Chairman's Message
by Don Seyfer, AAM Remote Control
Does your TV remote control cause a change in your personality? Does it give you that "more power" feeling? Do you try to control the remote control? Or is the remote control controlling you?More specifically, I am referring to the remote control from employees, customers and family members. How about the employee with a constant "attitude." You treat the person differently than you know you should. That's remote control. Then there's the customer who wants repairs just to get by and you worry they are not going to be satisfied with the finished product. That's remote control. You go on vacation after an unpleasant situation with a family member or employee and all the time you are gone you think of how you could have handled things differently. That's remote control from hundreds of miles away.
Your garage door opener works within a range that will activate the garage door. Outside the range, the door does not open. Within closer range, the door opens. This example can be applied to communicating with customers. At our shop, we recently developed two statements for customers. One is a statement of our expectations from customers and the other is what customers can expect from us. We have had many favorable comments from customers about these statements. This simple communication step tames the gremlins of misunderstanding. I will be happy to fax you these statements. Call the Automotive Service Association (ASA) at (800) 272-7467, ext. 219, to request a copy.
What about you, the most important remotely controlled person? Old habits die slow. One way I have found to form new habits is through constant reminders. Just one new habit at a time is my rule. So to make my transition from a "Grinch" to an all-around pleasant person, I have a card I carry with me at all times. It has five letters on it, "CPMOT." This stands for, "Can't Tick Me Off Today." (One word has been changed to be politically correct.) Listen up! It works! How about you? Do you have those days when you need to change the channel? These ideas came from ASA and the Automotive Service Association Management Institute (ASAMI). Try them!
Too bad changes in real life aren't as easy as pushing a button on a TV remote control. But we do have resources and ideas to help us, so I hope this bit of channel surfing lands you on a great "discovery" channel.
Don Seyfer is the chairman of the ASA board of directors and owner of Seyfer Automotive, Wheat Ridge, Colo.
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Tech To Tech || TechTips || Stat Corner || News Briefs || News Briefs Extra || Taking The Hill || Directions || Around ASA || Chairman's Message
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 10, October 1996