How Can You Improve Your Auto Repair Work Order

Introduction

Most auto repair shops’ typical eight-hour work day isn’t eight hours. That’s because many shops struggle to make the most of every minute. This means they’re not getting as much done as possible, wasting time and money.

But visualize if even 30 minutes out of the 1.5 hours that aren’t being used efficiently could be reclaimed. That could mean fitting in an extra repair job, bringing in more money for the business!

Here, we will discuss some great advice on how to make auto repair shops more productive and efficient.

We’ll look at six strategies they suggest for improving productivity. One of the tools mentioned that can help with this is auto shop repair order software. 

It is designed specifically for auto repair shops to help them manage their work more smoothly and efficiently.

Strategies to Improve Your Auto Repair Work Order

Know How Productive Everyone Is?

Let’s start by discussing how crucial it is that everyone understands the significance of completing tasks quickly. This means creating a culture where being productive is considered good.

Here’s how you can do that:

• Start by determining how much work is done daily. How many hours are being used effectively?
• Communicate with your team about your goals after you’re aware of where you are. Share your goals and ideas.
• Keep track of the work and how productive everyone is.
• If things aren’t going as planned, determine what’s going wrong. Maybe someone needs additional help, or a problem needs solving.
• Collaborate to identify more effective methods. Keep communication open so everyone can share their ideas.
• When someone is doing a great job, let them know! 
• Positive feedback can make a big difference.

Make Sure You Are on the Straight Path

Now, to make sure we’re really on top of things, let’s add a few extra steps:

• Set minimum standards: 

Decide on the least amount of work that needs to be done daily.

• Have goals: 

Aim for a certain amount of work to be completed. It gives everyone something to strive for.

• Keep track of each person’s work: 

This way, you can see who’s doing well and who might need extra support.

These procedures will help you make sure that everyone collaborates to finish tasks as quickly as possible. And remember, it’s not just about doing the work but doing it well and helping each other along the way.

Consider Your Average Repair Order

Envision this: 

You have an automotive repair shop and want to make a million dollars in revenue. Now, let’s say you have two options: one where your average repair order is $300 and the other where it’s $1500.

If your ARO is $300, you’ll have to work on seven times more cars compared to when it’s $1500 to reach that million-dollar goal. That’s a lot of cars! 

And when your technicians have to work on so many cars, they might not have enough time to fix each one correctly. This could lead to them missing problems or rushing through their work, which isn’t suitable for anyone.

But if your ARO is higher, like $1500, your team doesn’t have to work on as many cars each day. They will be able to devote more attention to each car and ensure that everything is done correctly. 

Further, it gives your staff at the front desk and service advisors more time to help customers and make sure everything runs smoothly.

Here’s automotive repair order tracking software that comes in handy. It helps keep track of all the cars coming in and out of your shop, ensuring everything is noticed and everything stays organized. 

So, with the right tools and a higher ARO, your shop can work smarter, not harder, towards that million-dollar goal!

Make Sure You Get Paid for Your Incredible Repair Services

A well-saved Repair Order (RO) document is essential because it shows all the hard work you and your team put into fixing cars. It’s necessary to save all the time you spend on each vehicle and charge for it.

 Otherwise, you and your team could end up working for free, and that’s not good for business. Just think about all the hours your technicians have spent learning how to diagnose car problems! Their lack of compensation for such time is unfair.

If you want to be super efficient and make sure you’re not losing money, there are three things you should start charging for:

• If a technician spends a couple of hours figuring out what’s wrong with a car, they should get paid for that time.
• Sometimes, fixing a car takes longer than you expected. It would help if you charged for that additional time.
• After fixing a car, you need to take it for a test drive to make sure everything’s working right. It would be best if you charged for this, too.

Here’s an excellent tip: 

If you’re worried that customers might not like these extra charges, focus on telling them about the value you’re giving them. Don’t talk too much about how long things take. 

They’ll understand why you charge more once they see how much better their car runs after you’ve spent extra time on it. 

It’s all about ensuring you get paid for your excellent work!

Wrapping Up!

Ready to boost your auto shop’s productivity? Well, the first thing you have to do is figure out where you stand and how to get better. Kick those things slowing you down out the door, make sure you’re charging for all the time you spend on fixing cars, and get that auto shop repair order software working smoothly. Then, keep an eye on how things are going and ensure everything runs well.