ServiceSource Service Initatives
Six weeks into 2023, six members asked me what BrandSource is doing to support their members who provide appliance service and sales. Such requests cause me to believe my work is not reaching the BrandSource membership or at least the right person in a member's operation. If you are regularly asking yourself what resources are available to my service team, you might want to read an article I wrote last year on this topic.
In 2019 a group of Self Servicing Dealer Members led by Scott Bekins approached the BrandSource leadership asking for help. They were looking for direction on how to harness the power of the group to influence positive change in the appliance warranty arena. The ultimate goal was to achieve profitable service operations. Their dream became the initiative's mission, and they created ServiceSource, the BrandSource service support arm for its Self-Servicing Dealer (SSD) membership.
Mission: Make lasting positive changes to the appliance service industry for BrandSource members to be profitable, sustainable, and highly regarded.
Vision: With research and data, we will educate, form strategic alliances and create meaningful programs that benefit and invigorate appliance servicers.
This initial group was instrumental in returning the focus to appliance repair operations, big and small. Not only in BrandSource, but other groups are following suit. The National Service Committee (NSC) was formed from their efforts and meets quarterly. Their first call to action was the creation of a service operations handbook called the Service Play Book 2.0. A resource guide on all you need to know to operate a service department. Download it today and put it in the hands of your service personnel.
The National Service Committee spawned several other groups at BrandSource. The first was The Service Champions, service members from each region willing to disseminate all BrandSource service initiatives at the regional level. Find out who your service champion is and add them to your contacts.
Another group that spawned from the NSC was the Service Strategy Team (SST). A group of SSD met to identify and articulate the critical concerns of all dealers with the warranty process. The Service Strategy Team held several meetings formulating six critical issues with warranty service fulfillment and will be addressing these in person with manufacturers this year.
A self-help Facebook group was created for SSD to post topics of interest to them, asking for help from other members. If you are not yet a member of this influential group, here is a link to join it BrandSource Service Dealers Facebook group. If you're not trusting your gut on a service challenge, try posting it in this group and get responses from other SSD that are facing or have experienced the same issue.
The NSC also started a monthly Service Source Newsletter for SSD. Each month we share service management concepts and strategies to drive efficiency and hear from some of our service vendor partners on industry issues. Keep your finger on the pulse and speak with your Member Relations Manager to get your entire team signed up to get this publication on the first Thursday of every month.
BrandSource has added Service Management Training at both annual conventions. ServiceSource presents several hours of management training, all focused on the SSD. BrandSource will launch its newest "Service Manager Certification" initiative at this month's Summit. Adding to the Summit's last day is the Institute of Service Management (ISM), a ten-hour training program for SSD Service Managers. Concluding the ISM with a written exam that participants must pass to designate their dealership as a BrandSource Certified Repair Department—one more way to differentiate your store from the competition. Check out the ISM details here. Service Manager Certification will surely be a game changer for your service operations; register your service manager today; space is still available.
I have to give BrandSource credit for bringing a service Subject Matter Expert (SME) to advise on what they knew they didn't know. That would be me, Paul MacDonald of PMDgroup and "TheExpertServiceProgram" Having owned and operated many appliance service operations since 1983, I've seen it all and helped hundreds succeed in service management. I'm on retainer with BrandSource, so feel free to call me with your service challenges. I'd love to help you!
