know how I feel about it. So we're going to Ohio and then we're going to Nashville. Right. So we're going to Ohio for a great client of ours. They're like quarterly managers leadership meeting. Yeah, we're going to Nashville for research. We're doing a little research. You're going with me, right?

I'm going with you. And then you and I are separating, actually, at that point, you're coming back here. I'm going on to one of our clients in Florida for a couple of days. So it's going to be. I'm actually going to do four things in six days.

Four things in six, Like a rock star. What are the four things? So I'm going the Ohio, Kentucky line.

Nashville. Nashville. And hang out with my kid for the weekend in Florida. And then I'm headed down to a brand new client. Brand new old client, new store. And they're expanding.

A lot of our clients are buying.

My good Lord. There's a grab bag going on right now.

Yeah. The other thing that just happened. Big news on the Christian Lafferty front. You got a tattoo?

I did.

Your very first tattoo.

My very first. And I went big.

Now I. Yeah, it's big. We're gonna put it up on the screen. If you're listening to this, I'm gonna have to describe it as on his left rear shoulder blade as opposed to the left front.

I like it. You just described me like a car.

Yeah.

You totally wrote me as an armor.

That's how I think.

I love it.

Left rear shoulder blade is a wolf. It's a wolf. And it's a beautiful wolf that you went all the way to Vegas to get this tattoo. How long did you wait for the appointment?

A few months.

Yeah. And so what's the. What's the artist's name? I know it's DJ something.

DJ Tambi.

DJ Tambi. He's eight hours in the chair.

Six hours in the chair.

Six hours in the chair.

World famous, true professional.

Incredible detail. Incredible detail.

So very nice. Worth it. The. The eyes too. I mean, you can see, like, every hair. It's incredible. So that was your very first tattoo. Are you getting more.

I think I'd like to finish it out, but it seems like since I decided that I wanted this tattoo that the story's gotten cliche a little bit.

What do you mean?

The story of the wolves has gotten a little bit cliche? And I almost am starting to like it just by itself.

Oh, well, explain to everybody what the story of the wolf is.

Yeah. So I actually have had this idea for getting a tattoo for probably three or four years, and there's a story.

About a Cherokee grandfather having a conversation with his grandson about how there are two wolves that live in each of us. There's the good wolf, and then there's the bad wolf. And the. The grandchild asks the grandfather, well, which wolf wins? And then the grandfather says, the one you feed.

Yeah. So there's two wolves, and for the story to be complete, have to get a wolf on your rear right shoulder line.

Yes. Which I've already got a mental design of that as well.

Is it the same wolf?

No.

So it's a different wolf, better looking or, like, what's different about it?

Angrier. More teeth showing. And then the background, like how on the. On this one, it's like, mountains and trees and all that stuff. I have, like, in my head, it's like volcano and like, red and, like, really volatile background.

The thing I love about tattoos nowadays is they're literally art.

Like, he is an artist.

Yeah, it's high art. Some of the, like, the detail and the dimensions of it are incredible. Like, the. The guy who did my tattoo, Dr. Wu, I mean, it's just. It's incredible. His stuff is incredible.

Yeah. I think the. The really cool thing about it is when you explain what your vision is and then they turn it into something that's way better than you even imagine. Like, it's super cool.

Yeah, that's. That's amazing.

So, traveling Ohio Tattoo coin.

Want to talk about this coin thing? I don't know.

Again, for. For you listeners, we're working on what I think is really, really a neat concept of being in our group and part of our. Our family.

And we're trying to turn it into karate.

Yeah.

So there's levels. Right. Like your white belt, you're. You're a yellow belt. How do the belts go on karate? White, yellow, white, yellow.

There's probably a blue, purple and orange. And purple, brown and black are the end. I know that red belt is right before brown. Yeah. Because there's that red bent red belt mentality. But I'm looking.

We're making coins instead of belts. And then the elite group is getting rings, which we announced on the. The last coach meeting. Yeah, they are. They look like World Series rings or super bowl rings. So. Yeah, when you get to the elite group, you get a ring. You'll always remember it. It's a huge accomplishment. And so these coins, we. We have a local artist that we use for a lot of stuff. And you think it's funny?

It is pretty funny. So the first thing I'll say that it's. It's extremely artistic. And that artist is super.

The back of the coin.

The back of the coin. The tails part.

So these coins are going to. They start off like they're like a 50 cent piece kind of. They're a pretty big coin.

Yeah. So the only way I can describe this is that that this.

Set is very biblical in nature. We've got angels, We've got.

Who I believe to be Jesus.

Christian's doing a terrible job of explaining this, but he doesn't like the back of the coin that has me. So the artist drew me kind of looking like Jesus.

No, I think he drew you like God saving Jesus.

Yeah. What's wrong with that? A lot of our clients carry a cross. Christian. That isn't easy.

Yeah, I just think it's. It's super spiritual, if you will.

You don't think it's spiritual to. To transform yourself into an elite assassin?

How many managers have you seen come into our group and literally reinvent themselves?

Plenty.

And so you don't think that's spiritual? You don't think that the price you pay for that is spiritual?

I just don't know if this hits with our people, but I'd be happy to be wrong. I also like the fact that you're floating. I think it's of kind of fun.

You know, people listening to this have no idea what you're talking about.

Yeah. I.

You're staring at it, but not describing.

Taking the visual and turning it into the. The good for the audience listening at home. I'm not very good at that. Just like, with jokes. Right. Like, I can't do it backwards.

So. Yeah. But I will tell you, the piece is phenomenal. It's just. There's a lot going on in this thing, man.

But I think that the idea of the group and the coins and the next level and the elite rings are really badass. Like, that's super cool. So all jokes aside, it's good stuff.

Yeah. I think Crucial did a great job.

Yeah.

It is a little spiritual, but I think that it should be. I think it's not just oil and.

Belts and hoses. Like. Yeah, I think it's a big deal.

I think that you know it.

And I think I grew this beard a while ago.

Understanding that I was the messiah of the service drive.

Yeah.

No, that's blasphemy. I'm not the messiah. The service job. I just think it's funny. It's funny that he did that without any direction from us.

No. But what it tells me is that's how he.

And it looks nothing like me, by the way.

No.

You're assuming that that's me, but I don't even know that that's really me.

I feel like it's probably you.

It's a crowd of people, right?

Yeah. I also think it has a representation of how he feels about you. Believe it or not, I think there's.

A lot of that. I love him. Top five things we are thankful for. Christian going into Thanksgiving.

Love Thanksgiving.

Top five things that you're thankful for. Let me go through my list first.

Yeah.

Number one, our customers, without a doubt. And I think everybody listening to this should be thankful for their customers.

Yeah.

I think we, for the most part, 80% of them are great.

At least.

Yeah. Yeah.

Number two on my list is our team. I think we have the best team we've ever had. We got rid of all the narcissistic weirdos.

Yeah. Like we just have the best team I think we've ever had.

Yeah.

More fun than we've ever had. Third one I have on here is that we live in America and Canada.

Man. Another good one.

Would you move to Canada?

No.

You wouldn't?

No, I would. I respect that.

Calgary probably.

Yeah. You really like Calgary a lot.

I like Vancouver.

What is it that you like best about?

Huge let down. Honestly.

It's a big.

It's like Toronto is the New York of Canada, but it's not that cool.

Yeah. What do you like best about Calgary?

I just think it's a great city. It's beautiful. The people are nice. It's central.

Because I think that that's Vicki's favorite too.

Oh really?

Yeah.

Would make sense.

Yeah.

She spent a lot of time city.

And they are wonderful to her up there too.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Vicky is one of our coaches by the way. We're talking like we're just hanging out.

We are doing that.

Number four on my list is books.

Yeah.

There's so many great books. Like I'm constantly like I have five going right now and I can't like, I can't even pick like my favorite one.

Yeah.

And number five is the parts department.

I feel like we give parts too hard of a time and I think it's, it's every shop I've ever gone into. The technicians blame and complain about parts and I think that needs to stop.

Wow, that's a bold stance right there.

But it needs to stop because the parts manager needs to get out of his office and actually go do something.

Right. So we need a recall on all the seat belts for the parts departments.

Yeah. He's sitting at their desk checking email. Parts managers, you don't need to check your email every day. Check it once a week.

There's nothing that important in your email.

Get out of your office and get out in the shop. No. All jokes aside, we're very grateful for everything that we have. We wish everybody a happy Thanksgiving. We're going to go to your question.

So I had a question for you. Before we go to other questions. I have a question for you. What is that thing where it's like anything that can go wrong will go wrong. It's a rule or something like that. It's like someone's law. Do you know what I'm talking about?

No, it's.

It's Murphy's Law. You heard of Murphy's Law?

Murphy's Law.

Yeah. But then you've got Cole's law, which is really cabbage cut up. Really?

I love it when you can't get your own joke out because you're laughing at yourself.

I've been joke. Yeah.

So Murphy's Law.

Murphy's Law is where everything that can go wrong will go wrong.

And then Cole's law is cold slaw, chopped up cabbage, then we cut cabbage.

Yeah.

Mayonnaise.

I blew the punchline. But it's a great joke, isn't it?

Yeah. You're gonna. In your delivery, you're gonna have to learn not to laugh at your own jokes.

No, I think that that's a sincerity to the, to the humor.

So we take your questions. If we play your question on the big show, we send you a swag bag, trucker hat, coffee mug, T shirt, T shirt. The number for you to call in and ask your question. It doesn't just have to be related to the Service Drive is 8333 Ask SDR. And if you don't know how to spell on the phone or your phone doesn't have that like some androids, that's 833-327-5737. Let's go to our first question this week.

Hey, it's Melissa at Jeff Weiler in Springfield. My question is, with a multi brand service drive, I'm finding it hard to maximize or increase my RO count without the wild west schedule causing issues with customer satisfaction and surveys. I run three separate schedules, have one express lane that is off of all three and advisors who write for all three brands. Would you suggest one schedule for all three brands or how can I best increase my RO count and maximize everything with keeping the status quo? Thanks so much. You guys are great.

Melissa, Miss Melissa.

She's good stuff. I like Melissa a lot. So the thing I would say is first and foremost is that I know that Melissa, you and your coach have talked about this maybe since you guys have actually since you left this message for us. But just as a general overall arc to this whole thing, I think that the thing that Melissa was hung up on was that she's got three brands that she's managing. And the thing that is the equalizer with that is that all of her advisors can write any one of the three brands. So to me, the brands become irrelevant and it's more about controlling everything. Right. So I think that the wild, wild west mentality that she was alluding to was where she wanted to make sure that it's free and easy for everybody. To come in. I'm telling you that the more structure you have to it, the more your customers appreciate it and the better you can manage it. So come up with a really distinct schedule of what you want to do and space it apart and make sure that your team has time to connect with your customers.

But the answer is make the schedule for the advisors.

Make the schedule for the advisors 20 minutes apart. That's. That's what I would do.

Was that our answer?

Yes.

Okay, so make the schedule for the advisors and then if you need, if you're growing your traffic or you have more traffic, add more advisors. But you know, an advisor should only write 12 to 15 a day and then scale it from there. So if your advisors are writing 16 a day, add another advisor and get them down to 11 or 12 and your numbers will go up because they'll have more time to spend. Good question. Thanks. Melissa. What's the next question?

Hey, Chris. My question is, I'm a new service manager of a store in a metro Atlanta area. Took over about a year ago, right before the pandemic happened. Luckily, I'd made some changes.

And got things going in the right direction. But now, since the pandemic's gone on, my owner seems to be more concerned about RO count than he is about us doing better net profit wise than we have the previous three years. I just find it hard to wrap my head around doing better from a net profit standpoint without letting anybody go during all this and us being more worried about ro count. Am I missing something there or am I right in my thinking?

Okay, so a couple things. One is you need to understand how to manage your boss.

That's what's going on here. So most of the time, dealers and general managers come from the front end. They come from sales. They don't understand fixed stops. And the only way they know how to process success is how many units are going over the curb so they revert to RO count. So I would have two different dialogues. I would agree with him and try to grow your RO account while you're getting net profit. But you can do both. But I would just agree with them and say, yeah, we're trying to get our RO account. Listen to what he has to say.

Don't tell him, hey, I know how we can get our RO account up. Let's do. It's like a Christian joke. Hey, want to know how to get your RO count up?

How do you do that?

Sell more cars.

That's pretty good.

Yeah, right? Because if you're selling cars the service departments gonna be bit, you know, busy.

So. Yeah, I would just. I would just agree with them and listen to what he has to say. Try to understand. But the context most of the time of a general manager, a dealer is they only understand units. So they think ro count and learn the financial statement and focus on. On net to gross. You can do both. It isn't. It isn't one or the other.

Just agree with them.

Yeah, man. Managing your upper management is a great lesson.

That's a manageable. You gotta manage up. I, I've always had to do that in my career. Manage up.

Yeah. And I think you've been pretty.

You kind of do that to me, don't you?

I have my moments, probably.

That's funny. Well, everybody do us a huge favor and have a great Thanksgiving and we will 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. Icon so you don't miss out. If you have a question you'd like us to answer on the show, call 8333 Ask SDR 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 that's offers.chriscollinsInc.com I'm Chris Collins and I'll see you in the next video.

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