In all operations within the store, tasks have to be identified and placed in an order of importance. Why? Because some tasks have significantly more importance to the operation than others. Some are critical while some are routine. In some cases, the task performer will help to identify those tasks that must be performed, customer-focused tasks for example versus when a washroom will be cleaned. Nevertheless, it is still important to identify all the tasks that are required to maximize performance throughout the operation.
The ideal way to start is by identifying the employees by job description and what their job requires them to do. All aspects of the job must be considered, the timeframe to which they are accountable to perform work tasks, the degree of importance of each task as it relates to the finished product and how each task relates to sales and customer service.
Let’s look at a specific job that has significant impact on the customer. Counter person, service advisor, customer service rep: pick a name, but this is the person who is responsible for setting the customer expectations for your store. This is the first caller, first contact and first line of conversation with the customer. A fact that must be considered is that this job is the store. This job represents the store in the eyes of the customer. This person is the customer moment of truth.
The tasks that are typically associated with this job description are as follows:
• The greeting
· How it’s delivered
· Can the employee speak with a smile?
· Is the tone of the conversation inviting?
· Is the employee capable of keeping eye contact when necessary?
• Answer incoming calls made to the store
· First contact with customer
· Number of rings before call pickup
· Communicating repair steps
· What comes next?
• Make outgoing calls to customers
· Identifying customer next steps for claims/repairs
· Documenting call content in file/repair order
· Clear identification of repair chain of events
• In some cases liaison between the store and a third party payer
· If third party payer’s specific questions are answered
· Supplement handling
· Repair order questions or concerns
• Identify open scheduling opportunities
· Ensuring that promised dates are acceptable
· Updates to schedules and production flow
• Schedule work into the store
· Making sure that the promised “in date” and the promised “out date” can be kept and any changes are updated at least 24 hours in advance of the promised dates
• Assist in bringing vehicles into production
· Making arrangements with customer for drop-off
· Maintaining white boards or computer-generated scheduling charts to ensure that production sequencing is correct by day, week and month
• Make sure that there is an adequate supply of forms
· Is there an adequate supply of forms maintained in the store to ensure that there are no issues when customers come into the store to drop off?
· Ordering necessary forms, and other office supplies
• Make sure that necessary forms are placed into repair order folder
· Having a ready supply of presorted folders with direction of pay, inspection, photo and other necessary paperwork prepared for customers
• Create repair order document
· Using the presupplied information from third party payer, or information supplied by the customer on initial contact to preload the electronic or paper repair order worksheets to reduce time spent on this process with the customer
• Complete vehicle check-ins
· Complete vehicle check-in form making sure that all indicative information for the customer and the vehicle is complete and at the ready
· If using a scheduling visual such as the X on the windshield, make sure that it is completed so that the visual is useful at time of production
• Complete vehicle walk-around
· Walk around the vehicle with the customer and upsell any unrelated prior damage especially in areas where it will be adjacent to repair work that the store will be completing
· Be sure to point out any and all damage so that there is no question that it was there when the vehicle is delivered in the event that the customer doesn’t want it fixed
• Take necessary photos
· Take photos of ALL DAMAGE on the vehicle particularly that damage that isn’t related to the current loss
· Be sure that good pictures are taken of any areas that show a paint mismatch for future reference
· Be sure to take pictures of the dashboard while the seven-second test burn is occurring as well as once the test burn has cycled through in the event there are fault codes not related to the current loss
• Process file for the estimator/blueprinter
· Ensure that only completed repair order paperwork is passed along to the estimating/blueprinting staff to minimize questions
· Provide a supplement repair check sheet with the RO to be used during the repair process in the event that damage is missed during the disassembly process
• Document the in-process repair order
· If the task of documenting the in-process file is delegated to the front office staff, ensure that any updates are made to the file daily to avoid the loss of thought or need for follow-up calls
· Assist as needed with follow-up calls
• Arrange for rental car when scheduling is verified including repair in and repair out dates
• Close the file
· ARs and APs finalized
· All parts listed
· Supplements complete
Now that there is an established list of the office staff tasks (this may require additional tasks but this is a strong example), the tasks can be identified from most important to least important, with those that impact customers directly having the highest priority. If they are all necessary and in the correct order, then it is less difficult to build the SOP. The next step then would be to make sure that all of these tasks are in the job description, they all have an added value to the process, there isn’t waste within the steps and there is an accountability component built in. Why? This is simple, if the business is going to have assigned tasks by job description, each employee must be held accountable for getting the job done right and the first time. If not, you have a lot of words and no requirements. Establishing requirements is what is most important. The task is identified, the need is qualified, the responsibility is quantified and the performance is measureable.
In some human resource circles, it could be said that you will also need to teach people how to use the devices that they will encounter in performing their tasks. Let’s assume that we’ve hired the correct person and all of the required skill sets are in place for the devices, systems and programs they will be working with.
This is a very important point to consider when hiring employees. Is the person being considered for hire able to perform the tasks that they will be assigned? ASK! If not, the business may be bringing a potential “problem” into the process. This is not a fault of the employee, but of management for not hiring properly. The potential employee should have a demonstrated ability to perform the tasks that are identified for their job description. Management can make accommodations in some cases or they may need to take a pass and move on to the next candidate.
The SOPs are nothing more than a road map that if followed produce a desired result. So it is imperative that each step in the desired roadmap be clear, in order, eliminate waste and produce a predictable and measureable result. This allows employees to work at task completion with predictability. That means very simply that they know what’s expected, what’s coming and how it should occur and what the result should be. With that said, management should be able to have the same expectation. No surprises!
When building the SOP the following sequence should be identified:
1. Identify the tasks needed to accomplish business goals
a. Who will perform the task?
b. What will be performed?
c. Where: which department will perform it?
d. When will it be performed?
e. Why “the business case”?
2. Segment the tasks into groupings that will be assigned to specific employee designations or job descriptions
a. The specific responsibility for compliance
b. Metal, Frame, Mechanical, Customer Service, Estimating, etc.
3. Create job descriptions that include tasks, goals, measurements and performance criteria making sure that the employee won’t be “over tasked”
a. How many tasks will be performed by each employee?
b. What are the specific roles and responsibilities by employee?
4. Have all devices, equipment, forms, electronic equipment operational and in place for employee use
a. Is all relevant equipment on site and operable?
b. Are all estimating, accounting and part-tracking programs up to date?
5. Create visual indicators such as status boards that will visually identify process within the tasks and SOPs so that there are no “surprises”
a. Are status boards in place and used to show progress?
6. Be sure that any training necessary for use of the process components is developed and more importantly provided to the staff during meetings, daily for production. It is essential that employees have clear expectations of what their work product should include and the measurements that will be used to confirm SOP or process compliance
a. Is training in place to ensure that compliance can be achieved?
b. Have measurement expectations and tools been identified?
7. Clearly communicate the requirements. That’s worth saying again: Clearly communicate the requirements. Why? So that there are no misconceptions about the expectations
a. Are all employees in receipt of written requirements?
b. Have their responsibilities been communicated?
8. Create a checkpoint document that can be viewed quarterly with the employee to provide feedback about their performance and any updates or changes to their job tasks or description
a. Have dates for meetings been established?
b. Have measurements, forms and other related topics been discussed?
SOPs are required to ensure that a specific set of business practices are followed and that the employee is adhering to them to keep customer service at the highest levels and the production processes as efficient as possible. All requirements for the job, whatever they are, and all of the tasks associated with them must be detailed if the employee is to be held accountable for their performance. It minimizes the “excuses” for poor performance. Always be sure that reviews are completed and that opportunities are provided to allow for continuous improvement. When the opportunity allows, have the employee complete a “self-assessment.” These help management get “buy-in” for performance from the employee. Using a cell phone to record their performance is a great way for office staff to practice their customer service skills. Obviously the production staff is measured on their ability to perform repairs, estimators on estimate accuracy and other measurements tailored to the specific job description. The important thing is measuring. It’s key to the success of the store and ensuring that the SOP steps that have been painstakingly formulated are met.
