“We believe this will power shops around the world,” Kim Conti says of Ortho, a new voice-assistant device for auto technicians.

Most EV owners will turn to dealerships – not independent shops or national car repair chains – to repair and maintain their vehicles, says Capital Automotive Finance’s Daniel Garces.

Dealerships will need to offer entirely new services unique to EVs, such as emergency roadside charging, home-charging packages sold through the F&I department or insurance quotes specifically for EVs, fixed-operations experts say.

Service menus, multi-point inspections and tracking technician productivity can increase sales and customer satisfaction.

Automotive veterans offer tips on hiring and retaining good employees.

Understanding the physical issues and following the protocols associated with electric vehicles will help dealerships maintain employee safety as EV service demands increase.

More dealers are turning to used vehicles in the 5- to 7-year-old range costing between $10,000 and $15,000. That leads to a logical question: How can used-vehicle salespeople prove to customers these vehicles are good purchases?

“Right now, a lot of stores are slammed with a lot of work,” says fixed-operations veteran Lee Harkins.

New technology speeds service analysis and boosts profits while building customer confidence.

“It’s time for dealers to raise their hands and say, ‘We know about this,’” Liesl LaRouche says of electric-vehicle technology.