Your employees are learning every day, but are you taking responsibility to ensure that education is benefiting them and your business?
If YOU haven't ensured your estimators have been trained in how to use the P-pages and estimating systems, for example, chances are they're being "trained" by insurance adjustors.
If YOU haven't ensured your technicians have received information on automaker-approved repair procedures for current models, chances are they are being "trained" at the "School of I-Guess-I'll-Do-This-How-I've-Always-Done-It-And-Hope-It's-Right."
Is that really what's best for your customers, your business and your bottom line?
Taking personal responsibility for your employees' training doesn't mean you have to teach the class or do the actual training yourself, although that's great if you have the ability to do so. What it does mean, however, is that YOU choose the classes, get them enrolled and pay for the training.
When we recently needed to hire an estimator, it really struck me as we interviewed applicants how few shop owners out there seem to be taking responsibility for training their people. Nearly all the applicants said they'd learned estimating "on-the-job," with little or no outside training on how to access, understand and apply the procedure pages for even one (let alone all three) of the estimating systems. Their training all but ended once they'd turned on the computer, been told some direct repair program guidelines, and had an appraiser tell them, "No one else charges for that."
Few of the applicants had any training in sales or negotiation skills or customer service. And not one was familiar with the concept of repair planning or "blueprinting," which even though at the time we were just beginning to implement, we had been reading about, getting training in and discussing with our staff for some time.
I've always taken a proactive role in getting employees the training I want them to have. Granted, we have benefited in terms of availability to training by being located in the largest metropolitan area in our state. But even if your shop is located in a smaller community, there are sources of training. I-CAR (www.i-car.com) offers classroom training as well as online classes available 24/7. Check with your jobber about training – for both technicians and office staff – available through the paint companies; we've even called to work with our jobber to bring some training we wanted to our area. Each of the estimating system providers offers training – often online and at no additional cost. The Automotive Management Institute (www.AMIonline.org) offers courses and webinars online. Make sure you belong to a local and national association to find out about training opportunities.
I'm certainly aware that not all employees are enthusiastic about training. I've only rarely had employees come to me with information on a class they'd like to take. You have to make it easy and appealing to them. Pay them appropriately for their time at a class (most state labor and wage laws require this). If the class starts shortly after work but doesn't include dinner, give them a few dollars to grab a quick meal on their way. Remember that they are giving up an evening to do something that should benefit you as well as them, so do what you can to make it pleasant for them.
I hope you will consider this a "call to action" to get your people the training they need. Training, like marketing, requires a consistent investment year-in and year-out to result in a return. It can require research and initiative to locate good training opportunities. But there is probably no better use of your time and resources in terms of ensuring that you, your employees and your business have the tools needed to succeed.
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