Here are 10 tips on how to use your business management software tools to analyze dealership performance, generate more winter business, and prepare for your upcoming season. 

Some equipment dealers may be lucky enough to be up to their ears in winter service or rentals, for others, winter is a time to regroup, recharge and get ready for the spring selling season. It’s time to analyze performance for the past year and decide on what changes, or business management software tools, are needed to promote a better upcoming year.

1. Create focused marketing efforts to bring in more sales. Use your business management software tools to target your customers and generate direct mail or e-mail based on their last service date, warranty expiration date, equipment type, and sales volume.
2. Generate winter service income by providing incentives for your customers to bring their machines in during the off-season. Send a mass e-mail through your BMS.
3. Plan your spring technician staffing. Use the BMS to review technician efficiency and wage multiple, and get them training in areas where weaknesses are found.
4. Review your departmental financial statements and develop budgets if you haven’t already done so.
5. Review your lost sales for units, rental, and parts, using the reasons noted to determine changes needed in pricing and/or stocking.
6. Set up flat-rate jobs to use for the upcoming season to speed the work orders process.
7. Analyze your parts metrics to determine whether your fill percentages and inventory turns are improving, and tweak your BMS ordering logic to further refine your parameters.
8. Find out which brands are costing you more to service: review warranty reimbursements and expense by brand.
9. Implement employee training to learn better ways to use your business management software tools and streamline processes.
10. Shop for new business management software tools and implement new technology such as bar code scanners, mobile access, etc.

If your business system does not give you the capability to do any of the above, shop for a new business system!  Your business system should MAKE you money, not just track it!