What this checklist covers
The 5S Showroom Checklist is a 15-point scorecard for vehicle display area, customer lounge, brochures, desks, branding materials, signage, cleanliness, and visual presentation standards. Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on what the auditor sees on the day, and every gap goes into an action plan with an owner and a close date.
AutoSmart tip: Showroom 5S is the standard the customer sees first. A showroom that scores well on 5S creates an implicit quality promise — customers associate the care taken in the showroom environment with the care that will be taken with their vehicle and their experience. A cluttered desk, an out-of-stock brochure stand, or a dirty display vehicle all undermine that promise before the first word is spoken.
The checks
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Vehicle display area
- Are displayed vehicles clean, polished, correctly spaced per brand display standards, with doors unlocked during showroom hours?
- Are floor mats installed, interior protective covers removed, and no unnecessary items visible inside displayed vehicles?
- Is the floor in the vehicle display area clean, polished, and free from footprints, tyre marks, or spilled liquids?
- Are price tags, specification sheets, and any campaign materials current, correctly positioned, and free from damage or curling?
Customer lounge and brochures
- Is the customer lounge clean, with seating arranged in an orderly manner and no unnecessary items, personal belongings of staff, or clutter visible?
- Are brochure stands stocked with current model brochures, with no outdated publications more than one model year old remaining on display?
- Are refreshment areas in the customer lounge clean and stocked, with no empty dispensers, used cups left out, or spilled materials visible?
- Are magazines and reading materials current, with no publications more than 3 months old remaining on display?
Sales desks and branding materials
- Are sales advisor desks free from personal clutter, with only work-related items present and visible to customers sitting across the desk?
- Are branded materials (folders, presentation boards, digital tablets) clean, current, and presented to brand standard?
- Are customer-facing areas behind and around sales desks (walls, shelving, windows) free from unofficial notices, personal decorations, or non- branded materials?
Signage, cleanliness and visual standards
- Is all in-showroom signage current, undamaged, and positioned per the approved display layout?
- Are glass surfaces (showroom windows, glass partitions, display cases) clean and free from fingerprints, smearing, or water marks?
- Are lighting fixtures functioning at the required intensity throughout the showroom, with no blown or flickering lights?
- Is there a documented daily opening and closing checklist for showroom 5S, completed and signed off by the responsible staff member each day?
How to run it
How the scoring works
Before the visit, fill in the dealer or centre, the auditor, the date and the audit cycle. Then score each of the 15 checks from 1 to 5 on what you see on the day, not on what the site aims for, and add them up out of 75.
- 1Not in place
- 2Attempted
- 3Defined
- 4Managed
- 5Fully sustained
- Green60–75 · 80–100%Compliant. Keep the standard.
- Amber38–59 · 50–79%Improvement needed: a structured action plan within 30 days.
- Red0–37 · Below 50%Priority intervention, escalated to regional management.
Then close every gap
Each gap goes into the action plan tracker and moves through four stages until the auditor closes it.
- 1PendingOwner and close date set
- 2In progressWork under way, evidence gathered
- 3CompletedEvidence submitted for review
- 4ApprovedVerified and closed by the auditor
