Coach Every Day, Win Every Day

Let me tell you something that may rattle a few cages: the single most important thing a service manager can do daily is coach their service advisors. Not just check in, not just glance at yesterday’s numbers—I mean coach. And when I say coach, I’m talking about hands-on, intentional, constructive coaching that drives performance, accountability, and customer connection.

We don’t manage results—we manage people and processes. Results are the scoreboard. If your advisors are underperforming, customers are complaining, or your dollars per RO are flatlining, that scoreboard is screaming: you’re not coaching.

COACHING: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD AND GREAT

Advisors don’t rise to the level of training—they fall to the level of habit. And habits are formed under the watchful eye of a committed coach. Coaching isn’t about being a boss—it’s about being a builder. A builder of confidence. A builder of trust. A builder of revenue-driving behavior.

You can tell the difference between a coached team and an abandoned one in ten seconds. The coached team greets every customer with intent. They present maintenance with assumptive language. They use the MPI to create value, not excuses. They follow process. Why? Because someone’s watching, guiding, and correcting.

DAILY COACHING MUST-DO’S

Let’s break it down. Here’s what your daily routine should include as a service manager—no skipping, no excuses.

1. Morning Huddle – 7:45 AM SHARP

Set the tone. Fifteen minutes of focused energy. Review:

• Yesterday’s closing ratio, dollars per RO, CSI tickets.

• Any missed sales or one-line ROs from yesterday—discuss what was missed and why.

• Assign each advisor 1-2 target customers today for better presentation.

• Remind them of one quick skill or mindset takeaway—like assumptive presentation or follow-up discipline.

Make it brief, focused, energetic—like a football team before the big game.

2. Walk the Drive – 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM

Be visible. Watch every customer interaction. Praise what’s done well. Correct on the spot if needed. Be a presence, not a ghost. Customers need to see the manager cares. Advisors need to feel your presence early.

Use this time to:

• Reinforce the walkaround.

• Watch time management (are they too chatty or too brief?).

• Coach upsell conversations and MPIs as they develop.

3. RO Review and Live Role-Play – 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM

Pull 2-3 open ROs per advisor. Look for:

• Deferred work

• Weak notes

• MPIs not followed up

Then, grab the advisor and role-play the pitch.
Say: “Let’s pretend I’m the customer. Sell me the brake fluid exchange.”

This isn’t punishment—it’s reps. Salespeople need reps. You can’t grow muscle without lifting. If you’re not doing role-play at least 3x a week per advisor, you’re leaving gross on the table.

4. Midday Numbers Check – 1:00 PM

Quick numbers pulse:

• Hours per RO

• Declined services rate

• Time to first quote

• Carryovers

Text or meet with anyone off track and say, “You’re at 1.1 hours—let’s get that up. Pick one MPI item and present it clearly on the next three cars.”

5. One-on-One Coaching Sessions – 3:00 PM Daily

This is where the real growth happens. You sit down with one advisor per day for 15–20 minutes.

Topics include:

• Wins and struggles

• Review a full RO from start to finish

• Talk about one area of personal development—time management, confidence, communication

This isn’t a beating—it’s a relationship-building moment. If you build trust here, they’ll perform for you out there.

6. End-of-Day Recap – 5:00 PM

Just before close, 10 minutes to review:

• Final numbers

• Any carryover or callback concerns

• Celebrations: who hit their targets today?

• Homework: one thing to do better tomorrow

Close the loop. You opened the day with energy, you should close it with clarity.

THE COACH IS THE CULTURE

Let’s stop pretending the service manager is a paper-pusher or problem-solver. The real title is Coach. And coaching is proactive, consistent, and intentional. Don’t confuse activity with accomplishment. If your day is full of firefighting, you’re reacting. If your day is full of coaching, you’re leading.

You don’t need more advisors—you need your current ones executing at a higher level. That only happens with focused leadership. And focused leadership only happens when you own the role of coach.

FINAL THOUGHT: YOUR TEAM IS A REFLECTION OF YOU

If your advisors are checked out, transactional, or passive—it’s time to look in the mirror. Teams reflect the standards you enforce, the expectations you coach, and the culture you tolerate.

So here’s your daily mantra:

Coach every day. Win every day. Repeat.

Let’s get better. Let’s raise the bar.
And let’s coach like the bottom line depends on it—because it does.