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Posted

34 years ago, when I opened the doors to my shop, I had broken cars lined up in front of the bays on a daily basis. Thank God for GM, Ford and Chrysler. Cars back then broke down at any alarming rate. We didn’t have to be the best sales people either; broken cars just arrived at our doorstep. We lived in a reactive world, where we repaired one car after the other. Those were the days!

 

Well, those days are gone. Today, if you wait for cars to come to you, you may be waiting a long time. With extended service intervals, improved car quality, and less maintenance items to service and repair, we need to take a proactive approach.

 

We need to improve our image, hire the best people, adopt a culture of continuous training, speak to all customers as if they are best friends or family, inform them of needed future services, book the next service, sell preventive maintenance and deliver world-class customer service.

 

Most important; Create the customer experience so memorable, so enjoyable, so rewarding that when they leave your shop, they think to themselves…. “That was a great experience, I’m coming back.”

  • Like 1
Posted

Every time I read one of your articles I get exactly what I've been needing. For the last week we've began to notice the importance of continual training for all of our shop team. The value this adds to your shop and the people on the team is so very important. Do you have any advice on how to get your team motivated to be life-long learners?

  • Like 1
Posted

Every time I read one of your articles I get exactly what I've been needing. For the last week we've began to notice the importance of continual training for all of our shop team. The value this adds to your shop and the people on the team is so very important. Do you have any advice on how to get your team motivated to be life-long learners?

 

Thanks for the kinds words. I too learn a lot from reading the posts. There are so many great ASO members, with such great knowledge.

 

Your question is great. I require all my techs and service people to attend training. But, the issue is; How do get people to adopt the culture of continuous improvement and training? Here's what I do. I make it part of their requirement when I hire them. All bonuses, Holiday bonus and other benefits are tied into the amount of training they attend. If they don't go, they sacrifice certain benefits.

 

I also have in-house lunch meetings (separate from techs and service people) where we have open discussions on topics that the group wants to cover. For example; if a tech has an issue with TPMS, we discuss the problem and then the manager will get the needed information, training video, whatever.

 

In other words, we make training part of our culture. I hope this helps and great post!

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Jordan,

 

I just returned from the AAPEX/SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and this exact question arose in a group discussion, How do we create a culture of learning with our technicians? One shop owner has a roundtable meeting once a year to find out what type of training his technicians are interested in. This creates "buy in" with the techs because they have a say in planning the training.

 

Another owner gets with a few local shops and they pool their money to hire a trainer for their techs. He does not like the typical training offered by vendors.

 

And finally, Joe makes great points, It has to be part of the deal from the beginning. Tie the things the techs want to their responsibilities, like training.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Good point Frogfinder, attitude is the foundation of learning. Attitude does not necessarily guarantee success, but a poor attitude is doomed for failure

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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