Hey! Didn’t You Used to Work for Me?
Too bad someone out there doesn’t have a collision industry crystal ball – filled with answers about where future technicians are going to come from and the secrets of hiring and retaining them.
Reader Responses
Increasing Cycle TimeDear BodyShop Business:I just finished reading your articles on reducing cycle time (Jan. 2001 Production Issue). This leaves me extremely frustrated. Our shop employs 25 talented people, we have the latest in technology and a well-laid-out shop floor plan. But all of this means nothing if you can’t get the parts. With articles
More Brains, Less Brawn: Straightening a Vehicle
Brute force isn’t necessary to straighten a vehicle. Still, techs like to flex their muscles rather than use their brains to get the job done.
Building a Case for Industrialization
When your competition industrializes their operations, their production efficiency will improve dramatically – possibly 37 to 50 percent in a single shift. With such fierce competition, can you afford to continue doing something because “that’s the way we’ve always done it”?
Tapping Education and Training Sources
Here we go with another story on the technician shortage. But you may be surprised to learn that the tools you need to combat the problem are tools you already have – and tapping these sources for education and training can lead to a steady flow of qualified and loyal technicians.
Not So Random Acts of Kindness
You can’t sit back and wait for people to beat a path to your door – you have to get their attention any way you can. (This doesn’t mean light yourself on fire and dance around your parking lot!) Thank-you notes, kind words and doing little things that other shop owners don’t will attract customers, improve business relationships and keep you out of the burn unit.
Taking the Pain Out of Glass
These days, automotive glass serves a bigger purpose than simply keeping bugs out of a driver’s teeth. Some passenger-side airbags depend on the windshield to act as an integral part of the system. With such a critical repair at hand, proper glass replacement is of the utmost importance — but isn’t nearly as complex as you might think.
Behind Closed Doors: CARA Collision & Glass Bankruptcy
Since CARA Collision & Glass filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy, many in the industry are wondering what the heck is going on. Though the future is unclear, a few things are certain: Employees are out of jobs and former shop owners who took stock in the company are out of luck
Let the Heart Surgeons Operate
Is the perceived shortage the result of too many shops using highly skilled technicians to perform low- skilled work?
Busting at the Seams
Growth isn’t as important as retaining quality and, most importantly, profitability.