As we look forward to 2007 and the wonderful planning sessions that will be happening over the coming months I want to present a challenge to each of you. What could we do that would make us the Number One supplier to our customers from a dealership perspective. That’s right from the dealership perspective.

This column is normally dedicated to product support issues and opportunities but I want to broaden the context this month. We are constantly challenged with daily issues. Getting the parts, giving the advise, performing the repairs, controlling the expenses, reviewing performance, creating budgets, and on and on. And we all recognize that there are challenges between the departments. Sales making promises that service can’t possibly accommodate. Not being able to find skilled technicians. Parts never having the parts that service needs. Not being allowed to hire more people even if they are needed for customer service. Finance never letting us have enough money. You all know the drill. There are many issues to deal with.

But what happens to us if all we do is to continue things the way that we have always done them?

Many of you have heard my three step theory on most everything including the once is happenstance, twice is circumstance and the third time is enemy action. I training sessions and talks that I give I also cover three simple themes; ignorance, stupidity and insanity.

1. Ignorance – not know what to do
2. Stupidity – knowing what to do and not doing it
3. Insanity – continuing to do what you have always done expecting different results.

It is the insanity issue that I want to touch on here. What have you done recently to become the best supplier to your customers? My suspicion is that we are nibbling around the edges. To go back to the book “Built to Last” (Porras and Collins) we have not found any BHAG’s; Big Hairy Audacious Goals. Nor have we found any Thematic Goals. This latter is from the book “Silo’s, Politics and Turf Wars (Lencioni).

Well I think it is time, especially in the planning cycle for your business, to explore what needs to be done to be the Number One supplier to your Customers.

On my July column, we talked about the balanced scorecard. The primary thrust of my use of the balanced scorecard is to start with the customers and ask them “what do you want/need for us as a supplier/partner in order for your business to succeed?” So what is it that they want/need from us? Have you asked or have you assumed that you know? It is important that we ask and listen carefully because they will tell us very clearly what it is that we need to do and that will tell us what it is that we need to excel in to satisfy those needs/wants.

I would then suggest that you create a “Thematic Goal.” This is a short term goal that everyone in the Dealership can rally around and work towards. The thing that you will find interesting about this suggestion from me is that this “Thematic Goal” is not something that is quantitatively measurable; it is subjective, qualitative and not necessarily measurable.

The theme I would ask you to consider is “Improve Customer Satisfaction.”

I know, you are all thinking “how do I know whether or not I am succeeding at that?” Well I want you to ask your customers and employees a series of questions:

• Are they happier with your work
• Are your invoices clear and easily understood
• Is your employee turnover down
• Is your customer retention up
• Are more people coming to look for work at your company
• Are your employee happy and cooperative in their work

The list goes on and it is a list that you should create at your dealership. Start with your employees in Parts and Service. What do they want/need to make their jobs easier? Remember the “Service Profit Chain?” Employee Satisfaction and Loyalty creates Service Value which develops Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty and that delivers Profit and Growth. So start with your employees. Develop your own lists from their input. Then ask your customers and develop a lost from their input. Then execute – execute - execute.

I believe we will see some slowing in the coming months and I think it is important that we establish a plan that allows us to continue to grow the parts and service business irrespective of the over all market conditions. I want to start you growing your market share in parts and service because you have become the Number One Supplier to your Customers.

So my question to you is simple. Are you pushing to be the Number One supplier to your customers? If you don’t someone else will?