Most advisors skip it entirely or rush through it before the customer has a chance to engage. They document what the technician finds on the digital inspection, call the customer with results, and present recommendations over the phone with no visual reference and no relationship with the vehicle.
The advisors who consistently hit 3.5 or more customer-pay hours per RO are doing something different. They are walking around the vehicle with the customer before it ever goes in the shop. And that one habit changes everything that comes after it.
Why the Walk-Around Works
The walk-around is not a sales tactic. It is a trust-building process.
You establish yourself as thorough. The customer sees that you are not just taking their keys and disappearing. You are paying attention to their vehicle specifically.
You create shared context. When you call them later with inspection results, they are not hearing about a stranger's car. They are hearing about a vehicle you both looked at together.
You surface concerns early. Customers will often point out things during the walk-around that they forgot to mention inside - a noise, a scratch, a warning light that comes and goes.
You build ownership in the outcome. A customer who walked around their vehicle with you and saw the tire tread depth for themselves is far more likely to approve the tire rotation recommendation.
How to Conduct the Walk-Around
The walk-around takes three to five minutes. That is the investment. Here is how to structure it.
Step 1: Set the Expectation Upfront
Before you move to the vehicle, tell the customer what you are doing and why.
"Before I write this up, I want to do a quick walk-around with you so we're both on the same page about the vehicle's condition going in. It only takes a few minutes."
Most customers will agree without hesitation. You have framed it as a service to them, not a sales activity.
Step 2: Start at the Front, Work Clockwise
Start at the front of the vehicle and work your way around in a consistent pattern. Consistency matters because it prevents you from missing the same area repeatedly.
- Tires: Visual tread depth check on each tire. Use your gauge if it is convenient.
- Lights: Walk past each corner and glance at the lenses. Look for cracks, moisture, or burned-out bulbs.
- Fluid levels: If visible without the hood, note any staining on the engine bay or obvious leaks.
- Body condition: Note any pre-existing damage before it goes in.
- Wiper blades: A 10-second visual. Cracked or split blades are an easy approval.
Step 3: Narrate What You See in Plain Language
Do not use tech jargon during the walk-around. You are not writing the RO yet. You are having a conversation.
"That passenger side rear tire looks a little low on tread. I will have the tech give us exact measurements. You are probably going to be looking at tires in the next few months if not sooner."
Narrating what you see shows the customer that you are engaged and begins to frame future recommendations as expected findings rather than surprises.
Step 4: Ask One Open-Ended Question Before You Go Back Inside
Before you end the walk-around, give the customer a moment to add anything.
"Is there anything else on the vehicle that you have been meaning to mention - anything that has not come up yet?"
This question captures the information you would never have gotten otherwise. Those are legitimate repair orders. You just opened the door.
Connecting the Walk-Around to the Inspection Call
When the technician completes the digital inspection and you call the customer with results, reference what you saw together.
"So remember when we looked at the rear tires during the walk-around? The tech measured them - you are at two-thirty-seconds on the passenger side rear, which is below the safe threshold. We are recommending replacement."
The customer is not hearing about a number in a vacuum. They are hearing about a tire they already looked at. The recommendation has context, and the advisor has credibility.
The Numbers
Advisors who implement a consistent pre-write walk-around typically see improvement in three areas:
Customer-pay hours per RO. When customers have visual context for recommendations, approval rates go up.
First-call approval rate. Customers who walked the vehicle with you before the appointment are less likely to delay the decision.
CSI scores. Customers who feel involved in the process rate the experience higher.
The One Habit That Changes Everything
This is not a complicated process. It does not require new technology, a new DMS, or a system rollout. It requires one habit: walk out to the vehicle with every customer before writing the RO.
Not most customers. Every customer.
Start with your next customer. Walk around the vehicle, narrate what you see, ask one open-ended question, and go back inside. That is the entire process.
Do it consistently for 30 days and track your CP hours at the end of the month. The number will tell the story.
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