by SCOTT BRIGDEN

There are so many standard repairs that are done over the course of a year that we have to quote a time for, get a parts list and then review, review, review. The opportunities you create by building a database of standard jobs in your dealership are huge.

What do I mean by a standard job? Any task that is repeatable – where the job details should not change – is a standard job. When you are changing a component on a unit, you should have a fairly standard set of steps to go through to perform the task, the same parts list if you change all recommended parts for the repair and the time should be fairly consistent when done by technicians with similar abilities. When these jobs are being done in your dealership, make sure you are capturing that information and then creating a standard job or flat rate for that repair. Make these standard jobs specific for the model number of equipment and over time you will create a very powerful tool.

Setting the right time for a standard job is the most important and most impactful part of a strong standard job. So often we make our

When these jobs are being done in your dealership, make sure you are capturing that information and then creating a standard job or flat rate for that repair. Make these standard jobs specific for the model number of equipment and over time you will create a very powerful tool.

There are so many standard repairs that are done over the course of a year that we have to quote a time for, get a parts list and then review, review, review. The opportunities you create by building a database of standard jobs in your dealership are huge.

best technicians Service Managers, and they set the standard for the shop. Your best technicians are above average however, and you need to set a time that they would not only meet, but exceed. If your best technician can do a job in 2 hours, then set a time of 2.3 hours. You want to create an opportunity for billing gains on these jobs, so set a time that if an average technician did the job they should hit 100 % efficiency. Also make sure you factor in time for sourcing parts, cleaning up a bay after repairs are complete, and for writing the story. Setting the right time in a standard job database also ensures your customers get consistent billing throughout the year. If your business system keeps history for standard jobs you create,

then make sure to review performance of standard jobs and adjust the time as necessary.

With a model specific standard job, you can add a detailed parts list to not only make quoting easier, but speed up the time it takes to get parts ordered for your technicians. Imagine how many times in a year a parts person will look up the same oil filter for a popular model – if that part was included in an oil change standard job, there is no need to look it up over and over. Just get the right part to the tech right away. A detailed parts list also ensures you are using all the recommended parts such as any extra gaskets or hardware on a job. When your customer brings their machine in for repairs, they want the job done right the first time so make sure all parts that should be replaced are. Why would we change a water pump and not change the gaskets? Get the extras on your standard jobs.

If your business system will let you add standard comments to your database of standard jobs, get those in there as well. Anyone that has reviewed technician comments knows that this can be a struggle at times. Additionally, the standard comments can be a guideline for a technician doing a job for the first time, making their job a little easier and making them a little more efficient. All the information you need to create a strong standard job happens everyday in your service department. When a repair is completed and reviewed, you have all the information needed so get that into your database for future use.

I was fortunate early in my career that the company I was a service writer for had invested in building a strong standard job database and it was a game changer for me. Having never been a technician in my life it made it possible for me to make accurate quotes and to review many repairs without needing my service manager, as I already had a standard to look at and compare actual performance. When a technician took longer I would ask questions and bill for extra time when appropriate.

It can take a long time to build your database, but the investment will definitely pay off as your database grows. EDM

TOP METRICS TO WATCH is an ongoing feature brought to you by the association’ s Dealer Institute to help dealers better understand key performance indicators and industry metrics to effectively manage their businesses.

SCOTT BRIGDEN is a trainer with NAEDA’ s Dealer Institute. Prior to joining DI as an aftermarket specialist and trainer, Scott held various training and leadership positions across several dealerships in Canada, and he currently manages a truck repair shop. He looks forward to helping dealers succeed by improving their parts and service operations.

SCOTT BRIGDEN, Aftermarket Specialist and Trainer with NAEDA’ s Dealer Institute.

34 EQUIPMENT DEALER MAGAZINE • U. S. EDITION