There are occasions when “best guesstimates” are acceptable, but when it comes to measuring the efficiency of reconditioning, only cold, hard facts are based on data count. More profit will be pushed into your used units when recon is managed and operated based on the figures and is subject to responsible procedures.

Most dealers say their recon operates on a healthy cycle of three to five days. You have somewhere between six and ten days left. This significantly impacts the time it takes to get cars ready for sale and the number of daily holding fees incurred due to the lengthier cycle. So, what’s the solution? The answer is Simple Recon software. Yes, you heard that right. Our Simple Recon software is designed to slash your reconditioning time and keep you worry-free. Click here to read more about the software and how to use it for reconditioning.

You must begin your work from a recognized baseline if your objective is to cut down on cycle time. This beginning point may be determined via the use of workflow approaches. Whatever your starting point is, you can cut it in half. When car dealerships use time-to-market processes, the general manager promotes a recon procedure that is more effective and more open to communication. The General Manager is responsible for setting the pace and holding key management and personnel accountable for reaching a time-to-market of three to five days.

You will see an increase of one inventory turn per year if you can get cars road-ready 2.5 days sooner. This improvement is well within your reach. A modification of five days results in two more rotations every year. You can accomplish this recon time improvement when you start using our Simple Recon software. Hence, not only will your service and parts departments remain busy and more lucrative, but you will also be able to sell more automobiles.

The following is the procedure:

1. Reduce your costs while increasing your turn total:

A holding fee will be incurred for each unit you acquire, regardless of whether you obtained it via a trade, a private sale, or an auction. A portion of the costs associated with the floor plan, advertising, and other running expenditures is included. NCM Associates found the average value to be $32 per car daily after gathering the information from its 20 Group.

2. Enhance the flow of communication and information:

A reduced amount of time needed to bring a product to market can only occur if spreadsheets, sticky notes, and whiteboard calendars are put away. They are useless since none will provide you with the knowledge you want. They are fixed in place and cannot be readily shared among the team, which includes sublets such as vendors who repair dents.

On the other side, workflow software is very shareable and dramatically enhances communication between staff members. Additionally, it helps design, measure, and monitor procedures that assist management in identifying areas that still need improvement and addressing those areas. A store that uses this software will have improved levels of the organization, with each stage of the procedure running more efficiently.

3. Establish a Time-to-Market Culture in Your Organization:

Those dealerships who grasp the bull by the horns and reduce their time-to-market incorporate it into the heart of their operations and regularly benefit from a three- to five-day cycle. When instituting a time-to-market culture, explaining the concept comprehensively to your employees and any sublets is essential. Explain how a structured strategy would eliminate confusion and doubt over their stance, simplify and enhance communication, and boost productivity for those who are rewarded based on the result or who should be compensated based on the conclusion.

Last but not least, while you mull over the possibility of instituting a time-to-market recon culture, bear the following considerations in mind:

• Have everyone come together to inspect the live systems. Inquire with several suppliers about getting demonstrations of their products, and consider the flexibility of the various methods to operate inside your processes and improve them. Request comments and recommendations from everyone involved in the process, and encourage them to provide their input.

• Communicate with dealers who are already using the time-to-market strategy. Whenever it is feasible, spending money on a road trip to see the procedures of others and gain knowledge from them should be considered.

• If you want to master your time-to-market concepts and practices, you should get the assistance of a trained process-performance technician. This expert can also assist you in identifying a beginning point within the processes of your present recon, after which they can assist you in developing a strategy for improvement.

• Delegate responsibility for each phase of this new process. Every individual whose work involves recon must adhere to a documented and well-defined plan for their specific role and how it relates to the other phases in the process. Put this personnel in a position where they are fully responsible and accountable for ensuring that their job is accomplished and that no vehicles are placed in the incorrect location.

• Prioritize the implementation of time-to-market techniques within the mechanical and detail operations since they are the two most essential phases in the process. Determine the minimum and maximum levels you must perform to achieve a four-day moving average. The combination of mechanical work (including inspection and parts hold) and detail work must be completed in up to two days, as best practices recommend. It is estimated that the body shop will add a day to the repair time for 35% of your vehicles, bringing the total time to 4.5 days. Develop a procedure for taking photographs of your inventory so that you can instantly begin marketing the automobiles online. Establish criteria for acceptable response times for used vehicle manager repair approvals. Determine how off-site sublet work will be included in the mix, and then establish stringent guidelines for how that work will be completed.

• Obtain training on the time-to-market software you use, bring the trainers to your location so your employees can learn how the program functions in their specific context, and continue reinforcing excellent practices via team meetings and performance evaluations.

• When establishing new objectives for improvement and monitoring and forecasting progress, you should use the report data that assesses each phase of the recon process.

With our Reconditioning software, you may accomplish impressive improvements in efficiency that boost gross sales, increase inventory turn, decrease stress between departments, and promote an overall healthier dealership when a time-to-market target is led by a dedicated and process-oriented dealer or general manager. Fill out this form to schedule your free demo!