USE THE THREE E’S TO DO MORE WITH FEWER EMPLOYEES
By David Rogers
The old saying “many hands make for light work” can sometimes go both ways.
Being shorthanded in any situation, especially in terms of staffing at a small business, can make it seem like you’re swimming against the current, and every day is a struggle just to make a dent in your to-do list.
In the auto repair industry, making do with a smaller staff is fast becoming a reality. As we’ve all noticed, the quantity of quality techs entering our field in recent years has dwindled significantly, and the average age of an ASE-certified tech is getting higher and higher, currently sitting right around 45.
There are several reasons for this trend, all of which seem to stem from societal factors and none of which can be remedied easily. While we can’t control how many techs are entering the industry or how many “hirable” techs are available in our given market, the one thing we can control is being proactive and putting ourselves in a position to do more with less by having good systems and policies in place. In my experience, the best way to accomplish this is to make sure your shop’s culture is the very best it can be and that your staff members are 1) educated, 2) energized and 3) efficient!