| Unless your collision shop personnel are up | | | | customer service to detailers, if you want to |
| on the latest knowledge and repair technology | | | | have a successful and strong business that |
| and are constantly learning more, your | | | | puts out high-quality work, you must invest |
| business is probably falling behind the | | | | in continuing education.One reason many shop |
| competition. Yes, training can be expensive | | | | owners give for not investing more in |
| sometimes. But by not devoting part of your | | | | training is they feel that newly trained |
| budget to this important aspect of your | | | | personnel will just go to the competition - |
| business could cost your shop more in the | | | | so why pay to train some other shop's |
| long run.The collision repair industry is | | | | personnel? This is a very bad philosophy to |
| changing faster and faster every year and so | | | | have. It is demotivating, shows a lack of |
| are the vehicles. Just when you think | | | | trust, and can breed contempt amongst |
| everyone is up to speed, changes are made. | | | | employees. If you don't trust your techs and |
| Your techs need to know about any and all | | | | staff, they won't trust you either and you |
| changes - all the time. Think about all the | | | | probably shouldn't be working together |
| computers and wiring on today's vehicles. | | | | anyway. This is not to say that every new |
| Hook up a wire backwards and you might burn | | | | employee should immediately be sent to |
| up a car. Or take aluminum. It is being used | | | | specialized and advanced training. It may be |
| in more and more newer cars and this metal | | | | a good idea to have a stated policy that |
| requires completely different procedures, | | | | employees must work for the company for 90 |
| techniques, and even special tools to repair | | | | days before they may attend any training. |
| it properly.And don't forget about your | | | | Some companies even have employees sign an |
| non-tech staff. Everyone in the shop - from | | | | agreement that states if the employee leaves |
| the front end to the back end - needs to | | | | the company within 12 to 24 months of any |
| participate in continuing education. Think | | | | paid training, the training fees must be |
| about your front office and customer service | | | | repaid. This is fair and may work for your |
| staff. Could they benefit from going through | | | | business.Actually, training builds loyalty. |
| a conflict resolution training course? Could | | | | Research has shown that most employees who |
| the estimator produce better estimates if he | | | | consistently participate in continuing |
| understood how to use the P-Pages better? | | | | education are more loyal to their employer. |
| And, since the estimator is really the | | | | They know that training helps separate the |
| front-line sales representative, would | | | | good shops from the bad ones. It also helps |
| advanced sales technique training make this | | | | to build camaraderie within the entire shop. |
| person a more valuable asset to your business | | | | Whether personnel should participate in |
| by closing more jobs? And don't forget the | | | | training should not be a question. It is |
| detailing department. They can be taught new | | | | something that just needs to be budgeted for |
| tips and tricks, too.The bottom line is this: | | | | on an annual basis. |
| From your "A" techs to the estimators to | | | | |