Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM MAY 2023 58 A s per tradition, AVB BrandSource's recent 2023 Summit – a national gathering of the buying group's members, vendors, and affiliate retail organizations – was chockablock with cutting-edge marketing services, incisive product trainings and educational sessions, and the latest product introductions from the appliance, home furnishings, and consumer tech worlds. But this year's extravaganza, held at the Caesars Forum Conference Center in Las Vegas, offered an added benefit: the Institute of Service Management (ISM). Designed specifically for service department managers, ISM is an intensive, 10-hour training program that can lead to BrandSource accreditation for both managers and their companies. As Paul MacDonald, senior lead of AVB's ServiceSource initiative, explained, "Service managers are often employees who have been with a company for some time in another capacity. But who teaches them how to run a service department? Seldom is there a written job description, and there are no schools or online training courses in appliance service management." As a result, he said, "Many managers do things the way their predecessors did for lack of new ideas and outside influences." Enter ISM. Supported by Electrolux, GE, LG, Samsung, and Whirlpool, along with multiple BrandSource service partners, the program encompasses ten practical and information-packed educational sessions on topics that include: • Setting service rates • Parts inventory • Warranty claims • Customer service training • Recruitment, training, and retention By all measures, ISM's debut was a smashing success. MacDonald – who stoically led all 10 hours of trainings – reported that 80% of the 67 participants passed the final certification exam with grades of 80 or better. Among those earning top grades was Julie Beechnau, a service manager at Bekins Appliance in Grand Rapids, MI, who scored a 96.2. Beechnau, 24, who has been in the post for one year and leads a team of 11 experienced servicers, found the training "extremely valuable. There are so many things on my to-do list now." Similarly, David Oliver, who heads store support for Carmona's Appliance & Mattress Center in Redding, CA, said 80% of the ISM course material "was all new to me. The entire couple days I was texting the service manager at the store: 'Are we doing this yet?' I have a meeting with him and the owner when I get back." Even industry veteran Scott Pearse of Appliance Connection in Birmingham, AL, picked up a few new tricks. "I've done it for 40 years, but I did learn a bit," he said. But beyond the classroom instruction, participation itself sends a message to colleagues and the community. "It legitimizes who you are," Pearse said. "It says you're willing to invest in continuing education. I can put [the certificate] up on my wall and show my guys I care, that I'm trying to improve our company and make more money for all of you." To MacDonald, himself a 40-year service industry veteran who ran his own 38-tech shop, served as president of the UASA, and currently operates The Expert Service Program, the inaugural ISM couldn't come soon enough for BrandSource's self-servicing members. "Insufficient knowledge of service management operations could hamper members' profitability and success," MacDonald said. "Many attendees never received comprehensive training in service management or implemented the necessary changes to their business processes and policies to succeed in today's market." Encouraged by the ISM's reception, MacDonald is already thinking ahead to next year's installment, and he's brainstorming further training opportunities for BrandSource's service techs. "This is a win for BrandSource and its members," he said. "This is going to create change from the bottom up instead of the top down." – Additional reporting by AVB's Janet Weyandt and Andy Kriege CERTIFIED BY SERVICESOURCE BrandSource's inaugural ISM class earns its service stripes B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S Alan Wolf is Senior Communications Specialist at AVB BrandSource, the nation's leading merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, furniture, bedding, and consumer tech dealers. RO The Institute of Service Management's first graduating class, with instructor Paul MacDonald (first row, far right)

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