The Key to High CSI Scores with Jaime Maicas

In this episode of ASOTU Con Sessions by Effectv, Dan Shine interviews Jaime Maicas from Casa Auto Group, discussing innovative strategies in fixed operations that boost customer satisfaction. Jaime shares insights on how the implementation of video communication and mobile service units have transformed customer interactions across their multiple locations. They also delve into the challenges faced in the service department and strategies to overcome them, including training methods and initiatives to attract young talent into the automotive industry.

Jaime explains the importance of video updates in service processes, the success of mobile service units, and the critical role of service advisors. He highlights the benefits of internal promotions and ongoing training to maintain high CSI scores. This episode provides a deep dive into operational excellence and customer-centric practices that can inspire other automotive businesses to enhance their service departments.

0:00 Intro
0:24 Focus on customer satisfaction in fixed ops
0:40 Implementing video updates for customers
1:33 Customer feedback on service videos
2:23 Role of drive managers and training advisors
2:53 Introduction of mobile service units
3:36 Customer reluctance towards mobile service
4:20 Challenges with warranty counts and CP increases
5:04 Strategies to attract and train young technicians
5:53 Homegrown talent and technical training programs
6:11 Jaime's career journey in the automotive industry
7:15 Managing fixed operations across multiple locations
8:07 Rewards of working in fixed operations

Thanks to Effectv for making this episode of ASOTU CON Sessions possible! Learn more about Effect here: https://www.effectv.com/

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Transcript

Paul J Daly: 0:02

You're listening to the asoto concessions by Effectv live from ASOTU CON 2024.

Dan Shine: 0:09

Dan shine. I'm here at the ASOTU CON podcast stage in collaboration with Effectv joining me, Jaime Maicas Yep, from Casa Auto Group, El Paso, Texas, el JUCO.

Jaime Maicas: 0:20

Right, New Mexico and New Mexico.

Dan Shine: 0:24

So, we want to talk about the fixed ops the customer way. You mentioned good CSI that you've been having so far recently in 2020, for all 12 stores hit it the first time for 24. What are you doing that's making the customers happy right now,

Jaime Maicas: 0:40

one, of course is going to be videos, we're listening to our customers, and they're actually asking for the multiplayer videos. So we've been implementing that this year, and basically holding our service managers accountable for it, the goal is 75%, and they get a bonus off of it. And then of course, anything under 50%, they get penalized on it. So we've been turning that number around, we're pushing around 80% right now on all the stores.

Dan Shine: 1:02

And again, you're getting buy in from the technicians, they are okay with it, and they send it directly to the customer or to the Senate, the advisor advisor sends it to the customer. No,

Jaime Maicas: 1:11

so we're on next time. So it actually goes through the advisor first and then they go on to submit it that way. They want to make sure the pricing is correct. And of course, the videos looking good before they send it out. You don't want to catch one of the texts doing something that you're not supposed to be doing individual before we send it out. But ya know, it's been really good, it's been helpful. And of course, the most important thing was first is to build a habit. And then once we build a habit, and it was more videos, and now we're going to start perfecting those videos, once we build that habit,

Dan Shine: 1:34

what kind of feedback do you get from customers who receive videos.

Jaime Maicas: 1:37

So it's funny that you say that we received a Ford survey the other day, and the customer was happy with the service. But they were just a little bit disappointed that they didn't receive the video, okay, get a lot of that feedback back. So the customers want it. That's it, you do a lot of

Dan Shine: 1:49

training for your advisors. Advisors are obviously the customer facing person in the service department. And if you're getting good CSI scores, they play a big role in that, how do you prepare them and get them ready for training and all

Jaime Maicas: 2:02

of course, a lot of it's from the manufacturer, we'd also did the one from dynatrac. We did some see some ups and downs on it. But it did help a little bit with the CSI. One of the biggest things that helped us too, is implementing a drive manager at our new saucer and a couple of the other stores as well as our Buick GMC store. And we really saw the scores change at that point

Dan Shine: 2:19

is that kind of like a concierge type person or Yeah, concierge

Jaime Maicas: 2:24

if we could, of course and also a KBB rep too, as well, we utilize that position for two positions as well. And he did a very good job at that. And he bought that store around the Nissan store as well. Then our Buick GMC story was still inactive service advisor with the rover drive manager as well. And he knew the whole processes and everything. And he was able to train our service advisors, and it communicated better communication with our customers have what we need it.

Dan Shine: 2:46

To tell me, we want to talk about mobile service, you are doing that at all all of your rooftops or

Jaime Maicas: 2:53

our Ford store in El Paso we have two units, we got a van and of course to escape. And then in Las Cruces where we have to escape it. We just ordered our second mobile van, we should be getting that next month.

Dan Shine: 3:03

And how long have you been doing that?

Jaime Maicas: 3:04

So we started out with about two years ago, I want to say in the past, so Ford store, but my goal was to get that van up to 70% utilization, of course, receiving that offset. Once we receive that offset as 70% We got the second unit, and now we're at 75% on both of them. So it's probably going to be time we're gonna add another van to that location to

Dan Shine: 3:22

was this decision that was driven a little bit by what customers want. Do you hear? Did you hear from customers saying we didn't want to come into the store? We want to come with us? Or is it just somebody that I know Ford has been pushing it a lot.

Jaime Maicas: 3:36

It's actually the opposite customers don't want the mobile service. So like why this is free? I don't want that I drive in there and sit there but no. So now when we of course, when b2c falls in with the phone calls, like what time Can I schedule your mobile service? We're just approaching it that way and we're seeing a little bit better results that way.

Dan Shine: 3:51

Okay. And what about the training for those folks who do go out on the road? Do kind of prep them in some ways for the

Jaime Maicas: 4:01

technicians? Yeah. Oh, yeah, of course, one of the both of the technicians that we have have been with us maybe for about two years and a little bit of Lightline. So that was a perfect opportunity for them to shine and also in advance in the group.

Dan Shine: 4:12

What challenges are you seeing right now so far in 2024 in the service department that's still kind of, you know, impacting you.

Jaime Maicas: 4:21

So one of the biggest challenges that I've seen is actually our warranty COUNTIFS has dropped quite a bit, but our CP is up 50% at some of the stores. So biggest concern for me right now is our warranty especially our Nissan and also our Kyocera, we've seen the warranty numbers drop

Dan Shine: 4:35

and in particular reason for that are no we can't figure

Jaime Maicas: 4:38

that out. I mean, we're utilizing all our tools of course we have a lot of stores set up with busy car, and of course we're buying the list from the manufacturer that they provide for from us and having BDC contact them but it's getting better but the first first quarter was was pretty tough for warranty. This month looking a lot better in April.

Dan Shine: 4:54

We always talk a lot about and we write about a lot in automotive news is trying to find good people, technician As advisors, how are you doing in that regard. So

Jaime Maicas: 5:04

it is a struggle just like it is everywhere else. But we're trying a different approach and try to approach our high schools and homegrown Of course, right now, of course, we got some technical institutions that are charging 60,000 when they get out of it, and it's hard to pay them at a job that's going to pay that amount of school on that day paid. So we could get them when they're younger, then we could send them into of course acid program from for in the GM program as well. So

Dan Shine: 5:25

it kind of kind of an apprentice type, of course, arrangement. Yeah, yeah,

Jaime Maicas: 5:28

our goal is to get him in, of course, as a porter, get them in there, and then move them into into the loop section. And then from there, we see a good development on them, we will take the chance on demonstrating amounts of the program, the Ford ASSET program or the GM program.

Dan Shine: 5:40

And what do you think are the barriers to getting more young people like right out of high school that say, Is it is it more apparent as the target audience is opposed to the younger person? No,

Jaime Maicas: 5:53

I think it's actually a better shot of approaching that area instead, versus the other way that institutes of course, as well. They're still driven, they're still living at home, they don't have no bills. So they're eager to learn and are willing to put in the time to learn that.

Dan Shine: 6:08

So how long have you been in this business? Tell me a little bit about your background.

Jaime Maicas: 6:11

So I've been with casada group for 23 years, I started off as a porter. And then I was a senior master technician doing diesel for 19 years. And I've been in this position for two years. So the position came about was the oil fields, of course, wanted to expand. So they created this position just for that. So they've added quite a bit of storage last two years. So it's been a lot of growing. For me, when,

Dan Shine: 6:31

when you started out as a porter to do with Did he talk to you about a career path? Or was it just kind of this was a job for you, and you never imagined that you'd be here.

Jaime Maicas: 6:41

So I honestly believe the Porter is probably the most important position, they got the first interaction that could build a break to survey as well. And sometimes the some of the stories they have to act to delivery as well. But no. So I wanted to get my senior masters probably with 10 years in, and I just wanted to keep growing. And I went into all my warranty got Senior Master became master from Ford, and it didn't the advisor and the service manager. And of course it took me about another five years, but I finally got the opportunity for this and I've been going full speed at it until you

Dan Shine: 7:11

fix up director for overall the brands or is it all stores? Yes,

Jaime Maicas: 7:15

we got 10 rooftops, including a recon centralized center. And then we have 18 franchises. Doing this challenge it it is a bit of course I get to learn the product when the CSI, of course and all the questions that were were failing. Last year was a great year, I believe we had CSI five times at our 12 locations and in a month. And this year, we really did it for the first time last month. So it's a great feeling to do that. Once you get everybody on board. And to accomplish that, you know, it's kind of hard to do one store run to a 12 stores. It's great. Yeah,

Dan Shine: 7:41

it isn't training consistent across all 12 stores.

Jaime Maicas: 7:48

For me, so I did I am. I did keep up with my Ford one and the other ones, I'm kind of fading away right now. It's just too much for me to do to keep up with it. But yeah,

Dan Shine: 7:57

I understand. So some of the some of the you've been an automotive for a while. What's the what's the rewarding part for you? What do you what do you like about being in this part of the business?

Jaime Maicas: 8:09

Of course, it's dealing with people building that trust and rapport is the most important thing to me as well. And I guess since I've been with autograph so long, I'd like to see other people advance and that brings the best feeling to me. And of course it's sometimes it's when you're a fixed ops director is you're you're always the bridesmaid, you're not the bride and I'm okay with that. I'd love to see the rewards go to everybody else. That's the best feeling for me.

Dan Shine: 8:28

And when you come to an event like this solo con, what are you hoping to glean from or what are you hoping to take away and take home with you?

Jaime Maicas: 8:37

Of course, anything possible to help Casa grow each day? That's my goal. But um, I think I'm looking forward to a lot more of the variable side learning that over here this time, of course, in the course of fix off students, well, that's

Dan Shine: 8:48

hoping to one day be general manager is that what you're,

Jaime Maicas: 8:50

I would love to be a dealer one day if I could, that would be my dream.

Dan Shine: 8:56

Behind me, thanks so much for joining us. I really appreciate it. Daniel's a

Jaime Maicas: 8:59

pleasure. Thanks so much.

Paul J Daly: 9:05

Thank you for listening to this ASOTU CON session by Effectv if you want more content like this, you can check out our other podcasts we have a daily show called The automotive troublemaker Monday through Friday, here and podcasts also live streamed on YouTube, and LinkedIn and Facebook. We also have a long form podcast called Auto Collabs Auto Collabs. And if you just want to go a little different in this community, you should sign up for our regular email we put our heart and soul into it. You can get it for free by going to a sotu.com We'll see you next time.