If you run an automotive service center, you likely face the dilemma of delivering the highest level of service with fewer and fewer resources. On the one hand, consumers have many choices in where they take their vehicles for service and want them back in their hands quickly. On the other, your business must calibrate its operations to make the most of the equipment and team it has on hand. Here are ten ways to speed up service in your automotive service center and deliver a better customer experience.
1. Train Staff
One of the best ways your auto service center can boost its efficiency is to invest in staff training. Experienced, trained technicians are less likely to make time-consuming and costly mistakes.
When you train your staff well, they’ll be able to complete basic and complex tasks with ease, which will save time and money. This investment in career development will also result in more satisfied employees and less turnover, meaning you’ll be less likely to deal with being shorthanded.
2. Automate Processes
A lot of the things that get done while a vehicle is being serviced can be categorized as “busywork,” meaning it doesn’t require skilled labor. If you ask your technicians to do this work, it takes them away from valuable time they could spend fixing vehicles.
Instead, investigate which tasks you can automate so no humans have to touch them at all. This can streamline parts of your business and make them more efficient. For example, you can automate service reminder texts or the sending of receipts after payment.
3. Stay Organized
If your service techs can’t find the parts they need quickly, it’s going to result in frustrating delays for everyone. Getting and staying organized is essential. You can do this by digitizing your inventory using barcodes or RFID tags.
When a tech needs a part, they should be able to look it up and see its location easily. You can also create automated re-ordering of frequently-used parts so you are never in danger of running low and having to re-schedule a customer.
4. Use Mobile Workstations
Many auto repair shops have a central office, which is often a mess, that is used to check in customers and ring them out when the work is complete. These can be cramped and disorganized spaces and a time-killer when a customer has to wait for someone to show up to help them.
A better solution is to have mobile powered carts in the service area. These can speed up the entire experience because they allow service technicians to take the technology they need with them. They can order parts, record service, and create invoices on the spot.
5. Facilitate Open Communication
A lack of communication among workers can lead to unnecessary delays and inefficiencies. When employees must walk back and forth to a central location to get instructions or give them (such as when ordering parts), the time adds up.
You can open up lines of communication using the technology incorporated in your mobile workstations. Instead of having to travel around the facility, technicians and support staff can communicate via instant messages. This can save time, money, and a lot of frustration.
6. Create Consistent Workflows
When your auto service shop has consistent workflows, you can better anticipate how long service calls and repairs will take. This allows you to properly set customer expectations. At the same time, those workflows act as a guide for your technicians so they don’t get off track, allowing them to remain focused on the task at hand.
7. Order Pre-Packaged Parts
Auto service centers can waste a ton of time waiting on parts. This can be frustrating for customers who take time out of their schedule to bring vehicles in for repair or service with the expectation that parts will be available.
One way to address this challenge is with pre-packaged parts. Your business can run a report on the number of routine services and repairs done monthly or quarterly and have the parts on hand for those services.
8. Offer Expedited Payments
After waiting to get their car serviced, the last thing a customer wants to do is wait in line for another 15-30 minutes to pay their bill. Mobile workstations are one answer to this problem, where customers can pay for services from the shop floor instead of having to go to a central location. Another solution is to send the customer a text with a link to pay when their vehicle is ready. Once the payment goes through, the customer can pick up their keys and be on their way.
9. Hire a Shop Assistant
Automation is an excellent solution for many tasks, but it can only do so much. If your technicians are still spending too much time doing trivial work that it is prolonging service calls, it may be time to consider other options.
One thing you can do is hire a shop assistant to handle many non-technical tasks that you can’t automate. For example, your shop assistant can move vehicles in and out of the shop bays, clean the work areas, and help get parts.
10. Track Your Performance
Another way you can improve efficiency and speed up your service time is to embrace technology solutions that track your performance. Identify key metrics, such as service completion times or error rates, and begin tracking them. You can use analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to help you identify areas that need improvement and figure out how to get the most out of your current resources.
Automotive service centers need to run as efficiently as possible to make the best use of their labor and deliver a positive customer experience. By leveraging the right processes, tools, and technology, your business can speed up service and save valuable resources at the same time.
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