7 Ways to Make ‘Toyota for Life Dealer Standards’ Assessments a Breeze
Dealers, industry critics and well informed consumers have shared mixed reviews of Toyota’s focus on customer service. More commonly referred to Toyota for Life (TFL), the newer KPI driven program is an evolution of the 100% university style customer service training paired with laissez-faire management previously used by the franchise. After 12 years running as Australia’s market leader, we wonder if this change will help them make the bakers dozen. Tony Cramb, Toyota Australia’s Executive Sales and Marketing Director certainly believes it will and adds, ‘true leadership is more than being the best-selling automotive brand. We’re only as good as our next guest thinks we are!’
Whilst Toyota for Life Dealer Standards may focus on improving cultural, operational and other lighter elements of the customer experience, the franchise certainly outlines a heavy set of rules for dealers to adhere to. Below are seven different ways Toyota dealers like yourself, use technology for TFL management and in turn make assessments run smoothly at their Toyota dealerships.
1. Toyota For Life – Dealer Behaviour
Whilst measurement of this comes down to reports and follow up on 1300 Tel Toyota incidents, some dealers find they can perform better by being on the front foot with communication. Performing your role with guests can be as simple as making all guests aware of franchise/network promotional offers. Toyota dealers using eraPower have a number of ways to do this, the simplest of which is SMS, via a product called SMSLink. Dealers use this tool to update their clients on everything from discounted service specials or updates on delivery dates.
Not only does this help contribute to better TFL assessments but guests also starts to see a more personal relationship with the dealership, or Dealer Principal.
2. Toyota for Life – Culture
Go one step further, don’t just use the supplied mailed copies of your dealership behaviour statement in lunch rooms and reception - reinforce them after each service. By using DocuSmart Output you add your dealership behaviour statement to the back of every single repair order (RO).
3. Toyota for Life – Guest Ethics
Many dealers tell us that the move to the Toyota for Life Dealer Standards reward their existing transparent processes. Once again, this metric is evaluated on 1800 share your experience reports and handling but there are tools out there that can help reduce issues arising at all. As ‘deception’ or ‘baiting’ are highlighted by the franchise as completely unacceptable other elements such as high or low balling price estimations are also noted with particular attention to expectations in the market place.
The easiest way to avoid any errors in trade appraisal is by using one of two DMS integrated apps. AutoCheck Dealer Solutions by Netresult Mobility and LiveMarket by Carsales.com.au both offer trade appraisal on mobile devices. These apps let appraisers gain information on the vehicle in front of them then triangulate their appraisal based on current vehicle price data from glassguide.com.au and redbook.com.au respectively.
4. Toyota for Life – Guest for Life
The guest for life guideline states that all guests must receive a full tank of fuel if in a TSA-eligible vehicles. This sound simple enough but some Toyota dealers are going the whole way and automating the process.
By combining two back of house tools this can be very easy. Pre-delivery repair orders and checklists can be automatically scheduled then paired with an operation code for a full tank of fuel at no charge. This is core functionality in all Pentana Solutions’ Dealer Management Systems.
5. Toyota for Life – New Vehicle Advertising
Being assessed on this element of the Toyota for Life set of guidelines has been challenging for some, but not for obvious reasons. Compliance with company communication is something Toyota dealers do without skipping a beat, however coordinating the archiving of all this communication across sales and marketing managers as well as the ownership group can be a challenge. Calling up this information during the assessment process is also a drawn out process. Enter – DocuSmart Archive, the capture, file and retrieval system.
Using DocuSmart Archive can help Toyota dealers organise their communication history and better still, retrieval of this information duration assessment is very easy.
6. Toyota for Life – Genuine Accessories
We understand that Toyota dealers will always direct customers to use genuine accessories however in the case that the customer makes the decision to not use genuine accessories, they need to be aware of the shortfalls by signing a guest acknowledgment form. The perfect complement to this requirement is DocuSmart Scan, whether the guest acknowledgement form is in hard copy or electronically signed this solution can categorise and recognise all characters. DocuSmart Scan and Archive combined uses optical character recognition to identify all words in a document for easy retrieval.
7. Toyota for Life – Vehicle Maintenance
During Toyota vehicle warranty periods, dealers have mentioned that they are directed not to promote or sell products or services not recommended by the franchise. This actually offers another way to streamline back of house operations through pre built operation codes. With these bundles of Toyota approved products and services not only will your Toyota dealership comply with TFL rules but technicians will be more efficient no matter the vehicle model. That’s what we like to call a win-win!
Do you have your own Toyota for Life set of tactics you use to breeze through assessments? Share them with us!
