Green / Yellow / Red
Every finding sorts into one of three buckets. The way you explain each one on camera changes how the customer responds. Get the framing right and yellows convert; get it wrong and reds get declined.
Use the green / yellow / red framework on every video to give the customer clear, honest, no-pressure context for what they're seeing.
The Three Buckets
What it means: The item was inspected and is healthy. No action needed.
Why it matters: Greens build credibility. Showing the customer the things that are fine proves you actually looked. It also makes your reds and yellows believable.
What it means: Wearing or starting to show its age, but not at the point of failure yet. Recommend for next visit or in a defined timeframe.
Why it matters: Yellows are where most of the GP per RO opportunity lives. Customers who understand a yellow today often approve it before it becomes a red.
What it means: Safety, drivability, or imminent failure. Should be addressed before the customer leaves, or as soon as possible.
Why it matters: Reds are where the customer is most likely to feel pressured. Your job is to show, not push.
How to Explain Each on Camera
Green Word Tracks
Don't skip greens. A 90-second video that starts with a green item, then a yellow, then a red, is dramatically more trustworthy than one that goes straight to "you need work."
"First thing I want to show you — your tires. [finger on tread] Plenty of tread left, even wear, no sidewall damage. These look great. You're good for a while on these."
"Your rear brakes — [phone close to caliper, finger pointing at pad] still got about 8 millimeters of pad here. That's solid. We'll keep an eye on them but nothing to do today."
Yellow Word Tracks
Yellows are about showing the trend. The customer needs to understand they're not in trouble today, but the direction is clear. No pressure — just information.
"Coming to your front tires — [gauge against the tread] these are reading about 4/32". That's not failing yet, but they've worn down faster than the rears. Probably one more season of driving, then we'd want to talk about replacement. Just want you on the radar."
"Your battery — [show date sticker] manufactured five years ago. It's still passing the test, but most batteries don't make it past six. Not something we have to do today, but next visit or two we're going to want to swap it before it leaves you stranded."
Red Word Tracks
Reds are where techs most often go wrong by overselling. The customer needs to understand the urgency without feeling pressured. Three rules: show it clearly, name the risk honestly, leave the decision to them.
"Your front brake pads — [phone right at the caliper, finger on the pad] we're down to about 2 millimeters here. New, these are 12. At this thickness we're getting close to metal-on-metal contact, which damages the rotors and costs more to fix. I'd want these done before you drive much more. Your advisor will go over the options with you."
"I want to show you something here — [light on the leak point] see this wet area on the lower radiator hose? That's coolant. It's actively leaking, slow but steady. If we don't address it the engine can overheat, which is a much bigger problem. This is the one I'd recommend taking care of before you drive home."
What NOT to Say
Fear language. Even if true, customers shut down. Show it. Let them decide it's bad.
Heard it. Never effective. Customer thinks you're a pushy salesperson, not a trustworthy tech.
Caps don't work in spoken language either. Calm and direct is more persuasive than urgent.
Pricing is the advisor's job. Stay in your lane — show the finding, let the advisor handle the conversation about cost.
Order of Operations on Camera
Best practice for multi-finding videos: green → yellow → red. Start with what's healthy, build to what needs attention. Customers stay engaged longer when you don't open with the worst news.
Manager Coaching Tip
When reviewing videos, count the greens. Techs who include 1–2 greens in every video build dramatically more trust than techs who only show reds and yellows. If a tech's videos are 100% red/yellow, coach: "Show me what's good on this car next time too." It changes the entire tone.