As the collision repair industry accelerates around the advancement of automotive engineering technology, the need for efficiently repairing the vehicle right the first time is critical. At the same time, the allowable time to repair the vehicle is shrinking significantly. There is no room for error. Unskilled technicians can bring your business to its knees.
Ultimately, the buck stops with the technicians repairing vehicles properly in a timely manner. The ultimate goal in this business should be to employ tenured, highly skilled technicians. A shop’s ability to attract and retain skilled technicians involves providing them with ergonomic shop efficiencies in a safe work environment, as well as highly refined processes to meet production demands and maximize labor hours. The end result accelerates repair times, builds a strong team, makes everyone more profitable and ensures your business longevity and value. Incorporating these elements into your business model will have technicians seeking you out and wanting to remain at your business.
How does a business attract, and more importantly retain, highly skilled technicians?
- Locate promising new hires through direct involvement with technical schools and grow your own. Sponsor and network at automotive related venues seeking young talent that’s enthusiastic and interested in learning.
- Develop a culture that encourages quality work and efficiency, all the while showing concern for safety to extend the “work span” of your valuable and tenured personnel.
- Consider efficiency a never-ending development task. All employees should be encouraged to contribute to and improve upon what they do every day.
- Maintain and update equipment whenever new capabilities, efficiencies and/or safety improvements are identified.
- Implement continuous training and improve access to repair information.
- Enforce continuous uncluttered, well lighted, clean and professional work areas.
- Improve the shop environment. Improve air quality, maintain comfortable temperature settings, install economical and cool LED lighting, and provide sight and hearing protection. Make it better than any other place they have ever worked. Ensure the work bays are well lit… nobody likes to work in a cave. In order to perform a quality repair, surgeon’s need good lighting, and aging skilled technicians would agree they need a well-lit environment as well. Air quality, dust containment, sound levels all lead to happier, more productive employees. The younger employees that “don’t need it” will learn from the older masters that this is critical for longevity.
- Retain well-trained and proficient technicians by supporting them with on-going shop enhancements and continued improvement in efficiencies to frequently enhance the production process.
What builds a strong team?
- Develop a workplace safety policy for both equipment and operators. An office built around efficient production that incorporates safety and wellness programs will improve employee morale and resulting work ethic. Technicians will be less likely to leave for another job opportunity if they feel their well-being is in high regard by their employer.
- Institute mandated facility safety reviews submitted by each employee on a regular schedule. This brings awareness to potential safety issues before they occur. From a simple extension cord tripping hazard to perhaps something larger, your technicians will feel they’ve contributed to a safer environment for the entire team.
- Improve your team by member inclusion whenever possible. Plan all big jobs with detailed checklists and synchronize parallel repair processes.
- Incorporate safe work environment practices that are conducive to both efficiency and technician short and long term health. Be sure you have readily available and easily accessible the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable for the job at hand. Enforce that your employees not only wear it, but wear it properly and understand why they must wear it.
How do I maximize labor hours, meet production demands and accelerate repair times?
- Focus on the needs of your technicians by allowing them to remain in their own repair bay. A technician should be able to perform like an experienced chef and surgeon, having all tools and ingredients within arm’s reach. They will work faster with reduced work steps.
- Improve the workflow in your shop by seeking to eliminate movement of the vehicle between repair tasks whenever possible. Award top technicians by Installing ‘small task correction work stations’ in the technician’s bay with his toolbox conveniently positioned to address all cosmetic and minor collision repairs. Provide ergonomic improvement in accessing upper and lower areas of the vehicle with adjustable height work stations. In a single setup, provide minor anchoring and pulling, realign and prepare cosmetic sheet metal damage as well as other ‘gravy services’ with even quicker turnover. Turn up the speed.
Continuous improvement in technician productivity results in fewer injuries, reduced sickness and less down time. Productivity ultimately starts with the technician's work environment. Air quality, ergonomics, work steps reduction, lighting, sound levels, etc. all lead to happier, healthier technicians. This adds to retention, loyalty, quality workmanship, business improvement and growth in profitability. Top technicians invest a lot into themselves. They want to be rewarded and assisted through a professional work environment to maximize their production.
Become your company leader in building team efficiency, without losing sight of the importance of increasing job quality. CSI will grow and everyone will thrive. Provide the tools (environment, knowledge, safety and equipment) and you’ll have top technicians waiting in line to pursue your company.
