Keeping Up With Today's Technology?
Make a Commitment to Training

Years ago, working in a service station meant pumping gas, cleaning windshields, fixing flats and changing tires. Pretty basic jobs requiring pretty basic skills. As American industry began to specialize, the transformation of corner gas stations into convenience stores, auto service centers and tire dealerships meant those employed could no longer simply twirl a tire iron, change oil and keep their jobs.

Training, education, instruction — it’s not the moniker that’s applied to this process that matters, but the fact that independent service facilities make a commitment to be willing to keep up with the rapid pace of change in the automotive industry. And often just “keeping up” is not enough. It seems as though the technology of today’s cars and the equip.m.ent required to service them advances at such a dizzying pace that what was once considered “state-of-the-art” service may now be obsolete. And that’s why shops dedicated to keeping their employees informed and at the head of their profession believe so strongly in training.

“Training is mandatory for all of our employees,” says Barry Steinberg of Direct Tire in Watertown, Mass. Training is not only important to him as the owner, but to the employees themselves. “Employees always thank us for the help that training provides and actually ask for more. We like to promote the fact that [automotive servicing] is their career and we want them to be the best.”

Ted Wiens agrees. “Training is a form of communication, and therefore one of the best motivators that we have,” says the owner of self-named Ted Wiens Tire and Auto Centers in Las Vegas, Nev. Training is mandatory in his shops as well, as it’s required that each employee be trained on the equip.m.ent that he or she is about to use. “Training is an integral part of our safety Program and is designed to ensure that the quality of work is high. The technicians who work for us are required to be ASE-certified within one year of the date of hire.”

Wiens believes that a job decreases in complexity when training increases, and that’s basically the end goal for employees of his instruction Programs. “The jobs that our employees perform are much easier if they understand them. Training will give them confidence in knowing their position, performing their jobs more quickly and effectively, and thereby having a satisfied customer, which usually turns into repeat business,” Wiens says.

The Old Standard

Though popping a tape into the company VCR is often considered a training session, videos should not be stand-alone pieces.

Video is not always the best tool for meeting a training Program’s objectives, because while it is great for showing a skill in overview, it’s not that valuable for teaching a step-by-step process. Experts agree that video should be used for what it does best: presenting information. Describing the features of a new piece of equip.m.ent could fill a book — one that trainees would never read. The same information, however, could be presented in a more interesting and compelling way through the use of a videotape. “Video gives you no guarantee that people will actually incorporate the information,” says Wiens. “It should be followed by a Program of some sort to allow trainees the chance to apply what they have learned.”

Using different media follows the primary principles of the adult learning theory — that learning activities for adults should be designed around their needs and interests. Different adults learn differently, and no one medium will reach everyone. Adults learn best when they have choices in the management of their own instruction — when they can watch a video, study a book or go to a class for hands-on experience or discussion.

Theory in Practice

An in-house training room complete with flip charts, chalkboards and video equip.m.ent at Wiens’ shops makes it tough for employees not to get motivated. Following the multimedia theory, Wiens varies training according to the qualifications of the employee. New general service people are given a 2?3 hour familiarization, then assigned to an experienced person until deemed qualified. Sales staff work on a buddy system to get proficient with the computer systems. All employees can also take part in continuing education offered through Clark County Community College. “If any of our employees takes a course, they will be reimbursed 100 percent of tuition costs if they pass the class with a ‘B’ or better,” says Wiens.

Steinberg also subscribes to the idea that various modes of training help to successfully get the message across. “We do it all — video, live instruction, manuals, interactive Programs and off-site training. The more choices we can offer, the better the response,” says Steinberg. All technicians must be ASE-certified, and Steinberg says the same is becoming true for his salespeople.

Manufacturer clinics are popular with both Wiens and Steinberg and their employees, as they provide cutting-edge information on just-released products. The information comes from a live, very informed source, adding to the credibility of the message. “During the fall and winter period when our sales slow a little, we have various clinics for techs, sales and management put on by the manufacturers of the products we sell,” says Wiens. Adds Steinberg, “In addition to mentor training, we often source suppliers for training classes in the specific areas in which we work.”

Getting Involved

Employee participation is a big factor in the effectiveness of many training Programs, and often with live instruction and guest speakers, it’s tough enough to get a technician to raise his or her hand, much less actually become an active participant. Wiens got around that hurdle by designing a Program that requires the technician to become part of the process.

Each of his locations is assigned an area of vehicle expertise such as brakes, A/C systems, or electrical. Employees from the separate locations prepare the training exercise with props and examples of problems, then explain it to the participants from other locations. Says Wiens, “By preparing themselves to train, they become extremely familiar with the area and also benefit from the experience of speaking in front of their peers.”

Another method Wiens uses involves employees performing skits. “If one of the locations has been extremely effective in selling a product such as credit card applications, the employees in that store will prepare a skit on how they did it. It’s fun and informative at the same time.”

Rewards

For most adults, learning is not its own reward and a good training Program recognizes the need for a reward. It’s important to show the “need to know” not just the “nice to know.” Adults need to know how the information can make them more productive, more marketable or more promotable, or how it can make their jobs easier. Don’t provide information without linking it to how they’re going to use it and how they’ll benefit. Wiens’ heavy emphasis on training and his willingness to invest in the time and materials needed for the courses communicate to his employees his concern for their futures. “The employees do like training if it is well done, informative and they see the benefit of making them more productive employees,” Wiens says.

Increased monetary rewards and associated benefits are always good incentives for training, too. Wiens’ employees’ reward for completed training is that they receive a higher commission if they are ASE-certified. Service managers and store managers also benefit as higher shop efficiencies, as a result of training, lead to increased sales and profits. “When managers understand the relationship between training and their store’s effectiveness, the entire operation is rewarded as we are able to invest in more advertising, equip.m.ent and training and increase corporate profit sharing,” says Wiens.

Company and co-worker camaraderie drives training for employees and managers at Direct Tire. “We feel long-term employees are always rewarded through excellent pay, great benefits and the fact that team spirit really works when everyone desires to excel. A successful training Program promotes the desire to excel,” says Steinberg.

In addition to improving employees, training also rewards company operations. Training improves communication between the sales staff and customers. Service personnel, inspectors and technicians receive better information as a result, allowing them to clearly understand what each job entails.

Steinberg credits training with putting his company ahead of the competition. Increased skills result in quality repairs and positive word-of-mouth advertising.

Often the intangible benefits of training make it hard to commit money and time to a dedicated system of learning and teaching. But when you consider the benefits of such a Program: better quality and greater efficiency of repairs, fewer comebacks, increased customer satisfaction and improved earnings, how can you not?